Document 66, p 12
| 142 (12) | ||||
| be too near the Surface of the Water, but as this Pier was in fact founded | ||||
| upon Piles, the depth of the Gravel being here sufficient for that | ||||
| purpose, this Alteration cannot in the Opinion of this Deponent be | ||||
| considered as an Alteration for the worse, but for the better: but | ||||
| all the rest of the other five Piers, are expressly shewn to be | ||||
| founded upon the upper Surface of the Bed of the River, and were | ||||
| so intended to be, whether the River’s depth might happen to be in | ||||
| the very place where each Pier was to be sunk, a few Inches deeper | ||||
| or shallower than the Measure of the depth of the Water according | ||||
| to the Scale of the Plan: these were therefore founded according to | ||||
| the directions and Intentions of this Deponent; though as to depth | ||||
| they might a little differ from the Ground Lines of the Plan. | ||||
| In short, this Deponent takes upon himself to declare, that he | ||||
| does not think himself justified, for the sake of shifting any Blame, | ||||
| that in this Matter may appear to rest upon him, to another; but to say | ||||
| that the whole was performed as near to his Intentions, and Directions | ||||
| (so far as has to this day come to his Knowledge and Belief) that | ||||
| the Cause of the failure thereof, he cannot in any degree impute to | ||||
| either his directions not being pursued; or to any want, or sparing | ||||
| of proper Materials, Workmanship, or otherwise, on the part of the | ||||
| Complainant, or his Agents; and that the whole was performed | ||||
| according to this Deponent’s Knowledge and Belief, as nearly | ||||
| conformable to the Agreement as the Nature of the Work would | ||||
| admit of. And furthermore this Deponent had great reason to | ||||
| 12 believe | ||||
Note: Mr Smeaton's Replies to Interrogatories p12
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Transcribed by CTW and RMS