Autobiography of Sir John Rennie, F.R.S 47

Autobiography of Sir John Rennie, F.R.S 47

Now that these lands have been brought into cultivation at vast expense,

it would be difficult to raise them without rendering them useless for a

considerable time. Still, in all contemplated new enclosures, the lands

should be raised by warping, that is, accumulating the alluvial matter,

which can always be done if properly managed up to the level of high

water of neap tides. In fact, I repeat, a considerable extent of Holland

has been embanked too soon, and what has been done it would be extremely

difficult, perhaps not advisable, to disturb; although, if any of these

very low lands are not sufficiently fertile, it would be well to warp

them up with fresh soil. They might thus be sufficiently raised to do

away with the greater part of the artificial power now required to keep

them dry, and be rendered very fertile; thus a double advantage would be

gained. This subject is well worthy of the serious attention of the Dutch

Government and its able staff of hydraulic engineers, who, nevertheless,

go too much upon the old routine, and prefer patching up the old system

in preference to striking out a new course. Probably this is not the

fault of the engineers, as they would naturally attempt any new course

whereby they might distinguish themselves. The Government, also, would

most likely be induced to adopt any new method, provided that it could

see its way to bettering the condition of the country. But, on the other

hand, the Government feels great disinclination to depart from an old

system which, it may be said with some reason, has continued so many

years, has answered its purpose very well, and has rendered Holland,

under the circumstances, one of the most extraordinary countries in the

world. This is very true; but then it must be recollected that hydraulic

science has advanced like other sciences, and what would be considered

good practice some centuries back would not be thought so now. The Dutch

introduced their system into England in the reign of Charles I., when

Vermuyden was considered the first hydraulic engineer of the time. He

certainly was considerably in advance of the English engineers of that

period; but at the present time his method would be wholly inadequate to

deal with the circumstances to be encountered, and it was abandoned long

ago. The combination system, and comparatively narrow channels, combined

with warping the land, is what is required in Holland as in all other

countries similarly situated.

 

In 1855 I went to Portugal, at the request of the Government, to make

arrangements for a general system of railways and other works. As we

passed the Fort Belem, at the entrance of the Tagus, the view gradually

opened out, until you obtained a _coup d’œil_ of the whole, which really

is very fine and striking. Fancy a range of streets, houses, palaces,

and churches rising rapidly from the water’s edge until they crown the

summits of the hills on which they are built, backed by the picturesque

outline of the Cintra hills, and extending for upwards of three miles. We

landed at the custom house, close by the Plaza, commonly called by the

English Blackhorse Square, from the fine equestrian figure of the Marquis

of Pombal in the centre. This is certainly a handsome square, surrounded

by all the public offices, terminated in the centre, on the south, by a

fine triumphal archway, which leads by a spacious street to the square of

Dom Pedro. Beyond this are the public gardens, very tastefully laid out.

 

I was introduced to Dom Fernando, the husband of the late Dona Maria,

Queen of Portugal, and at that time Regent during the minority of his

son. He was of the House of Coburg, and brother to the late Prince

Consort. He received me very graciously, and spoke English very well,

although with a peculiar accent. His Royal Highness afterwards invited me

to a ball and supper, at the Palace of Belem, which was extremely well

managed, without magnificence or ostentation. I was there introduced to

the Minister of Finance, Signor Mello de Fontes, a young man of great

talent and an excellent orator. On the following day I attended a launch

at the dockyard, which was honoured by the presence of the Prince Regent,

and here I was introduced to the Duke de Saldanha, President of the

Cabinet; the Duke de Terçeira and his amiable wife; Viscount de Bandiera,

together with the distinguished men of all parties.

 

Before proceeding to Oporto I was obliged to remain several days until

I could get my official instructions as to what they required. I

employed the interim in visiting the different objects in Lisbon most

worthy of the traveller’s notice. I first went to the great aqueduct,

which is really a very grand and magnificent work, the finest of the

kind in Europe, and every part is readily accessible. It enters at the

highest part of the northern portion of the town, and conveys the water

to a large artificial reservoir, whence it is distributed by pipes

to fountains situated in different parts of the town, and from these

fountains it is carried to the various houses by means of carriers and

water-carts. These carriers are chiefly Gallegoes or Spaniards from the

Biscayan Provinces, who are allowed to charge so much per barrel.

 

It is singular to see them travelling about from one part of the town to

the other with cries of “Agua,” and it is more singular still that this

practice should have been allowed to continue so long, to the great and

unnecessary tax upon the inhabitants, where, if pipes were only laid to

the houses, the water might be distributed at probably one-tenth of the

cost. The Gallegoes are a hard-working, temperate race, who save every

penny they can, and as soon as possible retire to their own country to

enjoy the hard-earned fruits of their labours.

