Mr。Stephensonaddsthatfromadefectintheconstructiontheabutmentswerethrustinwardsattheapproachesandtheribspartiallyfractured。Weare，however，informedthatthisisamistake，thoughitdoesappearthattheapprehensionatonetimeexistedthatsuchanaccidentmightpossiblyoccur。
Toremedythesupposeddefect，twosmalllandarcheswere，intheyear1800，substitutedforthestoneapproachontheBroseleysideofthebridge。Whiletheworkwasinprogress，Mr。Telford，thewell-knownengineer，carefullyexaminedthebridge，andthusspokeofitsconditionatthetime：——”Thegreatimprovementoferectinguponanavigableriverabridgeofcast-ironofonearchonlywasfirstputinpracticenearCoalbrookdale。Thebridgewasexecutedin1777
byMr。AbrahamDarby，andtheironworkisnowquiteasperfectaswhenitwasfirstputup。Drawingsofthisbridgehavelongbeenbeforethepublic，andhavebeenmuchandjustlyadmired。”*
[footnote……
PLYMLEY，GeneralViewoftheAgricultureofShropshire。