the life of thomas telford-第46章

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secure　an　easy　and　commodious　route。　　The　line　of　the　valley　of　the

Dee；　to　the　west　of　Llangollen；　was　selected；　the　road　proceeding

along　the　scarped　sides　of　the　mountains；　crossing　from　point　to

point　by　lofty　embankments　where　necessary；　and；　taking　into

account　the　character　of　the　country；　it　must　be　acknowledged　that

a　wonderfully　level　road　was　secured。　　While　the　gradients　on　the

old　road　had　in　some　cases　been　as　steep　as　1　in　6　1/2；　passing

along　the　edge　of　unprotected　precipices；　the　new　one　was　so　laid

out　as　to　be　no　more　than　1　in　20　at　any　part；　while　it　was　wide

and　well　protected　along　its　whole　extent。　　Mr。　Telford　pursued　the

same　system　that　he　had　adopted　in　the　formation　of　the　Carlisle

and　Glasgow　road；　as　regards　metalling；　cross…draining；　and

fence…walling；　for　the　latter　purpose　using　schistus；　or　slate

rubble…work；　instead　of　sandstone。　　The　largest　bridges　were　of

iron；　that　at　Bettws…y…Coed；　over　the　Conwaycalled　the　Waterloo

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　without　the　greatest　danger。　　Between　this

hill　and　Rhyddlanfair　there　are　a　number　of　dangerous　precipices；

steep　hills；　and　difficult　narrow　turnings。　　From　Corwen　to

Llangollen　the　road　is　very　narrow；　long；　and　steep；　has　no　side

fence；　except　about　a　foot　and　a　half　of　mould　or　dirt；　which　is

thrown　up　to　prevent　carriages　falling　down　three　or　four　hundred

feet　into　the　river　Dee。　　Stage…coaches　have　been　frequently

overturned　and　broken　down　from　the　badness　of　the　road；　and　the

mails　have　been　overturned；　but　I　wonder　that　more　and　worse

accidents　have　not　happened；　the　roads　are　so　bad。〃Evidence　of

Mr。　William　Akers；　of　the　Post…office；　before　Committee　of　the

House　of　Commons；　1st　June；　1815。



*＇6＇　The　Select　Committee　of　the　House　of　Commons；　in　reporting　as

to　the　manner　in　which　these　works　were　carried　out；　stated　as

follows：　〃The　professional　execution　of　the　new　works　upon　this

road　greatly　surpasses　anything　of　the　same　kind　in　these

countries。　　The　science　which　has　been　displayed　in　giving　the

general　line　of　the　road　a　proper　inclination　through　a　country

whose　whole　surface　consists　of　a　succession　of　rocks；　bogs；

ravines；　rivers；　and　precipices；　reflects　the　greatest　credit　upon

the　engineer　who　has　planned　them；　but　perhaps　a　still　greater

degree　of　professional　skill　has　been　shown　in　the　construction；　or

rather　the　building；　of　the　road　itself。　　The　great　attention　which

Mr。　Telford　has　devoted；　to　give　to　the　surface　of　the　road　one

uniform　and　moderately　convex　shape；　free　from　the　smallest

inequality　throughout　its　whole　breadth；　the　numerous　land　drains；

and；　when　necessary；　shores　and　tunnels　of　substantial　masonry；

with　which　all　the　water　arising　from　springs　or　falling　in　rain　is

instantly　carried　off；　the　great　care　with　which　a　sufficient

foundation　is　established　for　the　road；　and　the　quality；　solidity；

and　disposition　of　the　materials　that　are　put　upon　it；　are　matters

quite　new　in　the　syste