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Document 35 p 18

operations of what followed the Disaster of August One thousand Seven
hundred and seventy eight nor can they be done without reference to
figures I shall therefore proceed to say that in the beginning of the year
One thousand seven hundred and seventy nine, And also afterwards
while the Arches were throwing the whole of the Cases were guarded all
round by a deposition of Rubble and to render it the more effectual against
the torrents this River then appeared subject to the upstream points
of the Rubble Bulwarks were extended to the Length of thirty feet above
the upstream Salient Points of the Cases respectively.
That the undersetting of the three piers so treated was done so as to
be as Solid and effectual as the Gravel Stratum that the whole stood
upon as also the new founding of half of the fifth Pier and the Original
founding of the sixth which was last founded and that the whole stood
upon one bottom equally capable of supporting the weight of the super-
-structure afterwards Built upon it appears from this that in the whole
of the Masonry from the time of the Accident in One thousand seven hundred
and seventy eight to the time of its total overthrow in the year One thou-
-sand seven hundred and Eighty two there never appeared the least Crack
or Sett in any part of the Work not even in the parapetts which to those
that are well experienced in Bridge Building will appear a remarkable
instance of the Soundness of the Work And furthermore that the whole
was sufficiently guarded against every incident that could be foreseen
or expected appears from this that in the year One thousand seven
hundred and seventy nine a very remarkably rapid flood happened
that Mr Pickernel observed from Marks upon the Bridge above and below
showed a fall of three feet nine Inches which would occasion a velocity
above nine hundred feet P. minute which passed without any material
derangement but on the Contrary that such Changes had been made
in the Bed of the River had been for the better as it had acquired a more
18 equal

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Note: Mr Smeaton's Memorial p 18

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Transcribed by CTW and KS