1the Bank, fill up the Holes immediately, not
with trifling Materials, but with large, ſolid,
ſquare Stone. It may alſo be of Service to
lay Bundles of Bruſhwood underneath the Fall
of the Water, to break its Force before it
comes to the Bottom. We ſee that the Tyber at
Rome is for the moſt Part confined with ſolid
Maſonry. Semiramis, not contented with a
ſtrong Bank of Brick, covered it with a Coat
of Plaiſter made of Bitumen, no leſs than four
Cubits in Thickneſs, with Walls for many Fur
longs together equally high with thoſe of the
City. But theſe are Royal Works. For us,
we may be contented with a Bank of Earth,
like that of Nitocris in Aſſyria, which was of
Mud, or like thoſe Banks in France which con
fine ſome very great Rivers, in ſuch a Manner
that they ſeem to hang in the Air, the Water
in ſome Places being above the Level of the
Tops of the Cottages: and we may be ſatisfied
if we can have our Bridges of Stone. Some
commend the Graſs Turfs cut out of a Meadow
for making up of Banks: and I think they
will do very well, becauſe the interweaving of
their Roots will fortify the Work, provided
they be rammed very cloſe together: for the
whole Bank, and eſpecially that Part of it
which is waſhed by the Water, ought to be
ſo ſolid as not to be penetrated or diſunited.
Some interlace Rods of Ozier in the Bank;
and this makes a very firm Bank, but then it
will laſt but for a Time, for as ſuch Rods eaſily
rot, little Rills of Water will penetrate into the
Places of the Twigs which are decayed, and
working their Way onwards, will be apt to
enlarge their Paſſage till the whole River may
break through in great Streams. There will
not indeed be ſo much Danger of this if we
take the Oziers when they are green. Others
plant Willows, Elder, Poplars and ſuch other
Trees as love the Water along the Shores in
cloſe Rows. This has ſome Advantages; but
then it is attended with the ſame Inconveni
ence which we juſt now mentioned; for when
the Roots decay, the Water will work its Way
into their Cavities. Others (which I am very
well pleaſed with) plant the Shore with all
Manner of Shrubs that flouriſh in the Water,
and ſtrike out more Root than Branches, ſuch
as Lavender, Bulruſh, Reeds, and eſpecially
Withes; the laſt of which puſhes out a great
deal of Root, and pierces down into the Earth
with very long Fibres, which are continually
making new Shoots, while at the ſame Time
its Head is but ſmall, is very pliant, and does
not reſiſt the Stream; and which adds to the
Advantage, this Plant, out of its particular Love
to Water, advances on continually even into
the Current. But where the Bank runs on
parallel with the ſtrong Current of the River,
the Shore ought to be entirely naked and clear,
that nothing may diſturb or enrage the Stream,
but that it may run on peaceably. Where the
Bank winding about ſtands againſt the Set of
the Current, that it may make the ſtouter Re
ſiſtance, let it be fortified with good Plank.
But if the whole Force of the River is to be
withſtood and oppoſed; then, in the Summer,
when the Water is loweſt, and the Shore is
left dry, make Hurdles bound about ſtrong
Stakes of a good Length, and faſtened to them
very tight with ſtout Braces; lay theſe Hur
dles with the Heads of the Stakes againſt the
Current of the Stream, and drive Piles through
them, by Holes made in them before-hand for
that Purpoſe, as deep as the Nature of the Bot
tom will permit. When this is knit together,
join other Beams to them croſſways, and fill up
this Frame with large Stones cemented toge
ther with Mortar; or where the Expence of
Mortar cannot be afforded, you may knit them
together by throwing Bavins of Juniper in a
mongſt them. This great Weight will pre
vent the Water from ſtirring the Frame; and
if any Eddies ſhould get within it, they will
do rather Good than Harm, for by endeavour
ing to work downwards they will make the
whole Weight of Stone ſink ſtill lower, and
ſo ſtrengthen the Foundation ſtill more. But
if the River always keeps at ſuch a Height,
that there is no Opportunity to make ſuch a
Frame, then we muſt make uſe of thoſe Me
thods which we formerly taught for erecting
the Piers of a Bridge.
