the life of thomas telford-第40章

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a　bulwark　was　projected　from　it；　so　as　to　occupy　about　one　third　of

the　channel　entrance。



The　trade　of　the　place　continuing　to　increase；　Mr。　Rennie　was

called　upon；　in　1797；　to　examine　and　report　upon　the　best　means　of

improving　the　harbour；　when　he　recommended　the　construction　of

floating　docks　upon　the　sandy　flats　called　Foot　Dee。　　Nothing　was

done　at　the　time；　as　the　scheme　was　very　costly　and　considered

beyond　the　available　means　of　the　locality。　　But　the　magistrates

kept　the　subject　in　mind；　and　when　Mr。　Telford　made　his　report　on

the　best　means　of　improving　the　harbour　in　1801；　he　intimated　that

the　inhabitants　were　ready　to　cooperate　with　the　Government　in

rendering　it　capable　of　accommodating　ships　of　war；　as　far　as　their

circumstances　would　permit。



In　1807；　the　south　pier…head；　built　by　Smeaton；　was　destroyed　by　a

storm；　and　the　time　had　arrived　when　something　must　be　done；　not

only　to　improve　but　even　to　preserve　the　port。　　The　magistrates

accordingly　proceeded；　in　1809；　to　rebuild　the　pier…head　of　cut

granite；　and　at　the　same　time　they　applied　to　Parliament　for

authority　to　carry　out　further　improvements　after　the　plan

recommended　by　Mr。　Telford；　and　the　necessary　powers　were

conferred　in　the　following　year。　　The　new　works　comprehended　a

large　extension　of　the　wharfage　accommodation；　the　construction　of

floating　and　graving　docks；　increased　means　of　scouring　the　harbour

and　ensuring　greater　depth　of　water　on　the　bar　across　the　river's

mouth；　and　the　provision　of　a　navigable　communication　between　the

Aberdeenshire　Canal　and　the　new　harbour。



＇Image＇　Plan　of　Aberdeen　Harbour



The　extension　of　the　north　pier　was　first　proceeded　with；　under　the

superintendence　of　John　Gibb；　the　resident　engineer；　and　by　the

year　1811　the　whole　length　of　300　additional　feet　had　been

completed。　The　beneficial　effects　of　this　extension　were　so

apparent；　that　a　general　wish　was　expressed　that　it　should　be

carried　further；　and　it　was　eventually　determined　to　extend　the

pier　780　feet　beyond　Smeaton's　head；　by　which　not　only　was　much

deeper　water　secured；　but　vessels　were　better　enabled　to　clear　the

Girdleness　Point。　This　extension　was　successfully　carried　out　by

the　end　of　the　year　1812。　A　strong　breakwater；　about　800　feet　long；

was　also　run　out　from　the　south　shore；　leaving　a　space　of　about　250

feet　as　an　entrance；　thereby　giving　greater　protection　to　the

shipping　in　the　harbour；　while　the　contraction　of　the　channel；　by

increasing　the　〃scour；〃　tended　to　give　a　much　greater　depth　of

water　on　the　bar。



＇Image＇　Aberdeen　Harbour。



The　outer　head　of　the　pier　was　seriously　injured　by　the　heavy

storms　of　the　two　succeeding　winters；　which　rendered　it　necessary

to　alter　its　formation　to　a　very　flat　slope　of　about　five　to　one

all　round　the　head。*＇9＇



＇Image＇　Section　of　pier…head　work。



New　wharves　were　at　the　same　time　constructed　inside　the　harbour；

a　new　channel　for　the　river　was　excavated；　which　further　enlarged

the　floating　space　and　wharf　accommodation；　wet　and　dry　docks　were

added；　until　at　length　the　quay　berthage　amounted　to　not　less　than

6290　feet；　or　nearly　a　mile　and　a　quarter　in　length。　　By　these

combined　improvements　an　additional　extent　of　quay　room　was

obtained　of　about　4000　feet；　an　excellent　tidal　harbour　was　formed；

in　which；　at　spring　tides；　the　depth　of　water　is　about　15　feet；

while　on　the　bar　it　was　increased　to　about　19　feet。　　The　prosperity

