The Express.
London, England, 1862-11-22 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, SATURDAY EVENING, NOVEMBER

stinger who passes twice in the same day. Lees than
one fourteenth of this number cross the river by
London-bridge during the nigbk--esat is, between
the hours of eleven p.m. and seven in the
morning.
The great points of obstruction are Tooleretreet
and Fenchuroh-street, where the heavy traffic of
the Eastern districts forces its way from either
side to crow the bridge. The cost of the ap-
proeches to new London-bridge amounted, we be-
lieve, to something like 125,0001.; and yet, for a
large proportion of the heavy traffic, there is
nothing but two pits very destructive to horses.
The ascent from Tooley-street is the mouth of
one hole—the ascent from Fish-street is the
mouth of the other. A constant exchange
of heavy goods, carried on heavy waggons,
takes place between these two low-lying districts.
Rothertithe alone sends one thousand tons of tim-
ber, chemicals, and other goods every week over
the bridge to the neighbourhood east of St. Katha-
rine Docks, and this not for shipment but for
general distribution. From the Limehouae, Shad-
well, and Mile-end districts upwards of seventeen
hundred tons are carted weekly to the south-

:
eastern parts of London. This— a mere fraction of
the traffic—includes one hundred tons a day
brought by vans from the East and West India
Docks district to the South Eastern terminus,
Bricklayers' Arms. Four thousand tons of goods,
chiefly eatables, we believe, pass every week from
the north to this railway—the great feeding
artery of all Kent—without reckoning the mass
which squeezes itself over the bridge to be sent by
the Brighton line through Sussex and along the
south coast. The passengers who pass every year
through the London-bridge station alone, to swell
the crowd on the bridge, must now be about
eighteen millions.

The completion of the South Eastern Railway
Extension to Charing-cross and the City will,
doubtless, help to draw off a little of this
traffic, and the Victoria Station at Pimlico has re-
lieved London-bridge of a good many Brighton
travellers and their luggage. These improvements,
present and to come, however, are not enough to
meet the pressing emergency, and, like drowning
men, we catch at straws. Shall we ever see the
high-level bridge promised us at an exceedingly
low estimate, which is to span the river
somewhere about Tower-stairs ? Where are
thaw steam ferries, built and managed on the
plan found so successful and remunerative on the
Tyne and other crowded rivers ? We are always
behind the provinces in traffic improvements, but
there is no reason why we should never
reach their level of perfection. Surely the
Thames Conservancy Board, and the vested in-
terests of the river, can have no sound objection
to either of these projects ? The high-level bridge
and the steam ferries have been long tried and
not found wanting in places where large and
small ships are as plentiful as blackberries. Ever/
craft on our London river has its fixed appointed
station, and what seems chaos to the uninitiated is
order and simplicity to the experienced surveyor. If
we are told by eminent engineers that a high-
level bridge, and floating platforms to carry horses,
carts, and passengers, will not obstruct the Thames
traffic, we are bound to give the proposed improve-
ment a trial. London-bridge wants a few safety-
valves, and how can we obtain them with the least
cost and trouble ? That is the question. We are ,
disposed to welcome any project—even that which
proposes to build terraces for passengers outside
the parapet of the bridge—if it can be carried out
with safety, and will help to relieve the traffic.
This is not a case in which utility should be sacri-
ficed to beauty. The bridge must be relieved, at
all hazards, of its surplus population. The murky
cloister on one aide, known as Southwark-bridge,
and the echoing underground desert on the other,
known as the Thames Tunnel, can never be made
useful as overflow chambers. In this position,

therefore, we fly readily into the artful of the Sul
sensible projector.

Ilbt emu

WINDSOR CASTLE, Nov. SI.

Her Mglsety, areampanied by Maar Alexandra and
Priam end Prinoses Louis of Herne, walked and drum in the
meads this morning.
To-day is the annivermry of the birthday of the Crown
Princess of Prussia (Prinoess Royal).
The Creches of Cambridge and the Princess Mary visited
her Majesty to-day.

