the life of thomas telford-第42章

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There　were　many　mountain　streams；　swollen　to　torrents　in　winter；

crossing　under　the　canal；　for　which　abundant　water…way　had　to　be

provided；　involving　the　construction　of　numerous　culverts；　tunnels；

and　under…bridges　of　large　dimensions。　　There　were　also　powerful

sluices　to　let　off　the　excess　of　water　sent　down　from　the　adjacent

mountains　into　the　canal　during　winter。　　Three　of　these；　of　great

size；　high　above　the　river　Lochy；　are　constructed　at　a　point　where

the　canal　is　cut　through　the　solid　rock；　and　the　sight　of　the　mass

of　waters　rushing　down　into　the　valley　beneath；　gives　an　impression

of　power　which；　once　seen；　is　never　forgotten。



These　great　works　were　only　brought　to　a　completion　after　the

labours　of　many　years；　during　which　the　difficulties　encountered　in

their　construction　had　swelled　the　cost　of　the　canal　far　beyond　the

original　estimate。　　The　rapid　advances　which　had　taken　place　in　the

interval　in　the　prices　of　labour　and　materials　also　tended　greatly

to　increase　the　expenses；　and；　after　all；　the　canal；　when　completed

and　opened；　was　comparatively　little　used。　　This　was　doubtless

owing；　in　a　great　measure；　to　the　rapid　changes　which　occurred　in

the　system　of　navigation　shortly　after　the　projection　of　the

undertaking。　　For　these　Telford　was　not　responsible。　　He　was　called

upon　to　make　the　canal；　and　he　did　so　in　the　best　manner。

Engineers　are　not　required　to　speculate　as　to　the　commercial　value

of　the　works　they　are　required　to　construct；　and　there　were

circumstances　connected　with　the　scheme　of　the　Caledonian　Canal

which　removed　it　from　the　category　of　mere　commercial　adventures。

It　was　a　Government　project；　and　it　proved　a　failure　as　a　paying

concern。　　Hence　it　formed　a　prominent　topic　for　discussion　in　the

journals　of　the　day；　but　the　attacks　made　upon　the　Government

because　of　their　expenditure　on　the　hapless　undertaking　were

perhaps　more　felt　by　Telford；　who　was　its　engineer；　than　by　all　the

ministers　of　state　conjoined。



〃The　unfortunate　issue　of　this　great　work；〃　writes　the　present

engineer　of　the　canal；　to　whom　we　are　indebted　for　many　of　the

preceding　facts；　〃was　a　grievous　disappointment　to　Mr。　Telford；

and　was　in　fact　the　one　great　bitter　in　his　otherwise　unalloyed　cup

of　happiness　and　prosperity。　　The　undertaking　was　maligned　by

thousands　who　knew　nothing　of　its　character。　　It　became　'a　dog　with

a　bad　name；'　and　all　the　proverbial　consequences　followed。

The　most　absurd　errors　and　misconceptions　were　propagated　respecting

it　from　year　to　year；　and　it　was　impossible　during　Telford's　lifetime

to　stem　the　torrent　of　popular　prejudice　and　objurgation。　　It　must；

however；　be　admitted；　after　a　long　experience；　that　Telford　was

greatly　over…sanguine　in　his　expectations　as　to　the　national　uses

of　the　canal；　and　he　was　doomed　to　suffer　acutely　in　his　personal

feelings；　little　though　he　may　have　been　personally　to　blame；　the

consequences　of　what　in　this　commercial　country　is　regarded　as　so

much　worse　than　a　crime；　namely；　a　financial　mistake。〃*＇2＇



Mr。　Telford's　great　sensitiveness　made　him　feel　the　ill　success　of

this　enterprise　far　more　than　most　other　men　would　have　done。

He　was　accustomed　to　throw　himself　into　the　projects　on　which　he

was　employed　with　an　enthusiasm　almost　poetic。　　He　regarded　them

not　merely　as　so　much　engineering；　but　as　works　which　were　to　be

instrumental　in　opening　up　the　communications　of　the　country　and

extending　its　civilization。　　Viewed　in　this　light；　his　canals；

roads；　bridges；　and　harbours　were　unquestionably　of　great　national

