The Express.
London, England, 1863-12-24 00:00:00

INDON. THURSDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 24. 1883.

ROYAL ALHAMBRA.—Continued and
combated success of raattowire CIRQUE IMPERIAL
This renowned Troupe. comprialog the beet Stud of Tried and
Manage Horses in the World, together with the First Star Male
and Female Equestrians, Acrobats, Gymnasts, Clowns and
Vaulters in either hemisphere, atingle eathuslastlc and de-
lighted audiences nightly to this magnificent building, who
behold with wonder and admiration the Marvelbou Feats of this
far-famed Company. Change of Programme Nightly. morning
Perfrresanoes Mondays, wedabauwa. and Saturdays at Two.
Two Grand Performances on Boling Dsy, rig_ Two and Half-
Rzt,Sevea. Admisgion —Private Boxes, One Guinea: Reserved
Stalls and Balcony, b. : Pit and Promenade, la:
Gallery ed. Box-ofice open daily.
M
.JCL= PEREZ. from Madrid, the Greatest Itider of the
age, will appear every evening.

THE OXFORD.—THIS EVENING (first time)
a new and OCT Cantata, written by Litcharld Moseley,
Fag and composed W. Meyer Lutz expressly for this este-
bilahment, entitled NW CH lISTMAII, supported by tbe entire
company. with tall band and chorus. Otrector, Mr. F. Jonah-
mans. Comedy by Usaworth, Eugene, W. Randall, T. Madigan,
and those wooderoua artistes, Messrs. Berri, Leach, and Fester,
iron the Impend Circa., Madrid, their lint appearanes.

TEE REGENT NEW MUSIC HALL,
Regent-street, Vincent-square. near Victoria-etre* Wad-
minater. GRAND TREAT for the CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS.—
The largest company. handsomest hall. and the beet comic taw*
with the latest novelty, the Biondi& Monkey. ascending the high
rope with his brother on his back Daring Achim emeuts of the
Pinthees

VEGHOST CLUB, an entirely new Spectral
Zotertsinment. istmetneing startling and no *Deets
never beam attemptimi. ?reduced under tie immediate super-
Wisdom eg Protemor FIPPLE, and by bolos el Z.
MUM, gyp.—CA2MULBURY HALL. Wes .1116111.405 d.

TIISSAUD'S HISTORICAL GAL-
IN/LT. letabhshed VI juveniles the &mar, Baker-street.
GREAT AITRACTION for the during the ROWDILY&
The series of Ilfwalse models of the Kings of England, from the
Conqueror to that of her present Majesty, attired to the esag-
Mated lostames of the respective periods, are now nearly cam-
=„Land In the Chamber of Physiognomy ars several new
Admittance. is. ; Extra Booms, 6d. Open on Boning-
day from Ilan. dB 10 p.m.

WATHIIRSTON and BROGDEN'S GOLD
MAINS ay troy weight, at realisable tortilla and the
workinanship at wholesale an pines. The gold
la the chains guaranteed, and re-pa/chased at the price charged.
" Here's the note,
How much your chain weighs, to the utmost carat
The Anenera of the gold, and charge for fashion."
Lan dowma:in
Manufactory, No. 16, Hentiettaa --Mum
treet, Covenagardea, W.C.
grays made of chains and Jewellery tar la. seek
N.& This eidablishnuuit la closed at 6 in the evening, and coo
%brim at l o'clock.

CHRISTMAS PRESENTS and NEW YEAR'S
GIFTS; for all who court the Gay and Festive Scenes.—
ROWLANDS' MACANIAR OIL, a preserver and beautifier of the
lair beyond all precedent. Rowlands' Halyolor, for imparting a
radiant bloom to the consplexion, sad a softness and delicacy to
the hands, arms. and neck. Rowlands' Wool., or Pearl Denti-
frice, for giving a pearl-like whiteners to the teeth and fragrance
to the breath. The patronage of royalty throughout Europe,
their general use by rank and fashion, and the universally known
em acy of these articles, give them • celebrity un eled.
Sold by A. 'LOWLAND and SONS, ID, Wilton it and by
abandsta sad partanews.—Auk ter " Rowlands' " articles.

