New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-03-23
THE FORTH BRIDGE.
As \ WORK OF ENGINEERING. AS A WORK
OF ART, AND AS A BRIDGE.

London. March g.


our opinion that this great undertaking, every
,ar, Of which we have seen at different stages
80 ite construction is a wonderful example OF
,horouohIv GOOD workmanship with excellent ma
tcrals and that both in its conception ana Ill
;,s execution it is a credit 10 all who have been
connected with it: bearing testimony 10 Inc
ability of the engineers who have designed 1t, TO
the skill and resource OF those who have suFrn-
tended and constructed it. and TO the zeal ana
courage of the workmcn who have been employed
upon it
For civilitys sake 7 begin with this official
pancryric upon the Bridge. 1t is not 10 he doubted
that it is deserved so far it relates TO the eng-
neerno of this appalling structure. now compe'eu'
The word conception refers will assume, TO Inc
engineering perhaps TO that vague notion o' "
possible bridge for which Sir Matthew THOMPSON
chairman Of the laridge Companya modeStly
claimed credit at the luncheon on TUESDAY. hu'
when SO mn ;. has been said. all has been said As
a means of carrying traffic from shore to shore
Of the Firth of Forth the bridge is a sufficient
bridge: is indisputaby marvel Of mechanical
skill In other respects 1t is a disgrace to every
body concerned TO the railway companies. IN the
DESIGNERS 10 the people Of Scotland. VINO 'oler"W
the erection of so hidcous fabric anna 'H'H
love,iest scenery, to Parliament which sanctioned
the scheme. TO the general public who looReu o"
acquiescingly while it was put together ah's 10
the nineteenth century. which has sunereu ''e
scientific and utilitarian spirit 10 ridc Iou@"-
sbod over all that is artistic. !. TOO, like the
Board of Trade inspectors. have seen the brluSe
of Forth in different stages of It's consructioh Huu
] humby record my opinion that II has grown
uclier as il has grown bigger. till at last Vt Siands
out beyond comparison question: The most IN
beautiful of ell the works of the human hand Oh
this terrestrial globe.
II is the more needful TO say this plainly. he
cause there is some danger that the Hudson may
lie ruined as the Firth of Forth has been ruined.
There are. ! am told. two schemes for bridging
the Hudson at point not far from the foot Of
West Tenth-st, in Ncw-York. and one of bhem IS
70 build on the cantilever system. Geter 70 for
ever without bridge. | warn my fcllow-citIzcns
that until they have seen with their own eyes
the Forth Bridge they have. and can have no lIpe
conception of its hideOusncss No photograph or
drawing gives the bcholder an adequate notion
Of il: but I invite the reader 70 look at the
foreshortened view which the company itself has
published. He will see enough 10 assure him that
the thing Is a horror. place il where You may and
look at it how you will. II is a web of steel
spun by some palaeOZoic spider, or the grlSlY
skeleton of some other and huger monster than
itself They call it a triumph of civilization.
III pSfOD2S 10 pefiCu DtlOrr VI lttiH'
ity had been heard of or 10 that more gloomy
eIa through WHICH this planet is TO pass after
they shall have departed.
II is probable that by alterations in de-
tails. which would not have affected its efficiency.
this present bridge might have been made slightly
less horrible 10 the eve. BIT n cantllever bridge
is essentially and necessarily an ugly bridge de-
flying the laws Of architecture. devoldOf symmetry,
devoid Of all grace elegance or fairness # pro
portion: an absolutely and hopelesslv repulsive
object in any situation of position: abonlinahle
and wicked invention altogether Necessity was
made the plea for finring il across the Forth: no
other kind OF bridge cond there be built, say the
technical people 1t may be though il is admitted
that tunnel might have been followed ont
beneath the flood. But it is also admitted that
this perfidious plea Of necessity does not hold
good for the Hudson. There is the very HIGHEST
engineering authority for saying that Suspension
bridge the Hudson is entirely feasible. You
may have the Brooklyn Bridge over again il yon
like, with its delicate curves and massive piers
and perfect roadway; one OF tine finest and most
refined pieces Of architecture ia the world Choose
that, | beseech you. and reject al any price
or for any purpose or on any preteNt, every pro-
posal to p0llute the beauty OF the Hudson by any
thing Of the cantilever kind.
I admit with some diNidenoe that I went 70
Scotland TO SEQ the ceremony Of the official OPEN
irg OF the Forth Bridge and suppose I am under
some kind Of obligation TO describe this CEREMONY
however briefly. But my obligation IS not 10
the bridge directors: if it exists il is this as
in al other cases. TO YOU and 10 the public al home
and the first of all obligations is 10 tell the truth
about it. hope have done 50, and havine thus
over again discharged that duty. will leave the
matter where il is, and pass to Jess disagrresble
be H.ilf hot
of reversing the Firth of Forth, otherwise than
by ferry. was urgently wanted A look at any
map, especially any railway map Of England and
Scotland, will show why. The Firth of Forth,
stretching inland as it does, mas always compelled
all travel and all traffic BY rail or road to make
long circuit from Edinburgh northward. The
whole of the through railway business Of the
East Coast of Scotland has thus been transacted
at Such disadvantage that The West Coast Route
has all but monopolzed the traffic for all parts
OF Scotland north Of Edinburgh The London and
Northwestern Railway. whose own line runs
straight from London TO Carlisle. there Joins hands
with the Csledonien. and stretching in almost a
straight line from the Scottish border to far
Aberdeen, and branching out east, and west rules
over ell that length and breadth Of territory
The sway Of these allied companies has been
almost as rigid as the steel rails on which it
rests. The North British. the other Of tic two
great Scotch companies, has fought gallant. but
Intellectual and impossible fight against the natural
and Nthciai advantages of its too powerful rival
Time and space were on the other side The North
British is partner with the English Great Northern
and the English North Eastern. and together
these three companies work what is called the
East Coast route From London 70
Edinburgh il has the best Of the trat-
nc: is, perhaps, the best piece Of rail-
way travel IN the world for smoothness and
comfOr. and punCtual speed. North Of Edinburgh
this alliance las been half-paralyzed. Not many
people who can choose care 10 cross the Forth by
the GIonton-Buntisland ferry, or 30 follow the
long curve by Sterling TO Perth If the race Of
year before last from London TO Edinburgh had
been carried on, the East Coast would inevitably