Mr. Henry A. Bruce, M.P., transacted business yester-
day as Girder Secretary of State for the Home Department.
Mr. G. G. Glyn. M.P., Mr. R. W. Crawford, M.P., Mr. H.
W. Blake, Mr. Watkin, Mr. William Chapman, Mr.
Robert Benson, and Captain Glyn, R.N., had an interview
with the Duke of Newcastle yesterday, at the Colonial-
office, on the subject of communication through British
territory to the Pacific.
Despatches were received yesterday at the Colonial-office,
from the Governors of Gibraltar, Malta, Ceylon, Hong
Kong, Labuan, the Australian colonies, and the North
American provinces.

Her Majesty (says the West Surrey Times) is
expected to pay her usual visit to Sir James Clark, at
Baphot Park, during the present month.
. -

Her Majesty has commissioned Mrs. Thorny-
croft to make a boat of the Princess Alexandra of Den-
mark ; and her royal highness is giving, daily, the neces-
sary aittinga for the model.
The Duke of Rutland is entertaining a large
party at Belvoir Castle.
The Marquis of Lansdowne has beeu receiving a
succession of visitors at Bowood during the past week.
The Earl Aunesley arrived at the Royal Pavilion
Hotel on Thursday, and left the following day for the Con-
tinent. _ .

-----
Viscount and Viscountess Palmerston entertained
t dinner last evening, at Cambridge House, the Lord
Chancellor, the Countess of Shaftesbury and Lady Victoria
Ashley, Viscountess Jocelyn and the HOD. Mils Jocelyn,
General and Madame Oxholme, the Right Hon. Sir George
Cornwall Lewis, M.P., and Lady Theresa Lewis, the Hon.
Evelyn Ashley, the Right Hon. C. P. Villiers, M.P., Mr.
Milner Gibson, M.P., Mr. Layard, M.P., Mr. Arthur Rus-
sell, M.P., Mr. Delano, &c. Her ladyship has issued cards
for a dinner and evening party this evening.
Viscount and Viscountess Enfield have arrived
at their residence in Charles•street, Bcrkeley-square, for a
few days.

Sir Anthony and Lady de Rothschild have lel
Grosvenor-place for Aston Clinton.

A marriage will shortly take place between Cap-
tain Arthur Loftus, late of the 18th Hussars, and the Lady
Catherine Loftus.

The Army and Nary Gazette says that a court of
inquiry, composed of the senior officers—Colonels Lambert,
Wynyard, Hon. It. Curzon, and Bruce—of the Grenadier
Guards, has been sitting for some days, to report upon
some of the proceedings which under the designation of
"Turf Scandals" bare acquired such as unfortunate
notoriety.

A 12-ton gun, of lfq, inches bore, is now being
rifled by Sir William Armstrong on the shunt principle.
We (Army and Nor', Gautte) are given to understand
that it is to have six grooves, and that the projectiles are
to have zinc strips for bearings. Besides this gun, a rifled
200-pounder breech-loader is said to be in progress at Els.
wick. It appears to us that it would be the best plan to
confine our attention to making large muzzle-loading,
smooth-bore guns, which can be rifled when a correct prin-
ciple is decided upon ; but to continue making guns of all
sized, patterns, and shapes, which cannot on armunt of
their differeuces be brought into compaiixon, is, we hold, a
waste of public money.
A letter from the President of the Poor-law
Board—who, we regret to bear, is suffering from the effects
of an accident—was read at a meeting held at Wolver-
hampton yesterday, for the purpose of taking steps to assist
jo the alleviation of the calamity which has befallen the
cotton manufacturing districts. In this letter, the right
hon. gentleman pays a warm tribute to the heroic en.
durance of the operatives, and strongly urges their claim to
public charity, inasmuch as " the poor-laws are of them-
selves unequal to such an emergency."
The following meetings of scientific societies wil
be held io the ensuing week :—Monday—Actuaries, 7,

0 Estimating Liabilities of Life Insurance," Mr. Tucker ;
Royal Academy, 8, "Anatomy," Piof. Partridge; Geo-
graphical, 8, " Latest Explorations, Africa," Dr. Living-
stone, &c. Tuesday—Engineers, 8, " Howoes Gill Viaduct,"
Mr. Cudworth; Zoological, 9, "Osteology of Gallinaceous
Birds," Mr. Parker ; " Beaver, Zoological Gardena,"
Mr. Bartlett ; " Human Entozoa," Dr. Cobbold.
Wednesday—Society of Arta, 8, " Utilization of Peat and
Manufacture of Hydro-Carbon Oils," Dr. Paul; Society
of Literature, Si ; Archmological Association, 84,
‘• Tumulus, Maet-Howe, Orkneys," Mr. Pettigrew ;
"Translation of Ruuic Inscriptions in Same," Rev. Prin-
cipal Barclay; "Antiquities in Roman Villa, Somerset-
'hire," Mr. Moore. Thursday—Philological, 8; Royal,
; Antiquar:es,
Mr. Phelps appears in a starring engagement of
twelve nights at the &art" Theatre, commencing Decem-
ber 1.

