Autobiography of Sir John Rennie, F.R.S. 22

Autobiography of Sir John Rennie, F.R.S. 22

At Malta, though better, I still retained the fever, and consulted Dr.

Groves, the head of the naval medical department. He looked very grave

and said little, but recommended me to go to England as soon as possible,

while he told a friend of mine that he did not think I should recover,

the fever having taken such hold of my constitution. However, by the aid

of bark and port wine I became temporarily myself, and as soon as I was

able I proceeded to pay my visits. I called on the Commander-in-Chief

of the Mediterranean squadron, Sir Graham Moore, who gave me every

assistance in his power, and introduced me to Admiral Woolley, chief of

the dockyard, to whom and his amiable wife I owe my gratitude for their

kind hospitality. They introduced me to Sir Manly Power, the commander of

the military forces, and from him and the various messes of the regiments

composing the garrison I met with the most friendly reception. I here

made the acquaintance of Mr. Strutt, one of the sons of Mr. Strutt, of

Belper, and with him I explored both Malta and Gozo. He shortly after

left for Greece and the East, where he died of malaria, which I much

regretted, as he was a remarkably fine, intelligent, and spirited young

man.

 

While I was here His Majesty George IV.’s birthday was celebrated with

the greatest _éclat_. At twelve o’clock the entire garrison was reviewed

by Sir Manly Power, with the usual salutes from the forts and ships

of war. At sunset all the guns on the works were fired. This was a

magnificent sight, and, that I might see it properly, I was invited to

dine at the artillery mess at St. Elmo, from whence the first gun was

fired; this was taken up by fort after fort until the entire fortress

seemed in a blaze, and the whole was terminated by a magnificent bouquet

of rockets.

 

I embarked for Naples on board a cutter commanded by Mr. Thurtle, one

of the oldest midshipmen in the navy. He was a very peculiar and rather

eccentric character, rough and sarcastic in manner, an excellent sailor,

and a kind-hearted man. His long service and great experience rendered

him well known throughout the navy, and his wit and good-humour made

him a favourite wherever he went; in fact, he was a privileged person

throughout the fleet, and enabled to assume a character which few

officers of far higher rank thought of attempting. Unfortunately he was

the brother of that daring and dissipated criminal who shortly afterwards

murdered his companion, Welsh, at Elstree, for which he was hanged at

the Old Bailey. This was a sad blow to the poor midshipman, and one from

which I afterwards heard that he never recovered. My voyage with him was

most agreeable. He was very kind and attentive, full of fun and humour,

yet never for a moment neglecting his duties, and he kept his crew and

ship in the most perfect order.

 

On landing at Naples I got apartments in the Gran Bretagna (then, and

I believe now, the principal hotel), with more ease than usual, in

consequence of the rapid advance of an Austrian army, thirty thousand

strong, commanded by General Baron Pirmont, at the request of the King of

Naples. I saw them enter, and very fine troops they were, especially the

Tyrolese yagers. Later on, when I wished to make an excursion to Pæstum,

I obtained, through the kindness of the colonel of the regiment, two

Tyrolese corporals as escort. They sat, rifle in hand, on the box of my

carriage, and mounted guard while I sketched. We saw several ill-looking

fellows, armed, prowling about, but none dared venture within reach of

the rifles. Letters from my father reached me here, saying that he was

a good deal better, and that there was no necessity for my hurrying;

I therefore, while still hastening home, thought I might allow myself

a few days on the road to visit those objects of interest which I had

previously omitted.

 

While at Naples I also examined an open pier, of which there are numerous

specimens about the bay. This pier is constructed in a peculiar manner

of pozzolana mixed up with irregular-shaped pieces of brick, marble, and

tufa, or volcanic stone. The piers were formed by enclosing the space in

a wooden dam or box, then filling it with the materials above mentioned,

which after a short time set under water, and became a solid mass; the

cofferdam was then removed and the pier left standing; then another was

constructed in the same manner, until the required number were completed;

upon these piers arches were built, and upon the top of them a roadway

and parapet were constructed. The piers were about the same thickness, or

rather greater, than the span of the arches. The object of the openings

and piers was to provide a barrier which should be just sufficient to

break the swell, but not large enough to obstruct the current, as the

latter prevented any sediment from accumulating on either side of the

pier. This is a very ingenious and novel mode of constructing piers,

and it is strange that a like method has not been adopted in England,

where the vast quantity of alluvial matter carried by the currents along

our coasts accumulates round solid piers, and frequently fills up the

harbours, rendering them almost useless, unless the accumulated matter be

removed by dredging at continual expense.

