The life of Isambard Kingdom Brunel, Civil Engineer Part 3

_September 18._--Isambard was the greater part of the night in the works, and the benefit of his exertions is indeed most highly felt: no one has stood out like him! Everything is quite safe, the water is kept back, and the work proceeds in a most satisfactory manner.

_October 22._--It is evident [_from a flow of silt which had taken place on that day_] that with the s.h.i.+eld we have pa.s.sed close under a body of collected water a few inches only above the staves.

Isambard is too unwell to stay long in the works.

[Sidenote: The want of a drain subjects us to much inconvenience.]

_October 24._--The want of the main drain which was originally intended to carry the water to the main reservoir is felt everywhere. This drain is in my original plan, but the committee expressing on several occasions a wish that I should dispense with it, I complied, most reluctantly however, to prove my earnest wish to reduce the expenses. It will not, I apprehend, be found an economy.

[Sidenote: Effect of the shoes in keeping the ground dense.]

_October 26._--Every step we take shows how much security is derived from the shoes, supporting as they do the s.h.i.+eld and the superinc.u.mbent weight. They press down in the same proportion the ground on which they bear. They keep it as dense as it originally was, and fit it for the structure that is to come upon it. It is evident, therefore, that what is wanted is that the ground should be kept pressed. It is with this object in view that I have holdfasts and jacks. What incessant vigilance is required, what an incessant call on the resources of the mind, not only to direct, but more particularly to provide for many things that may occur.

_November 17._--At this date 307 feet 9 inches had been completed.[15]

_December 8._--The evil [_that of not having a proper drain_] is going on with us, and without any remedy except the drain, or a cesspool by way of expedient. How much anxiety must one feel at being so circ.u.mstanced! Should any water break in, how should we proceed? This is another source of great solicitude. We have no command of the frames when they rest upon wooden legs, or when the screws are bent; and what is worse is that the men drive on without any consideration or any fear of consequences. This circ.u.mstance, and the apprehension of the water breaking in, are matters of the most dreadful anxiety.

[Sidenote: Superinc.u.mbent weight varying daily, and still more every fortnight. What stress on the frames. The shoes have never yielded; a most important circ.u.mstance.]

_December 12._--Little do others know of the anxiety and fatigue I have to undergo day and night. Advanced as we are, we have only gained somewhat more experience, but the casualties are just the same. An accident now might be as fatal as it would have been 200 feet back, or as it would be 200 feet forwards. We have not a period when we can think ourselves safe except when we have connected these arches with a shaft on the other side. Loaded as we are with the weight of the river, we have to advance our s.h.i.+eld and build our structure under that weight, a weight which varies twice a day, and twice a month to a much greater extent. _The shoes are the great foundation of our security._ When once pressed down with the greatest power that can be applied, they do not give in the least afterwards. They have not yielded even upon loose gravel; we must therefore congratulate ourselves that they have answered so completely. We have now walked our frames upwards of 350 feet; we have had to renew the legs and the heads, but it is not through want of strength so much as from mismanagement. The first legs were never injured so long as their action was limited to 3 inches, but when it was increased to 6 inches, they immediately gave way one after another, without however any damage to the structure or to the s.h.i.+eld. The heads gave way, or began to give way, from the moment the legs did; because, when a leg gave way, it brought upon the contiguous frame an increased weight which broke the heads one after another. That the breaking of so important a part of our s.h.i.+eld should not have been attended with any bad consequences is a proof that provision had been made for the casualty. The proof that it had been foreseen and provided for is in the manner these heads were adapted to the frames. By the way they were fixed they would be easily taken down and replaced. Though the heads gave way, the top staves were not materially affected by it, and the service continued until new heads were subst.i.tuted. Some have fancied that the ground did not bear wholly upon the s.h.i.+eld and the arches, but supported itself in parts. Experience proves that the pressure is rather more than that which rests artificially on the frames. The ground is compressed all round by the increased weight of high water: we might therefore conclude that the s.h.i.+eld operates as a pillar, that supports beyond the limits of its base or cap. It is a great satisfaction to be able to say that so long as we followed the original plan, nothing gave way except the back screws. These again were damaged by being run out of the sockets. We may therefore ascribe most of the evils and damages to the increased range of action, and still more to the rude implements the men have used, whenever they met with any difficulty in moving the frames.

