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Contents and Preface to:

A Companion to the Plymouth and Devonport National Breakwater

By George Glanville

London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, Brown & Green, Devonport (1825), illus. 59pp.

Prepared by Michael Steer

This Contents and Preface were produced from a digital copy of the book, which can be downloaded from: http://books.google.com/. Google, in partnership with a number of public libraries has sought to make more widely accessible, old, hard-to-get books on which copyright has expired. A complete copy of the book in pdf as well as plain text can be downloaded at:
http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=UNEHAAAAQAAJ&dq=Companion+to+the+Plymouth+and+Devonport+National+Breakwater&ei=6aRJSKrhGpy8jgGKq43lDQ

FROM THE TITLE PAGE

History of the circumstances which originated
that great maritime barrier;
Details of the plan and its principles;
An account of the progress and present state of the work;
A description of the extensive quarries, whence the materials are procured,
the machinery, and the manual operations, with some
particulars of the fossil bones discovered;
A minute description of the vessels constructed purposely for
conveying the stone used in carrying on the design;
And some account of Bouvisand Reservoir for watering
the fleet.
Illustrated by a chart of the sound, a plan of the
breakwater, and sectional wood engravings
of the veisels.
to which is added,
a brief notice of the accommodations and sources of
recreation and amusement offered to
visiters of the vicinity.

PREFACE

The contents of the following sheets are chiefly designed for the information
of the numerous strangers who annually visit the Breakwater, and to whom such
a companion is absolutely necessary; but, as it embraces a complete history of
every interesting circumstance connected with the origin of that important undertaking,
as well as a minute description of the great Work, in its plan, its early
progress, its present state, and approaching completion - the little tract, it is
presumed, may not only be found an acceptable Companion to those who have
the satisfaction of witnessing the immense fabric, but also an interesting and accurate
informant to those who are denied that pleasure.

CONTENTS

THE BREAKWATER
The Circumstances that originated the Undertaking. 7
The Plan and its Principles, 13
Search for Materials ; Estimates, etc. 19
Preparations and Order for commencing; Laying the first stone. etc. 22
Early Progress of the Work; Its immediate beneficial Effects, etc. 25
Periodical Statement of the Progress of the Work and Description of its
present State. 30
Summary of intended Dimensions when completed, etc. 34
Establishment for carrying on the Design; Contracts, etc. 34
 
THE QUARRIES
Their Situation and Extent; the Machinery, etc. 36
Manual Operations. 37
Discovery of Fossil Remains. 39
The Stone Vessels 41
Bouvisand Reservoir, 47
Some account of the Accommodations and sources of Recreation
Or Amusement offered to Visiters of the City, 48
 
ADDENDA
Storm of 23rd and 24th November 1824;
Its effect on the Breakwater, 54

Last updated: 5 Jun 2008 - Brian Randell