Twenty-six bridges in the same county, from 20 to 130 feet span; two of these over the river Severn.

1798. A bridge over the river Severn, at the town of Bewdley, consisting of three arches.

A bridge, 112 feet span, over the river Dee, at Kirkcudbright, in Scotland.

Bridgenorth Church (see the Edinburgh Encyclopædia). The Ellesmere Canal, commenced in 1790. Length, 103 miles.

ness.

Highland roads and bridges, commenced in 1803. Under this commission were built one thousand one hundred and seventeen bridges in the Highlands. Of the roads, that from Inverness to the county of Sutherland, and through Caithness, is superior in point of line and smoothness to any part of the road of equal continuous length between London and InverThis is a remarkable fact, which, from the great difficulties Mr. Telford had to overcome in passing through a rugged, hilly, and mountainous district, incontrovertibly establishes his extraordinary skill in the engineering department, as well as in the construction of great public communications. The Caledonian Canal, begun in 1804. Locks, each 180 feet long, 40 wide, depth of water, 20 feet. One of Mr. Telford's most splendid works; in constructing every part of which he surmounted prodigious difficulties.

Dunkeld Bridge, finished in 1809. Nine arches, centre one 90 feet span.

The Glasgow, Paisley, and Ardrossan Canal.

Aberdeen Harbour. Extension and improvements commenced in 1810.

Dundee Harbour. Extension and improvements, commenced in 1815.

Dundee Ferry Piers on both sides of the river, in 1822. The Glasgow and Carlisle Road, commenced in 1816, upon which were built 23 bridges of 150, 90, 80, 60, 50 feet span and under.

The Lanarkshire Roads, including bridge at Cartland Craigs, 123 feet high; and four other large bridges.

Increasing the width of the roadway over Glasgow old bridge with cast-iron.

The Dean Bridge over Leith Water, at Edinburgh, four arches, each 90 feet span. Roadway above the river 108 feet.

Pathhead Bridge, 11 miles from Edinburgh, on the Dalkeith road, five arches, 70 feet high.

Morpeth Bridge, Northumberland, consisting of three arches.

The Holyhead Road from London to Dublin, including the Menai and Conway bridges. It has been said, and no doubt truly, that Mr. Telford was inclined to set a higher value on the success which attended his exertions for improving the great communication from London to Holyhead, the alterations of the line of road, its smoothness, and the excellence of the bridges, than on that of any other work he executed. The Menai Bridge will unquestionably be the most imperishable monument of Mr. Telford's fame. This bridge over the Bangor Ferry, connecting the counties of Carnarvon and Anglesea, partly of stone and partly of iron, on the suspension principle, consists of seven stone arches, exceeding in magnitude every work of the kind in the world. They connect the land with the two main piers, which rise 53 feet above the level of the road, over the top of which the chains are suspended, each chain being 1714 feet from the fastenings in the rock. The first three-masted vessel passed under the bridge in 1826. Her topmasts were nearly as high as a frigate; but they cleared 12 feet and a half below the centre of the roadway. The suspending power of the chains was calculated at 2016 tons; the total weight of each chain, 121 tons. This stupendous undertaking occasioned Mr. Telford more intense thought than any other of his works: he told a friend (Dr. James Cleland), that his state of anxiety for a short time previous to the opening of the bridge was so extreme, that he had but little sound sleep; and that a much longer continuance of that condition of mind must have undermined his health. Not that he had any

reason to doubt the stength and stability of every part of the structure, for he had employed all the precautions that he could imagine useful, as suggested by his own experience and consideration, or by the zeal and talents of his very able and faithful assistants, yet the bare possibility that some weak point might have escaped his and their vigilance in a work so new kept the whole structure constantly passing in review before his mind's eye, to examine if he could discover a point that did not contribute its share to the perfection of the whole. In this, as in all his great works, he employed, as subengineers, men capable of appreciating and acting on his ideas; but he was no rigid stickler for his own plans, for he most readily acquiesced in the suggestions of his assistants when reasonable, and thus identified them with the success of the work. In ascertaining the strength of the materials for the Menai bridge, he employed men of the highest rank for scientific character and attainments.

