Document 35, p 7
| proper method of treating such a Subject; he must suppose it more likely for | ||||
| a Bridge to be undertaken and proceeded with, if the foundation was a gravel | ||||
| unfathomable, than if it was a Gravel with Quicksand under it. | ||||
| What remains therefore as questions material to the County and to all the | ||||
| Partys, seem to be the following;and what they that undertake to Judge of the | ||||
| whole matter, should be acquainted with. | ||||
| 1st, Whether Mr Smeaton from the whole matter before him, at the time | ||||
| of forming his project; he did it with that deliberate Judgement and reasonable | ||||
| probability of success that has characterized him in other things. | ||||
| 2ndly, Whether Mr Errington was sparing of any thing necessary to give | ||||
| success to that mode of Building, which Mr Smeaton had adopted. | ||||
| 3rdly Whether Mr Pickernel did to the best of his power and abilities execute | ||||
| to a reasonable and possible intent what he was directed by Mr Smeaton. | ||||
| 4thly Whether under all the Experience & Knowledge of the subject, as it | ||||
| now standsthat the present Bridge should be attempted to be reinstated, or a | ||||
| new one built at Hexham. | ||||
| With respect to Mr Smeatons Scheme for the Bridge the following | ||||
| matters are worthy of observation.- | ||||
| First that from the failure of Sir Walters Bridge in the night no Estimation | ||||
| could be formed of the fall or velocity that the water had in passing that Bridge | ||||
| at the extream of the flood before its failure: For tho’ the marks of the Flood | ||||
| were left very visible which shewed it to have rose many feet higher than | ||||
| any former flood in point of height, yet this gives no light into the stress laid | ||||
| upon the Bridge by the Velocity of the Water: For no Bridge even tolerably Built | ||||
| ought to suffer from the water rising any height upon it whatever if stagnent | ||||
| or rising very slowly by the Counteraction of a rising Tide, opposing the | ||||
| natural Current. | ||||
| 2ndly That it is ascertained beyond a Doubt, that at the place where Mr | ||||
| Wooler begun there in reality existed a quicksand of an unfathomable depth | ||||
| covered over with a Bed of Gravel of a very moderate thickness and consistence | ||||
| and intermixed with large tumbling whin Stones. | ||||
| 7 3rdly | ||||
Note: Mr Smeaton's Memorial concerning Hexham Bridge, p 7
Abbreviations are underlined like this Wm. and the expansion may be seen by moving the cursor over it.
| An entry outlined like this has a note which may be seen by hovering over it. |
Transcribed by CTW and KS