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An Essay on the principles and construction of military bridges, and the passage of rivers in military operations / by Howard Douglas
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ceding, should be eased down to their place byropes, from boats or rafts.

A harrow with lengthened teeth, loaded withstones, and eased down to the bottom of ariver, would afford a good holding in soil ofmuch tenacity. This may be applied on a largescale, by fastening together two strong beamsof timber, two or three feet asunder, and settingstakes of strong tough wood into them; or theteeth may be formed of iron tires of a pair ofwheels; or other iron, transformed into curvedteeth. Such a frame, loaded with stones suf-ficient to sink it, and eased down to its plafce,may be further bedded in the bottom, by throw-ing, or placing heavy stones upon it; or if thewater he not too deep, by driving stakes, pre-viously set through the frame, into the bottomof the river.

Stone moorings, piles, wooden grapnels, casesor gabionage filled with stones, are the most sim-ple substitute means, by which rafts or flyingbridges may be moored. If large blocks ofstone can be procured, there is no better sub-stitute for anchors; and the only difficulty inresorting to such means, is that of removing andplacing them in the river, which, however, maybe effected by some of the manoeuvres de forcewith which pontoneers should be very con-