importance；　though　their　commercial　results　might　not　in　all　cases

justify　the　estimates　of　their　projectors。　　To　refer　to　like

instancesno　one　can　doubt　the　immense　value　and　public　uses　of

Mr。　Rennie's　Waterloo　Bridge　or　Mr。　Robert　Stephenson's　Britannia

and　Victoria　Bridges；　though　every　one　knows　that；　commercially；

they　have　been　failures。　　But　it　is　probable　that　neither　of　these

eminent　engineers　gave　himself　anything　like　the　anxious　concern

that　Telford　did　about　the　financial　issue　of　his　undertaking。

Were　railway　engineers　to　fret　and　vex　themselves　about　the　commercial

value　of　the　schemes　in　which　they　have　been　engaged；　there　are　few

of　them　but　would　be　so　haunted　by　the　ghosts　of　wrecked　speculations

that　they　could　scarcely　lay　their　heads　upon　their　pillows　for　a

single　night　in　peace。



While　the　Caledonian　Canal　was　in　progress；　Mr。　Telford　was

occupied　in　various　works　of　a　similar　kind　in　England　and　Scotland；

and　also　upon　one　in　Sweden。　　In　1804；　while　on　one　of　his　journeys

to　the　north；　he　was　requested　by　the　Earl　of　Eglinton　and　others

to　examine　a　project　for　making　a　canal　from　Glasgow　to　Saltcoats

and　Ardrossan；　on　the　north…western　coast　of　the　county　of　Ayr；

passing　near　the　important　manufacturing　town　of　Paisley。　　A　new

survey　of　the　line　was　made；　and　the　works　were　carried　on　during

several　successive　years　until　a　very　fine　capacious　canal　was

completed；　on　the　same　level；　as　far　as　Paisley　and　Johnstown。

But　the　funds　of　the　company　falling　short；　the　works　were　stopped；

and　the　canal　was　carried　no　further。　　Besides；　the　measures　adopted

by　the　Clyde　Trustees　to　deepen　the　bed　of　that　river　and　enable

ships　of　large　burden　to　pass　up　as　high　as　Glasgow；　had　proved　so

successful　that　the　ultimate　extension　of　the　canal　to　Ardrossan

was　no　longer　deemed　necessary；　and　the　prosecution　of　the　work　was

accordingly　abandoned。　　But　as　Mr。　Telford　has　observed；　no　person

suspected；　when　the　canal　was　laid　out　in　1805；　〃that　steamboats

would　not　only　monopolise　the　trade　of　the　Clyde；　but　penetrate

into　every　creek　where　there　is　water　to　float　them；　in　the　British

Isles　and　the　continent　of　Europe；　and　be　seen　in　every　quarter　of

the　world。〃



Another　of　the　navigations　on　which　Mr。　Telford　was　long　employed

was　that　of　the　river　Weaver　in　Cheshire。　　It　was　only　twenty…four

miles　in　extent；　but　of　considerable　importance　to　the　country

through　which　it　passed；　accommodating　the　salt…manufacturing

districts；　of　which　the　towns　of　Nantwich；　Northwich；　and　Frodsham

are　the　centres。　　The　channel　of　the　river　was　extremely　crooked

and　much　obstructed　by　shoals；　when　Telford　took　the　navigation　in

hand　in　the　year　1807；　and　a　number　of　essential　improvements　were

made　in　it；　by　means　of　new　locks；　weirs；　and　side　cuts；　which　had

the　effect　of　greatly　improving　the　communications　of　these

important　districts。



In　the　following　year　we　find　our　engineer　consulted；　at　the

instance　of　the　King　of　Sweden；　on　the　best　mode　of　constructing

the　Gotha　Canal；　between　Lake　Wenern　and　the　Baltic；　to　complete

the　communication　with　the　North　Sea。　　In　1808；　at　the　invitation

of　Count　Platen；　Mr。　Telford　visited　Sweden　and　made　a　careful

survey　of　the　district。　　The　service　occupied　him　and　his

assistants　two　months；　after　which　he　prepared　and　sent　in　a　series

of　detailed　plans　and　sections；　together　with　an　elaborate　report

on　the　subject。　　His　plans　having　been　adopted；　he　again　visited

Sweden　in　1810；　to　inspect　the　excavations　which　had　already　been

begun；　when　he　supplied　the　drawings　for　the　locks　and　bridges。

With　the　sanction　of　the　British　Government；　he　at　the　same　time

