Lives of the Engineers, with an Account of Their Principal Works: Comprising ... - Samuel Smiles - Google Libros

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CONTENTS OF VOL. I.

PART I.-EARLY WORKS OF EMBANKING AND DRAINING.

Ancient British earthworks - Ancient British dwellings-Early settlement

of Britain — Reclamation of Romney Marsh — Law and custom of Romney

Marsh Embankment of the Thames Breaches of the Thames Banks-

Other reclamations of land- Importance of the situation of England

Water the chief element contended against by the engineer - The Fen Districts

of the Great Level - Reclamation of Marshland and South Holland by the

Romans-Carr Dyke-Settlement of the Isle of Ely-The Fen popu-

lation-Croyland and St. Guthlac-Thorney and Ramsey - Drainage

works of the early churchmen-Morton, Bishop of Ely, his drainage of

the North Level - Destructive inundations through neglect of the embank-

ments, drains, and river outfalls-James I. encourages measures for

drainage - Desolation of the Fens ..
17-35

Cornelius Vermuyden, the Dutch engineer-Undertakes the drainage of

Hatfield Chase - The Isle of Axholme - Dutch capitalists embark in the

drainage of Hatfield Chase - The works carried out - Vermuyden strongly

opposed by the native population - Riots - The embankments broken by

the Parliamentarians - Vermuyden's difficulties

Vermuyden undertakes to drain the Great Level of the Fens - Francis Earl

of Bedford, the chief undertaker Works first executed Opposition of

the inhabitants Failure of the works — Oliver Cromwell heads the oppo-

sition to the Fen drainers - Riots in Lincolnshire, and embankments and

drains destroyed-Vermuyden recommences the works- Their execution

and completion - Vermuyden's death Subsequent improvements in the

Fen drainage
49-68

Breaches in the Thames embankment — At Limehouse-At Dagenham-

Ineffectual attempts made to close the breach at Dagenham — Captain Perry

- His engineering works in Russia under Peter the Great Return to

England --- Undertakes to stop Dagenham breach - His plan - The breach

closed - Description of the embankments along the Thames - Perry's sub-

sequent works at Rye and in the Fens- His death
69-82

PART II.-LIFE OF SIR HUGH MYDDELTON.

Water supply of London in early times-Its wells-Conduits - Punishment

inflicted for surreptitiously abstracting water from the public conduits —

The famine of water- Morice's pumping engines at London Bridge - Pro-

posals to obtain water from springs in Hertford and Middlesex - Successive

Acts obtained - Plymouth Leet constructed by Sir Francis Drake - Hugh

Myddelton undertakes to bring fresh water to the City

The Myddelton family in North Wales - Myddelton's father, the Governor of

Denbigh - Myddelton brass in Whitchurch-Hugh Myddelton's brothers

- Entered apprentice to a London goldsmith-Goldsmiths in early times

-London at the end of the 16th century- Myddelton a merchant

adventurer - Adventures of the Londoners - Sir Walter Raleigh - Myddel-

ton's marriage Is made an alderman of Denbigh - Attempts to find coal

near Denbigh, and fails

Myddelton elected representative of Denbigh in Parliament-Supplies jewellery

to King James - Project of bringing water to London - The Corporation

invest him with the requisite powers-The works begun Plan of New

River—The opposition to the works — London water-carriers — Myddelton

obtains the assistance of King James-Theobald's Park

between the King and Myddelton - Probable cost of New River

Method of constructing the New River works - Boarded river at Bush-hill

The works completed and New River opened - Myddelton knighted —

Accident to King James in New River - Supply of the water to the

inhabitants - New River Company formed, and Sir Hugh appointed

Governor-Fortunes of the New River Company

Brading Haven, Isle of Wight-Project for reclaiming it — Sir Hugh Myddel-

ton undertakes the enterprise - His patent- The Oglander MSS., descrip-

tive of the failure of the works-Sir Bevis Thelwall

Sir Hugh enters upon his mining enterprise in Wales - Mines Royal of Cardi-

ganshire-Silver found at Cwmsymlog-Sir Hugh made a Baronet Is

invited to undertake the reclamation of Traeth-Mawr, and reasons for

declining - Sir Hugh's death- - His will His descendants

PART III.-EARLY ROADS AND MODES OF TRAVELLING.

Uses and influences of roads - Old English trackways — Roman roads - Early

attempts to improve the highways-Wretched state of the roads throughout

the kingdom - Devonshire lanes - Hollow ways -Sussex roads

ways near London ..

