Chapter I: Front Matter

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This etext produced by Eric Hutton, email: [email protected] additional proof reading by David G Haren and Simon Allen

The Life of Thomas Telford civil engineer with an introductory history of roads and travelling in Great Britian

by Samuel Smiles

"Let us travel, and wherever we find no facility for
travelling from a city to a town, from a village to a
hamlet, we may pronounce the people to be barbarous"
--Abbe Raynal

"The opening up of the internal communications of a
country is undoubtedly the first and most important
element of its growth in commerce and civilization"
--Richard Cobden

CONTENTS

Preface

EARLY ROADS AND MODES OF TRAVELLING

CHAPTER I. Old Roads

Roads as agents of civilization Their important uses Ancient British trackways or ridgeways The Romans and their roads in Britain Decay of the Roman roads Early legislation relating to highways Roads near London The Weald of Kent Great Western roads Hollow ways or lanes Roads on Dartmoor in Sussex at Kensington

CHAPTER II. Early Modes of Conveyance

Riding on horseback the ancient mode of traveling Shakespear's description of travelling in 'Henry IV.' Queen Elizabeth and her coach Introduction of coaches or waggons Painful journeys by coach Carriers in reign of James I Great north Road in reign of Charles I Mace's description of roads and travellers stage-coaches introduced Sobriere's account of the Dover stage-coach Thoresby's account of stage-coaches and travelling Roads and travelling in North Wales Proposal to suppres stage-coaches Tediousness and discomforts of travelling by coach Pennant's account of the Chester and London stage Travelling on horseback preferred The night coach Highway robbers and foot-pads Methods of transport of the merchandize pack-horse convoys Traffic between lancashire and Yorkshire Signs of the pack-horse

CHAPTER III. Influence of Roads on Society

Restricted intercourse between districts Local dialects and customs thereby preserved Camden's fear of travelling into the barbarous regions of the North Rev. Mr Brome's travels in England Old Leisure Imperfect postal communication Hawkers and pedlars Laying in stores for winter Household occupations Great fairs of ancient times Local fairs Fair on Dartmoor Primitive manners of Dartmoor District

CHAPTER IV. Roads in Scotland last centuary

Poverty of Scotland Backwardness of agriculture Idleness of the people Andrew Flecher's description of Scotland Slavery of colliers and salters Improvements in agriculture opposed Low wages of the labouring population State of the Lothians and Ayrshire Wretched states of the roads Difficulty of communication between districts Coach started between Edinburgh and Glasgow Carrier's perils between Edinburgh and Selkirk Dangers of travelling in Galloway Lawlessness of the Highlands Picking and lifting of cattle Ferocity of population on the Highland Border Ancient civilization of Scotland

CHAPTER V. Travelling in England last century

Progress made in travelling by coach Fast coaches established Bad state of the roads Foreigners' accounts of travelling in England Herr Moritz's journey by the basket coach Arthur Young's description of English roads Palmer's mail coaches introduced The first 'Turnpike' roads Turnpike riots The rebellion of 1745 Passing of numerous highway Acts Road-making thought beneath the dignity of the engineer

CHAPTER VI. John Metcalf, road-maker.

Metcalf's boyhood His blindness His boldness Becomes a Musician His travels Journey on foot from London to Harrogate Joins the army as musician in the rebellion of 1745 Adventures in Scotland Becomes travelling merchant and horse dealer Begins road-making Builds a bridge His extensive road contracts in Yorkshire and Lancashire Manner of aking his surveys His skill in road-making His last road--his death Roads in the south of England Want of roads on Lincoln Heath Land lighthouses Dunstan pillar Rapid improvement in the roads Application of steam Sydney Smith on improved facilities of communication

THE LIFE OF THOMAS TELFORD

CHAPTER I. Eskdale.

Eskdale Langholm Former lawlessness of the Border population Jonnie armstrong Border energy Westerkirk Telford's birthplace Glendinning Valley of the Meggat The 'unblameable shepherd' Telford's mother Early years Laughing Tam Put to school His school-fellows

CHAPTER II. Langholm--Telford a Stonemason

Telford apprenticed to a stonemason Runs away Re-apprenticed to a mason at Langholm Building operations in the district Miss Pasley lends books to young Telford Attempt to write poetry Becomes village letter-writer Works as a journeyman mason Employed on Langholm Bridge Manse of Westerkirk Poem of 'Eskdale' Hews headstones and doorheads Works as a mason at Edinburgh Study of architecture Revisits Eskdale His ride to London

CHAPTER III. Arrives in London

Telford a working man in London Obtains employment as a mason at Somerset House Correspondence with Eskdale friends Observations on his fellow-workman Propses to begin business, but wants money Mr. Pulteney Becomes foreman of builders at Portsmouth Dockyard Continues to write poetry Employment of his time Prints letters to his mother