furnished　the　Swedish　contractors　with　patterns　of　the　most

improved　tools　used　in　canal　making；　and　took　with　him　a　number　of

experienced　lock…makers　and　navvies　for　the　purpose　of　instructing

the　native　workmen。



The　construction　of　the　Gotha　Canal　was　an　undertaking　of　great

magnitude　and　difficulty；　similar　in　many　respects　to　the

Caledonian　Canal；　though　much　more　extensive。　　The　length　of

artificial　canal　was　55　miles；　and　of　the　whole　navigation；

including　the　lakes；　120　miles。　　The　locks　are　120　feet　long　and

24　feet　broad；　the　width　of　the　canal　at　bottom　being　42　feet；

and　the　depth　of　water　10　feet。　The　results；　so　far　as　the　engineer

was　concerned；　were　much　more　satisfactory　than　in　the　case　of　the

Caledonian　Canal。　　While　in　the　one　case　he　had　much　obloquy　to

suffer　for　the　services　he　had　given；　in　the　other　he　was　honoured

and　feted　as　a　public　benefactor；　the　King　conferring　upon　him　the

Swedish　order　of　knighthood；　and　presenting　him　with　his　portrait

set　in　diamonds。



Among　the　various　canals　throughout　England　which　Mr。　Telford　was

employed　to　construct　or　improve；　down　to　the　commencement　of　the

railway　era；　were　the　Gloucester　and　Berkeley　Canal；　in　1818；　the

Grand　Trunk　Canal；　in　1822；　the　Harecastle　Tunnel；　which　he

constructed　anew；　in　1824…7；　the　Birmingham　Canal；　in　1824；　and　the

Macclesfield；　and　Birmingham　and　Liverpool　Junction　Canals；　in　1825。

The　Gloucester　and　Berkeley　Canal　Company　had　been　unable　to

finish　their　works；　begun　some　thirty　years　before；　but　with　the

assistance　of　a　loan　of　160；000L。　from　the　Exchequer　Bill　Loan

Commissioners；　they　were　enabled　to　proceed　with　the　completion　of

their　undertaking。　A　capacious　canal　was　cut　from　Gloucester　to

Sharpness　Point；　about　eight　miles　down　the　Severn；　which　had　the

effect　of　greatly　improving　the　convenience　of　the　port　of

Gloucester；　and　by　means　of　this　navigation；　ships　of　large　burden

can　now　avoid　the　circuitous　and　difficult　passage　of　the　higher

part　of　the　river；　very　much　to　the　advantage　of　the　trade　of　the

place。



The　formation　of　a　new　tunnel　through　Harecastle　Hill；　for　the

better　accommodation　of　the　boats　passing　along　the　Grand　Trunk

Canal；　was　a　formidable　work。　　The　original　tunnel；　it　will　be

remembered；*＇3＇　was　laid　out　by　Brindley；　about　fifty　years

before；　and　occupied　eleven　years　in　construction。　　But　the

engineering　appliances　of　those　early　days　were　very　limited；　the

pumping　powers　of　the　steam…engine　had　not　been　fairly　developed；

and　workmen　were　as　yet　only　half…educated　in　the　expert　use　of

tools。　　The　tunnel；　no　doubt；　answered　the　purpose　for　which　it　was

originally　intended；　but　it　was　very　soon　found　too　limited　for　the

traffic　passing　along　the　navigation。　　It　was　little　larger　than　a

sewer；　and　admitted　the　passage　of　only　one　narrow　boat；　seven　feet

wide；　at　a　time；　involving　very　heavy　labour　on　the　part　of　the　men

who　worked　it　through。　　This　was　performed　by　what　was　called

legging。　　The　Leggers　lay　upon　the　deck　of　the　vessel；　or　upon　a

board　slightly　projecting　from　either　side　of　it；　and；　by　thrusting

their　feet　against　the　slimy　roof　or　sides　of　the　tunnel…walking

horizontally　as　it　were　　they　contrived　to　push　it　through。

But　it　was　no　better　than　horsework；　and　after　〃legging〃　Harecastle

Tunnel；　which　is　more　than　a　mile　and　a　half　long；　the　men　were

usually　completely　exhausted；　and　as　wet　from　perspiration　as　if

they　had　been　dragged　through　the　canal　itself。　　The　process

occupied　about　two　hours；　and　by　the　time　the　passage　of　the　tunnel

was　made；　there　was　usually　a　collection　of　boats　at　the　other　end

waiting　their　turn　to　pa