Dr. Liszt is expected to arrive shortly in Paris ;
it is added, with the intention of giving concerts there.
It is said that tho Viceroy of Egypt inuinils es-

tablishing a French theatre, the inauguration of which will
shortly take place. The Paris press will be invited to this
ceremony. Amongst other amusements which will be
offered to the tarit.'s will be a crocodile hunt.

Among the Arab chiefs who have gone to Com-
piegne is one of the richest in French Africa, namely,
Eschaga of Lljendel-Si-lloualetu, possessing at some leagues
from Miliaoah a considerable estate and residence.

The Lerma !holt! of the 12th says :—"
oglou, one of the principal and richest Armenian bankers of
Constantinople, died suddenly on Monday evening, leaving.
it is said, a fortune of above toe million sterling, nearly
the whole of which has been made out of his dealings with
the government within the lid ten yearn."
A vast quantity of snow has fallen within the
last few days in the Pyrenees and on the Black Mountain,
in the department of the Aude. The weather became so
bad in that department that on Thursday morning last the
diligence which runs between Carcassonne and Guam was
abandoned in the mildle of the road, at about a league
from Martyry. The bursas were prevented from proceeding
further by the immense quantity of 11110 W which had fallen,
and which was still falling. There were three travellers
in the diligence, who would have inevitably perished of
cold and have been buried in the snow had it not been for
the brigade of gendarmerie at Martyrs, who came to their
endgame.

MR. BAITER, M.P., AND THE NATIONAL Ex.
PENOITURE.—Mr. Baxter, 1%1.P., addressed his constituents
at Brecliiu and Forfar ou Thursday. His speeches at both
places were substantially alike, and were chiefly devoted
to a review of the national expeoditure. After speaking in
severe terms against the "excessive armaments" lately it
vogue, and particularly against the fortifications ; and after
giving son's statistics of the iucrease of the war establish-
ment, Mr. Baxter said—" For several reasons I am very tio-
williog to take part in any motion which would have the effect
of upsetting the ministry ; but should they be inconsiderate
enough to propose estimates for IPAi3 on a scale as vast as for
the last few years, I shall feel it to be my duty, as a faith-
ful representative, to give them every opposition in my
power without regard to the cousequenoes. But I hope
that there will be uo necessity fur taking that course." The
hoe. member advccated an extension of the suffrage, con-
demned the government policy in China, advised the
Italians motto be ins hurry to become possessed of Rome
and Venice, and concluded by expressing his approval of the
policy of nou-intervention in the affairs of America. Votes
of thanks to Mr. Bettor were given both at Brechiu and
Forfar.
Dl it. FORSTER, M.P., AT BRADFORD.—Mr. Fors-
ter, addressed a large meeting of his constituents
last night in St. George's Hall, Bradford. The honourable
gentleman spoke on several topics of interest. Referring
to the American question, he strongly condemned any at-
tempt et intervention on the part of England, believing that
so far from its being successful, it would only be
attended with increased difficulty and expense. Those
who advocated intervention, be contended, did so iu the
hope that it would be of advantage to the slave-holding por-
lion of the American community, and Le was of opinion that
in this country we should take no step that would in any way
favour such a result. The war, be observed, might end in one
of four ways—either by re-union with liberty predominant,
by separation with liberty predominant, by re-union
with slavery predominant, or by separation with slavery
predominant. These were four possible alternatives,
but he believed that any peace made by patching up the
slavery question would be a hollow peace; and he there-
fore should give his own preference to a peace founded
either on re-union or separation with liberty predominant.
Speaking of the distress in the cotton districts of Lancashire
and Cheshire, be said if it were found not possible to support
tlie unemployed poor without an application to the national
funds, though loth to make such an application, lie should
be prepared to support it.