Increase of road-traffic Improvement of the main routes between the principal towns Carlisle and Glasgow road Telford's principles of road-construction Macadam Cartland Crags Bridge Improvement of the London and Edinburgh post road Communications with Ireland Wretched state of the Welsh roads Telford's survey of the Shrewsbury and Holyhead road Its construction Roads and railways London and Shrewsbury post road Roads near London Coast road, North Wales CHAPTER XII. The Menai and Conway Bridges Bridges projected over the Menai Straits Telford's designs Ingenious plan of suspended centering Design of a suspension bridge over the Mersey at Runcorn Design of suspension bridge at Menai The works begun The main piers The suspension chains Hoisting of the first main chain Progress of the works to completion The bridge formally opened Conway Suspension Bridge CHAPTER XIII. Docks, Drainage, and Bridges Resume of English engineering General increase in trade and poulation The Thames St. Katherine's Docks Tewkesburg Bridge Gloucester Bridge Dean Bridge, Edinburgh Glasgow Bridge Telford's works of drainage in the Fens The North Level The Nene Outfall Effects of Fen drainage CHAPTER XIV. Southey's tour in the highlands Southey sets out to visit the Highlands in Telford's company Works at Dundee Harbour Bervie Harbour Mitchell and Gibbs Aberdeen Harbour Approach to Banff Cullen Harbour The Forres road Beauly Bridge Bonar Bridge Fleet Mound Southey's description of the Caledonian Canal and works John Mitchell Takes leave of Telford Results of Highland road-making CHAPTER XV. Mr Telford's later years--His death and character Telford's residence in London Leaves the Salopian First President of Institute of Civil Engineers Consulted by foreign Governments as to roads and bridges His views on railways Failure of health Consulted as to Dover Harbour Illness and death His character His friends Integrity Views on money-making Benevolence Patriotism His Will Libraries in Eskdale supported by his bequests PREFACE The present is a revised and in some respects enlarged edition of the 'Life of Telford,' originally published in the 'Lives of the Engineers,' to which is prefixed an account of the early roads and modes of travelling in Britain. From this volume, read in connection with the Lives of George and Robert Stephenson, in which the origin and extension of Railways is described, an idea may be formed of the extraordinary progress which has been made in opening up the internal communications of this country during the last century. Among the principal works executed by Telford in the course of his life, were the great highways constructed by him in North Wales and the Scotch Highlands, through districts formerly almost inaccessible, but which are now as easily traversed as any English county.