the life of thomas telford-第37章

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Craig…Ellachie　a　light　cast…iron　arch　of　150　feet　span；　with　a　rise

of　20　feet；　the　arch　being　composed　of　four　ribs；　each　consisting

of　two　concentric　arcs　forming　panels；　which　are　filled　in　with

diagonal　bars。



The　roadway　is　15　feet　wide；　and　is　formed　of　another　arc　of

greater　radius；　attached　to　which　is　the　iron　railing；　the

spandrels　being　filled　by　diagonal　ties；　forming　trelliswork。

Mr。　Robert　Stephenson　took　objection　to　the　two　dissimilar　arches；

as　liable　to　subject　the　structure；　from　variations　of　temperature；

to　very　unequal　strains。　　Nevertheless　this　bridge；　as　well　as　many

others　constructed　by　Mr。　Telford　after　a　similar　plan；　has　stood

perfectly　well；　and　to　this　day　remains　a　very　serviceable

structure。



＇Image＇　Craig…Ellachie　Bridge。



Its　appearance　is　highly　picturesque。　　The　scattered　pines　and　beech

trees　on　the　side　of　the　impending　mountain；　the　meadows　along　the

valley　of　the　Spey；　and　the　western　approach　road　to　the　bridge　cut

deeply　into　the　face　of　the　rock；　combine；　with　the　slender

appearance　of　the　iron　arch；　in　rendering　this　spot　one　of　the　most

remarkable　in　Scotland。*＇13＇　　An　iron　bridge　of　a　similar　span　to　that

at　Craig…Ellachie　had　previously　been　constructed　across　the　head

of　the　Dornoch　Frith　at　Bonar；　near　the　point　where　the　waters　of

the　Shin　join　the　sea。　　The　very　severe　trial　which　this　structure

sustained　from　the　tremendous　blow　of　an　irregular　mass　of　fir…tree

logs；　consolidated　by　ice；　as　well　as；　shortly　after；　from　the　blow

of　a　schooner　which　drifted　against　it　on　the　opposite　side；　and

had　her　two　masts　knocked　off　by　the　collision；　gave　him　every

confidence　in　the　strength　of　this　form　of　construction；　and　he

accordingly　repeated　it　in　several　of　his　subsequent　bridges；

though　none　of　them　are　comparable　in　beauty　with　that　of

Craig…Ellachie。



Thus；　in　the　course　of　eighteen　years；　920　miles　of　capital　roads；

connected　together　by　no　fewer　than　1200　bridges；　were　added　to　the

road　communications　of　the　Highlands；　at　an　expense　defrayed　partly

by　the　localities　immediately　benefited；　and　partly　by　the　nation。

The　effects　of　these　twenty　years'　operations　were　such　as　follow

the　making　of　roads　everywheredevelopment　of　industry　and

increase　of　civilization。　　In　no　districts　were　the　benefits

derived　from　them　more　marked　than　in　the　remote　northern　counties

of　Sutherland　and　Caithness。　　The　first　stage…coaches　that　ran

northward　from　Perth　to　Inverness　were　tried　in　1806；　and　became

regularly　established　in　1811；　and　by　the　year　1820　no　fewer　than

forty　arrived　at　the　latter　town　in　the　course　of　every　week；　and

the　same　number　departed　from　it。　　Others　were　established　in

various　directions　through　the　highlands；　which　were　rendered　as

accessible　as　any　English　county。



Agriculture　made　rapid　progress。　　The　use　of　carts　became

practicable；　and　manure　was　no　longer　carried　to　the　field　on

women's　backs。　　Sloth　and　idleness　gradually　disappeared　before　the

energy；　activity；　and　industry　which　were　called　into　life　by　the

improved　communications。　　Better　built　cottages　took　the　place　of

the　old　mud　biggins　with　holes　in　their　roofs　to　let　out　the　smoke。

The　pigs　and　cattle　were　treated　to　a　separate　table。　　The　dunghill

was　turned　to　the　outside　of　the　house。　　Tartan　tatters　gave　place

to　the　produce　of　Manchester　and　Glasgow　looms；　and　very　soon　few

young　persons　were　to　be　found　who　could　not　both　read　and　write

English。



But　not　less　remarkable　were　the　effects　of　the　road…making　upon