If it is considered that we had no other men to train in the use of this immense machine but excavators and miners, very great allowance must be made for what has occurred.

[Sidenote: Falling of three facings from neglect. Awful!]

_December 20._--An accident of an alarming nature occurred. The poling-screws of Nos. 10 and 12, being on No. 11, Moul, the miner in that frame, removed his b.u.t.ting screw; the consequence was that the frame started back, the polings and poling-screws fell down with a tremendous crash, and the ground followed to a considerable extent. This is the most formidable accident that has yet occurred in the face of the work. The ground was fortunately unusually firm, and no fatal consequences ensued.

_December 31._--Isambard and nine friends sat down to a dinner _under the Thames!_ Now a year is over since we began to make any progress horizontally, for we had only 11 feet of arch when the water broke in on January 24 last. We may therefore say that the whole of what has been made of the Tunnel has been made in that period. It is worthy of remark that until the end of April no fracture whatever, no bending of the legs, had taken place, notwithstanding that we had supported for a period of nearly three months a greater weight than we ever had since. The ground nearly 40 feet high _kept sinking upon us_ as we advanced, and yet no stave, no top, no leg gave way. Each leg was capable of carrying nearly 80 tons at the point of fracture, consequently the aggregate strength of 36 legs was equal to 2,880 tons, which is six times over the greatest effort that could be exerted by the superinc.u.mbent weight. The heads, after they had given way, remained in place, some--namely, Nos. 1, 8, 12--for seven months, and the others from four to six months. It cannot be said therefore that there was a want of strength, since the broken heads continued to perform for so many months after being so much damaged; nor is there any defect in the iron. If the frames were, as some have fancied, lanky, which implies weakness in their sides, how could they have supported the alternate stress to which they are put by standing alternately on one leg? Not one single joint has yet started. Every frame has been upwards of 2,000 times in that raking posture, consequently the s.h.i.+eld has been upwards of 24,000 times strained under the weight that has broken the heads. One single side has broken, and is now as good as the rest. Is such a machine to be stigmatised as it has been, without looking more minutely into its operations?

[Sidenote: Observations on the responsibility attached to this enterprise.]

_January 4, 1827._[16]--A work that requires such close attention, so much ingenuity, and carried on day and night by the rudest hands possible--what anxiety, what fatigue, both of mind and body! Every morning I say, Another day of danger over!

_January 12._--It is astonis.h.i.+ng how the silt resists the sliding of the top staves. a.s.sured as we were of having stiff clay from 33 to 37 feet, with what confidence we might have looked to making 18 feet per week. There would be no difficulty in having accomplished it. We must not look back, but overcome all difficulties!

[Sidenote: Isambard on duty several successive nights.]

_January 16._--Isambard having been up several successive nights, went to bed at ten, and slept till six the next morning. I am very much concerned at his being so unmindful of his health. He may pay dear for it.

_February 2._--Work done to this day 405 feet 4 inches.

_February 3._--I visited the works; and, being in the cabin, I complained of the dust there. _Dust under the Thames!_

_February 26._--I went to the Tunnel. The arch being well lighted up, and the whole walk completed, a few visitors were admitted. The coup d'il was splendid. Mrs. Brunel, Emma, Sophia and her three little children were the first. It gave me great pleasure to see the whole of my family in the new scene.

_March 21_.--There being no clay above us, there is much to apprehend from the springs. It would be much better to work slower than we do. It is indeed very hard to be under the necessity of driving. Anxiety increasing daily.

[Sidenote: No clay above head; should work slower.]

[Sidenote: Water increasing daily.]

_March 28_.--The top pumps failed; the water rose above the ab.u.t.ting screws. The frames of some of them could not be advanced, nor could the bottom brickwork be laid down--great source of complaint. Isambard called the men in at 10 o'clock; they went on cheerfully. It is surprising that the men are so steady.

