Swedish Railways--Surveys in Holland and Portugal.
In 1844 Count Adolphe Rosen obtained a concession for making railways
in Sweden, and offered me half the concession, provided that I would
go over to Sweden, lay out the lines, and bring the matter before the
English public. I accordingly employed a Mr. Tottie, a Swede, who had
been employed by Mr. Rastrick, to make the surveys of the lines laid out
by me, which consisted of a main one from Gothenburg right through the
kingdom to Oxhoe, as the central portion for the iron trade; from thence
one branch went to the upper end of the Lake Wener, and the other to the
Lake Malar, to communicate with Stockholm; the line then proceeded north
by Westerâs to Upsala, and thence to Stockholm.
The same year I went from Hull with Count Rosen to Gothenburg by steam,
and spent two or three days there. The country through which I passed,
though not rich, was much more so and better cultivated than I expected
to find it, and the people honest, simple, and industrious, and extremely
civil. The general appearance rather picturesque, and in places wild,
being covered with dense forests of firs, larch, beech, &c.; large spaces
had been cleared of wood and brought under cultivation. The houses were
for the most part built of wood, in the Russian fashion, the logs being
laid close together, dovetailed at the ends, and the joints caulked with
moss, the inside being closely planked, and in every room was a stone or
porcelain stove; the windows were double, and in winter the outer and
inner were both shut up, and all the joints pasted with paper so as to
prevent the admission of the outer air. The houses were generally very
comfortable. In some of the larger towns, such as Orebro, many of the
houses were solidly built of stone, others had stone foundations and
wooden superstructure; most of the country churches were of stone, with
a detached building of wood for the bells, which were frequently of a
large size, with a very fine full melodious sound. Gothenburg is a very
well and regularly built town, chiefly of stone, in the Dutch style, with
canals running through the streets. Some of the houses of the principal
merchants, as well as public buildings, are spacious and handsome,
although the town generally has a heavy, dull, yet substantial appearance.
I resolved to visit the celebrated iron mine of Daunemora, some miles
farther northward. I accordingly started off with Count Rosen, and
reached it the same evening, and visited the mine next day; it consisted
of a mass of rock, cropping out to the surface, of almost solid magnetic
iron, containing about 75 to 80 per cent. of the finest metal. There were
extensive forests round, so that there was no want of fuel; the wood was
converted into charcoal, and the finest iron was extracted, the best for
making steel; it fetched the highest price in the English market, where
there was a great demand for it. The machinery employed was very rude and
simple, the bellows for the forges being in some cases driven by manual
or horse labour, in others, where it was accessible, by water power. I
was anxious to go to the great mining district of Dalecarlia, about 100
miles farther north, but the season was getting late, and therefore I was
obliged to return to England.
When I had got all my surveys finished, I made a report upon the whole
line; but I found that the Swedish Government was not sufficiently alive
to the importance of railways at that time, or rather the Government did
not see its way to giving them encouragement by subscribing or rather
taking a pecuniary interest in them. Though by no means undervaluing the
importance of railways, yet, being naturally cautious and economical,
with only moderate funds at its command, the Government doubted much
whether a reasonable profit would be derived from them, but at the
same time wished us every success in obtaining the money in England. I
represented to them that people in England, knowing nothing of Sweden,
or her capabilities, would hesitate to subscribe their money without a
certain guarantee by the Government of interest of 4 or 5 per cent. upon
the amount of capital expended, and that as it was quite clear that the
railways would pay that, there could be no risk; in fact, the guarantee
would be merely nominal, but that it would have the effect of obtaining
the money in England, and thus conferring upon Sweden a great national
benefit, by saving their capital without running the least risk. I was
recommended to give a grand dinner, which several of the ministers and
all the other notables of Stockholm attended. Everybody was enthusiastic,
and a great number of speeches were made as to the importance of
railways, and the great national benefit they would confer, and my health
was proposed by the Minister of Commerce, Skogman, and was received with
the greatest enthusiasm, but the effect was nothing, for we neither got
private subscriptions nor public guarantee. However, after all we had
done something; we had introduced the subject of railways into Sweden,
we had shown the importance of them, and we had in some measure opened
their eyes, and we trusted that in time, when they had maturely reflected
upon the advantages, they would view them more favourably, and contribute
liberally towards them; but as there was no use in then pressing the
subject further, we returned at once to England.
In all fevers there is a climax; the railway fever had its climax like
the rest, and it was then upon the decline. The vast multitude who had
expected to make their fortunes found at last to their sorrow that
their money was gone; but that was not the worst, for they would have
been very happy if they had not had to pay more. As for any new railway
speculation, that was entirely out of the question, and therefore it
turned out that the Swedish railways were too late for the market; nobody
would entertain the subject; the very name of railway was sufficient to
drive everyone away, so that there was no help for it but to abide better
times. Accordingly the Swedish railways remained in abeyance until the
year 1852; by this time the Swedish Government had considered the subject
maturely, and felt that, as every other European nation had adopted them,
Sweden, if she desired to keep pace with other countries, must either
make the railways herself, for which at the time the Government had not
the money, or she must encourage others to make them by guaranteeing
a sufficient interest for the capital expended. Accordingly I went
there again, and was as usual very kindly received by the King and his
Ministers, and I saw that they were becoming more anxious than ever that
the railways should be made. I had been there in October, 1848, and had
the honour of being invited to dine at the palace in Stockholm, as I
had previously the honour of dining with their Majesties at the summer
palace of Hoga, near Stockholm. Upon arriving at the palace I was most
courteously received by King Oscar, who did me the honour of presenting
me to his handsome, graceful, and intelligent queen. When her Majesty
heard that the railways were to be commenced, she said that she had heard
so much talk about them and nothing had been done, that she feared they
never would be made, “therefore talk no more about them, but set to work
and make them.” The dinner party consisted of about thirty. I had the
honour of sitting next the Lord Chancellor, a very agreeable, intelligent
person, who sat next to the Royal Family. We had an excellent dinner,
without the least restraint, and the common topic of conversation seemed
to be, who would be elected President of the French Republic, Cavaignac
or Louis Napoleon, and everybody seemed in favour of Cavaignac as the
proper person; they all spoke very disparagingly of Louis Napoleon. It
seems curious to think how little the world knew of that extraordinary
man, and how completely he disappointed all previous expectations.