MUD I E'fil SELECT LIBRARY. —BOOKS for
all READIRS.—Neerty all the boob advertised In the
Daily News of this day se now reedy ate In circulation or on sale
at lindies LDnq. The principal forthcoming books will also
be added to the Dbrv7 In Inge numbers at they appear. lint
class subscription. one guinea to 100 guineas per annum, accord-
ing to the number of volumes required. Prospectuses on appli-
eation.—CHAßLES EDWARD MUDIE, New Oiford.street ; City
Mike, 4, King-street, Cheapdde,

MIIDIE'S SELECT LIBRARY.—The
▪ LONDON BOOR SOClETY.—Mudie's Library liesseogers
aell, on appointed days, to deliver books at the residences of
asibeeribers to the London Book Society in every part of London
and the Immediate neighbourhood. The supply of new books to
this, as re the other departments of the Library. Is in libersi
proportion to the demand, the preference being given to works
of sterling interest sod valve. Prospectuses postage free on
applicatiort—CHAßLlE3 EDWARD MIDI& New Oxford-street

NNOTICE.— The COURT JOURNAL is the
leading Court sad Inahlonable Weekly Paper, baring been
established 34 years. It contains a rag mount of or glual,
general, court, fsahlonable, sporting, and naval and military
1101/11 not to be found In sety sSher paper. Prim 34.. stamped.
01—W. Tlaomas,aßs.ygumehmet, Strand . all sews agents, and
at the Railway S

" GOING ALONG" in MILA N. —The
BUILD= of THIS DAY contains Now of a Tour to
nal". with Dlualsatton from Milan Cathedral—View and Plan
cd proposed Lamrick.—nsw of Ancroft Chard. and Pals
Towor—The Circumstances of Eminent bleu - Nomenclature of
Streets—French Finance—Nees from Mrlbourue, Bombay, dc.
—Cauca of Disease, Ac. ; nod all art new& A New Volume will
oniuneuce neat Yost-sheet, Covent-garden ; and all
WIWNOIM.

will not be an exception to the rule which distin•
guishes the British from the foreign railway stations;
but it is a very large, commodious, and effective
structure•

j Passing from the station to the railway bridge
which now spans the Thames from Charing-moss to
Lambeth, much may be said to the honour of the
engineer who, under most disadvantageous circum-
stances, has, by a cheap process, converted a foot
bridge into one of the most commodious and sub-
stantial railway bridges in the world, without de-
priving the public of the pedestrian acoommodation
they previously enjoyed. The new Charing-cross
Bridge will compare advantageously with any
structure of its class. It is a lattice bridge,
resting on cart-iron columns, with spans of 154 feet
between each opening. The roadway is laid with
four lines of rails, and the foot passenger traffic is
provided for ou each aide the bridge, by carrying
out two seven feet paths, resting on iron brackets
and divided from the railroad by a low railing.
The colouring of this bridge has been the subject
I of many experiments ; but at length an effect has
been produced which is generally regarded as
extremelfutiitable. Venetian red buboes-selected
llt for the general colouring, with a gilding for the
ornamentations and for all the bosses and pin
heads of the iron work. The general effect is
admirable, especially under the effect of sunshine
The bridge itself has been well adapted to railway
purposes, but it may be questioned if its architec
tural effect is not somewhat marred by the station
signals with which it has been found necessary to
surmount it. The great extent and diversity of
the traffic which is expected at the Charing-cross
station renders these station signals desirable ;
otherwise, as the South Eastern line itself is worked
by telegraph from station to station, such elaborate
precautions would scarcely appear necessary.
After crossing the bridge to the Lambeth shore,
between Messrs. Goding's Brewery upon the left
and the new range of buildings erected as store
warehouses for the India government upon the
right, the passenger will begin to appreciate the
very different character of the property on either
side the Thames. He has just left " the finest site
in Europe" on the Charing-cross shore ; on the
Lambeth side he reaches a most wretchedly dilapi-
dated district, extending from the southern bank of
the Thames to the point in the Waterloo-road at
which the Charing-cross line forms a junction with
the South Western. In this limited journey several
skew bridges are thrown across the streets ; and
here it may be observed that whilst on the street
aide those bridges by no means present an attrac-
tive appearance, from the railway they are distin-
guished by the superior character of their engineer-
ing construction.

