in some parts of deep clay； in others of deep sand。 A mail…coach
had been tried to Banbury； but the road below Aylesbury was so bad；
that the Post…office authorities were obliged to give it up。 The
twelve miles from Towcester to Daventry were still worse。 The line
of way was covered with banks of dirt； in winter it was a puddle of
from four to six inches deepquite as bad as it had been in Arthur
Young's time； and when horses passed along the road； they came out
of it a mass of mud and mire。*＇7＇ There were also several steep and
dangerous hills to be crossed； and the loss of horses by fatigue in
travelling by that route at the time was very great。
Even the roads in the immediate neighbourhood of the metropolis
were little better； those under the Highgate and Hampstead trust
being pronounced in a wretched state。 They were badly formed；
on a clay bottom； and being undrained； were almost always wet and
sloppy。 The gravel was usually tumbled on and spread unbroken；
so that the materials； instead of becoming consolidated； were only
rolled about by the wheels of the carriages passing over them。
Mr。 Telford applied the same methods in the reconstruction of these
roads that he had already adopted in Scotland and Wales； and the
same improvement was shortly felt in the more easy passage over
them of vehicles of all sorts； and in the great acceleration of the
mail service。 At the same time； the line along the coast from
Bangor； by Conway； Abergele； St。 Asaph； and Holywell； to Chester；
was greatly improved。 As forming the mail road from Dublin to
Liverpool； it was considered of importance to render it as safe
and level as possible。 The principal new cuts on this line were
those along the rugged skirts of the huge Penmaen…Mawr； around the
base of Penmaen…Bach to the town of Conway； and between St。 Asaph
and Holywell； to ease the ascent of Rhyall Hill。
But more important than all； as a means of completing the main line
of communication between England and Ireland； there were the great
bridges over the Conway and the Menai Straits to be constructed。
The dangerous ferries at those places had still to be crossed in
open boats； sometimes in the night； when the luggage and mails were
exposed to great risks。 Sometimes； indeed； they were wholly lost
and passengers were lost with them。 It was therefore determined；
after long consideration； to erect bridges over these formidable
straits； and Mr。 Telford was employed to execute the works；in
what manner； we propose to describe in the next chapter。
Footnotes for Chapter XI。
*＇1＇ 'Life of Robert Owen；' by himself。
*＇2＇ 'Report from the Select Committee on the Carlisle and Glasgow
Road；' 28th June； 1815。
*＇3 A diary is preserved of a journey to Dublin from Grosvenor
Square London； l2th June； 1787； in a coach and four； accompanied by
a post…chaise and pair； and five outriders。 The party reached
Holyhead in four days； at a cost of 75L。 11s。 3d。 The state of
intercourse between this country and the sister island at this part
of the account is strikingly set forth in the following entries：
〃Ferry at Bangor； 1L。 10s。； expenses of the yacht hired to carry
the party across the channel； 28L。 7s。 9d。； duty on the coach； 7L。
13s。 4d。； boats on shore； 1L。 1s。； total； 114L。 3s。 4d。〃
Roberts's 'Social History of the Southern Counties；' p。 504。
*＇4＇ 'Second Report from Committee on Holyhead Roads and Harbours；'
1810。 （Parliamentary paper。）
*＇5＇ 〃Many parts of the road are extremely dangerous for a coach to
travel upon。 At several places between Bangor and Capel…Curig there
are a number of dangerous precipices without fences； exclusive of
various hills that want taking down。 At Ogwen Pool there is a very
dangerous place where the water runs over the road； extremely
difficult to pass at flooded times。 Then there is Dinas Hill； that
needs a side fence against a deep precipice。 The width of the road
is not above twelve feet in the steepest part of the hill； and two
carriages cannot pass without the greatest danger。 Between this
hill and Rhyddlanfair there are a number of dangerous precipices；
steep hills； and difficult narrow turnings。 From Corwen to
Llangollen the road is very narrow； long； and steep； has no side
fence； except about a foot and a half of mould or dirt； which is
thrown up to prevent carriages falling down three or four hundred
feet into the river Dee。 Stage…coaches have been frequently
overturned and broken down from the badness of the road； and the
mails have been overturned； but I wonder that more and worse
accidents have not happened； the roads are so bad。〃Evidence of
Mr。 William Akers； of the Post…office； before Committee of the
House of Commons； 1st June； 1815。
*＇6＇ The Select Committee of the House of Commons； in reporting as
to the manner in which these works were carried out； stated as
follows： 〃The professional execution of the new works upon this