the　industrial　habits　of　the　people。　　Before　Telford　went　into　the

Highlands；　they　did　not　know　how　to　work；　having　never　been

accustomed　to　labour　continuously　and　systematically。　　Let　our

engineer　himself　describe　the　moral　influences　of　his　Highland

contracts：〃In　these　works；〃　says　he；　〃and　in　the　Caledonian

Canal；　about　three　thousand　two　hundred　men　have　been　annually

employed。　　At　first；　they　could　scarcely　work　at　all：　they　were

totally　unacquainted　with　labour；　they　could　not　use　the　tools。

They　have　since　become　excellent　labourers；　and　of　the　above　number

we　consider　about　one…fourth　left　us　annually；　taught　to　work。

These　undertakings　may；　indeed；　be　regarded　in　the　light　of　a

working　academy；　from　which　eight　hundred　men　have　annually　gone

forth　improved　workmen。　　They　have　either　returned　to　their　native

districts　with　the　advantage　of　having　used　the　most　perfect　sort

of　tools　and　utensils　（which　alone　cannot　be　estimated　at　less　than

ten　per　cent。　　on　any　sort　of　labour）；　or　they　have　been　usefully

distributed　through　the　other　parts　of　the　country。　　Since　these

roads　were　made　accessible；　wheelwrights　and　cartwrights　have　been

established；　the　plough　has　been　introduced；　and　improved　tools　and

utensils　are　generally　used。　　The　plough　was　not　previously

employed；　in　the　interior　and　mountainous　parts　they　used　crooked

sticks；　with　iron　on　them；　drawn　or　pushed　along。　　The　moral　habits

of　the　great　masses　of　the　working　classes　are　changed；　they　see

that　they　may　depend　on　their　own　exertions　for　support：　this　goes

on　silently；　and　is　scarcely　perceived　until　apparent　by　the

results。　　I　consider　these　improvements　among　the　greatest

blessings　ever　conferred　on　any　country。　　About　two　hundred　thousand

pounds　has　been　granted　in　fifteen　years。　　It　has　been　the　means　of

advancing　the　country　at　least　a　century。〃



The　progress　made　in　the　Lowland　districts　of　Scotland　since　the

same　period　has　been　no　less　remarkable。　　If　the　state　of　the

country；　as　we　have　above　described　it　from　authentic　documents；

be　compared　with　what　it　is　now；　it　will　be　found　that　there　are　few

countries　which　have　accomplished　so　much　within　so　short　a　period。

It　is　usual　to　cite　the　United　States　as　furnishing　the　most

extraordinary　instance　of　social　progress　in　modem　times。　　But

America　has　had　the　advantage　of　importing　its　civilization　for　the

most　part　ready　made；　whereas　that　of　Scotland　has　been　entirely

her　own　creation。　　By　nature　America　is　rich；　and　of　boundless

extent；　whereas　Scotland　is　by　nature　poor；　the　greater　part　of　her

limited　area　consisting　of　sterile　heath　and　mountain。　　Little　more

than　a　century　ago　Scotland　was　considerably　in　the　rear　of　Ireland。

It　was　a　country　almost　without　agriculture；　without　mines；　without

fisheries；　without　shipping；　without　money；　without　roads。

The　people　were　ill…fed；　half　barbarous；　and　habitually　indolent。

The　colliers　and　salters　were　veritable　slaves；　and　were　subject　to

be　sold　together　with　the　estates　to　which　they　belonged。



What　do　we　find　now？　　Praedial　slavery　completely　abolished；

heritable　jurisdictions　at　an　end；　the　face　of　the　country　entirely

changed；　its　agriculture　acknowledged　to　be　the　first　in　the　world；

its　mines　and　fisheries　productive　in　the　highest　degree；　its

banking　a　model　of　efficiency　and　public　usefulness；　its　roads

equal　to　the　best　roads　in　England　or　in　Europe。　　The　people　are

active　and　energetic；　alike　in　education；　in　trade；　in　manufactures；

in　construction；　in　invention。　　Watt's　invention　of　the　steam

engine；　and　Symington's　invention　of　the　steam…boat；　proved　a

source　of　wealth　and　power；　not　only　to　their　own　country；　but　to

