LONGEST BRIDGE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18255, 25 November 1933, Page 9

LONGEST BRIDGE

TO CROSS THE ZAMBEZI HAZARDS OF CONSTRUCTION SYDNEY, Nov. 10. Particulars of what will be the the longest bridge in tiie world, at present being built over the lower Zambesi River in the wilds of Portuguese East Africa, were brought to Sydney by Mr. J. A. Edge, accountant to the resident engineer, who arrived by the Anchises. He is en route to his home in Auckland, where ho will spend six months’ furlough. The bridge, said Mr. Edge, which is being built by the Cleveland Bridge and Engineering Company, was commenced in September, 1930, and is expected io be, completed in 1935. It will have 33 spans each 390 ft. long, and will be used only as a railway bridge on tiie Cape to Cairo route. The cost, it is estimated, will be more than £1,250,000. Describing the conditions under which the bridge-builders worked, Mr. Edge said that the camp was 190 miles from the coastal town of Beira, and the only means of transport was by rail, the country being too rough for the construction of roads. The work was being carried out by 100 white men and 2000 natives. The majority of the natives were either Angoni or Anguru. The Anguru had an annoying custom of | digging up dead bodies, and to pre- ] vent this, it was necessary to bury; bodies between two layers of lime and ■ place a quantity of concrete on top j of them. The Angoni, who had I caused considerable trouble in the j missionary days, had become much j more civilised, and were excellent ■■ workers. The camp was situated > close to the grave of Mrs. Livingstone, : wife of the, famous explorer, who was, buried, near the little Portuguese! church.

“Wild animals of every description prowl round the camp,’ said Mr. Edge. "The first night I was there four lions passed the door of the hut, but the animals do not show any ferocity unless angered.” Mr. Edge brought with him the skins of two leopards, which he had shot within a mile of the camp.