[Sidenote: Out situation is getting much worse daily.]

_March 29_.--Things are getting worse every day by the influx of water; by which the ground is softened, and the operation rendered extremely complicated and slow. As to the ground, it is evident we are now as Isambard found it by his borings of August last. We have nothing above our heads but clayey silt, and it is of a nature to be detached and run into mud by the action of water.

_April 3_.--The pumping now requires forty hands. There is no exaggeration in saying that the influx of water, and the badness of the ground, cause an extra expense of 150_l_. a week.

[Sidenote: Obstacles in every way.]

_April 7_.--It may now be said that we are contending with the elements above and around, gaining and disputing every inch that we add to the structure.

_April 9_.--Isambard's birthday, he being of age to-day.

_April 14_.--Doing as well as can be expected from the nature of the ground, and the difficulties that increase upon us.

[Sidenote: To be obliged to drive too fast is a sad alternative.]

_April 18_.--The faces are found extremely tender; but having proceeded with great caution, no accident occurred. None, I feel confident, would occur if all idea of piece-work were abandoned. It always operates as a stimulant, a very dangerous one. Obliged to drive on, on account of expense, we run imminent risks indeed for it. That a work of this nature, under such circ.u.mstances, should be thus carried on, is truly lamentable. It is obvious that the clay we have above our heads has been broken, by the ground beneath it running or breaking in upon us. We shall have to fight it out until we have a stronger or thicker stratum of clay. Sad prospect indeed it is for us!

_April 20_.--The ground at No. 1 broke in again, and occasioned great delay. Some bones and china came down.

_April 22_.--The diving-bell being on the spot, and Isambard having moored it over the s.h.i.+eld, he and Gravatt[17] descended at thirty feet water. They found the same substances which had come through the ground into the Tunnel. When Isambard was in the bell, he drove a strong rod into the ground. Nelson, who was in the frame, heard the blows.

[Sidenote: A dreadful panic.]

_April 29_.--Ground improving as we advance; we are not, however, free from danger: a dreadful alarm took place this morning. While Isambard and Gravatt were at breakfast, the porter came running in, and exclaiming, 'It is all over! The Tunnel has fallen in, and one man only has escaped.' Gravatt was the first to get to the spot, and found all the pumpers upon the floor of the shaft, all stupefied with horror, though every one was there quite safe, and no rush of water was heard. Gravatt and Isambard were soon in the s.h.i.+eld, where they observed that a small portion of clay had fallen from the top on the top floor.

_May 8_.--At half-past three in the morning, an irruption took place, bringing down the deposits of the bottom of the river--lumps of clay, stones, bones, wood, nails, &c., &c., with water. The pumpers and men on the stage (Irish) all ran away, some exclaiming, 'The Thames is in! The Thames is in!' Ball and Rogers stood to their post, and soon stopped this most formidable attack.

_May 10_.--Great difficulties present themselves, that oppose our progress; the chief, however, is the lodgment of water above our heads. There it loosens the silt or sand, and runs out, leaving cavities that cause the clay above to break, and run down in lumps and disturbed streams. This is very awful! This opens the way for the river.

[Sidenote: Consequences of want of care more terrific and mischievous than any preceding ones.]

_May 12_.--In moving No. 6, they left by some unaccountable neglect the top staves behind, and in that state two top polings were taken down. The ground being very bad, and high water at the same moment, the ground began swelling. Attention was called to several points, and Gravatt continued in No. 6. He drew out at the front of the top staves a shovel, and also a hammer, that had come through the ground above. They are the same which Isambard left at the bottom of the river, when he went down in the diving-bell.

[Sidenote: Triumph of the s.h.i.+eld.]