of　Aberdeen　had　meanwhile　been　advancing　apace。　　The　city　had　been

greatly　beautified　and　enlarged：　shipbuilding　had　made　rapid

progress；　Aberdeen　clippers　became　famous；　and　Aberdeen　merchants

carried　on　a　trade　with　all　parts　of　the　world；　manufactures　of

wool；　cotton；　flax；　and　iron　were　carried　on　with　great　success；

its　population　rapidly　increased；　and；　as　a　maritime　city；　Aberdeen

took　rank　as　the　third　in　Scotland；　the　tonnage　entering　the　port

having　increased　from　50；000　tons　in　1800　to　about　300；000　in

1860。



Improvements　of　an　equally　important　character　were　carried　out　by

Mr。　Telford　in　the　port　of　Dundee；　also　situated　on　the　east　coast

of　Scotland；　at　the　entrance　to　the　Frith　of　Tay。　　There　are　those

still　living　at　the　place　who　remember　its　former　haven；　consisting

of　a　crooked　wall；　affording　shelter　to　only　a　few　fishing…boats　or

smuggling　vesselsits　trade　being　then　altogether　paltry；　scarcely

deserving　the　name；　and　its　population　not　one　fifth　of　what　it　now

is。　　Helped　by　its　commodious　and　capacious　harbour；　it　has　become

one　of　the　most　populous　and　thriving　towns　on　the　east　coast。



＇Image＇　Plan　of　Dundee　Harbour。



The　trade　of　the　place　took　a　great　start　forward　at　the　close　of

the　war；　and　Mr。　Telford　was　called　upon　to　supply　the　plans　of　a

new　harbour。　　His　first　design；　which　he　submitted　in　1814；　was　of

a　comparatively　limited　character；　but　it　was　greatly　enlarged

during　the　progress　of　the　works。　　Floating　docks　were　added；　as

well　as　graving　docks　for　large　vessels。　　The　necessary　powers　were

obtained　in　1815；　the　works　proceeded　vigorously　under　the　Harbour

Commissioners；　who　superseded　the　old　obstructive　corporation；　and

in　1825　the　splendid　new　floating　dock750　feet　long　by　450　broad；

having　an　entrance…lock　170　feet　long　and　40　feet　widewas　opened

to　the　shipping　of　all　countries。



＇Image＇　Dundee　Harbour。



Footnotes　for　Chapter　IX。



*＇1＇　Hugh　Millar；　in　his　'Cruise　of　the　Betsy；'　attributes　the

invention　of　columnar　pier…work　to　Mr。　Bremner；　whom　he　terms　〃the

Brindley　of　Scotland。〃　　He　has　acquired　great　fame　for　his　skill　in

raising　sunken　ships；　having　warped　the　Great　Britain　steamer　off

the　shores　of　Dundrum　Bay。　　But　we　believe　Mr。　Telford　had　adopted

the　practice　of　columnar　pier…work　before　Mr。　Bremner；　in　forming

the　little　harbour　of　Folkestone　in　1808；　where　the　work　is　still

to　be　seen　quite　perfect。　　The　most　solid　mode　of　laying　stone　on

land　is　in　flat　courses；　but　in　open　pier　work　the　reverse　process

is　adopted。　　The　blocks　are　laid　on　end　in　columns；　like　upright

beams　jammed　together。　　Thus　laid；　the　wave　which　dashes　against

them　is　broken；　and　spends　itself　on　the　interstices；　where　as；

if　it　struck　the　broad　solid　blocks；　the　tendency　would　be　to　lift

them　from　their　beds　and　set　the　work　afloat；　and　in　a　furious

storm　such　blocks　would　be　driven　about　almost　like　pebbles。

The　rebound　from　flat　surfaces　is　also　very　heavy；　and　produces

violent　commotion；　where　as　these　broken；　upright；　columnar…looking

piers　seem　to　absorb　the　fury　of　the　sea；　and　render　its　wildest

waves　comparatively　innocuous。



*＇2＇　'Memorials　from　Peterhead　and　Banff；　concerning　Damage

occasioned　by　a　Storm。'　Ordered　by　the　House　of　Commons　to　be

printed；　5th　July；　1820。　＇242。＇



*＇3＇　'A　Description　of　Bothe　Touns　of　Aberdeene。'　By　James　Gordon；

Parson　of　Rothiemay。　　Reprinted　in　Gavin　Turreff's　'Antiquarian

Gleanings　from　Aberdeenshire　Records。'　Aberdeen；　1889。



*＇4＇　Robertson's　'Book　of　Bon…Accord。'