 

The water before it reaches the city is collected in reservoirs

distributed about the valleys, at the base of the Cintra hills, but these

reservoirs are upon too small a scale, and in dry seasons the water is

very scarce. A Portuguese company has since been formed to enlarge the

works, increase the supply, and deliver it direct to the houses, but,

like most Portuguese companies of the kind, has failed from the want of

understanding the subject and from mismanagement.

 

I visited the fine old Cathedral of Belem, built in honour of Prince

Henry, the Portuguese navigator. The style is a species of richly florid

Gothic, and the interior is spacious and imposing. There was an hospital

for invalid sailors attached to it, which is now converted into a naval

academy.

 

I also visited the Castle of Belem close by, where all ships coming to

Lisbon are obliged to stop and show their papers and get pratique before

they are allowed to proceed. The castle itself is a very small fortress,

built in the Moorish style, and mounts a few light brass guns, and is

manned by about fifty artillerymen. It is a very pretty object to look

upon, but as a fortress it is good for nothing. There is another fort,

called St. Julian, about five or six miles lower down, on the same

side, which commands the channel passing close to it, but it also was

in a dilapidated condition, with a few light guns. It is certainly much

stronger than that of Belem, but wholly unfit to prevent the passage of

any large vessel of war, or to resist a land attack. There is another

small fort near the bar at the entrance of the southern channel. This

fort is circular, and called the Bugia. In the centre is a lighthouse,

with a revolving light. This also as a fort is good for nothing. I

accompanied Dom Fernando and his ministers to examine the entrance of

the Tagus, which was said to be deteriorating. In the northern channel,

during the heavy south-west gales, which are very prevalent, there

is a very heavy broken sea, which at times cannot be passed without

great danger. The strength of these gales when at their utmost is

extraordinary. The waves break with tremendous violence on the shore, and

carry the sand in vast masses to a considerable distance inshore, so as

to render the soil perfectly barren on the north side of the entrance.

These sands extend for several miles, and the whole coast is covered with

it. At low water, in some places, they are dry during the ebb for a mile

and upwards.

 

The port of Lisbon properly speaking is at the custom house, which

immediately adjoins Blackhorse Square. It consists of nothing more than

an open roadstead, where all the mercantile vessels lie at their anchors,

and are loaded and unloaded by means of lighters, at great delay and

cost, and with frequent interruptions from heavy gales of wind; but

it rarely happens that the vessels suffer any material damage, as the

mouth of the river, although about seven miles wide, is never seriously

agitated. Docks or landing jetties might be made here with considerable

advantage to the trade. At the request of the Government, I prepared some

plans upon a moderate scale. Docks also might have been made in the

bay to the westward, although it would have involved the removal of the

custom house, which would, however, be a great improvement. The naval

dockyard and Admiralty are close by, and, in fact, form part of the west

side of Blackhorse Square. It is a miserable place, and consists of a dry

dock, two or three building slips, with a ropery, and some warehouses,

all in the most antique fashion, and supplied with cranes, tools, &c.,

of the last century. In fact, it required to be wholly remodelled and

removed to the bay above mentioned. The Government has since then parted

with this bay to a private company, which has nearly filled it up, and

propose to convert it into building ground. As the Great Eastern and

Northern Railway terminates on the east side of the custom house, docks

in connection with it might be made between it and the custom house, and

as these are so obviously wanted, it is not improbable that they will be

made some time hence; but, unfortunately, from some cause or another,

the railways have been mismanaged, and the Government has no funds to

undertake any great works itself.

 

The roadstead for large foreign vessels of war is situated about a mile

and a half lower down, nearer to the southern shore, where there is ample

depth of water, and where they are completely out of the way of the

merchant vessels.

 

The channel, from the entrance at Belem to Blackhorse Square, is about

three miles long, and from two to two and a half miles wide. It then

branches out to about seven miles wide, and continues more or less of

about the same width for nine or ten miles, when it contracts to a mile,

so that it may be readily imagined that the harbour is one of the finest

and most spacious in Europe, always excepting that of Vigo.

 

At Lisbon I visited the collection of royal state carriages, which,

without doubt, is the finest and most extensive anywhere. I think I

counted nearly fifty, gilt and decorated with the royal arms in the most

elaborate manner. Upon the panels are very beautiful paintings executed

by first-rate artists. Some of these carriages are above two centuries

old; and it is curious to observe, that whilst the decorations are most

elegant and finished in the highest style of art, the ironwork, springs,

&c., in many of these are of the rudest description.

 

The Sunday after my arrival there was a grand bull fight, which Dom

Fernando and some of the royal princes honoured with their presence.

These bull fights are totally different from those of Spain. Here the

bulls have their horns capped with large bosses of wood, so that they can

do no harm, whilst, on the other hand, they are never killed. Instead of

being tortured with barbed arrows and spears by a host of banderilleros

and picadores, and when thoroughly exhausted and worn out killed by the

matador, they are encountered by about a dozen stout and most active