.. Page 155-163

Ordinary modes of conveyance in early times-Riding on horseback - - Queen

Elizabeth's journeys - The first coach in England- Waggons and carriages

introduced — The old stage-waggon - Stage-coaches - The opposition to

their introduction - Perils and delays of stage-coach travelling-Highway

robberies - Carriage of goods-Pack-horse travelling-Pack-horses in

Yorkshire and Lancashire
164-181

Influence of roads on manners and customs - Local superstitions and ignorance

-Camden's reference to Lancashire-Rev. Mr. Brome's travels through

England News carried by pedlars and packmen - Household life

influenced by defective communications - Fairs in early times - Win-

chester, Weyhill, and Boston Fairs - Ancient fair on Dartmoor — Picture

of Chagford District, valley of the North Teign - Devonshire crooks

Improvements in travelling; Manchester "Flying Coach

-Time occupied in

travelling between London and the principal towns-Journeys of Lord

Chancellors to London- Mr. Moritz's description of his journey by coach

-The basket coach Arthur Young's description of English roads —

Progress of road legislation - Rebellion of 1745-Turnpike roads — The

turnpikes destroyed by rioters-Prejudices entertained against turnpike roads

- Profession of road-making as yet unknown

Memoir of John Metcalf-His early life-Loses his sight-Becomes a

musician-A guide-Runs horses at races. - His travels - His journey

on foot from London to Harrogate - Joins the army as musician in the

rebellion of 1745-His 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 making

his surveys - His skill in road-making — Becomes a cotton-spinner — His

last road - Death- Dunstan Pillar
208-234

xiv

PART IV.-BRIDGES, HARBOURS, AND FERRIES.

Necessity for bridges - Ancient British bridge on Dartmoor

Roman bridges - Croyland Bridge - Bow Bridge-Order of Brothers of

the Bridge Bridges built by the early churchmen, at Burton, Norwich,

Wadebridge, &c.- Rochester Bridge-Wakefield Bridge-Raglan Castle

Bridge — Inigo Jones's bridge at Llanrwst

-

-

-

Thames ferry between London and Southwark - John Overy-The first

London Bridge of of stone-The foundations

occupied in the building-Description of old London Bridge-The piers

The roadway and street upon the bridge-Vicissitudes of the old

bridge-A second bridge over the Thames opposed by the citizens of

London Westminster Bridge built by Labelye-Its foundations -

Blackfriars Bridge ..

Memoir of William Edwards

ing-Self-education

- His early life-Learns dry-stone wall-build-
Builds iron forges-Studies the ruins of Caerphilly

His three successive bridges over the Taff — Pont-y-Prydd — His

other bridges His character- His sons also bridge-builders ..

Insignificant character of the English navy in early times

-

-

266-275

enterprise of the Dutch — The English seas fished by them— Prevalence
The riches and

of piracy along the English coasts -- Early harbours - London - Bristol —

Lyme Regis · Dover

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The coal-trade-Crowding of the Thames - The long

ferry to Gravesend — Fielding's voyage to Lisbon - Smollett's voyage from

Dover to Boulogne

Forth ferries -

Barton-on-Humber ferries-

- Gilpin's voyage across the Severn to Bristol
improve navigable rivers in England
Lancashire navigations ..

PART V.-LIFE OF JAMES BRINDLEY.

Brindley's native district- Flash men- Brindley's birth-His father-

Early mechanical bias:
- Is bound apprentice to a wheelwright and mill-

wright His master, Abraham Bennett-The millwright class - Brind-

ley's bungling prentice work - His self-improvement Repairs a silk-

mill-Masters the difficulties of mechanism in a paper-mill — Conducts

his master's business for him

Begins business as a wheelwright and millwright at Leek - Character of his

work His pocket memoranda books-Is extensively employed in the

Pottery districts to erect flint-mills - Succeeds in clearing the Clifton coal-

mines of water - Erects the machinery of a silk-mill at Congleton - More

flint-mills Attempts the improvement of the steam-engine- His engine

breaks down - His patent of an improved engine
319-333

Lancashire navigations The Duke of Bridgewater's attention directed to the

subject—Early life of the Duke - Manchester at the middle of last cen-

tury- Roads in South Lancashire - Difficulty of supplying Manchester

with coals and food - The Duke of Bridgewater determines to make a

canal between Worsley and Manchester

The Duke's first Canal Act - John Gilbert, the Duke's land-steward-
Brindley employed to revise the plans of the Duke's canal - A new Act
obtained - Barton Aqueduct, Brindley's "Castle in the Air"-The canal
embankments — Worsley Basin and tunnels Brindley's ingenuity and
laboriousness The canal opened between Worsley and Manchester

-

346-361

Brindley surveys an extension of the Duke's canal to Runcorn- The Mersey

navigation Growth of Liverpool — Liverpool stage-coach accommoda-

tion - Brindley's journeys to London - Appears before Parliament to give

evidence on the Duke's Bill — Parliamentary opposition to the measure

Anecdotes of Brindley - The Bill passed

Brindley constructs the Duke's canal to Runcorn- Description of the works-

His methods of economizing labour - Embankment on Sale Moor Moss

Ingenious expedient of valvular flood-gates — Brindley's indefatigable in-

dustry Quarrels with Gilbert His workmen - The works at Run-

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