road greatly surpasses anything of the same kind in these
countries。 The science which has been displayed in giving the
general line of the road a proper inclination through a country
whose whole surface consists of a succession of rocks； bogs；
ravines； rivers； and precipices； reflects the greatest credit upon
the engineer who has planned them； but perhaps a still greater
degree of professional skill has been shown in the construction； or
rather the building； of the road itself。 The great attention which
Mr。 Telford has devoted； to give to the surface of the road one
uniform and moderately convex shape； free from the smallest
inequality throughout its whole breadth； the numerous land drains；
and； when necessary； shores and tunnels of substantial masonry；
with which all the water arising from springs or falling in rain is
instantly carried off； the great care with which a sufficient
foundation is established for the road； and the quality； solidity；
and disposition of the materials that are put upon it； are matters
quite new in the system of road…making in these countries。〃
'Report from the Select Committee on the Road from London to
Holyhead in the year 1819。'
*＇7＇ Evidence of William Waterhouse before the Select Committee；
10th March； 1819。
CHAPTER XII。
THE MENAI AND CONWAY BRIDGES。
＇Image＇ Map of Menai Strait ＇Ordnance Survey＇
So long as the dangerous Straits of Menai had to be crossed in an
open ferry…boat； the communication between London and Holyhead was
necessarily considered incomplete。 While the roads through North
Wales were so dangerous as to deter travellers between England and
Ireland from using that route； the completion of the remaining link
of communication across the Straits was of comparatively little
importance。 But when those roads had； by the application of much
capital； skill； and labour； been rendered so safe and convenient
that the mail and stage coaches could run over them at the rate of
from eight to ten miles an hour； the bridging of the Straits became
a measure of urgent public necessity。 The increased traffic by this
route so much increased the quantity of passengers and luggage；
that the open boats were often dangerously overloaded； and serious
accidents； attended with loss of life and property； came to be of
frequent occurrence。
The erection of a bridge over the Straits had long been matter of
speculation amongst engineers。 As early as 1776； Mr。 Golborne
proposed his plan of an embankment with a bridge in the middle of it；
and a few years later； in 1785； Mr。 Nichols proposed a wooden
viaduct； furnished with drawbridges at Cadnant Island。 Later still；
Mr。 Rennie proposed his design of a cast iron bridge。 But none of
these plans were carried out； and the whole subject remained in
abeyance until the year 1810； when a commission was appointed to
inquire and report as to the state of the roads between Shrewsbury；
Chester； and Holyhead。 The result was； that Mr。 Telford was called
upon to report as to the most effectual method of bridging the
Menai Strait； and thus completing the communication with the port
of embarkation for Ireland。
＇Image＇ Telford's proposed Cast Iron Bridge
Mr。 Telford submitted alternative plans for a bridge over the
Strait： one at the Swilly Rock； consisting of three cast iron
arches of 260 feet span； with a stone arch of 100 feet span between
each two iron ones； to resist their lateral thrust； and another at
Ynys…y…moch； to which he himself attached the preference；
consisting of a single cast iron arch of 500 feet span； the crown
of the arch to be 100 feet above high water of spring tides； and
the breadth of the roadway to be 40 feet。
The principal objection taken to this plan by engineers generally；
was the supposed difficulty of erecting a proper centering to
support the arch during construction； and the mode by which
Mr。 Telford proposed to overcome this may be cited in illustration
of his ready ingenuity in overcoming difficulties。 He proposed to
suspend the centering from above instead of supporting it from
below in the usual mannera contrivance afterwards revived by
another very skilful engineer； the late Mr。 Brunel。 Frames； 50 feet
high； were to be erected on the top of the abutments； and on these；
strong blocks； or rollers and chains； were to be fixed； by means of
which； and by the aid of windlasses and other mechanical powers；
each separate piece of centering was to be raised into； and
suspended in； its proper place。 Mr。 Telford regarded this method of
constructing centres as applicable to stone as well as to iron
arches； and indeed it is applicable； as Mr。 Brunel held； to the
building of the arch itself。*＇1＇
＇Image＇ Proposed Plan of Suspended Centering
Mr。 Telford anticipated that； if the method recommended by him were
successfully adopted on the large scale proposed at Menai； all
difficulties with regard to carrying bridges over dee