A curve from the York-road to the Waterloo-road
brings the Charing-crces line to the point at the
east front of the South Western station, at which
the two lines are to correspond. If the correspond-
ence is to be complete, there must, however, be
more convenient accommodation at this junction.
At present the passengers for the two lines will
have to change carriages and pass across a platform
in order to effect a communication : in fact it does
not yet appear bow the two companies will work
their lines so as to give the passengers on the
South Western line the advantage of passing to
Charing-cross, or those from the City and Charing-
cross the advantage of using the South Western.
This is a very important matter ; and it may be
especially commended to the attention of the South
Western directorate. It cannot be expected that
when the Charing-cross line is opened their short
traffic passengers from Richmond, Kingston, Hamp-
ton Court, Leatherhead, &c., will be content to be
landed in the dirty purlieus of the Waterloo-road,
although the manager of the South Western does
think, as he told the House of Lords, that "the
Waterloo station is • very convenient station
indeed," and that "it is not so necessary to get to
Charing-cross, because," as he says, "1 think
the Waterloo is sufficiently convenient for that
part of London. It is just as well
to say at once that the public do not agree with
Mr. Scott. The South Western passengers will
demand to be carried toCharing-eross, although Mr.
Scott " does not think that it would be any ad-
vantage to them." The question between the com-
panies is probably a question of terms. Without
professing or desiring to know anything on that
head, the interests of the public demand that the
terms should be settled.

After passing the Waterloo junction, the Charing-
cross line proceeds to the east, with three lines of
rails, one of which is intended to be exclusively appro.
printed to the traffic from Charing-cross to Cannon-
street, when the Cannon-street branch is finished.
The first crossing after leaving Waterloo is at Broad-
wall, on the west side of the Blackfriars-road. The
Blackfriars-road station is on the east side of that
road, and immediately adjoins what is best known
as "Rowland Hill's Chapel." The Blackfriais-road
station is handsome and commodious, with double
platforms of great length. Evidently a large traffic
is expected at this point, both for east and west, and
considering the population iu the immediate vici-
nity, it can scarcely be doubted that there will be a
very great number of passengers in each direction,
if the fares admit, and if trains are run with
sufficient frequency and despatch. This Blackfriars-
road station, it may be observed, is the great in-
termediate station of the line.

Just beyond the Blackfriars-road the Charing-
cross line is crossed, ou a still higher level than its
own, by the Loudon, Chatham, and Dover Railway
from the Elephant and Castle to Blackfriars-bridge.
At this point a tine view is obtained of St. Paul's
Cathedral, which, despite the elevation of the rail-
way, looks higher and more majestic than ever.
Passing ou from the Blackfriara to the Southwark-
bridge-road, the hue passes through a district
which it is of immense advantage to the metropolis
to open. For years past the property on what was
known as the Winchester-house estate, in South-
wark (the ancient site of the episcopal palace of the
bishops of Winchester), has been an opprobrium of
the metropolis. Air and light have now been let
into this filthy locality, and a number of works
have also been revealed the very existence of which
in Southwark had previously only been known to
the initiated ; amongst others, some very extensive
iron foundries, which come close up to the railway,
and demonstrate that all "the Borough" is not
devoted to the manufacture of silk hats.

Just before the line reaches Union-square,
Messrs. Potts' extensive vinegar-ground is passed,
and a distant view ia obtained of Southwark-bridge.
Shortly after the line reaches the new street, formed,
under the direction of the Metropolitan Board of
Works, to make as approach to Loudon-bridge from
Westminster, and which is to be opened on the
same day as the railway. A sharp curve