John Smeaton Ramsgate Dry Dock

Looking at Ramsgate dry dock leaking badly during the recent tidal surge I was reminded of reading John Smeaton's account of its first test in 1787 and the subsequent disaster.

Back in the 1700s the building of harbours and docks was the rocket science of the day and many things went wrong. In the case of the dry dock the builder ignored the advice of Smeaton the civil engineer with fairly spectacular results see http://www.michaelsbookshop.com/Smeaton/ or you can read it in the reprint of An Historical report on Ramsgate Harbour 1791 By John Smeaton that I publish. It is a most charmingly account of a man explaining the failings of others.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• John
• Smeaton
• Ramsgate
• Dry
• Dock
• tidal
• surge

[michaelberryakabez]

my dad helped do repairs on this years ago