Autobiography of Sir John Rennie, F.R.S., Past President of the Institute of Civil Engineers / Comprising the history of his professional life, together with reminiscences dating from the commencement of the century to the present time.

by Sir John Rennie

After this I was asked to examine the water supply of Vienna, and accordingly, having reached that city, I turned my attention to the following objects:

First, to the mode there adopted for supplying the water; this I found to be by means of steam pumping engines of inadequate power, which forced the water through iron pipes to fountains in the different streets, whence it was obtained and delivered into the houses by carts and carriers. The supply was not enough for the wants of the town, neither was the water sufficiently pure nor properly filtered. It contained a good deal of vegetable matter at the best of times, as the water was admitted through the porous soil adjoining the river into very small reservoirs, and it had no time to deposit the alluvial matter with which it was charged before it was delivered for use. Moreover, this method of supplying the water by means of steam pumping engines was a constant expense, and the more water that was required the greater would the expense be. I found, also, that an English party had proposed to extend and amplify the existing system, by erecting more powerful engines, and by making receiving and filtering reservoirs upon a much larger scale about three or four miles higher up the Danube, on the same side, where the water was clearer and more free from the sewage of the city. Now, when I considered that the population was even then between five and six hundred thousand, and that it was daily increasing, this pumping system appeared to me to be the worst plan possible to effect the desired object, unless no other means could be found. I therefore determined to explore the environs of the city, as I felt convinced, from the geographical features of the neighbourhood, that there must be numerous streams amply supplied with water, with their beds sufficiently elevated, and with reservoir room to any extent, to afford, by gravitation, an abundant supply of the best water to Vienna, not only for the present number of inhabitants, but for three millions and upwards. In other words, I proposed to conduct the water from some of these sources in a covered aqueduct, simply by its own natural inclination, to a reservoir situated above the tops of the loftiest houses, in the highest part of the city; thus all pumping would be done away with, and a vast yearly expenditure would be saved; the first cost of these works would not exceed the first cost of the extended plan on the old system above mentioned, as proposed to be made higher up the Danube. Further investigation completely established the correctness of my opinion.

On my return I took the railway to Trieste, passing by Baden, Neustadt, up the line or valley of the Leitha, as far as the base of the Sömmering ridge. Here I first visited the Fischa Dagnitz river, one of the tributaries of the Leitha; it is a splendid stream, about twenty feet wide, three to four feet deep, the water as clear as crystal, and flowing over a gravelly bottom. During the height of summer the temperature seldom exceeds 40 degrees of Fahrenheit. It is impossible to imagine a finer stream; it has been analyzed and highly approved by some of the first chemists, who pronounce it to be exceedingly pure. This water could be conveyed by gravitation through a covered conduit to the top of a hill overlooking Vienna, and from thence it could be delivered to the highest parts of the city in ample quantity, without pumping or filtration. The water of the Danube, even after filtration, cannot be compared with it. The Fischa Dagnitz turned a number of mills in its course, and this was the only objection to taking the water. But this was a loss that could easily be compensated for by making reservoirs, to be supplied by the surplus waters of this and other streams. The Fischa Dagnitz, therefore, appeared to me to be decidedly the best source for supplying Vienna with pure water, for any reasonable number of inhabitants. I next examined the Leitha above the Dagnitz, and here I found that there was a superabundant supply, although the water was by no means so good as that of the Dagnitz. I examined several other tributaries to the Leitha, passing over an extensive mass of débris, called the Steinfeld, where I found that by damming some large reservoirs could be made, from which an ample supply could be obtained of the same quality as that of the Leitha, although by no means so good as that of the Fischa Dagnitz. It was quite clear, therefore, that plenty of water could be obtained for Vienna now and for all future time from this quarter. But not wishing to overlook any source from whence a supply of water could be procured, I took the railway from Vienna to St. Polten, a town on the road to Linz.

Here I found a very fine and copious stream, though when I examined it, it was nearly in its lowest state. The ground between it and Vienna was very high, so that to a certain extent pumping must have been resorted to, if this source of supply was adopted. Another objection was the much greater distance as compared with the streams up the valley of the Leitha. I felt therefore satisfied that it would not do, and that the question lay between the Fischa Dagnitz and the tributaries of the Leitha on the Steinfeld above mentioned. All these observations I embodied in a report to the municipality of Vienna, and recommended the Fischa Dagnitz; for although there might be a few feet less fall, still, taking into account the far greater purity of the water, it was the best. The municipality received my report, and returned me their thanks for it. At all events, I had decided the question against taking the water from the Danube.

Having made these investigations and sent in my report upon them, it now remained for the municipality to decide. They said they would take time to consider, and accordingly appointed some of the most able and scientific officers of their own body, as well as those attached to the Government, to investigate the subject further. After above two years’ examination these persons made their report, recommending that the principle of gravitation as proposed by me should be adopted, and that the supply should be taken from the tributaries of the Leitha in the Steinfeld: this was in fact adopting my plan, although I preferred the Fischa Dagnitz as the source of supply, as none could or did dispute the superior quality of its water to all others.

