Minutes of Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers Volume 6 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1847 Excerpt: ... make a cut through the land on the north side, ending directly south, or opposite to Harraton Hall. In this cut he proposed to place a lock, with a dam of stone, in the river, to pen the water, seven feet in height, which would give three feet six inches of water at Newbridge. This work was to assist in making the river navigable to Durham, for which an Act of Parliament was obtained in the following year, by parties interested in the welfare of that city. Nothing, however, has been done to improve the river any higher than Biddick Ford. In 1758, the Commissioners examined a plan projected by Mr. Bobson (Plate 26), for building moles upon the North and South Rocks, with the view of obtaining a depth of 12 feet at low water, at the entrance; and they were so well satisfied with the design, that in 1759 they petitioned Parliament to grant them powers to carry it into execution. The Parliamentary Committee made their report in favour of the petition, and the Act was passed. For some time afterwards nothing appears to have been done to carry this project into execution; for, in a Report addressed by Mr. Robson to the Commissioners, on the 6th May, 1767, he states, --"The constant operation of dredging, harrowing, and cleansing, to keep up an indifferent channel over the flat ground, without the pier, and on the bar, appears to have been attended with considerable expense; and yet the said bar and flat ground has been constantly increasing in height, and expanding further to sea." And to strike at the root of this perpetually growing evil, he recommends the erection of a pier upon the South Rocks, pursuant to the plan laid before Parliament in 1759. Mr. Robson's reasons for building a pier upon the South Rocks was, to prevent, as he said, the ballast f...