the life of thomas telford-第74章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



on　the　persuasion　of　his　friends；　to　take　a　house　of　his　own；　and

gave　notice　of　his　intention　of　leaving；　the　landlord；　who　had　but

recently　entered　into　possession；　almost　stood　aghast。　　〃What！　leave

the　house！〃　said　he；　〃Why；　Sir；　I　have　just　paid　750L。　for　you！〃

On　explanation　it　appeared　that　this　price　had　actually　been　paid　by

him　to　the　outgoing　landlord；　on　the　assumption　that　Mr。　Telford

was　a　fixture　of　the　hotel；　the　previous　tenant　having　paid　450L。

for　him；　the　increase　in　the　price　marking　very　significantly　the

growing　importance　of　the　engineer's　position。　　There　was；　however；

no　help　for　the　disconsolate　landlord；　and　Telford　left　the　Salopian

to　take　possession　of　his　new　house　at　24；　Abingdon　Street。　　Labelye；

the　engineer　of　Westminster　Bridge；　had　formerly　occupied　the

dwelling；　and；　at　a　subsequent　period；　Sir　William　Chambers；　the

architect　of　Somerset　House；　Telford　used　to　take　much　pleasure　in

pointing　out　to　his　visitors　the　painting　of　Westminster　Bridge；

impanelled　in　the　wall　over　the　parlour　mantelpiece；　made　for

Labelye　by　an　Italian　artist　whilst　the　bridge　works　were　in

progress。　　In　that　house　Telford　continued　to　live　until　the　close

of　his　life。



One　of　the　subjects　in　which　he　took　much　interest　during　his　later

years　was　the　establishment　of　the　Institute　of　Civil　Engineers。

In　1818　a　Society　had　been　formed；　consisting　principally　of　young

men　educated　to　civil　and　mechanical　engineering；　who　occasionally

met　to　discuss　matters　of　interest　relating　to　their　profession。

As　early　as　the　time　of　Smeaton；　a　social　meeting　of　engineers　was

occasionally　held　at　an　inn　in　Holborn；　which　was　discontinued　in

1792；　in　consequence　of　some　personal　differences　amongst　the

members。　　It　was　revived　in　the　following　year；　under　the　auspices

of　Mr。　Jessop；　Mr。　Naylor；　Mr。　Rennie；　and　Mr。　Whitworth；　and

joined　by　other　gentlemen　of　scientific　distinction。　　They　were

accustomed　to　dine　together　every　fortnight　at　the　Crown　and　Anchor

in　the　Strand；　spending　the　evening　in　conversation　on　engineering

subjects。　　But　as　the　numbers　and　importance　of　the　profession

increased；　the　desire　began　to　be　felt；　especially　among　the　junior

members　of　the　profession；　for　an　institution　of　a　more　enlarged

character。　　Hence　the　movement　above　alluded　to；　which　led　to　an

invitation　being　given　to　Mr。　Telford　to　accept　the　office　of

President　of　the　proposed　Engineers'　Institute。　　To　this　he　consented；

and　entered　upon　the　duties　of　the　office　on　the　21st　of　March；

1820。*＇1＇　　During　the　remainder　of　his　life；　Mr。　Telford　continued

to　watch　over　the　progress　of　the　Society；　which　gradually　grew　in

importance　and　usefulness。　　He　supplied　it　with　the　nucleus　of　a

reference　library；　now　become　of　great　value　to　its　members。

He　established　the　practice　of　recording　the　proceedings；*＇2＇　minutes

of　discussions；　and　substance　of　the　papers　read；　which　has　led　to

the　accumulation；　in　the　printed　records　of　the　Institute；　of　a

vast　body　of　information　as　to　engineering　practice。　　In　1828　he

exerted　himself　strenuously　and　successfully　in　obtaining　a　Charter

of　　Incorporation　for　the　Society；　and　finally；　at　his　death；　he

left　the　Institute　their　first　bequest　of　2000L。；　together　with

many　valuable　books；　and　a　large　collection　of　documents　which　had

been　subservient　to　his　own　professional　labours。



In　the　distinguished　position　which　he　occupied；　it　was　natural

that　Mr。　Telford　should　be　called　upon；　as　he　often　was；　towards

the　close　of　his　life；　to　give　his　opinion　and　advice　as　to

projects　of　public　importance。　　Where　strongly　conflicting　opinions

were　entertained　on　any　subject；　his　help　was　occasionally　found

most　valuable；　for　he　possessed　great　tact　and　suavity　of　manner；

which　often　enabled　him　to　reconcile　opposing　interests　when　they

stood　in　the　way　of　important　enterprises。



In　1828　he　was　appointed　one　of　the　commissioners　to　investigate

