The Express.
London, England, 1862-05-26 00:00:00

OPENING OP NEW WESTMINSTERBRIDOE.

On Saturday morning, at a quarter-pmt four
o'clock, the roadways sad tramways of the new Westmin-
ster-bridge were opened for traffic. This early hour for the
opening was selected as it was the hour of the birth of her
Majesty, on the 24th of May, 1819, at Kensington. A salute
of 25 gnus was fired at the same time, corresponding with
the number of years which her Majesty has reigned. The
plan which hes been adopted of building the bridge by
halves necessitated the use of the footways in the first in-
stance for the light traffic, and a few days will elapse
before the footways are laid. As Mr. Cowper bad
promised that the bridge should be opened in May,
Mr. Page, the engineer, exerted himself to the utmost
to have everything ready for the traffic, and it was very ap.
propriately decided that, as far as possible, this should be
' completed by the Qoesn's birthday. But for the lamented
death of the Prince Consort her Majesty would have her-
self been present at the open* of the mew bridge. The
new bridge is very nearly Wen as wide as any of the
bridges over the Thames. Within the parapets it is 84 feet
2 inches wide. Of this the footways occupy 28 feet, the
road for the light traffic 39 feet, the tramways 14 feet
8 inches, and the space between them 2 feet 6 inches. The
tramways consist of iron plates. bolted to timbers, and laid
upon an *Annie bed of cork and bitumen. The curb of the
footway is formed of ROY of Mull granite ; the footway
itself is of Blashfield's terra Gotta. It inclines towards the
parapet with a fall of 14 inch, and a gutter on each side
carries off the water. The value of this material for paving
purposes may be estimated by the fact that when rubbed
with sand and water against Yorkshire @toile the stone lost
twice as much as the terracotta. The pavement is laid in
diamonds, and it has a very pluming effect The bridge
consists of seven arches, and has been already fully described
in our columns. It was commenced in May, 1854, and the
works continued in progress to March, 1856, when they
were interrupted by the failure of the contractors. A further
delay of about two years took place, in which parliament
discussed over and over again the question of proceeding
with the bridge upon the present site, and it was not till
about the middle of 1859 that Mr. Page was enabled to
vigorously with the work. This is the fourth
=I which that engineer has constructed over the
Thames, and the work is one which reflects the highest
credit upon his good taste as an artist, and his practical ex-
perience as an engineer.

CRYSTAL PALACE.-The annual fetes of the vi
archers of the Called Hawk= will be held at the Crystal . 1
Palace ow Thursday end Fndq bent. There will he a dial:day
of the whole swim of fountains next Saturday.
Raw= AND HOLIIE RAILWAY.—The contract for , !
this railway hes been takes by Mr. W. S. Simplot', of Ely,
and es moo as polemics has beau °Maned of the lead the . i
first sod will be tamed by the Hoe. M. Fellewsw, wife of
Mr. E. I/Nowa, M.P., the ahairsum ot the easepany. The
new line will effort a junotiou with the Great Northam .
system at Holum, about us tulles south of Peterborough ;
sad favourable working arratuponate have be.. morad.
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