When at Stockholm I was presented to his present Majesty, King Charles
XV., then Prince Karl, a very handsome intelligent young man. Since his
accession to the throne he has done me the honour of conferring upon me
the order of Knight Commander of the Order of Wasa, for what his Majesty
was pleased to term the great services which I had rendered Sweden. This
was the more agreeable, as it was sent to me through my personal friend
Count Platen, then the Swedish representative at the Court of London.
Many years ago I made acquaintance with his father, the celebrated
Count Platen, who was the chief instrument in changing the dynasty from
the worn-out old race, and in placing Bernadotte on the throne. My
introduction to the Count arose in this manner. The Count took the utmost
interest in the completion of the great Gotha Canal, which unites the
river Gotha below the falls of that river and the lower end of the great
Lake Werner, thus completing the navigation between the whole of the
towns bordering upon that lake and Gothenburg. A canal had formerly been
made between the lower end of the lake and the river Gotha (which issues
from it) below the falls, and at the time a very great work it was, but
the locks were so unequally distributed, and the rise of some of them so
great, that the navigation was very much impeded; the Count, therefore,
came over to England, after the death of my father, to consult Mr.
Telford, who was then considered our first engineer, as to what was the
best means of improving the Gotha Canal, so as to avoid the inconvenience
complained of. Mr. Telford went over, prepared a plan, and carried it
into effect, much to the satisfaction of the Swedish Government. During
Count Platen’s visit to England, Mr. Telford brought him to Lynn, where
we met as engineers of the Eau Brink Drainage and Navigation, and we
explained to him the whole of the Eau Brink Works, with which he was
much pleased. He was a very superior person, grave and dignified, with
great intelligence, and of easy, affable manners. The Mayor of Lynn
being informed by Mr. Telford of his visit, called upon him, and being
introduced, invited him, in the name of the Corporation, to one of their
civic dinners, which he accepted. He had, however, brought no dress suit
with him, and indeed was perfectly indifferent about it, and would have
gone to the mayor’s feast in his travelling costume, which, to say the
least, was very rough. Telford consulted me about it, and we both agreed
that the Count could not attend the dinner without the usual evening
dress costume. Upon this being delicately explained by Mr. Telford, he
took the hint and sent for a tailor, who in the course of a couple of
days equipped him properly. The greatest attention was of course paid to
him by all the company.
To return to my subject. As time went on, the money market got in such
a bad state--no end of failures--that nothing could be done with the
Swedish railway, and I began to think all my money and labour would be
thrown away. The period for which Count Rosen’s concession was granted
had elapsed, and it was very doubtful whether it would be renewed at all,
but it certainly would not in any case be to the extent of the original
concession, which comprised the whole kingdom.
Fortunately, however, in 1852, confidence in the money market had been
restored, and we received a renewal of the concession for so much of the
line as extended between the Lakes Malari and Werner, with a branch to
the iron mines of Nora from Orebro, which was as valuable as any part
of the line; and the Government gave a guarantee of 4 per cent, on the
amount of capital required, namely, 420,000_l._, with power to raise
167,000_l._ more. The line was very easy, and Mr. Burge, the contractor,
agreed to complete it for that sum. A company was accordingly formed, the
capital was immediately subscribed, and the shares went to a premium.
I went over to Sweden again; appointed Mr. Watson resident engineer,
and the works began and proceeded very well for one year; unfortunately
the chairman and leading man on the committee was the notorious John
Sadlier, M.P., who afterwards made away with himself near Jack Straw’s
tavern, Hampstead Heath, when the whole of his proceedings were made
public; and, amongst others, his mismanagement of the Swedish railway.
What became of the money I never could make out, for I never could
account for above 60,000_l._ as having been expended on the works and
land combined; but it is certain that accounts far beyond that were
presented to me by the directors for my certificate, which they were
obliged to get before they could be passed by the Government, though
I never would give the certificate, because they kept everything back
from me; and finding that matters were going on in such a discreditable
manner, I felt that with any regard for my character I could no longer
remain their engineer. I therefore resigned at once, and fortunate it
was that I did so, for I afterwards was informed that they had not only
spent the whole 420,000_l._, but also 167,000_l._ of debentures, and had
issued 167,000_l._ more without authority; so that in round numbers they
had expended about 700,000_l._, and had not completed 50 miles of single
line, which required nothing more than surface formation, and one or two
short lengths of embankment and cutting scarcely exceeding 20 feet high;
for which 6000_l._ per mile complete was ample. In fact, there never was
a good affair so completely mismanaged, not to use much stronger terms.
The consequence was that after Sadlier’s death the whole came out, and
everyone laid the blame upon him. The particulars I do not know, and
thank God I got clear of it in good time, finding that it was impossible
to remain with honour. I never would certify the accounts the directors
presented to me, because I believed that at the least they were in error,
if not something worse. All I did was to certify to the contractor, Mr.
Burge (who, as I knew, behaved very honestly), to the extent, I think,
of 25,000_l._ or 30,000_l._ Thus this fine concern went to the dogs from
sheer mismanagement, to speak mildly, and the shares, which had stood
at a premium, were worth nothing; whereas in the hands of any sensible,
honest body of directors, the line ought to have been completed for the
estimate, and would have paid well. The Swedish Government could not with
justice pay any guarantee when no part of the line had been completed and
no satisfactory accounts rendered; and I have reason to believe that they
were so disgusted with the way in which this railway had been mismanaged
by the Board that they would have nothing further to do with English or
any other companies, but determined to make all the rest of the lines
themselves--which I understand they have done--and that the cost did not
exceed my estimate of 5000_l._ to 6000_l._ per mile, including stations
and rolling stock.
I had previously examined several other parts of Sweden, and in November,
1850, I had gone there, undertaking to deliver on my way a confidential
letter from Count Reventlow, the Danish Ambassador in London, to the
Minister of Foreign Affairs at Copenhagen. We went by Hamburg and
Kiel, for at this time war was again expected to break out between
Schleswig-Holstein and Denmark, and both parties were watching one
another with the greatest anxiety.