with trifling Materials, but with large, ſolid,
ſquare Stone. It may alſo be of Service to
lay Bundles of Bruſhwood underneath the Fall
of the Water, to break its Force before it
comes to the Bottom. We ſee that the Tyber at
Rome is for the moſt Part confined with ſolid
Maſonry. Semiramis, not contented with a
ſtrong Bank of Brick, covered it with a Coat
of Plaiſter made of Bitumen, no leſs than four
Cubits in Thickneſs, with Walls for many Fur
longs together equally high with thoſe of the
City. But theſe are Royal Works. For us,
we may be contented with a Bank of Earth,
like that of Nitocris in Aſſyria, which was of
Mud, or like thoſe Banks in France which con
fine ſome very great Rivers, in ſuch a Manner
that they ſeem to hang in the Air, the Water
in ſome Places being above the Level of the
Tops of the Cottages: and we may be ſatisfied
if we can have our Bridges of Stone. Some
commend the Graſs Turfs cut out of a Meadow
for making up of Banks: and I think they
will do very well, becauſe the interweaving of
their Roots will fortify the Work, provided
they be rammed very cloſe together: for the
whole Bank, and eſpecially that Part of it
which is waſhed by the Water, ought to be
ſo ſolid as not to be penetrated or diſunited.
Some interlace Rods of Ozier in the Bank;
and this makes a very firm Bank, but then it
will laſt but for a Time, for as ſuch Rods eaſily
rot, little Rills of Water will penetrate into the
Places of the Twigs which are decayed, and
working their Way onwards, will be apt to
enlarge their Paſſage till the whole River may
break through in great Streams. There will
not indeed be ſo much Danger of this if we
take the Oziers when they are green. Others
plant Willows, Elder, Poplars and ſuch other
Trees as love the Water along the Shores in
cloſe Rows. This has ſome Advantages; but
then it is attended with the ſame Inconveni
ence which we juſt now mentioned; for when
the Roots decay, the Water will work its Way
into their Cavities. Others (which I am very
well pleaſed with) plant the Shore with all
Manner of Shrubs that flouriſh in the Water,
and ſtrike out more Root than Branches, ſuch
as Lavender, Bulruſh, Reeds, and eſpecially
Withes; the laſt of which puſhes out a great
deal of Root, and pierces down into the Earth
with very long Fibres, which are continually
making new Shoots, while at the ſame Time
its Head is but ſmall, is very pliant, and does
not reſiſt the Stream; and which adds to the
Advantage, this Plant, out of its particular Love
to Water, advances on continually even into
the Current. But where the Bank runs on
parallel with the ſtrong Current of the River,
the Shore ought to be entirely naked and clear,
that nothing may diſturb or enrage the Stream,
but that it may run on peaceably. Where the
Bank winding about ſtands againſt the Set of
the Current, that it may make the ſtouter Re
ſiſtance, let it be fortified with good Plank.
But if the whole Force of the River is to be
withſtood and oppoſed; then, in the Summer,
when the Water is loweſt, and the Shore is
left dry, make Hurdles bound about ſtrong
Stakes of a good Length, and faſtened to them
very tight with ſtout Braces; lay theſe Hur
dles with the Heads of the Stakes againſt the
Current of the Stream, and drive Piles through
them, by Holes made in them before-hand for
that Purpoſe, as deep as the Nature of the Bot
tom will permit. When this is knit together,
join other Beams to them croſſways, and fill up
this Frame with large Stones cemented toge
ther with Mortar; or where the Expence of
Mortar cannot be afforded, you may knit them
together by throwing Bavins of Juniper in a
mongſt them. This great Weight will pre
vent the Water from ſtirring the Frame; and
if any Eddies ſhould get within it, they will
do rather Good than Harm, for by endeavour
ing to work downwards they will make the
whole Weight of Stone ſink ſtill lower, and
ſo ſtrengthen the Foundation ſtill more. But
if the River always keeps at ſuch a Height,
that there is no Opportunity to make ſuch a
Frame, then we muſt make uſe of thoſe Me
thods which we formerly taught for erecting
the Piers of a Bridge.
CHAP. XII.
Of the Sea Wall; of ſtrengthening the Port; and of Locks for confining the
Water of a River.
Water of a River.
The Sea-ſhore alſo is to be fortified with
artificial Banks, but not in the ſame
Manner as the River, whoſe Streams does Mif
chief in a different Manner from the Waves of
the Sea. We are told, that the Sea in its own
Nature is quiet and peaceable, but it is agi
artificial Banks, but not in the ſame
Manner as the River, whoſe Streams does Mif
chief in a different Manner from the Waves of
the Sea. We are told, that the Sea in its own
Nature is quiet and peaceable, but it is agi
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