Document 35, P 16
| at a Medium at the borders and some to a greater Breadth and some less | ||||
| but the Pier which had the half Girdle course round the West point having | ||||
| been found to suffer along with the rest tho’ not in so great a degree this | ||||
| induced Mr Smeaton to think of a mode of defence not merely terminating | ||||
| upon the upper Crust of the Gravel as the Girdle Stones (which this Event showed | ||||
| was not sufficient to resist the increased velocity of the Current when passing | ||||
| by a new object) but instead of the Girdle Stones to go some depth into the | ||||
| Gravel which it appeared practicable to do by driving a Casing of Plank piles | ||||
| to surround every Caisson Pier at the distance of three foot which would | ||||
| also enable him safely to underpin the parts underwashed. | ||||
| To this proposition (tho’ attended with an addition of Expence unthought | ||||
| of before of between five and six hundred pounds) Mr Donkin very readily | ||||
| consented on the part of Mr Errington, this was therefore immediately put | ||||
| in hand before further proceedings were gone upon. | ||||
| Hitherto I have been particular as it seemed absolutely necessary | ||||
| to give an adequate idea of the natural difficulty attending the work and | ||||
| what a very small portion of them were known before it was originally | ||||
| Enterprized by Mr Gott how gradually they unfolded themselves in conse- | ||||
| -quence of the steps that from time to time had been taking and how very | ||||
| far from being aware of the whole when the work was begun by Mr Errington | ||||
| under the direction of Mr Smeaton Suffice it therefore to say that the Casing | ||||
| of the damaged Piers and the under setting of three of them was proceeded | ||||
| upon with the greatest alacrity and completed that Season nor did any | ||||
| other adverse accident happen to the Completion of the Bridge. | ||||
| It may here be proper to mention that when the first Casing was | ||||
| completed which was about the fifth Pier from the North side Mr Smeaton | ||||
| Ordered a trial to be made to pump out the water which if practicable | ||||
| would have afforded the most easy way of undersetting the underwashed | ||||
| parts but this being attempted Mr Pickernel reported that with four | ||||
| 16 double | ||||
Note: Mr Smeaton's Memorial, p 16
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| An entry outlined like this has a note which may be seen by hovering over it. |
Transcribed by CTW and KS