Schleswig-Holstein is not a rich country by any means, although there
are apparently some substantial farmers. The country is generally
flat, with here and there some gentle eminences, with patches of fir
trees; but there are some extensive mosses which might be reclaimed
and converted into valuable land if properly drained. These mosses
in many cases rest upon a bed of marl, which upon being dug up and
mixed with the peat forms most valuable manure. We saw many examples
of this in the fens of Lincolnshire, and in the north of Denmark. I
have been informed upon credible authority that there are vast tracts
of moss lands lying upon marl, and small lakes which might easily be
drained and become most fertile; and it is to be hoped that the Danish
Government will find the means of reclaiming them, as they will well
repay the expense. Rendsburg, through which we passed, is a little town,
well fortified, and may be made much stronger. Kiel, situated upon a
splendid bay in the Baltic, is the university of Holstein, and a very
neat little thriving town, with prettily wooded environs. From here we
proceeded to Schleswig, the capital of the province, its inhabitants
being partly Germans and partly Danes; in the northern part of Schleswig
the inhabitants are wholly Danes. The town of Schleswig is about 12
miles from the Baltic; it is well built, surrounded with a very pretty
fertile country, well cultivated, and diversified with wood. There is
a good deal of agricultural traffic with the surrounding country, and
the place appeared very thriving and prosperous. We arrived there about
six o’clock in the evening, about two hours after dark, and it began to
feel very cold. We got to a very comfortable inn, and were dining, or
rather had finished our dinner, when the waiter entered with a quiet,
mysterious air, and said, or rather whispered, that a gentleman wished to
speak to me. Knowing no one in the place, I could not conceive what he
meant; he, however, repeated the whisper in my ear in the same mysterious
manner. When I told him to show the stranger in, there was no person in
the room but my friend, Mr. William Sim, afterwards the solicitor to
the Swedish Railway Company, who had accompanied me. Immediately after
the waiter’s departure the door opened, and in came a gentleman muffled
up to the eyes in a blue military cloak. He cautiously shut the door,
then uncovered his face, and looking stealthily round, and observing
nobody but Sim and myself, advanced at once to the table, threw off his
cloak, took off his cap, and saluted me as a naval officer. I motioned
him to be seated, which he courteously declined, and addressing himself
to me, said that he had been informed that I was the English gentleman
who had brought despatches of importance from Count Reventlow to the
Danish Government, and that he was a Danish naval officer, and had been
sent by the commanding officer of Alsen to request that I would deliver
up my despatches to him, as it was of the utmost consequence that they
should be delivered to the Danish Government as soon as possible. I
told him that I was perfectly unacquainted with him, and that I could
not do so without a personal conference with the General commanding at
Alsen, because these despatches had been confided to me by the Danish
Minister in London, and as a point of honour I could not deliver them
to any but an accredited officer of the Government. He then said that
if I would be at Dussel, opposite to Alsen, the following morning, at
eight o’clock, the General would have a boat ready to take me over to the
island, and would have a war steamer in readiness to take me to Kosoa,
where I could readily get to Copenhagen. I accordingly agreed to be at
Dussel the following morning at eight o’clock. The officer, who was a
perfect gentleman, then muffled himself up in his cloak, and requesting
that we should say nothing about his arrival, quietly left the room. Sim
and myself ordered a carriage with four horses to be ready the following
morning at six o’clock, paid our bill, and went to bed. During the night
there had been a very heavy fall of snow, and when we started there
was some difficulty in moving forward. We were therefore obliged to
take extra horses, and passing by the now celebrated heights of Dussel,
reached the shore opposite the island of Alsen precisely at the time
appointed, where we found a boat with four oars ready to take us across
the Sound (which was about half a mile wide); here we were received
by the General in full uniform. I then delivered him the despatches,
for which he felt very much obliged, and we went on board a small war
steamer, which got under way immediately, and landed us at Kosoa, not far
from Copenhagen, where we slept. Next day we examined the cathedral at
Roskeld, and reached Copenhagen in the evening.
When I first visited Sweden, a vast quantity of brandy distilled from
potatoes was consumed; so much so, that the country was, to a certain
extent, demoralized, and drunkenness was very common; and the farther
north you went, the worse it was. The Government therefore determined to
take every means in its power to suppress it. Heavy duties were imposed
on potato brandy; and since that time, I am glad to hear that drunkenness
has considerably abated. The Swedes are an excellent, open-hearted,
gallant, and generous people, and most amiable and hospitable. I was
treated with the greatest kindness by them, for which I shall always
feel grateful. Christmas is a general holiday throughout the country
for a month, commencing with Christmas Eve. During that time, scarcely
any business is done. There is nothing but visiting and social parties
from morning to night; and it requires a strong stomach and head to go
through that festive ordeal without feeling the worse for it. When once
entered the house, you cannot refuse to accept their kind and profuse
hospitality. As a specimen, whenever a marriage takes place, the bride
not only appears before her friends, but the house is thrown open to the
public, and everybody is at liberty to enter and pay his respects to
the bride and bridegroom, who receive all comers in full-dress bridal
costume; and refreshments of all kinds are in great profusion. When I
was there a marriage took place between two noble families, to which
I was invited. The bride and bridegroom were both young, and bride
very handsome and splendidly dressed. I was most kindly received and
entertained, and did not get home until very late in the morning. I found
that I had taken as much as I could decently carry, and if I had not
escaped at the time I did, I must have remained all the next day, as many
of the bridegroom’s friends did.
In Sweden I made acquaintance, amongst many others, with our excellent
Consul, Major Pringle, who during the last American war had the command
of Washington for twenty-four hours. I was frequently a guest at his
house, and I owe many thanks to him and his amiable wife and family for
their great kindness and hospitality. Another excellent fellow was Mr.,
or Colonel, Elsworthy (as he called himself), the American Consul. He was
a bachelor, and kept open house, and he was so exceedingly hospitable,
and pressed his guests so strongly, that it was with the greatest
difficulty you could escape sober enough to reach your quarters with
safety.
