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week； upon an arbitration business respecting the rebuilding of the
county hall and gaol； but previous to that I must visit Liverpool；
and afterwards proceed into Worcestershire。 So you see what sort
of a life I have of it。 It is something like Buonaparte； when in
Italy； fighting battles at fifty or a hundred miles distance every
other day。 However； plenty of employment is what every
professional man is seeking after； and my various occupations now
require of me great exertions； which they certainly shall have so
long as life and health are spared to me。〃*＇16＇ Amidst all his
engagements； Telford found time to make particular inquiry about
many poor families formerly known to him in Eskdale； for some of
whom he paid house…rent； while he transmitted the means of
supplying others with coals； meal； and necessaries； during the
severe winter months；a practice which he continued to the close
of his life。
Footnotes for Chapter VII。
*＇1＇ 'Encyclopedia Britannica；' 8th ed。 Art。 〃Iron Bridges。〃
*＇2＇ According to the statement made in the petition drawn by Paine；
excise officers were then （1772） paid only 1s。 9 1/4d。 a day。
*＇3＇ In England； Paine took out a patent for his Iron Bridge in
1788。 Specification of Patents （old law） No。 1667。
*＇4＇ ＇Image＇ Buildwas Bridge。
The following are further details： 〃Each of the main ribs of the
flat arch consists of three pieces； and at each junction they are
secured by a grated plate； which connects all the parallel ribs
together into one frame。 The back of each abutment is in a
wedge…shape； so as to throw off laterally much of the pressure of
the earth。 Under the bridge is a towing path on each side of the
river。 The bridge was cast in an admirable manner by the
Coalbrookdale iron…masters in the year 1796； under contract with
the county magistrates。 The total cost was 6034L。 l3s。 3d。〃
*＇5＇ Letter to Mr。 Andrew Little； Langholm； dated Shrewsbury；
l8th March； 1795。
*＇6＇ Douglas was first mentioned to Telford； in a letter from
Mr。 Pasley； as a young man； a native of Bigholmes； Eskdale； who had；
after serving his time there as a mechanic； emigrated to America；
where he showed such proofs of mechanical genius that he attracted
the notice of Mr。 Liston； the British Minister； who paid his
expenses home to England； that his services might not be lost to
his country； and at the same time gave him a letter of introduction
to the Society of Arts in London。 Telford； in a letter to Andrew
Little； dated 4th December； 1797； expressed a desire 〃to know more
of this Eskdale Archimedes。〃 Shortly after； we find Douglas
mentioned as having invented a brick machine； a shearing…machine；
and a ball for destroying the rigging of ships； for the two former
of which he secured patents。 He afterwards settled in France； where
he introduced machinery for the improved manufacture of woollen
cloth； and being patronised by the Government； he succeeded in
realising considerable wealth； which； how ever； he did not live to
enjoy。
*＇7＇ Letter to Mr。 Andrew Little； Langholm； dated London； l3th May；
1800。
*＇8＇ The evidence is fairly set forth in 'Cresy's Encyclopedia of
Civil Engineering；' p。 475。
*＇9＇ Article on Iron Bridges； in the 'Encyclopedia Britannica；'
Edinburgh； 1857。
*＇10＇ His foreman of masons at Bewdley Bridge； and afterwards his
assistant in numerous important works。
*＇11＇ The work is thus described in Robert Chambers's ' Picture of
Scotland'：〃Opposite Compston there is a magnificent new bridge
over the Dee。 It consists of a single web； the span of which is 112
feet； and it is built of vast blocks of freestone brought from the
isle of Arran。 The cost of this work was somewhere about 7000L。
sterling； and it may be mentioned； to the honour of the Stewartry；
that this sum was raised by the private contributions of the
gentlemen of the district。 From Tongueland Hill； in the immediate
vicinity of the bridge； there is a view well worthy of a painter's
eye； and which is not inferior in beauty and magnificence to any in
Scotland。〃
*＇12＇ Letter to Mr。 Andrew Little； Langholm； dated Salop；
13th July； 1799。
*＇13＇ Letter to Mr。 Andrew Little； Langholm； dated Liverpool；
9th September； 1800。
*＇14＇ Brodie was originally a blacksmith。 He was a man of much
ingenuity and industry； and introduced many improvements in iron
work； he invented stoves for chimneys； ships' hearths； &c。 He had
above a hundred men working in his London shop； besides carrying on
an iron work at Coalbrookdale。 He afterwards established a woollen
manufactory near Peebles。
*＇15＇ Dated London； l4th April； 1802。
*＇16＇ Letter to Mr。 Andrew Little； Langholm； dated Salop；
30th November； 1799。
CHAPTER VIII。
HIGHLAND ROADS AND BRIDGES。
In an early chapter of this volume we have given a rapid survey of
the state of Scotland about the middle of last century。 We found a
country without roads； fields lying uncultivated； mines unexplored；
and all branches of industry languishing； in the midst of an idle；
miserable； and haggard population。 Fifty years passed； and the
state of the Lowlands had become completely changed。 Roads had been
made； canals dug； coal…mines opened up； ironworks established；
manufactures were extending in all directions； and Scotch
agriculture； instead of being the worst； was admitted to be the
best in the island。
〃I have been perfectly astonished；〃 wrote Romilly from Stirling；
in 1793； 〃at the richness and high cultivation of all the tract of
this calumniated country through which I have passed； and which
extends quite from Edinburgh to the mountains where I now am。
It is true； however； that almost everything which one sees to admire
in the way of cultivation is due to modem improvements； and now and
then one observes a few acres of brown moss； contrasting admirably
with the corn…fieids to which they are contiguous； and affording a
specimen of the dreariness and desolation which； only half a century
ago； overspread a country now highly cultivated； and become a most
copious source of human happiness。〃*＇1＇ It must； however； be
admitted that the industrial progress thus described was confined
almost entirely to the Lowlands； and had scarcely penetrated the
mountainous regions lying towards the north…west。 The rugged
nature of that part of the country interposed a formidable barrier
to improvement； and the district still remained very imperfectly
opened up。 The only practicable roads were those which had been
made by the soldiery after the rebellions of 1715 and '45； through
counties which before had been inaccessible except by dangerous
footpaths across high and rugged mountains。 An old epigram in
vogue at the end of last century ran thus：
〃Had you seen these roads before they were made；
You'd lift up your hands and bless General Wade！〃
Being constructed by soldiers for military purposes； they were
first known as 〃military roads。〃 One was formed along the Great
Glen of Scotland； in the line of the present Caledonian Canal；
connected with the Lowlands by the road through Glencoe by Tyndrum
down the western banks of Loch Lomond； another； more northerly；
connected Fort Augustus with Dunkeld by Blair Athol； while a third；
still further to the north and east； connected Fort George with
Cupar…in…Angus by Badenoch and Braemar。
The military roads were about eight hundred miles in extent；
and maintained at the public expense。 But they were laid out for
purposes of military occupation rather than for the convenience of
the districts which they traversed。 Hence they were comparatively
little used； and the Highlanders； in passing from one place to
another； for the most part continued to travel by the old cattle
tracks along the mountains。 But the population were as yet so poor
and so spiritless； and industry was in so backward a state all over
the Highlan