the life of thomas telford-第59节

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plane　to　the　depth　of　about　twenty　yards。　　A　considerable　width　of

rock　lay　between　each　tunnel；　but　at　the　bottom　they　were　all

united　by　a　connecting　horizontal　avenue　or　cavern；　sufficiently

capacious　to　enable　the　workmen　to　fix　the　strong　iron　frames；

composed　principally　of　thick　flat　cast　iron　plates；　which　were

engrafted　deeply　into　the　rock；　and　strongly　bound　together　by　the

iron　work　passing　along　the　horizontal　avenue；　so　that；　if　the　iron

held；　the　chains　could　only　yield　by　tearing　up　the　whole　mass　of

solid　rock　under　which　they　were　thus　firmly　bound。



A　similar　method　of　anchoring　the　main　chains　was　adopted　on　the

Caernarvonshire　side。　　A　thick　bank　of　earth　had　there　to　be　cut

through；　and　a　solid　mass　of　masonry　built　in　its　place；　the　rock

being　situated　at　a　greater　distance　from　the　main　pier；　involving

a　greater　length　of　suspending　chain；　and　a　disproportion　in　the

catenary　or　chord　line　on　that　side　of　the　bridge。　　The　excavation

and　masonry　thereby　rendered　necessary　proved　a　work　of　vast

labour；　and　its　execution　occupied　a　considerable　time；　but　by　the

beginning　of　the　year　1825　the　suspension　pyramids；　the　land　piers

and　arches；　and　the　rock　tunnels；　had　all　been　completed；　and　the

main　chains　were　firmly　secured　in　them；　the　work　being

sufficiently　advanced　to　enable　the　suspending　of　the　chains　to　be

proceeded　with。　　This　was　by　far　the　most　difficult　and　anxious　part

of　the　undertaking。



With　the　same　careful　forethought　and　provision　for　every

contingency　which　had　distinguished　the　engineer's　procedure　in　the

course　of　the　work；　he　had　made　frequent　experiments　to　ascertain

the　actual　power　which　would　be　required　to　raise　the　main　chains

to　their　proper　curvature。　　A　valley　lay　convenient　for　the　purpose；

a　little　to　the　west　of　the　bridge　on　the　Anglesea　side。

Fifty…seven　of　the　intended　vertical　suspending　rods；　each　nearly

ten　feet　long　and　an　inch　square；　having　been　fastened　together；　a

piece　of　chain　was　attached　to　one　end　to　make　the　chord　line　570

feet　in　length；　and　experiments　having　been　made　and　comparisons

drawn；　Mr。　Telford　ascertained　that　the　absolute　weight　of　one　of

the　main　chains　of　the　bridge　between　the　points　of　suspension　was

23　1/2　tons；　requiring　a　strain　of　39　1/2　tons　to　raise　it　to　its

proper　curvature。　　On　this　calculation　the　necessary　apparatus

required　for　the　hoisting　was　prepared。　　The　mode　of　action　finally

determined　on　for　lifting　the　main　chains；　and　fixing　them　into

their　places；　was　to　build　the　central　portion　of　each　upon　a　raft

450　feet　long　and　6　feet　wide；　then　to　float　it　to　the　site　of　the

bridge；　and　lift　it　into　its　place　by　capstans　and　proper　tackle。



At　length　all　was　ready　for　hoisting　the　first　great　chain；　and

about　the　middle　of　April；　1825；　Mr。　Telford　left　London　for　Bangor

to　superintend　the　operations。　　An　immense　assemblage　collected　to

witness　the　sight；　greater　in　number　than　any　that　had　been

collected　in　the　same　place　since　the　men　of　Anglesea；　in　their

war…paint；　rushing　down　to　the　beach；　had　shrieked　defiance　across

the　Straits　at　their　Roman　invaders　on　the　Caernarvon　shore。

Numerous　boats　arrayed　in　gay　colours　glided　along　the　waters；　the

daythe　26th　of　Aprilbeing　bright；　calm；　and　in　every　way

propitious。



At　half…past　two；　about　an　hour　before　high　water；　the　raft　bearing

the　main　chain　was　cast　off　from　near　Treborth　Mill；　on　the

Caernarvon　side。　　Towed　by　four　boats；　it　began　gradually　to　move

from　the　shore；　and　with　the　assistance　of　the　tide；　which　caught

it　at　its　further　end；　it　swung　slowly　and　majestically　round　to

its　position　between　the　main　piers；　where　it　was　moored。　　One　end

of　the　chain　was　then　bolted　to　that　which　hung　down　the　face　of

the　Caernarvon　pier；　whilst　the　other　was　attached　to　ropes

connected　with　strong　capstans　fixed　on　the　Anglesea　side；　the

ropes　passing　by　means　of　blocks　over　the　top　of　the　pyramid　of　the

Anglesea　pier。　　The　capstans　for　hauling　in　the　ropes　bearing　the

main　chain；　were　two　in　number；　manned　by　about　150　labourers。　　When

all　was　ready；　the　signal　was　given　to　〃Go　along！〃　　A　Band　of　fifers

struck　up　a　lively　tune；　the　capstans　were　instantly　in　motion；　and

the　men　stepped　round　in　a　steady　trot。　　All　went　well。　　The　ropes

gradually　coiled　in。　　As　the　strain　increased；　the　pace　slackened　a

little；　but　〃Heave　away；　now　she　comes！〃　was　sung　out。　　Round　went