the　world　at　large；　while　Telford；　by　his　roads；　bound　England　and

Scotland；　before　separated；　firmly　into　one；　and　rendered　the　union

a　source　of　wealth　and　strength　to　both。



At　the　same　time；　active　and　powerful　minds　were　occupied　in

extending　the　domain　of　knowledge；Adam　Smith　in　Political

Economy；　Reid　and　Dugald　Stewart　in　Moral　Philosophy；　and　Black　and

Robison　in　Physical　Science。　　And　thus　Scotland；　instead　of　being

one　of　the　idlest　and　most　backward　countries　in　Europe；　has；

within　the　compass　of　little　more　than　a　lifetime；　issued　in　one　of

the　most　active；　contented；　and　prosperous；exercising　an　amount

of　influence　upon　the　literature；　science；　political　economy；　and

industry　of　modern　times；　out　of　all　proportion　to　the　natural

resources　of　its　soil　or　the　amount　of　its　population。



If　we　look　for　the　causes　of　this　extraordinary　social　progress；

we　shall　probably　find　the　principal　to　consist　in　the　fact　that

Scotland；　though　originally　poor　as　a　country；　was　rich　in　Parish

schools；　founded　under　the　provisions　of　an　Act　passed　by　the

Scottish　Parliament　in　the　year　1696。　　It　was　there　ordained

〃that　there　be　a　school　settled　and　established；　and　a　schoolmaster

appointed；　in　every　parish　not　already　provided；　by　advice　of　the

heritors　and　minister　of　the　parish。〃　　Common　day…schools　were

accordingly　provided　and　maintained　throughout　the　country　for　the

education　of　children　of　all　ranks　and　conditions。　　The　consequence

was；　that　in　the　course　of　a　few　generations；　these　schools；

working　steadily　upon　the　minds　of　the　young；　all　of　whom　passed

under　the　hands　of　the　teachers；　educated　the　population　into　a

state　of　intelligence　and　aptitude　greatly　in　advance　of　their

material　well…being；　and　it　is　in　this　circumstance；　we　apprehend；

that　the　explanation　is　to　be　found　of　the　rapid　start　forward

which　the　whole　country　took；　dating　more　particularly　from　the

year　1745。　　Agriculture　was　naturally　the　first　branch　of　industry

to　exhibit　signs　of　decided　improvement；　to　be　speedily　followed　by

like　advances　in　trade；　commerce；　and　manufactures。　　Indeed；　from

that　time　the　country　never　looked　back；　but　her　progress　went　on

at　a　constantly　accelerated　rate；　issuing　in　results　as　marvellous

as　they　have　probably　been　unprecedented。



Footnotes　for　Chapter　VIII。



*＇1＇　Romilly's　Autobiography；'　ii。　22。



*＇2＇　Statistical　Account　of　Scotland；'　iii。　185。



*＇3＇　The　cas…chrom　was　a　rude　combination　of　a　lever　for　the

removal　of　rocks；　a　spade　to　cut　the　earth；　and　a　foot…plough　to

turn　it。　　We　annex　an　illustration　of　this　curious　and　now　obsolete

instrument。　　It　weighed　about　eighteen　pounds。　　In　working　it；　the〃

upper　part　of　the　handle；　to　which　the　left　hand　was　applied；

reached　the　workman's　shoulder；　and　being　slightly　elevated；　the

point；　shod　with　iron；　was　pushed　into　the　ground　horizontally；　the

soil　being　turned　over　by　inclining　the　handle　to　the　furrow　side；

at　the　same　time　making　the　heel　act　as　a　fulcrum　to　raise　the

point　of　the　instrument。　　In　turning　up　unbroken　ground；　it　was

first　employed　with　the　heel　uppermost；　with　pushing　strokes　to　cut

the　breadth　of　the　sward　to　be　turned　over；　after　which；　it　was

used　horizontally　as　above　described。　　We　are　indebted　to　a

Parliamentary　Blue　Book　for　the　following　representation　of　this

interesting　relic　of　ancient　agriculture。　　It　is　given　in　the

appendix　to　the　'Ninth　Report　of　the　Commissioners　for　Highland

Roads　and　Bridges；'　ordered　by　the　House　of　Commons　to　be　printed；

19th　April；　1821。



*＇4＇　Anderson's　'Guide　to　the　Highlands　and　Islands　of　Scotland；'

3rd　ed。　p。48。



*＇5＇