_May 13_.--Notwithstanding every prudence on our part, a disaster may still occur. _May it not be when the arch is full of visitors!_ It is too awful to think of it. I have done my part by recommending to the directors to shut the Tunnel. My solicitude is not lessened for that: I have indeed no rest, and I may say have had none for many weeks. So far the s.h.i.+eld has triumphed over immense obstacles, _and it will carry the Tunnel through_. During the preceding night the whole of the ground over our heads must have been in movement, and that too at high water. The s.h.i.+eld must have therefore supported upwards of _six hundred tons_: it has walked for many weeks with that weight twice a day over its head. What flippancy and inconsistency in some individuals, who, without any knowledge of the subject, without so much as examining the state of the work, will without the least reflection and hesitation obtrude their suggestions upon every case. What shallow conceit for such to pretend they can know better than those that have already the experience that must result from years of deep thought, from days and nights of incessant attention; who have the advantage of the combined talents of several ingenious men, who devote their undivided study, the whole resource of their well-stored minds, to the enterprise; and to add to this, the benefit of the skill of one hundred miners and excavators. Among this cla.s.s of men, some have been employed in the most perilous enterprises, when each individual must have acted upon his sole judgment, where, in fact, there is no room for an engineer to instruct and direct their efforts. How easy it is to attack everything, to detract from the merits of the best plan. There is always some weak point which may be open to the penetration of the shallowest mind. Then comes the exulting expression, _That I always said would never do, &c.,_ and all the consequences with it.

[Sidenote: How easy to detract.]

_May 15_.--The water increased very much at 9 o'clock. This is _inquietant_! My apprehensions are not groundless. I apprehend nothing, however, as to the safety of the men, but first the visitors, and next a total invasion by the river. We must be prepared for the worst. I have had no rest for many weeks on this apprehension. Should it occur we must make the best of it, by improving our situation.

_May 17_.--There is no doubt of the ground having improved very materially since last Sat.u.r.day. Very cheering indeed.

_May 18_.--Visited by Lady Raffles and a numerous party. Having had an intimation by Mr. Beamish of their intended visit, I waited to receive and to accompany them, not only from the interest I felt at being acquainted with Lady Raffles, but also from motives of solicitude, knowing that she intended to visit the frames. Indeed, my apprehensions were increasing daily. I had given some instructions for enquiring where we could obtain clay, that we should have some barges full of clay to be in readiness. I was most anxiously waiting for the removal of the tier of colliers that was over us, being convinced that we should detect some derangement then. I attended Lady Raffles and party to the frames, most uneasy all the while, as if I had a presentiment, not so much of the approaching catastrophe to the extent it has occurred, but of what might result from the misbehaviour of some of the men, as was the case when the Irish labourers ran away from the pumps and the stage. I left the works at half-past five, leaving everything comparatively well: Mr. Beamish continued on duty.[18]

Mr. Gravatt's account is as follows: I was above with I. Brunel looking over some prints, Beamish being on duty. Some men came running up and said to Isambard something I did not hear. He immediately ran towards the works, and down the men's staircase. I ran towards it, but could not get down. I leaped over the fence, and rushed down the visitors' stairs, and met the men coming up, and a lady, who I think was fainting. Met Flyn on the landing-place, who said it was all over. I pushed on, calling him a coward, and got down as far as the visitors' barrier. Saw Mr Beamish pulled from it. He came on towards the shaft walking. I went up to him to ask him what was the matter. He said it was no use resisting. The miners were all upon the staircase; Brunel and I called to them to come back. Lane[19] was upon the stairs, and he said it was of no use to call the men back. We stayed some time below on the stairs, looking where the water was coming in most magnificently. We could still see the farthest light in the west arch. The water came upon us so slowly that I walked backwards speaking to Brunel several times. Presently I saw the water pouring in from the east to the west arch through the cross arches. I then ran and got up the stairs with Brunel and Beamish, who were then five or six steps up. It was then we heard a tremendous burst. The cabin had burst, and all the lights went out at once. There was a noise at the staircase, and presently the water carried away the lower flight of stairs. Brunel looked towards the men, who were lining the staircase and galleries of the shaft, gazing at the spectacle, and said, 'Carry on, carry on, as fast as you can!' Upon which they ascended pretty fast. I went up to the top and saw the shaft filling. I looked about and saw a man in the water like a rat. He got hold of a bar, but I afterwards saw he was quite spent.