CHAPTER IV. Becomes Surveyor for the County of Salop

Superintends repairs of Shrewsbury Castle Appointed Surveyor for County of Salop Superintends erection of new gaol Interview with John Howard His studies in science and literature Poetical exercises Fall of St. Chad's Church, Shrewsburg Discovery of the Roman city of Uriconium Overseer of felons Mrs. Jordan at Shrewsbury Telford's indifference to music Politics, Paine's 'Rights of Man' Reprints his poem of 'Eskdale'

CHAPTER V. Telford's First Employment as an Engineer

Advantages of mechanical training to an engineer Erects Montford Bridge Erects St. Mary Magdalen Church, Bridgenorth Telford's design Architectural tour Bath Studies in British Museum Oxford Birmingham Study of architecture Appointed Engineer to the Ellesmere Canal

CHAPTER VI. The Ellesmere Canal

Course of the Ellesmire Canal Success of the early canals The Act obtained and working survey made Chirk Aqueduct Pont-Cysylltau Aqueduct, Telford's hollow walls His cast iron trough at Pont-Cysylltau The canal works completed Revists Eskdale Early impressions corrected Tours in Wales Conduct of Ellesmere Canal navigation His literary studies and compositions

CHAPTER VII. Iron and other Bridges

Use of iron in bridge-building Design of a Lyons architect First iron bridge erected at Coalbrookdale Tom paine's iron bridge Wear iron bridge, Sunderland Telford's iron bridge at Buildwas His iron lock-gates and turn-bridges Projects a one-arched bridge of iron over the Thames Bewdley stone bridge Tougueland Bridge Extension of Telford's engineering buisness Literary friendships Thomas Campbell Miscellaneous reading

CHAPTER VIII. Higland Roads and Bridges

Progress of Scotch agriculture Romilly's account State of the Highlands Want of roads Use of the Cas-chrom Emigration Telford's survey of Scotland Lord Cockburn's account of the difficulties of travelling the North Circuit Parliamentary Commission of Highland Roads and Bridges appointed Dunkeld Bridge built 920 miles of new roads constucted Craigellachie Bridge Travelling facilitated Agriculture improved Moral results of Telford's Highland contracts Rapid progress of the Lowlands Results of parish schools

CHAPTER IX. Telford's Scotch Harbours

Highland harbours Wick and Pulteney Town Columnar pier work Peterhead Harbour Frazerburgh Harbour Bannf Harbour Old history of Aberdeen, its witch-burning and slave-trading Improvements of its harbour Telford's design carried out Dundee Harbour

CHAPTER X. Caledonian and other Canals

Canal projected through the Great Glen of the Highlands Survey by James Watt Survey by Telford Tide-basin at Corpach Neptune's Staircase Dock at Clachnaharry The chain of lochs Construction of the works Commercial failure of the canal Telford's disappointment Glasgow and Ardrossan Canal Weaver Navigation Gotha Canal, Sweden Gloucester and Berkeley, and other canals Harecastle Tunnel Birmingham Canal Macclesfield Canal Birmingham and Liverpool Junction Canal Telford's pride in his canals

CHAPTER XI. Telford as a road-maker

Increase of road-traffic Improvement of the main routes between the principal towns Carlisle and Glasgow road Telford's principles of road-construction Macadam Cartland Crags Bridge Improvement of the London and Edinburgh post road Communications with Ireland Wretched state of the Welsh roads Telford's survey of the Shrewsbury and Holyhead road Its construction Roads and railways London and Shrewsbury post road Roads near London Coast road, North Wales

CHAPTER XII. The Menai and Conway Bridges

Bridges projected over the Menai Straits Telford's designs Ingenious plan of suspended centering Design of a suspension bridge over the Mersey at Runcorn Design of suspension bridge at Menai The works begun The main piers The suspension chains Hoisting of the first main chain Progress of the works to completion The bridge formally opened Conway Suspension Bridge

CHAPTER XIII. Docks, Drainage, and Bridges

Resume of English engineering General increase in trade and poulation The Thames St. Katherine's Docks Tewkesburg Bridge Gloucester Bridge Dean Bridge, Edinburgh Glasgow Bridge Telford's works of drainage in the Fens The North Level The Nene Outfall Effects of Fen drainage

CHAPTER XIV. Southey's tour in the highlands

Southey sets out to visit the Highlands in Telford's company Works at Dundee Harbour Bervie Harbour Mitchell and Gibbs Aberdeen Harbour Approach to Banff Cullen Harbour The Forres road Beauly Bridge Bonar Bridge Fleet Mound Southey's description of the Caledonian Canal and works John Mitchell Takes leave of Telford Results of Highland road-making

CHAPTER XV. Mr Telford's later years--His death and character

Telford's residence in London Leaves the Salopian First President of Institute of Civil Engineers Consulted by foreign Governments as to roads and bridges His views on railways Failure of health Consulted as to Dover Harbour Illness and death His character His friends Integrity Views on money-making Benevolence Patriotism His Will Libraries in Eskdale supported by his bequests