the　men；　and　steadily　and　safely　rose　the　ponderous　chain。



＇Image＇　Cut　of　Bridge；　showing　state　of　Suspension　Chain



The　tide　had　by　this　time　turned；　and　bearing　upon　the　side　of　the

raft；　now　getting　freer　of　its　load；　the　current　floated　it　away

from　under　the　middle　of　the　chain　still　resting　on　it；　and　it

swung　easily　off　into　the　water。　　Until　this　moment　a　breath　less

silence　pervaded　the　watching　multitude；　and　nothing　was　heard

among　the　working　party　on　the　Anglesea　side　but　the　steady　tramp

of　the　men　at　the　capstans；　the　shrill　music　of　the　fife；　and　the

occasional　order　to　〃Hold　on！〃　or　〃Go　along！〃　　But　no　sooner　was　the

raft　seen　floating　away；　and　the　great　chain　safely　swinging　in　the

air；　than　a　tremendous　cheer　burst　forth　along　both　sides　of　the

Straits。



The　rest　of　the　work　was　only　a　matter　of　time。　　The　most　anxious

moment　had　passed。　　In　an　hour　and　thirty…five　minutes　after　the

commencement　of　the　hoisting；　the　chain　was　raised　to　its　proper

curvature；　and　fastened　to　the　land　portion　of　it　which　had　been

previously　placed　over　the　top　of　the　Anglesea　pyramid。　　Mr。　Telford

ascended　to　the　point　of　fastening；　and　satisfied　himself　that　a

continuous　and　safe　connection　had　been　formed　from　the　Caernarvon

fastening　on　the　rock　to　that　on　Anglesea。　　The　announcement　of　the

fact　was　followed　by　loud　and　prolonged　cheering　from　the　workmen；

echoed　by　the　spectators；　and　extending　along　the　Straits　on　both

sides；　until　it　seemed　to　die　away　along　the　shores　in　the　distance。

Three　foolhardy　workmen；　excited　by　the　day's　proceedings；　had　the

temerity　to　scramble　along　the　upper　surface　of　the　chainwhich

was　only　nine　inches　wide　and　formed　a　curvature　of　590　feetfrom

one　side　of　the　Strait　to　the　other！*＇2＇　　Far　different　were　the

feelings　of　the　engineer　who　had　planned　this　magnificent　work。

Its　failure　had　been　predicted；　and；　like　Brindley's　Barton　Viaduct；

it　had　been　freely　spoken　of　as　a　〃castle　in　the　air。〃　　Telford　had；

it　is　true；　most　carefully　tested　every　part　by　repeated　experiment；

and　so　conclusively　proved　the　sufficiency　of　the　iron　chains　to

bear　the　immense　weight　they　would　have　to　support；　that　he　was

thoroughly　convinced　as　to　the　soundness　of　his　principles　of

construction；　and　satisfied　that；　if　rightly　manufactured　and

properly　put　together；　the　chains　would　hold；　and　that　the　piers

would　sustain　them。　　Still　there　was　necessarily　an　element　of

uncertainty　in　the　undertaking。　　It　was　the　largest　structure　of

the　kind　that　had　ever　been　attempted。　　There　was　the　contingency

of　a　flaw　in　the　iron；　some　possible　scamping　in　the　manufacture；

some　little　point　which；　in　the　multiplicity　of　details　to　be

attended　to；　he　might　have　overlooked；　or　which　his　subordinates

might　have　neglected。　　It　was；　indeed；　impossible　but　that　he

should　feel　intensely　anxious　as　to　the　result　of　the　day's

operations。　　Mr。　Telford　afterwards　stated　to　a　friend；　only　a　few

months　before　his　death；　that　for　some　time　previous　to　the　opening

of　the　bridge；　his　anxiety　was　so　great　that　he　could　scarcely

sleep；　and　that　a　continuance　of　that　condition　must　have　very　soon

completely　undermined　his　health。　　We　are　not；　therefore；　surprised

to　learn　that　when　his　friends　rushed　to　congratulate　him　on　the

result　of　the　first　day's　experiment；　which　decisively　proved　the

strength　and　solidity　of　the　bridge；　they　should　have　found　the

engineer　on　his　knees　engaged　in　prayer。　　A　vast　load　had　been

taken　off　his　mind；　the　perilous　enterprise　of　the　day　had　been

accomplished　without　loss　of　life；　and　his　spontaneous　act　was

thankfulness　and　gratitude。



＇Image＇　Menai　Bridge



The　suspension　of　the　remaining　fifteen　chains　was　accomplished

without　difficulty。　　The　last　was　raised　and　fixed　on　the　9th　of

July；　1825；　when　the　entire　line　was　completed。　　On　fixing　the　final

bolt；　a　band　of　music　descended　from　the　top　of　the　suspension　pier

on　the　Anglesea　side　to　a　scaffolding　erected　over　the　centre　of

the　curved　part　of　the　chains；　and　played　the　National　Anthem

amidst　the　cheering　of　many　thousand　persons　assembled　along　the

shores　of　the　Strait：　while　the　workmen　marched　in　procession　along

the　bridge；　on　which　a　temporary　platform　had　been　laid；　and　the

St。　David　steam…packet　of　Chester　passed　under　the　chains　towards

the　Smithy　Rocks　and　back　again；　thus　re…opening　the　navigation　of

the　Strait。



In　August　the　road　platform　was　commenced；　and　in　September　the

trussed　bearing　bars