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That no untried material be used its construction or in other words that no Steel be
employed which would not comply with the requirements of the Admiralty, Lloyd’s and the
Underwruters’ Registry as determined by the esperience ganed in the use of many thousands
of tons of Steel plates, bars, and angles for shipbuilding puposes.
4. That the maximun economy be attained consistent. We think it Will be apparent to most
engineers and bridge builders that the original suspensión – bridge design complied with none
of these conditions. Whilst the girder design complies with all. Of the present design it may be
truly said that all antici´pations have been most brilliantly realised, and its merits can now, in
the light of practical esperience and of actual facts be more easily pointed out. In the first
instance te distribution of weight not only offers the advantage of having the greatest
proportion nearly one-fourth od it, inmediately over the main supports where it is most easily
erected, but it offers in thise places where the wind pressure would act with the greatest
amount of leverage, the least amount of Surface to act upon. Thus, while in the central tower
of the Inchgarvie pier, the most exposed to storms, the weight per foot run is 23 tons and in
the firts bayo f cantilevers 21 tons in the central girders of 350 foot length it is only a Little over
2 tons per foot. In a similar manner the structure decreases rapidly in height and breadth of
girders as it extends from the massive central towers towards the extremities of the
cantilevers. Again for puposes of erection every portion of the structure, as put in position
offered itself as a staging for carrying operations further ahead or afforded every means of
suspending temporary staging frim it. The greater portion of the work as erected could be
securely fixed at once and rivetted up, and this close up to places where new parts were in
course of erection. Great rigidity was thereby insured and les temporary work required tan in
any other mode of construction, while it gave confidence to the workmen engaged, and
offered every facility in providing for their safety, nd for that of the structure itself.
Great stability is obtained by straddling the sides of the structure as viewed in cross section
thar is making ir considerably wider at the base tan at the top. In the central towers, the width
at the base is somewhat more tan one third of the height and a uniform batter is maintained
throughout the structure. This feature conveys a sense of great security against the action of
violent gales tending to overturn the bridge. Finally the arrangement of cantilevers and central
girders admits of the simples and most effective formo f expansión jointand this problema is
solved here in the happiest manner as Will appear from the detailed description given later on.
On December 21 1882 the contract for the construction of the Forth Bridge was let to the
firmo f Tancred, Arrol and Co. Both the contract sum and the time specified have been
exceded for reasons which Will be fully apparente to the reades who follows attentively the
development of this work, and who gives intelligent consideration to the conditions under
which it had to be carried out.