Document 66, p 7
| 137 (7) | ||||
| the River without breaking it by digging, or disturbing it by driving of | ||||
| Piles, and had contented themselves with defending the Sides of their | ||||
| Piers from the Action of the passing Current of Water, by other proper | ||||
| Means, that the original Bridge of Sir Walter Blackett might then have | ||||
| been standing; or Mr Wooler have complied with the ardent Wishes of | ||||
| the Magistrates in affording them a permanent and useful Bridge. | ||||
| This Deponent therefore being willing to gratify what he had | ||||
| great Reason to suppose to be the public desire of a part of the Kingdom | ||||
| in which he had formed many Connections by Occasion of Business | ||||
| signified his Consent to Mr Donkin that he should be ready to | ||||
| examine the Ground in the quarter pointed out by Mr Errington: And | ||||
| in case he found it of such a Nature that he should hazard his | ||||
| Credit upon it as an Artist and that Mr Errington would take the | ||||
| Risque of it point of Value; that then this Deponent would proceed | ||||
| to form a Scheme, and Estimate for Mr Errington to procced upon | ||||
| with the Magistrates. | ||||
| The Examination was accordingly proceeded upon by this | ||||
| deponent, in which he was attended by the said Jonathan Pickernell | ||||
| acting | ||||
| who some of the ⁁ Magistrates had recommended to assist him and | ||||
| give him Information in this Business, and with whom at this | ||||
| time this Deponent had very little Acquaintance: And in this | ||||
| Examination this Deponent found that the Crust of Gravel forming | ||||
| the Bed of the River in this place was at least double the thickness | ||||
| (Vizt 8 feet) that Mr Pickernell had reported it was at the other | ||||
| Situation (Vizt four feet) but that the Crust here, appearing to be | ||||
| by far the most firm at top, and growing gradually less compact | ||||
| underneath, though he judged this Crust sufficient to bear | ||||
| 7 Weight | ||||
Note: Mr Smeaton's Replies to Interrogatories 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 RMS