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have superseded coach…roads in the more level districts; the hilly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