The municipality have been deliberating ever since on the best plan of carrying this great work into effect, whether by a private company, or whether they shall execute the works by contract and supply the water at their own cost. This question, as far as I know, has not been settled, although it has been now nearly six years in agitation; meanwhile the city suffers materially from the want of a good supply of pure wholesome water.

In the spring of 1861 a Mr. Parkenscholz, and M. José de Conté, a member of one of the wealthiest and most respectable families of St. Michael’s, the principal island of the Azores, called and informed me that the Portuguese Government had decided to make a harbour at Ponta Delgada, the chief town of St. Michael’s, the cost of which was estimated at the sum of 134,000l. I replied that I should be willing to undertake the superintendence and construction of this harbour, provided that I was not compelled to serve them beyond the term of four years, and that I was not to be responsible either for the plan or for the amount estimated to complete it. To these terms the Portuguese Government consented, and I started for the Azores in September, 1861.

We reached Ponta Delgada on the 20th September, and were very much delighted with our first view of it. The town rose rapidly from the sea, and presented a most interesting appearance. The spires of numerous churches, starting up from the level of the surrounding houses, pierced the blue sky, while here and there were gardens filled with the gayest of flowers, and groves of orange, lemon, and olive trees, the whole embosomed in a picturesque bay, backed by evergreen conical hills, reminding one a good deal of Naples.

On landing I was received with great ceremony, and was waited on by the Junta at my hotel. The next day I attended a meeting of the Junta at the Governor’s house, when we discussed all the various preliminary operations that were necessary preparatory to commencing the harbour.

It appeared desirable that the first stone should be laid before I left the island, and preparations were ordered to be made accordingly. I gave Mr. Plews full instructions as to what was necessary for this, and having two days to spare I determined to accompany my friend, Mr. Thomas Ivens, on an excursion to Furness, a celebrated watering-place, situated near the eastern end of the island, about 27 miles distant. We started on a couple of good donkeys, with another carrying some provisions, and proceeded along the south shore over a very fair carriage road, for about five miles, through some neat villages embowered in orange and lemon orchards, passing also by comfortable villas and country houses, and then struck in a north-easterly direction across the island over an undulating well-cultivated country, chiefly growing Indian corn and other cereals and green crops. When we reached the summit of this part of the island we got a good view of the mountains to the eastward and of the sea on the north and south sides. We halted for about an hour, and then proceeded to a large town situated on the northern shore, surrounded by rich gardens and fields, having every appearance of prosperity. From thence we proceeded along the north shore over some very steep hills and cliffs overlooking the sea, the road still good, until we got to a little roadside inn about dark. There was, however, light enough from the stars to find our way, so off we set again, and going over a very wild hilly country got to the top of the pass which descended to Furness about ten o’clock at night. Here the road ceased, and we found it necessary to get off the donkeys and walk, for fear of being tumbled over their heads, although they were very sure-footed. At a subsequent visit to this place I crossed over the pass by daylight, and the view from the summit is very fine, looking into what was formerly the crater of a volcano, which is nearly two miles wide, surrounded by lofty rugged hills between 2000 and 3000 feet high, the bottom of the crater valley being now covered with rich verdure and gardens and tropical trees and plants of various kinds. Near the crater was the little village of Furness, with its church and white houses dotted about, and close by were the sulphurous hot baths sending forth volumes of steam, the whole forming one of the most picturesque and agreeable scenes imaginable. We got to the inn at the bottom of the valley at about 12 P.M., thoroughly tired, having ridden and walked for nearly eleven hours. The inn, considering all things, was by no means bad. I got a good bed and supper, and soon fell asleep, while my companion, Mr. Ivens, went to his family, who were stopping there. After a sound night’s sleep I got up in the morning and took a warm sulphur bath as hot as I could stand it, which was about 96°; but you may have the water at almost any temperature, as it issues boiling from the spring. Close by, within a few yards, is a cold chalybeate spring, and not far distant is a vast extent of rich alum deposit, from which great quantities may be extracted, and a manufactory had then commenced operations. I walked about until midday, quite enchanted with the beauty of the place, dined with my friend Ivens and his amiable family, and about one o’clock in the afternoon mounted my donkey and started off with the guide for Ponta Delgada, being determined if possible to get there that night. We had a tolerably stiff hilly road fit only for mules, donkeys, or horses, before we could get out of the valley. Having ascended the summit of the first pass, we had a delightful view behind over the delicious valley of Furness which we had just left. We then came to a rather extensive lake, surrounded by evergreen hills of much less elevation than those surrounding the valley; and on the opposite side of this lake, which was two to three miles long and about a mile wide, we observed the country house of our Consul, Samuel Vines, Esq., seated on the side of a hill about 200 or 300 feet above the lake, embosomed in woods; and at the foot of the hill, close by the water’s edge, was a strong sulphur spring, of the same temperature as those of Furness, and like them covered with clouds of steam. There was not a house near it all round the lake. It was singular that he should have chosen such a solitary spot. I continued along the south and west side of the lake, which is bounded by hills covered with underwood and evergreens, but not a house nor even a shed to be seen; only a few solitary cattle here and there with a shepherd boy. Nothing could be more still or lonely; but at the same time there was a degree of quiet and repose which gave to the place a certain undefinable charm not to be resisted.