*＇5＇　Ibid。；　quoted　in　Turreff's　'Antiquarian　Gleanings；'　p。　222。



*＇6＇　One　of　them；　however；　did　returnPeter　Williamson；　a　native

of　the　town；　sold　for　a　slave　in　Pennsylvania；　〃a　rough；　ragged；

humle…headed；　long；　stowie；　clever　boy；〃　who；　reaching　York；

published　an　account　of　the　infamous　traffic；　in　a　pamphlet　which

excited　extraordinary　interest　at　the　time；　and　met　with　a　rapid

and　extensive　circulation。　　But　his　exposure　of　kidnapping　gave

very　great　offence　to　the　magistrates；　who　dragged　him　before　their

tribunal　as　having　〃published　a　scurrilous　and　infamous　libel　on

the　corporation；〃　and　he　was　sentenced　to　be　imprisoned　until　he

should　sign　a　denial　of　the　truth　of　his　statements。　　He　brought　an

action　against　the　corporation　for　their　proceedings；　and　obtained

a　verdict　and　damages；　and　he　further　proceeded　against　Baillie

Fordyce　（one　of　his　kidnappers；　and　others；　from　whom　he　obtained

200L。　damages；　with　costs。　　The　system　was　thus　effectually　put　a

stop　to。



*＇8＇　'A　Description　of　Bothe　Touns　of　Aberdeene。'　By　James　Gordon；

Parson　of　Rothiemay。　　Quoted　by　Turreff；　p。　109。



*＇8＇　Communication　with　London　was　as　yet　by　no　means　frequent；

and　far　from　expeditious；　as　the　following　advertisement　of　1778

will　show：〃For　London：　To　sail　positively　on　Saturday　next；　the

7th　November；　wind　and　weather　permitting；　the　Aberdeen　smack。

Will　lie　a　short　time　at　London；　and；　if　no　convoy　is　appointed；

will　sail　under　care　of　a　fleet　of　colliers　the　best　convoy　of　any。

For　particulars　apply；〃　&c。；　&c。



*＇9＇　〃The　bottom　under　the　foundations；〃　says　Mr。　Gibb；　in　his

description　of　the　work；　〃is　nothing　better　than　loose　sand　and

gravel；　constantly　thrown　up　by　the　sea　on　that　stormy　coast；

so　that　it　was　necessary　to　consolidate　the　work　under　low　water　by

dropping　large　stones　from　lighters；　and　filling　the　interstices

with　smaller　ones；　until　it　was　brought　within　about　a　foot　of　the

level　of　low　water；　when　the　ashlar　work　was　commenced；　but　in

place　of　laying　the　stones　horizontally　in　their　beds；　each　course

was　laid　at　an　angle　of　45　degrees；　to　within　about　18　inches　of

the　top；　when　a　level　coping　was　added。　　This　mode　of　building

enabled　the　work　to　be　carried　on　expeditiously；　and　rendered　it

while　in　progress　less　liable　to　temporary　damage；　likewise

affording　three　points　of　bearing；　for　while　the　ashlar　walling　was

carrying　up　on　both　sides；　the　middle　or　body　of　the　pier　was

carried　up　at　the　same　time　by　a　careful　backing　throughout　of

large　rubble…stone；　to　within　18　inches　of　the　top；　when　the　whole

was　covered　with　granite　coping　and　paving　18　inches　deep；　with　a

cut　granite　parapet　wall　on　the　north　side　of　the　whole　length　of

the　pier；　thus　protected　for　the　convenience　of　those　who　might

have　occasion　to　frequent　it。〃Mr。　Gibb's　'Narrative　of　Aberdeen

Harbour　Works。'





CHAPTER　X。



CALEDONIAN　AND　OTHER　CANALS。



The　formation　of　a　navigable　highway　through　the　chain　of　locks

lying　in　the　Great　Glen　of　the　Highlands；　and　extending　diagonally

across　Scotland　from　the　Atlantic　to　the　North　Sea；　had　long　been

regarded　as　a　work　of　national　importance。　　As　early　as　1773；

James　Watt；　then　following　the　business　of　a　land…surveyor　at　Glasgow；

made　a　survey　of　the　country　at　the　instance　of　the　Commissioners

of　Forfeited　Estates。　　He　pronounced　the　canal　practicable；　and

pointed　out　how　it　could　best　be　constructed。　　There　was　certainly

no　want　of　water；　for　Watt　was　repeatedly　drenched　with　rain　while

he　was　making　his　survey；　and　he　had　difficulty　in　preserving　even

his　journal　book。　　〃On　my　way　home；〃　he　says；　〃I　passed　through　the

wildest　country　I　ever　saw；　and　over　the　worst　conducted　roads。〃



Twenty　years　later；　in　1793；　Mr。　Rennie　was　consulted　as　to　the

canal；　and　he　also　prepared　a　scheme：　but　nothing　was　done。　The

project　was；　however；　revived　in　1801　duri