The woods of Sweden were being fast cleared away, both to furnish fuel
for the iron manufactory, in which a great quantity was consumed, and
also that the land might be used for agriculture, so that this source of
fuel for iron making is rapidly disappearing. In addition to these causes
may be mentioned the great export of timber to every part of Europe for
building and other purposes. It is true that large forests of fine timber
still exist farther north, and also in Norway, but then the expense of
transport to the iron districts will be very heavy; yet as Swedish iron
is so very valuable, on account of its magnetic properties, for making
steel, a large quantity must always be required for the southern markets
of Europe, and with the greater cost of fuel the price of Swedish iron
must increase.
The Bessemer process has considerably reduced the expense of producing
good iron in England, and also for converting it into steel, still the
Swedish iron is so much better that there will always be a certain demand
for it.
It becomes a question, then, whether it would not be worth while to
export the Swedish ore to England, where there is plenty of fuel, and
where it could be converted into the best iron at the least expense.
Would it not be cheaper to do this, than to manufacture the iron in
Sweden, where fuel is so much dearer? and as the Swedish iron ore is very
rich compared with ours, except the haematite, the extra freight would
soon be recouped. I think it is by no means improbable that it will come
to this at last.
About the time that the Railway guarantee was obtained from the Swedish
Government, and the company was successfully started, another undertaking
was proposed to me by a M. Von Alstein, a Belgian proprietor, and a man
of some influence and property in that kingdom. The Dutch Government was
anxious to get a more direct and constant navigation up the Scheldt,
as that round by Bergen-op-Zoon was only practicable from half tide to
high water, while at low water the whole channel was completely dry. It
was considered, also, that the whole of the old channel might be filled
up and converted into valuable land, so that the fertile island of St.
Beveland might be joined to the mainland, and thus the kingdom would be
greatly benefited. The Government did not, however, want to undertake
the necessary works itself, but was ready to give up the whole of the
old channel to any company that would construct the new canal above
mentioned, as well as an embankment and road across the old channel, so
as to connect the island of St. Beveland with the mainland. Accordingly
upon these terms a concession was granted to M. Von Alstein and others,
giving them the whole of the lands to be reclaimed, which would amount
to a very considerable tract. The plan, upon due investigation, appeared
to offer considerable advantages to any party who would undertake it. It
was accordingly brought before the English public. A Belgian and English
company was formed to carry it out. The money was duly subscribed, and
Mr. Thomas Hutchings, at that time a large railway contractor, and
considered to possess undoubted means, offered to take a large number
of shares. He accordingly became the contractor for the work, and I
was appointed the engineer-in-chief, while M. Von Alstein became the
managing director, and a M. Dronker, a Dutch engineer and contractor of
considerable experience, was appointed by Mr. Hutchings sub-contractor
under him. I went over to Holland to examine the whole district and
the works proposed, and it appeared to me that if they were properly
carried into effect, it would turn out a very fair speculation, yielding
considerable profit. My visit was made in December, 1851.
Things having, in 1852, been satisfactorily settled with the Government
at the Hague, as soon as the weather would permit, arrangements were
made for commencing the works, and in the month of June Mr. Hutchings,
myself, and the English and Belgian directors being present, the first
sod of the canal was turned with considerable ceremony by one of the
Dutch Princes.
Whilst the canal was proceeding, the company was empowered to enclose
as much of the land of the old channel as was considered advisable by
a jury of Dutch experts, without whom nothing could be done. M. Von
Alstein, the manager of the company, attended, and the jury marked out a
space in the old channel of the Scheldt, which was always covered to a
considerable extent at high water of spring tides, and even neap tides,
including the green marsh as well as the sands. The Dutch jury marked a
space of 3000 acres, which included about one-third of green marsh and
two-thirds of sand--part of which was clayey; when this was done, I went
over to examine it, and was much surprised to find that so large a space
had been decided upon. I said to M. Von Alstein, the director, that I
thought it was far too much to be taken in at once; that it would cost
a great deal of money; that the sands were not worth the expense; and
that I thought it would be far better to confine the intake to the green
marshes for the present year, and that before the sands were taken in
they ought to be worked up so as to become green marshes. For, in fact,
in England, where I had reclaimed many thousand acres, I never thought
of enclosing bare sands. The manager, however, told me that was totally
contrary to the Dutch system, and as the jury had decided upon taking
the sands as well as the green marshes to the extent above mentioned, it
must be done, and he would not listen to my recommendation of taking in
a less quantity. The Dutch engineers also fixed the dimensions and form
of the embankments, which I did not approve of. In fact, I disapproved
of the whole plan, and told M. Von Alstein my opinion, and that I could
not take upon myself the responsibility. The manager said that the works
must be carried into effect as decided by the Dutch jury and the Dutch
engineers. I was therefore obliged to be silent, particularly as Mr.
Hutchings, who was the contractor and also the leading shareholder,
had consented to it. The works accordingly began under M. Dronker, Mr.
Hutchings’ sub-contractor; and Mr. Brown, one of Mr. Hutchings’ partners,
was sent over to superintend the works on the part of Hutchings, Brown,
and Wright. I remained some time on the spot, and had a boat fitted up to
live in at Barth, for there were no lodgings to be had. I soon saw by the
manner in which M. Dronker was carrying on the works that they could not
succeed, and I wrote repeatedly to Mr. Hutchings to come over, otherwise
he would be ruined, as his partner--Brown--knew nothing about it, and
allowed Dronker to proceed as he liked. It appeared to me as if it was
nothing more nor less than throwing away money by handfuls, no adequate
amount of work being done for it. I never saw such gross mismanagement in
my life. There were from twelve to thirteen hundred men employed at 3_s._
to 4_s._ a day, with a number of assistants, and they were not doing work
enough for half that number. I also expostulated with Dronker, the Dutch
contractor, but he would not listen to me, and said that he would do as
he liked. The works continued to proceed in this manner, and I wrote
almost every post to Hutchings to come over himself without delay, or to
stop the works, for it was impossible to complete them for any reasonable
sum in the manner in which they were being carried on. I told him,
moreover, that it was in vain to attempt to reclaim 3000 acres at once,
and the better plan would be to confine his operations, in the first
instance, to taking in the green marsh, which was about 1000 acres, and
to wait until the sands were worked on the outside, which would be done
much more rapidly when once the green marsh was enclosed. I told the
manager and Dronker the same; however, they would not listen. At length,
after great difficulty, I got them to divide the enclosure into two
parts, each consisting of 1500 acres, and I hoped that I should be able
to induce them to subdivide these two again into 750 each. By this means
the green marsh in each division would have been reduced to about 500
acres, which would easily have been enclosed at a considerable profit,
leaving the sands to be dealt with hereafter according to circumstances.
