href="@public@vhost@g@gutenberg@html@files@27710@[email protected]#page301" class="pginternal" tag="{http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml}a">301–319

CHAPTER XVII.

Robert Stephenson’s Tubular Bridges at Menai and Conway.

George Stephenson surveys a line from Chester to Holyhead—Robert Stephenson’s construction of the works at Penmaen Mawr—Crossing of the Menai Strait—Various plans proposed—A tubular beam determined on—Strength of wrought-iron tubes—Mr. William Fairbairn consulted—His experiments—The design settled—The Britannia Bridge described—The Conway Bridge—Floating of the tubes—Lifting of the tubes—Robert Stephenson’s anxieties—Bursting of the Hydraulic Press—The works completed—Merits of the Britannia and Conway Bridges

320–340

CHAPTER XVIII.

George Stephenson’s Closing Years—Illness and Death.

George Stephenson’s Life at Tapton—Experiments in Horticulture, Gardening, and Farming—Affection for animals—Bird-hatching and bee-keeping—Reading and conversation—Rencontre with Lord Denman—Hospitality at Tapton—Experiments with the microscope—Frolics—“A crowdie night”—Visits to London—Visit to Sir Robert Peel at Drayton Manor—Encounter with Dr. Buckland—Coal formed by the sun’s light—Opening of the Trent Valley Railway—Meeting with Emerson—Illness, death, and funeral—Memorial Statues

341–356

CHAPTER XIX.

Robert Stephenson’s Victoria Bridge, Lower Canada—Illness and Death—Stephenson Characteristics.

Robert Stephenson’s inheritances—Gradual retirement from the profession of engineer—His last great works—Tubular Bridges over the St. Lawrence and the Nile—The Grand Trunk Railway, Canada—Necessity for a great railway bridge near Montreal—Discussion as to the plan—Robert Stephenson’s report—A tubular bridge determined on—Massiveness of the piers—Ice-floods in the St. Lawrence—Victoria Bridge constructed and completed—Tubular bridges in Egypt—The Suez Canal—Robert Stephenson’s employment as arbitrator—Assists Brunel at launching of the “Great Eastern”—Regardlessness of health—Death and Funeral—Characteristics of the Stephensons and resumé of their history—Politics of father and son—Services rendered to civilization by the Stephensons

357–380

Index

381