Improving the river Weever navigation, between the Cheshire salt works and sea entrance.

Constructing a tunnel 3000 yards in length, through Harecastle hill, upon the Trent and Mersey navigation, near the great Staffordshire potteries.

Making a canal from ditto, 29 miles in length, by Macclesfield, to the Peak forest and Huddersfield Canals.

Improving the Birmingham old canal, formerly laid out by Mr. Brindley.

Making a canal 39 miles in length, with a branch 11 miles, to connect the Birmingham Canal with the Shropshire and Cheshire Canals, and open a new communication with Liverpool and Manchester, and thence to London.

Improving the outfalls of the river Ouse, in Norfolk, and the Nene in Lincolnshire, including the drainage of the North Bedford Level, between the Nene and the Welland.

Constructing the St. Katherine Docks, adjoining Tower Hill, London.

Constructing a cast-iron bridge, 170 feet span, over the river Severn, at Tewksbury, in Gloucestershire.

Building a stone bridge, 150 feet, over the Severn, near the city of Gloucester.

Designing a stone bridge of seven arches, 50 feet wide within the parapets, and 500 feet long, about to be built over the Clyde, at Glasgow, on the site of Jamaica Street Bridge.

Opening a navigable communication across Sweden, from Gothenburg, on the North Sea, to Soderking, on the Baltic.

In the year 1817, Parliamentary-loan Commissioners were appointed to apply 1,750,000l. towards carrying on public works. Mr. Telford was employed as their engineer; and since that time he has examined and reported on the following works, for which aid was requested :

1. The Regent's Canal, from Paddington, by Islington, to Limehouse.

2. A cast-iron bridge across the Thames from Queen Street.

3. A short canal between the Thames and Isis, and the Wilts and Berks Canal.

4. For an extension of Folkstone Harbour, on the coast of Kent.

5. For completing the Thames and Medway Canal, from Gravesend to Rochester.

6. For completing the Gloucester and Berkley Canal, which was done under his direction.

7. For completing the Portsmouth and Arundel Canal. 8. For the Tay Ferry piers, which were constructed under his direction.

9. For rebuilding Folly Bridge, at Oxford, on the site of Friar Bacon's Study.

10. For making a short canal between the river Lea and the Regent's Canal.

11. For rebuilding Windsor and Kingston Bridges upon the river Thames.

12. For making a canal from the city of Exeter to the sea. 13. For constructing a harbour at Shoreham, on the coast of Sussex.

14. For building a timber bridge at Teignmouth, in the county of Devon.

15. For completing the Bridgewater and Taunton Canal. 16. For constructing locks and wears upon the river Thames.

17. For completing the Liverpool and Manchester Railway.

18. For completing Courton Harbour in Ireland.

19. On the proposed railway between Waterford and Limerick.

20. On the Ulster Canal, as proposed, in the north of Ireland.

21. On the Norwich and Lowestoft navigation, previous to the commencement, and while in progress.

Mr. Telford also made the following extensive surveys, by direction of the Post Office:

1. From London, by Ware and Royston, and also by Barnet and Hatfield, to Newark on the Trent.

2. From thence, by York and Newcastle, to Morpeth, also by Doncaster, Boroughbridge, and Durham, to the same place.

3. From Morpeth by Alnwick, Berwick, and Haddington, to Edinburgh; also by Wooller, Coldstream, and Dalkeith, to Edinburgh.

4. From Boroughbridge, by Hexham, to Carterfell, on the Teviot Ridge; also, from the same place, by Aldstone Moor, down the South Tyne, and across the Irthing river, to Castleton in Liddesdale.

5. From Carlisle, by Langholm, top of Ettrick and Farquhair, to Edinburgh.

6. From Glasgow, across Ayrshire, and along the coast to Stranraer and Portpatrick.

7. From the Holyhead Road, at Dunchurch, by Tamworth and Lichfield, to Newcastle, Staffordshire, and thence in three several directions to Liverpool.

8. From Northleach, in Gloucestershire, by Monmouth, Brecon, Carmarthen, and Haverfordwest, to Milford Haven;