(2) The casting and erection of the iron pipes were not aclequately super-
visecl. As a result the quality of the iron was poor. Its thickness was
uneven and many of the tugs to which the cross-bracing was attachecl
were not secure. The suksequent inspection of the bridge was
entrusted to a man who was very competent in his own fielcl, krick-
laying. Kut lacked relevttiz/experience. To quote from The Tttv Bridge
Disu. ver by John Thomas."
The most embzrrmssing of rll the N8 (North British Rzrilwtrv) witnesses to
the compzrny wils Hem· v Noble, the most honest ztnd competent of men in
his own limited sphere. Kut 21 kricklzryer ind not il 21n mzrny r zrilwzrcompzr-
nies would hzrve chosen to tzrke chzrrge of the kridge.
One of the lawyers wrote
Mr Nokle. zls vou know. Is not 21 LL1zLN ot skill ils regztrds ironwork. He is l
good kricklryer. Thzrt is rll. Yet he. zrnd men LLJucH more ignorttnt thztn he.
were zrppi
ently left to look ztfter the ironwork of the bridge. No mzln of
skill zrppzrrently went over it from week to week. or month to month. This
point 1 think might ke pressed horne rgitinst the compzrnv verl' much.