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第63章

the life of thomas telford-第63章

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Bridge; constructed in 1815being a very fine specimen of

Telford's iron bridge…work。



Those parts of the road which had been the most dangerous were

taken in hand first; and; by the year 1819; the route had been

rendered comparatively commodious and safe。  Angles were cut off;

the sides of hills were blasted away; and several heavy embankments

run out across formidable arms of the sea。  Thus; at Stanley Sands;

near Holyhead; an embankment was formed 1300 yards long and 16 feet

high; with a width of 34 feet at the top; along which the road was

laid。  Its breadth at the base was 114 feet; and both sides were

coated with rubble stones; as a protection against storms。  By the

adoption of this expedient; a mile and a half was saved in a

distance of six miles。  Heavy embankments were also run out; where

bridges were thrown across chasms and ravines; to maintain the

general level。  From Ty…Gwynn to Lake Ogwen; the road along the face

of the rugged hill and across the river Ogwen was entirely new

made; of a uniform width of 28 feet between the parapets; with an

inclination of only 1 in 22 in the steepest place。  A bridge was

thrown over the deep chasm forming the channel of the Ogwen; the

embankment being carried forward from the rook cutting; protected

by high breastworks。  From Capel…Curig to near the great waterfall

over the river Lugwy; about a mile of new road was cut; and a still

greater length from Bettws across the river Conway and along the

face of Dinas Hill to Rhyddlanfair; a distance of 3 miles; its

steepest descent being 1 in 22; diminishing to 1 in 45。  By this

improvement; the most difficult and dangerous pass along the route

through North Wales was rendered safe and commodious。



'Image' Road Descent near Betws…y…Coed。



Another point of almost equal difficulty occurred near Ty…Nant;

through the rocky pass of Glynn Duffrws; where the road was

confined between steep rocks and rugged precipices: there the way

was widened and flattened by blasting; and thus reduced to the

general level; and so on eastward to Llangollen and Chirk; where

the main Shrewsbury road to London was joined。*'6'



'Image' Road above Nant Frrancon; North Wales。



By means of these admirable roads the traffic of North Wales

continues to be mainly carried on to this day。  Although railways

have superseded coach…roads in the more level districts; the hilly

nature of Wales precludes their formation in that quarter to any

considerable extent; and even in the event of railways being

constructed; a large part of the traffic of every country must

necessarily continue to pass over the old high roads。  Without them

even railways would be of comparatively little value; for a railway

station is of use chiefly because of its easy accessibility; and

thus; both for passengers and merchandise; the common roads of the

country are as useful as ever they were; though the main post…roads

have in a great measure ceased to be employed for the purposes for

which they were originally designed。



The excellence of the roads constructed by Mr。 Telford through the

formerly inaccessible counties of North Wales was the theme of

general praise; and their superiority; compared with those of the

richer and more level districts in the midland and western English

counties; becoming the subject of public comment; he was called

upon to execute like improvements upon that part of the post…road

which extended between Shrewsbury and the metropolis。  A careful

survey was made of the several routes from London northward by

Shrewsbury as far as Liverpool; and the short line by Coventry;

being 153 miles from London to Shrewsbury; was selected as the one

to be improved to the utmost。



Down to 1819; the road between London and Coventry was in a very

bad state; being so laid as to become a heavy slough in wet

weather。  There were many steep hills which required to be cut down;

in some parts of deep clay; in others of deep sand。  A mail…coach

had been tried to Banbury; but the road below Aylesbury was so bad;

that the Post…office authorities were obliged to give it up。  The

twelve miles from Towcester to Daventry were still worse。  The line

of way was covered with banks of dirt; in winter it was a puddle of

from four to six inches deepquite as bad as it had been in Arthur

Young's time; and when horses passed along the road; they came out

of it a mass of mud and mire。*'7'  There were also several steep and

dangerous hills to be crossed; and the loss of horses by fatigue in

travelling by that route at the time was very great。



Even the roads in the immediate neighbourhood of the metropolis

were little better; those under the Highgate and Hampstead trust

being pronounced in a wretched state。  They were badly formed;

on a clay bottom; and being undrained; were almost always wet and

sloppy。  The gravel was usually tumbled on and spread unbroken;

so that the materials; instead of becoming consolidated; were only

rolled about by the wheels of the carriages passing over them。



Mr。 Telford applied the same methods in the reconstruction of these

roads that he had already adopted in Scotland and Wales; and the

same improvement was shortly felt in the more easy passage over

them of vehicles of all sorts; and in the great acceleration of the

mail service。  At the same time; the line along the coast from

Bangor; by Conway; Abergele; St。 Asaph; and Holywell; to Chester;

was greatly improved。  As forming the mail road from Dublin to

Liverpool; it was considered of importance to render it as safe

and level as possible。  The principal new cuts on this line were

those along the rugged skirts of the huge Penmaen…Mawr; around the

base of Penmaen…Bach to the town of Conway; and between St。 Asaph

and Holywell; to ease the ascent of Rhyall Hill。



But more important than all; as a means of completing the main line

of communication between England and Ireland; there were the great

bridges over the Conway and the Menai Straits to be constructed。

The dangerous ferries at those places had still to be crossed in

open boats; sometimes in the night; when the luggage and mails were

exposed to great risks。  Sometimes; indeed; they were wholly lost

and passengers were lost with them。  It was therefore determined;

after long consideration; to erect bridges over these formidable

straits; and Mr。 Telford was employed to execute the works;in

what manner; we propose to describe in the next chapter。



Footnotes for Chapter XI。



*'1' 'Life of Robert Owen;' by himself。



*'2' 'Report from the Select Committee on the Carlisle and Glasgow

Road;' 28th June; 1815。



*'3 A diary is preserved of a journey to Dublin from Grosvenor

Square London; l2th June; 1787; in a coach and four; accompanied by

a post…chaise and pair; and five outriders。  The party reached

Holyhead in four days; at a cost of 75L。 11s。 3d。 The state of

intercourse between this country and the sister island at this part

of the account is strikingly set forth in the following entries:

〃Ferry at Bangor; 1L。 10s。; expenses of the yacht hired to carry

the party across the channel; 28L。 7s。 9d。; duty on the coach; 7L。

13s。 4d。; boats on shore; 1L。 1s。; total; 114L。 3s。 4d。〃

Roberts's 'Social History of the Southern Counties;' p。 504。



*'4' 'Second Report from Committee on Holyhead Roads and Harbours;'

1810。  (Parliamentary paper。)



*'5' 〃Many parts of the road are extremely dangerous for a coach to

travel upon。  At several places between Bangor and Capel…Curig there

are a number of dangerous precipices without fences; exclusive of

various hills that want taking down。  At Ogwen Pool there is a very

dangerous place where the water runs over the road; extremely

difficult to pass at flooded times。  Then there is Dinas Hill; that

needs a side fence against a deep precipice。  The width of the road

is not above twelve feet in the steepest part of the hill; and two

carriages cannot pass w

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