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MENAI STRAITS , a channel of the Irish Sea, separating Anglesea from Carnarvonshire, N. Wales, extending 14 M. from Beaumaris to Abermenai, and varying in breadth from 200 yds. to 2 in. It is famous for the suspension and tubular bridges which cross it. The suspension bridge carries the Holyhead road from Bangor. Designs were prepared by T. Telford. It was begun in 1819; the first chain carried over in April 1825; the last in July of the same year, and the bridge opened to the public the 3oth of January 1826. The cost was 120,000. The length of the chains (from rock -fastenings) is 1715 ft., and between the piers 590 ft.; the length of the roadway between the piers is 550 ft. and the total roadway length moo ft.; the height of the roadway from the spring tide high-water level is too ft.; the breadth of the roadway including two carriage-ways and a footpath is 30 ft. The sixteen suspending chains are carried 6o ft. through rock . Their sustaining power has been calculated at 2026 tons, while the whole weight of the suspended part of the bridge is only 489 tons. During a gale See Also: - GALE
- GALE, THEOPHILUS (1628-1678)
- GALE,
THOMAS See Also: - THOMAS
- THOMAS (c. 1654-1720)
- THOMAS (d. 110o)
- THOMAS, ARTHUR GORING (1850-1892)
- THOMAS, CHARLES LOUIS AMBROISE (1811-1896)
- THOMAS, GEORGE (c. 1756-1802)
- THOMAS, GEORGE HENRY (1816-187o)
- THOMAS, ISAIAH (1749-1831)
- THOMAS, PIERRE (1634-1698)
- THOMAS, SIDNEY GILCHRIST (1850-1885)
- THOMAS, ST
- THOMAS, THEODORE (1835-1905)
- THOMAS, WILLIAM (d. 1554)
(?1636-17o2) a slight oscillation is noticeable on the bridge itself and from the shore. The tubular bridge carries the London & North Western railway. Here the channel is about 'too ft. wide, and divided in the middle by the Britannia Rock, bare at low water. The tide generally rises 20 ft., with great velocity. The principal measurements are: each abutment 176 ft.; from abutment to side tower, 230 ft.; from side tower to central tower, 46o ft.; breadth of each side tower at road-level, 32 ft.; breadth of centre tower, 45 ft. 5 in. The total length of the roadway is 1841 ft. 5 in. The Britannia tower measures at its base 62 by 523 ft.; with a total height of 230 ft. There are tot ft. between the sea at high tide and the bridge roadway bottom. The limestone used is from Penmon, 4 M. from Beaumaris . Four stone lions couchant guard the approaches to the bridge. The first tube of the tubular bridge was deposited in its place on the 9th of November 1849, the last on the 13th of September 185o. The total cost was 621,865. The engineer of the tubular bridge was Robert Stephenson, who was assisted by Sir William Fairbairn and Eaton Hodgkinson.
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