However, nothing would do but they must continue pushing on the outer
bank over the sands, which I saw was impracticable at any cost within
reason. At last, Hutchings came over himself, and when he visited the
works held up his hands in astonishment, and saw that he was a ruined
man. By this time money ran short, the workmen rebelled for wages and
threatened destruction to Hutchings and all concerned; and the Dutch
Government, being applied to, sent three hundred soldiers and two armed
cutters to keep order. The men were paid, great numbers were discharged,
and the works went on upon a much better system, and considerable
progress was made, but still they would not confine themselves to the
enclosure of the green marsh. After a great deal of difficulty they
nearly succeeded in enclosing 1500 acres near to Barth; but before this
could be done Hutchings’ funds were exhausted, and he was obliged to stop
payment. If my advice had been followed this never would have occurred.
Some fresh parties then joined the concern, and, adopting my advice,
confined themselves to enclosing the 1000 acres of marsh land.
At certain times of the year, particularly at the end of summer and in
the autumn, it is difficult to conceive a more unwholesome district,
as at those times the marsh fever invariably makes its appearance with
the most deadly effect. I had several fine, strong, healthy young men as
assistants with me, living in my ship, and at dinner it was by no means
uncommon to see one taken ill and fall off his chair. The only remedy
was to give him a strong stimulant of wine or brandy, wrap him up in
blankets, and send him off as quietly as possible. Fortunately I had been
so thoroughly cured of my fever when at Naples, as before mentioned, that
I had become as it were acclimatized and never experienced the least
attack. The island of St. Beveland, where these works were carried on,
is one of the most rich, and fertile districts imaginable, teeming with
luxurious vegetation of every kind, and abounding in beautiful little
villages, the very models of cleanliness and comfort; but amongst them
the fever lurks in the most insidious form. Mr. Brown, a fine, powerful
man of about forty-five, whilst superintending these works for his
partners and himself, had an excellent house in the village of Yersike,
about four miles distant, supplied with every English comfort both of
furniture and provisions; but after a time he caught the fever, which
stuck to him for a considerable time, and ultimately he was obliged to
leave the place, as otherwise he must have succumbed. The Dutch never
go out in the morning without taking a cup of coffee and a dram of
bitters, composed of gentian, quinine, and gin, and a pipe, which is
scarcely ever out of their mouths, and they repeat the dose at night and
not unfrequently during the day. In the English fens and lowlands we
do pretty much the same, and good port wine and quinine are considered
a specific; but I do not think that the fever is so bad with us as in
Holland; the cause may be that these Dutch islands being surrounded by
the sea, the tide leaves a large surface of mud exposed to the action of
the sun, and thus a considerable amount of malaria is engendered; this
I have always found to prevail most densely where there are trees, which
prevent it from being dissipated; so that it is always safer to be in a
boat, or in a house without any trees near it, so as to be exposed to the
free circulation of the air, also to sleep at least 20 feet above the
ground.
The whole of the seaboard of Holland requires to be remodelled. The
numerous channels through which the tidal and fresh waters pass occupy
a considerable surface which is comparatively useless, and only serve
to deteriorate the main channels of the rivers, and thus prevent them
from discharging their waters effectually, and so keeping them open,
in the best state for drainage and navigation. If these superfluous
channels were filled up, and the islands which they surround were united
to the mainland, a great quantity of valuable land would be gained to
the State; the extensive embankments which are now necessary to prevent
these islands from being submerged, and which entail a great and constant
tax upon the kingdom, would be considerably reduced; the main rivers
and harbours would be materially improved, and the general surface of
the water in the interior would be lowered; the drainage also might be
improved in the same manner, so as to render a considerably less amount
of artificial drainage power necessary, which would in turn cause a
corresponding reduction of the taxes; while the land would be greatly
improved, because the present general body of water is too near the
surface, so that it is impossible to carry on agriculture to the greatest
advantage; also the risk of breaking the banks would be greatly reduced.
I think, moreover, that the vast multitude of shoals which skirt the
coast might, by the adoption of proper means--and those not expensive,
compared to the object to be obtained--be raised sufficiently so as
to be converted into valuable land, and be added to the kingdom with
considerable profit, while the navigation along the coast and in the
interior might be greatly improved. Further, the whole of the Zuyder
Zee, which is said to have been under cultivation in early times, might
be reclaimed. As extraordinary spring tides seldom rise high along these
coasts, and as vegetation generally takes place at the level of high
water of neap tides, the lands on the coast, if properly managed, should
not be above 4 or 5 feet below the level of high water of spring tides,
although I believe it is a fact that many tracts in the interior are much
lower, and this arises from their having been embanked too soon.
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
men, accustomed to the fight. These grapple with the bull, and master
him by main force, and pin him down to the ground, and some of the most
powerful and skilful will, of a sudden, seize the bull by the horns,
and throwing their whole weight upon the animal, completely roll him
over, when he becomes perfectly helpless. This is a great feat, and is
most enthusiastically applauded. But notwithstanding their strength and
activity, the bull-fighters frequently get knocked about a good deal,
and receive heavy falls and bruises, but they never get tossed, and are
seldom severely hurt. The sight is by no means disgusting, cruel, or
barbarous, like those of Spain. Indeed, there is a good deal of fun in
it, and at times you cannot help laughing heartily, and generally go
away much pleased. After every fight, the men came forward, and were
handsomely rewarded by Dom Fernando and the audience.
There still exist the remains of many fine convents and churches; of some
the building had never been finished. When monastic institutions were
abolished these buildings became the property of the State, and have
since been sold to the public and converted to different purposes; some
to manufactories, others to barracks, others to domestic residences. The
inmates have been dismissed, with moderate pensions, and thrown out upon
the world. The property brought little to the State; and as they were in
a great measure founded by the charity of private individuals, to which
the State had no right, it would have been better to have allowed them
to die a natural death. Religion has gained nothing, the State little or
nothing, while gross superstition has degenerated into scepticism and
infidelity. All violent changes have an opposite result to that desired.