 

Whilst breakfasting at the hotel at Pozzoli I felt an attack of my old

enemy, the malaria fever, coming on; I therefore got back to Naples as

soon as possible, and was obliged to go to bed, and there I remained

for several days perfectly helpless. Thinking it would leave me, I did

not send for medical advice. However, finding myself gradually getting

worse, I was recommended to send for Dr. Roskilly, formerly an army

surgeon, who had now established himself at Naples as a physician, and

from his well-known skill and courteous manners had obtained considerable

practice, particularly amongst the English. He came, and I found him

such as described; he examined me carefully, and, after a considerable

time of grave consideration, he said that I was in a very bad way, that

the fever had got such a strong hold of me that it was continually

undermining my constitution, and that, if not speedily arrested, he

could not answer for the consequences; indeed, I might not live to see

England. The worthy doctor, with whom I was much pleased, then left,

and promised to return the next day at the same time, which he did. He

then said that he had given my case his utmost consideration, and he was

more than ever convinced that some decisive measure was necessary. My

constitution was still good, and strong enough for the measure he would

propose; and if I would submit to him, he felt confident that he could

carry me through. He explained his remedy, which was nothing more or less

than that I should take blue pill, as much as I was able; this, he said,

would thoroughly eradicate the fever. I accordingly consented, as my case

was desperate. It succeeded completely after about a fortnight’s trial.

I felt very weak, but I was entirely a different man. I soon began to

recover strength and appetite, and in about another week I was enabled

to go out, and became myself again. No doubt the remedy was severe, but

I must in justice to the able doctor say that he perfectly cured me; for

although in after life I was frequently exposed to malaria influence in

the fens of Lincolnshire, Walcheren, the worst parts of Holland, Tunis,

and elsewhere, I never had an attack of the malaria fever.

 

On my way northwards I stopped two days at Mola di Gaeta, where the

Apennines approach the sea, and where are numerous traces of the villas

of the old Roman aristocracy; it was well I did so, for the brigands had

mustered in great strength in the adjoining mountains, and committed many

atrocities; amongst other things, they had just carried off a number

of pupils from a neighbouring school. The Austrians, who were there in

great force, at the request of the local authorities came to the rescue.

A very strong patrol of cavalry kept the main roads, while a still more

numerous body of Tyrolese swept the valleys and penetrated the recesses

of the mountains. The brigands at first defied their pursuers, but

finding themselves hard pressed, they killed their unfortunate prisoners.

On hearing this the Austrians attacked at once, and having slain a great

number, made the rest prisoners. I saw about thirty chained together,

who, I believe, were all shot the next day. The road being now clear, I

resumed my journey.

 

At Florence I carefully examined and measured the celebrated bridge

of the Most Holy Trinity, by Ammanati, across the Arno, near the

Gran Bretagna. This beautiful structure, a masterpiece in the art of

bridge-building, consists of three arches; the arches may be termed

semi-elliptic, slightly pointed at the crown; perhaps they might be more

appropriately termed Gothi-elliptic. The slight pointing at the crown

may have been done to allow for sinking, which did not take place to the

extent calculated upon. Each of the arches is surrounded with a moulded

archivolt of equal thickness throughout, with an ornamented scroll or

shield in the centre of the spandril walls supporting the roadway, which

is bounded by a solid panelled bridge. The piers are terminated by acute

angular buttresses carved up to the top, and panelled also. The whole

is built of marble, and is certainly one of the lightest, most elegant,

and most scientific structures of the kind in existence. Some doubts as

to its stability have existed at various times; nevertheless, it still

exists without a flaw, and as a model to engineers and architects.

 

I visited the magnificent picture gallery of the Palazzo Pitti, replete

with choice specimens of the great Italian masters. The palace itself

is a fine example of the simple, massive, rusticated style, devoid of

ornament. The effect is imposing, and shows what may be done by bold,

well-defined masses, without resorting to that exuberant over-ornamented

style, intermixed with all sorts of coloured marble, so much the fashion

of the present day, particularly in England, where the climate is

peculiarly unsuited for it; in any case it can only be termed a vitiated

taste. If the building is well designed and properly grouped in effective

masses, so as to give well-defined portions of light and shade, there can

be no need of extraneous ornaments, as they only detract from the general

effect; and where a building is not well designed no ornament can render

it effective.

 

The port of Leghorn consisted of several solid stone piers, which did not

appear to be laid out in the most scientific manner, and considerable

improvements were in contemplation when I saw it. The great difficulty

it has to contend with is the quantity of alluvial matter brought down

by the Arno, which spreads along the coast for some distance both to

the north and south. This might be obviated by judiciously adopting the

principle of open piers, as invented by the Romans, so as to allow the

littoral current full scope; this would sweep away the alluvium as fast

as it was deposited, and the requisite protection from westerly winds

might be easily obtained if the works were constructed on a proper system.

 

Passing by Carrara, I was much struck by the waste consequent on the

clumsy method of working the quarries, and of transporting and loading

the blocks. It occurred to me at the time how easy it would be to

construct an iron tramway from the quarries to the shore, with a suitable

pier furnished with powerful derricks at its termination, and this,

with proper machinery for quarrying, all of which would have cost but

little, would materially reduce the price of the marble, and consequently

increase the demand.

 

As I passed the magnificent and well-protected Gulf of Spezzia, I

thought, “What a splendid site for a naval arsenal!” This idea has