the　subject　of　the　supply　of　water　to　the　metropolis；　in　conjunction

with　Dr。　Roget　and　Professor　Brande；　and　the　result　was　the　very

able　report　published　in　that　year。　　Only　a　few　months　before　his

death；　in　1834；　he　prepared　and　sent　in　an　elaborate　separate

report；　containing　many　excellent　practical　suggestions；　which　had

the　effect　of　stimulating　the　efforts　of　the　water　companies；　and

eventually　leading；　to　great　improvements。



On　the　subject　of　roads；　Telford　continued　to　be　the　very　highest

authority；　his　friend　Southey　jocularly　styling　him　the　〃Colossus

of　Roads。〃　　The　Russian　Government　frequently　consulted　him　with

reference　to　the　new　roads　with　which　that　great　empire　was　being

opened　up。　　The　Polish　road　from　Warsaw　to　Briesc；　on　the　Russian

frontier；　120　miles　in　length；　was　constructed　after　his　plans；　and

it　remains；　we　believe；　the　finest　road　in　the　Russian　dominions　to

this　day。



＇Image＇　Section　of　Polish　Road



He　was　consulted　by　the　Austrian　Government　on　the　subject　of

bridges　as　well　as　roads。　　Count　Szechenyi　recounts　the　very

agreeable　and　instructive　interview　which　he　had　with　Telford　when

he　called　to　consult　him　as　to　the　bridge　proposed　to　be　erected

across　the　Danube；　between　the　towns　of　Buda　and　Pesth。　　On　a

suspension　bridge　being　suggested　by　the　English　engineer；　the

Count；　with　surprise；　asked　if　such　an　erection　was　possible　under

the　circumstances　he　had　described？　〃We　do　not　consider　anything　to

be　impossible；〃　replied　Telford；　〃impossibilities　exist　chiefly　in

the　prejudices　of　mankind；　to　which　some　are　slaves；　and　from　which

few　are　able　to　emancipate　themselves　and　enter　on　the　path　of

truth。〃　　But　supposing　a　suspension　bridge　were　not　deemed　advisable

under　the　circumstances；　and　it　were　considered　necessary

altogether　to　avoid　motion；　〃then；〃　said　he；　〃I　should　recommend

you　to　erect　a　cast　iron　bridge　of　three　spans；　each　400　feet；　such

a　bridge　will　have　no　motion；　and　though　half　the　world　lay　a

wreck；　it　would　still　stand。〃*＇3＇　　A　suspension　bridge　was

eventually　resolved　upon。　　It　was　constructed　by　one　of　Mr。　Telford's

ablest　pupils；　Mr。　Tierney　Clark；　between　the　years　1839　and　1850；

and　is　justly　regarded　as　one　of　the　greatest　triumphs　of　English

engineering；　the　Buda…Pesth　people　proudly　declaring　it　to　be　〃the

eighth　wonder　of　the　world。〃



At　a　time　when　speculation　was　very　rifein　the　year　1825

Mr。　Telford　was　consulted　respecting　a　grand　scheme　for　cutting　a

canal　across　the　Isthmus　of　Darien；　and　about　the　same　time　he　was

employed　to　resurvey　the　line　for　a　ship　canalwhich　had　before

occupied　the　attention　of　Whitworth　and　Renniebetween　Bristol　and

the　English　Channel。　　But　although　he　gave　great　attention　to　this

latter　project；　and　prepared　numerous　plans　and　reports　upon　it；

and　although　an　Act　was　actually　passed　enabling　it　to　be　carried

out；　the　scheme　was　eventually　abandoned；　like　the　preceding　ones

with　the　same　object；　for　want　of　the　requisite　funds。



Our　engineer　had　a　perfect　detestation　of　speculative　jobbing　in

all　its　forms；　though　on　one　occasion　he　could　not　help　being　used

as　an　instrument　by　schemers。　　A　public　company　was　got　up　at

Liverpool；　in　1827；　to　form　a　broad　and　deep　ship　canal；　of　about

seven　miles　in　length；　from　opposite　Liverpool　to　near　Helbre

Isle；　in　the　estuary　of　the　Dee；　its　object　being　to　enable　the

shipping　of　the　port　to　avoid　the　variable　shoals　and　sand…banks

which　obstruct　the　entrance　to　the　Mersey。　　Mr。　Telford　entered　on

the　project　with　great　zeal；　and　his　name　was　widely　quoted　in　its

support。　　It　appeared；　however；　that　one　of　its　principal　promoters；

who　had　secured　the　right　of　pre…emption　of　the　land　on　which　the

only　possible　entrance　to　the　canal　could　be　formed　on　the　northern

side；　suddenly　closed　with　the　corporation　of　Liverpool；　who　were

opposed　to　the　plan；　and　〃sold〃；　his　partners　as　well　as　the

engineer　for　a　large　sum　of　money。　　Telford；　disgusted　at　being　made

the　instru