The roots of old institutions once torn up, it is difficult to substitute
a new plant to succeed them. It would be better if such important changes
could be made gradually, but, unfortunately, the old generation, strong
in possession, and forgetful of the times in which they live, will listen
to no alteration, and cling firmly to the past, as if it must endure for
ever. The new generation, born under different circumstances, have no
respect for old institutions, and regardless of what is good in them,
will listen to no compromise, and are never satisfied until they have
rooted them out altogether.
There can be no doubt that the institution of convents and monasteries
was of great service to the world in the middle ages--in preserving the
learning of past times, in teaching the ignorant, in distributing alms
amongst the poor, and in healing the sick. They curbed the ambition,
and controlled the violent passions of the barbarous feudal lords, who
considered that the world was made for them alone, and gratified their
lusts at the expense of the unfortunate people over whom they ruled.
No power but that of religion could have controlled them. They felt its
wondrous influence, and were told in stern, unmistakable language that
there was a hereafter, and that the great God who governed the world
would surely visit their sins with condign punishment, unless they
sincerely repented of their wickedness, and prayed for His forgiveness.
We must therefore be grateful for the services which religion, under
its peculiar forms and ceremonies, rendered in those days; and although
abuses by degrees crept in, yet these might have been remedied by much
milder measures. The monasteries and convents, however, served their
purpose; but now they are gone, and it is to be hoped that as the world
becomes wiser and more enlightened the great Creator will be worshipped
in a purer and simpler manner.
Having heard so much of the filthiness of Lisbon, I was most agreeably
disappointed to find it so much the reverse. With the exception of the
old part of the town, to the westward of Blackhorse Square, and which
was filthy enough, few cities, certainly not London, were cleaner than
Lisbon at the time of my first visit in 1855. The streets were broad
and straight, well lighted and watered, and the buildings regular and
handsome. The police certainly was not the most effective, but still the
town was safe.
I left Lisbon about four o’clock in the afternoon, in a fast steamer,
full of passengers, and after a fine passage of sixteen hours, with only
a moderate swell ahead--which, however, made most of the passengers
sick--we arrived off the bar of the Douro at six the following morning,
when a pilot came on board, and we crossed the bar and proceeded up to
the town quay, about two miles from the entrance of the river; I was
recommended to the Peninsular Hotel, situated in the higher part of
the town. This was entirely a Portuguese establishment and extremely
rough, where you boarded and lodged at so much per day. At the table
d’hôte I made acquaintance with a fine old Peninsular veteran, Colonel
Owen, formerly attached to the Duke of Wellington’s army, where he was
constantly employed on outpost duty, and he necessarily saw a great deal
of hard service. He was a fine-looking man, six feet high, and seventy
years of age, with a determined countenance, and full of fire and energy
even at that advanced age. He possessed a good deal of talent, had
studied much, spoke the Portuguese like a native, and was an excellent
writer both in that language and his own. I found him a very agreeable,
intelligent companion, and we soon became well acquainted with each
other, which was the more agreeable as he knew well and had frequently
served with Colonel Somers Cocks, a distant connection of mine, who was
a distinguished officer and favourite of the Duke of Wellington. Colonel
Cocks, much to the regret of the Duke, was killed at the siege of Burgos
Castle. Owen knew his whole history, and at my particular request wrote a
complete and very interesting memoir of him, which I privately printed.
Owen was almost my constant companion, and having long resided at Oporto,
knew all the principal merchants in the place, both English and native,
and was much liked and respected. He introduced me to several, but being
upon public business, namely, the improvement of the port, which all
desired, I had no need of introductions, for the principal inhabitants
called upon me and invited me to their houses; amongst others may be
mentioned Messrs. Lambert, Sandeman, Herries, and others, the principal
wine merchants of the place, who paid me the greatest attention and
hospitality.
I lost no time after my arrival in proceeding to examine the port, and to
consider what was best to be done. I soon discovered its defects, which
were the exposed and dangerous nature of the bar at the entrance of the
Douro, the depth of water over it being scarcely 10 feet at low water
of spring tides, the tides rising only from 6 to 7 feet; the conformed
and circuitous channel both within and without the bar, in which there
were several rocks; and the prevalence during three-fourths of the year
of strong westerly winds from south-west to north-west. Moreover, during
heavy floods the outgoing current was so strong that it carried all
before it, frequently tearing vessels from their anchors, driving them to
sea, or wrecking them in the harbour. From these different causes the bar
could only be attempted during the flood or ebb for entering or departing
during the most moderate weather, and then only by vessels drawing 12 to
14 feet at spring tides. From all these combined causes the harbour of
Oporto might be said to be hermetically sealed for three-fourths of the
year, and frequent instances have occurred of vessels having made the
passage to the Brazils and back again, whilst others have been beating
about the offing waiting for a favourable opportunity to cross the bar;
and equal time was lost by those vessels that were waiting, laden in the
port, to go to sea. And the mails for Oporto, the second city in the
kingdom, frequently had to be delivered at Vigo, 60 miles farther north,
and to be transported thence by land, which occasioned the loss of one
or two days. In consequence of these serious disadvantages the trade
naturally suffered materially.
In order to remedy these defects, I drew up a plan by which I proposed
to carry out two piers--one on the ridge of rocks on the south side, and
another on the north--in such a direction that the entrance between them,
which was to be 500 feet wide, should be least exposed to the prevailing
storms; and the space between the piers on the inside of the entrance
should be wider than the entrance itself, so that any swell which might
enter would diminish as it proceeded up the harbour. I also proposed to
remove the rocks both inside and outside, and to strengthen the channel.
By this means I expected that the bar would be lowered about 5 feet; so
that at high water of spring tides there would be about 20 feet, and a
vessel drawing 18 feet could enter at springs, and 16 feet at neaps. The
expense of these works was estimated at about 400,000_l._ This no doubt
would have been a very great improvement, and worth the money, although
at times even with this expenditure the bar would not be approachable
either way.
