RENNIE, JOHN, an eminent civil engineer, was horn at Phantassic, near East Linton, East Lothian, June 7, 1761. His preliminary education was obtained at the parish school of East Linton, and supplemented by two years at Dunbar, where he was indoc trinated into pure mathematics, After being for some time a workman in the employ ment of Mr. Andrew Meikle, celebrated in connection with the thrashing-mill (q.v.), ho proceeded to Edinburgh, where he attended the lectures on natural philosophy by Dr. Robison, and those on chemistry by Dr. Black (q.v.). Furnished with a recommenda tion from prof. Robison, lie visited (1780) the works of "Messrs. Boulton & Watt at Soho, near Birmingham, and was immediately taken into employment by that eminent firm. Here his mechanical genius soon displayed itself; and so highly did Watt esteem Rennie, that he gave him, in 1789, the sole direction of the construction and fitting-up of the machinery of the Albion mills, London; and the ingenious improvements effected in the connecting wheel-work were so striking, that Rennie at once rose into general notice as an engineer of great promise. Abundance of mill-work now flowed in upon him, and the thorough efficiency of his workmanship greatly contributed to his fame. To this branch of engineering he added, about 1799, another—the construction of bridges; and in this branch also his pre-eminent talent and ingenuity displayed them selves. The elegance and solidity of his constructions, the chief of which were raised at Kelso, Leeds, Musselburgh, Newton-Stewart, Boston, New Galloway (and at other places afterward mentioned), were universally admired; Rennie's greatest work in this department was the Waterloo bridge over the Thames, said to be the noblest structure of its kind in the world, and it certainly combines in the happiest proportions the quali ties of grandeur and simplicity. It was commenced in 1811, and finished in less than six years, at a cost of more than £1,000,000. Another of his works is the Southwark
bridge, which was built on a new principle, cast-iron arches resting on stone piers, and was finished in four years at an expense of £800,000. He also drew up the plan for the London bridge, which, however, was not commenced till after his death. We have only space to enumerate the rest of his great engineering achievements: he superin tended the execution of the Grand 'Western canal in Somerset, the Polbrook canal in Cornwall, the canal joining the Don and Dee in Aberdeen, that between Arundel and Portsmouth, and chief of all, the Kennet and Avon canal between Newbury and Bath. The London docks, the East and West India docks at Blackwall, with their goods' sheds, the Hull docks, the Prince's dock at Liverpool, and those of Dublin, Green ock, and Leith, were all designed, and wholly or partially executed under his superin tendence. He also planned many improvements on harbors and on the dockyards of Portsmouth, Chatham, Sheerness, and Plymouth; executing at the last-mentioned port the most remarkable of all his naval works, the celebrated breakwater. Rennie died Oct. 16, 1821, and was buried in St. Paul's cathedral. Rennie's great merit as an engineer consisted in his almost intuitive perception of what, was proper to be done to effect the assigned purpose. Another striking characteristic of his works is the remark able combination in them of beauty and durability. In this respect, Rennie had no rival; and though his works are frequently objected to on the ground of their expensive ness, yet their lasting qualities will-in the end more than compensate for this. In per son Rennie was of extraordinary stature and herculean strength—characteristics which have for a lengthened period distinguished his family, and with reference to which numerous tales are still current regarding many of his relatives.