Scope and Contents Born in France in 1769, Brunel escaped to America during the French Revolution. In the United States he was involved in linking the Hudson River with lake Champlain, a scheme that never happened. He submitted plans for the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. They were not selected. In 1796 he became an American citizen and was appointed as chief engineer of New York City. Brunel designed a way to manufacture pulley blocks used on sailing vessels. He sailed to England to present his...