Under these circumstances, I explored the adjacent coast in order to
ascertain whether another and better place for a harbour could not be
found, and at Mattozenhas, about three miles farther, I found that there
was a detached reef of rocks, 2000 feet long, lying about a quarter of
a mile distant from the shore, and between it and the shore there was a
depth of from 25 to 50 feet at low water. This reef had been observed
by others before me, and it had struck them that an excellent harbour
might be made. As this also lay within my instructions, I made a design
for a harbour; but upon maturely considering the subject, I thought
it would be scarcely safe to make a close harbour at this point, as,
from the great quantity of sand which lay along the coast, there was a
chance of its filling up. I therefore proposed to make it open: that is
to say, to construct a breakwater along the line of the rocks as far
as they reached, and as much farther each way as might be considered
advisable. In fact, this breakwater might be extended so as to make a
magnificent asylum harbour for the largest vessels of any class; and by
making an open landing pier within the breakwater, vessels could take in
and deliver their cargoes, and send them to Oporto by rail, when vessels
could not pass over the bar of the Douro.
As there was plenty of fine granite on the spot, and labour could
be obtained comparatively cheap, I considered that for the sum of
500,000_l._ an excellent harbour might be made here with a double
entrance, and as there would be a free passage for the current both ways,
no sand would lodge within the breakwater. In fact, the current, being
confined, would force out the sand and make the harbour deeper, so that
at low water (spring tides) there would never be less than from 25 to 30
feet in the shallowest part of the northern entrance, and above 50 feet
at the southern. This place appeared, and, in fact, was so much better
and more advantageous in every respect than Oporto, that, considering the
increased cost would not exceed 100,000_l._, I strongly recommended it in
preference to expending 400,000_l._ on the old entrance. Still, if the
Government thought it advisable to improve the entrance of the Douro, to
some extent this might be done advantageously by the expenditure of about
150,000_l._ Both the King and the Government approved of my plan for the
breakwater and landing pier at the Secars Rocks, near Mattozenhas, and
the Finance Minister--Fontes--gave me an order in writing to provide
the necessary apparatus, and to commence the work immediately. But soon
after, the Government being changed, the whole was stopped, and nothing
material has been done since, although, I believe, some attempts have
been made by the Portuguese Board of Works to blow up the rocks at the
entrance of the Douro, with very little effect; and as funds are very
scarce, it is probable that nothing of consequence will be effected for a
long time, which is the more to be regretted, as meanwhile the trade of
Oporto suffers most materially.
Having completed my investigation of Oporto harbour, I prepared to
return direct to Lisbon, and report to the Government the results of
my examination, when I received a telegraphic message saying that the
Government wished me to examine the harbour of Viana, some thirty miles
farther north, also that of Aveiro, twenty miles farther south, and that
of Figuera, the mouth of the Mondego, about twenty miles south of Aveiro;
and that they would send a small vessel of war to take me to those
places. I therefore determined to await the arrival of the war-steamer,
which came two days afterwards. It was not above 200 tons, mounting three
or four small guns, and commanded by a lieutenant of the Portuguese navy,
having with him about thirty men. I embarked and proceeded at once to
Viana, which we reached about three o’clock in the afternoon. There being
a heavy swell, we could not enter the port, and a pilot boat with six
rowers was therefore sent out to take us ashore, where we were received
by the authorities. As our time was limited, I immediately proceeded to
examine the harbour, which was formed by the river Scina, the entrance to
which was at times very dangerous, from the same causes as those already
described as existing at the bar of the river Douro, namely, a shallow,
much-exposed bar, little tide, tortuous channel, and exposure to a heavy
swell during the prevailing westerly winds. I observed, however, that
there was a long reef of rocks running parallel to the channel nearly
as far as the bar, and that by erecting a breakwater upon the reef,
for which there was plenty of stone adjacent, the current, instead of
spreading over the rocks and losing its force, might be confined, and
thus act more effectively upon the bar and deepen it several feet; and,
further, by this means the entrance channel would be protected, and very
little swell could get in. Thus the principal defects of the entrance
would be remedied; and the small depth of water at the quays could be
increased by dredging. I consulted the pilots and the practical men of
the place, as I always do (for from experience they generally have a
knowledge of the subject), and it was satisfactory to know that their
opinions entirely coincided with mine. I accordingly made my notes, and
returned on board the vessel in the evening about eight o’clock.
The days being long, and low water in the harbour, it gave me a very good
opportunity of examining it.
I had occasion to visit Viana subsequently. It is a very pretty little
commercial town, surrounded by a rich, thriving country; it does a
good deal of trade, and is therefore very prosperous, there being some
wealthy merchants and a good deal of property in the place. The valley
through which the Scina flows is very beautiful and fertile, surrounded
by mountains varying from 2000 to 7000 feet high. The large village
of Scina, about twelve or fourteen miles above Viana, is particularly
picturesque. It is situated in a delicious country, abounding in corn,
wine, and oil, and apparently wanting in nothing.
As soon as I got on board the vessel weighed anchor. The night was fine,
so that we reached the offing of Figuera, at the mouth of the Mondego,
about noon the next day. I was met on landing by the captain of the port,
who had received intelligence of our coming, and on account of the heat
we were obliged to take refuge in his house, where he exhibited all his
plans, and the measures which had been taken to improve the bar at the
entrance, which, upon the whole, as far as they went, were satisfactory.
After a couple of hours’ rest we took a boat and sounded the bar, upon
which the water was very shallow. There was a very extensive reservoir
for tidal and fresh water within, which, under proper management I
considered might be rendered very valuable in deepening and scouring
out the entrance, and in lowering the bar; but at low water there was
a narrow channel, which was constantly changing, so that there was
no good entrance, and consequently neither the fresh nor tidal waters
could be either admitted or properly discharged; thus the quantity of
water was reduced, and the effect upon the bar considerably diminished.
