Memoirs of the Distinguished Men of Science of Great Britain Living in the Years 1807-8Walker, William
History
Memoirs of the Distinguished Men of Science of Great Britain Living in the Years 1807-8
Walker, William
Scientists -- Great Britain -- Biography
In the carrying on of this last named undertaking, Mr. Telford was
likewise engaged under Mr. Jessop. Two of its most important works are
the great aqueducts of Chirk and Pont-y-cysylte, the former of which
carries the canal over the river Ceriog, at an elevation of 70 feet,
while the latter carries it across the Dee at an elevation of 127 feet.
The grand peculiarity in these aqueducts consisted in constructing
a water-tight trough of cast iron for carrying the canal across the
arches, instead of an immense puddled clay trough, as was the practice
until that time in use. The execution and management of the numerous
works here mentioned occupied the greater part of Mr. Jessop's time
during the next few years. But the commencement of the present century
was the signal for another torrent of speculation, which, in addition
to canals, began now to be directed towards docks and railroads. The
promoters of the first great public dock establishment employed Mr.
Jessop to conduct their works, and he had the honour of completing the
great project of the West India Docks, with their numerous accompanying
details, in a manner which alone entitles him to rank among our most
eminent engineers.
On the completion of these docks his professional services were engaged
by the citizens of Bristol, to effect a great and comprehensive measure
of harbour improvement, designed to place the port of Bristol at once
in the foremost position with respect to commercial advantages. This
was the conversion of part of the river Avon into an immense floating
dock, capable of accommodating 1400 vessels. Mr. Jessop was also at
this time occupied in constructing the Surrey iron railways, which
consisted of a double tramroad, from the Thames at Wandsworth to
the town of Croydon, with an extension from Croydon to Godstone and
Merstham; they are principally remarkable as being the first public
railroads constructed in the south of England. The whole of these
tramroads were afterwards bought and taken up by the Brighton Railway
Company. Mr. Jessop was likewise connected with the Caledonian Canal,
which he was specially called upon to survey before its commencement,
and of which he continued to be the consulting engineer for many years.
In concluding this brief notice of Mr. Jessop's life, it remains only
to be said that with him exclusively originated the idea of taking
advantage of the immense floods to which certain districts are subject,
by storing these waters up for the gradual and regular supply of his
canals. In addition to this he shares with Mr. Telford the honour of
first using iron in the construction of the troughs of aqueducts, and
for the heads, heel-posts and ribs of lock-gates, as adopted on the
Caledonian and Ellesmere canals.--_Memoir of William Jessop, by Samuel
Hughes, C.E._
CAPTAIN HENRY KATER, F.R.S., &c.
Born April 16, 1777. Died April 26, 1835.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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