I therefore saw at once that it was necessary to confine the low water
channel to some extent by slight works, composed of osiers and faggots,
extending from two to three feet above the low water level, so that it
should be confined always to the same course; thus the low water line
would be lowered, more tidal water would be admitted and discharged, the
surrounding lowlands, which were frequently flooded, would be better
drained, and the bar improved. I observed also that the channel at the
entrance was too wide, and that consequently it was much exposed to the
swell during westerly gales. I therefore proposed to reduce the width of
the entrance to a certain extent; by this means a greater quantity of
water would be admitted and discharged, the bar would be reduced, the
drainage improved, and a less quantity of swell would be admitted; when I
explained my views to the captain of the port, who was a very intelligent
person, he quite agreed with me.
Having finished my examination here, we embarked at sunset and proceeded
to Lisbon, which we reached on the following morning, when I took my
leave of the commander of the vessel and his officers, who had treated me
most kindly, for which I felt very grateful; I wanted to make a present
of some champagne, but this was most politely declined. I therefore
renewed my thanks, and went on then to the Braganza hotel. I next day
called upon the Finance Minister, Fontes, and Vicomte de Luz, the chief
officer of the Board of Works, reported generally what I had done,
and said that I would proceed to England at once, and send my plans,
estimates, and reports as early as possible. I accordingly left two days
afterwards, and reached England in the middle of June, after an absence
of between six and seven weeks.
When I was in Portugal I had a good deal of conversation with M. Fontes
about their railways. He said that they had already given a concession
for them to an English company, Messrs. Shaw, Waring, and Co., of whom
the Government was now desirous if possible of getting quit. M. Fontes
also talked to me about their financial affairs, and said that they had
had a good deal of trouble with our Stock Exchange. I did not know the
precise cause of this at the time, but it was afterwards explained to me
that the English Stock Exchange would not allow their funds to be quoted
in the English money market in consequence of the Portuguese Government
having reduced the interest of the last Portuguese loan without the
consent of the subscribers, so that unless this was remedied, it would
not be possible to raise another loan in England. I saw the full force of
this, and told the minister frankly my opinion, which he appeared to take
very well, for he then said that he wished me to lay out a line between
Coimbra and Oporto, and gave me instructions accordingly.
In the month of August, Dom Pedro, the heir apparent to the throne, and
his brother, Dom Louis, paid a visit to our Queen at Osborne House,
Isle of Wight, and Count Lavradio, the Portuguese minister in London,
recommended me to go there to pay my respects to his future majesty. I
therefore went, and was honoured with an audience on board Her Majesty’s
yacht, which was lying off Osborne, and in which Dom Pedro and his
brother were living at the time, as the Queen did not wish them to be on
shore, on account of the prevalence of the smallpox in the vicinity. Dom
Pedro and his brother received me very courteously, and we had a great
deal of conversation about Portuguese affairs, particularly concerning
the various engineering works that he wished to see carried into effect,
such as railways, harbours, docks, &c., and he said that until these were
done Portugal could not be on a par with other nations. He also very
kindly invited me over to Portugal again. I took my leave and returned
to Southampton, where I dined with Count Lavradio at Radley’s hotel, and
then returned to London. It should be added that Dom Pedro attained his
majority on the 15th of September, when he was crowned.
As soon as I got my harbour plans and reports ready, I determined to
go over and present them in person after the coronation. As I had been
commissioned by the Government to make the surveys and estimates for
the proposed railway between Coimbra and Oporto, and consult two other
English contractors about making railways in Portugal, I went to Messrs.
Peto and Betts, who said that they would be happy to undertake them,
provided that they could make proper arrangements with the Government,
and that they did not interfere with any other contractors or companies
who were then employed; and that in order to ascertain the Government
views, they would send over their agent, Mr. Giles, with me. As I had
previously agreed with Mr. Cheffins to make the survey of the line
between Coimbra and Oporto, he preceded me with his staff, while Mr.
Giles went to Lisbon with me in the Royal Mail Company’s vessel the
‘Trent,’ leaving Southampton on the 9th September, 1855.
After a fine passage we reached Lisbon on the morning of the 14th of
September. I immediately presented myself to M. Fontes, the Finance
Minister, and the Duke de Saldanha, President of the Cabinet, and
delivered my plans, which were well received, and tickets were sent to us
to visit the various ceremonies of the coronation.
It happened just before our arrival that the Government and the English
contractors of the Great Eastern Railway from Lisbon to Santarem, who
had been quarrelling for some time past, came to an open rupture, and
the Government took possession of the whole of the works and all the
materials, machinery, and plant, with an armed force, turned the Company
adrift, and would have nothing further to do with them. The contractors
complained to the British representative, Mr. Ward, Chargé d’Affaires,
who was very indignant at this summary mode of treating his countrymen;
and M. Fontes was equally indignant at the way in which the Company had
behaved; but more of this hereafter. In the meantime the coronation took
place, and a very pretty sight it was. We had the usual demonstrations
of fêtes, reviews, illuminations, salvos of artillery, &c. To heighten
the spectacle a British fleet of five line-of-battle ships was sent over
to do honour to the occasion. These fêtes lasted for three days, and
no business was done; but in the mean time I had the honour of being
presented to the king at the great palace of the Ajude; and when M.
Fontes returned to his office again, I called upon him and presented Mr.
Giles, Messrs. Peto and Betts’s agent. Afterwards, when Mr. Giles had
left, M. Fontes commenced talking to me about their dispute with Shaw,
Waring, and Co. He spoke very temperately on the subject, and said that
justice should be done to them. I said that I did not wish for a moment
to defend them; in fact, I did not know the merits of the case on either
one side or the other. At the same time, I said that it would be far
better to arrange with them amicably; and if they could not agree, they
should settle accounts and dissolve the agreement; as until this matter
was satisfactorily concluded, it would be impossible to get any fresh
English contractors of respectability to finish the works, or form a
new English company, or indeed to raise any money in England, which the
Government at that time wanted to do. Moreover, it was desirable above
all things to arrange matters with the English Stock Exchange, and until
the affair of Shaw, Waring, and Co. had been settled this could not be
done. These arguments appeared to have much weight with the minister, who
replied, that he would think them over; that he was desirous of coming
to an amicable settlement; that he had very little doubt but it would be
ultimately arranged properly; and that when Mr. Griles and I returned
from our examination of the country, he would be glad to see us again.