The Express.
London, England, 1864-12-09 00:00:00

[Stamped, ld. Additional.)

OPENING OP CLIFTON SUSPENSION BRIDGE.

CLIFTON, Timmy.

In the year 1753, one of the worthies of Bristol,
Alderman Vick, benneallted by his will to the society of
merchant ventures of that city a sum of 1,0001. to form a
fund for the erection of a stone bridge across the river Avon
here, and after a lapse of more than a century the dog"
modified by the discoveries of modern Karim, has been nom•
plated. Today has been set apart by the people of Clifton
and Bristol, aided by the wieumulated population of Somer.
est, Glowasstenhire, and largo coetributions from other
adjacent counties, as a gala day, to celebrate the opening of
Clifton Suspension-bridge. It has been no long "on the
stocks " that those who have at length brought it to per-
fection may well express au exuberance of joy at its final
launch.

To celebrate the inauguration of what will henceforth he
looked upon se one of the wonders of the engineering skill
of the nineteenth century, most extensive prows-
Cons had been made by the kcal authorities. A
general holiday was proclaimed, and •101311011 trains
brought in thousands of visitors from all porta
of the country, notwithstanding the discomforts of
the sewn. Bushier has been mainly suspended, and the
maritime city has bsdismied itself in holiday &titre, and
oohed heel eat in imp and banners innumerable, auk*
he dingy stmte as gay as eircanistanese and the semen of
the year would permit. An inaugural proomaioa was
marshalled in a central position in Bristol at as early hoer
of the day, and proceeded through the principal streets of
that city to its Clifton suburb. It comprised the
Naval Reserve, the North Somerset Yeomanry
Cavalry, the Royal Gloucestershire Hums, the
Bristol Volunteer Artillery, with field gobs,
the Bristol Volunteer Engineers, and the Bristol Volunteer
Rifles. -The military and naval procession was supplemented
by the shipwrights, the FlllOOl4llOll/, the Foresten, Druids,
and other friendly societies and trades carrying flags and
emblems. These having arrived at Clifton joined the
official' co whom devolved the more active part of the
day's cermannial, and between 12 and 1 o'clock the bridge
procession, fa something like the following order, proceeded
to cram the bridge :—Contractors, Mews. Cochran* and
Grove; Superintendent of Works, Mr. T. Airey, and bridge
workmen • Naval Reserve ; North Somerset Yeomanry ;
Glonorteeshire Humus ; Bristol Volunteer Artillery, with
guns and band; Bristol Volunteer Rifles and band;
Colonel /knacker (inspecting field officer) nod Staff
Officers ; Naval, Military, and Volunteer Officers ;
Field-offioers of Volunteer Corps; Consuls of various ea.
Coos ; the Bishop of Gloucester aid Bristol, attended by
his Chaplain end Secretary ; Dean of Bristol and Canoes ;
Incumbents of Clifton and Christchurch ; High Sheriffs of
Somerset and Cikracestonhire ; Earl Dude, lord-lieutenant
of Gloaerearashirs ; the Earl of Cork, lord-lieutenant of

Somersetattire • Air.. for Bristol, Gloucestershire, and So.
inersotshiro ; 'ltairman of Bridge Committee, X. Huish,
Esq. ; Deputy-chairotan, Captain D. Calton ; Directors ;
&tessera, Mows. Hawkahaw and Barlow ; Solicitors ;
Secretary, Captain Claxton, R.N. ; Ancountanta, Auditors;
and Shareholders; Mayor and Corporation of Bristol,
Society of Merchant Venturers ; Frooroseons, Odd Fel-
lows, Foresters, Druids, and other Friendly Societies and
Trades.

Contrary to expectation the military, naval
un reserve,
and rrliners marched over the bridge, and their measured
tread was • severe test. The bridge oscillated sensibly, mad
Mae observers estimated the oscillation at a foot. The
heavy guns palming over the bridge had also • sensible
effect in depressing it at the point where they peeped. This
could be best observed from below. The river was crowded
with vessels, and all the beautiful slopes and rocks own-
mending • view of the bridge WWII crowded with spectston.
The heights of St. Vincent's Rock. were crowded with people,
sod the authorities had wisely placed barriers to prevent
their too near approach to the edge of the cliffs. Jost se tie
aeranosies were ended • large vessel was towed ander
the bridge by • steamer, on her way to Bristol.
On the arrival of the corporation at the Somersetehire end
of the bridge a salute was fired by the artillery, and the
trades with their curious devices having all passed over, each
man " fined shout," sad returned over the bridge. Oa the
snivel of the corporation at the Clifton aide of the river the
Mayor (Mr. Jose), with the corporate body, the bishop,
clergy, and officials, ascended a dais erected opposite to a
large stand placed for the acomoroodation of ladies, when

Mr. BrISH, chairman of the suspension bridge directors,
read au addinss containing a short history of the undertakieg
(more fully gives above), and in which the following pas-
sage, addressed to the lads-lieutenant of the counties of
Somerset and Gloucester, occurred :
Supported by the old trustees, encouraged by • revival
of public /oolitic stimulated by • desire to remove • re-
proach, and honour the memory of Brunei, inipriend also
with the national character of the work, they aliened •
fresh act of parliament, and, aided by a new body of pro.
priming, they have boon enabled, in lies than four years, to
knob the grand work of act—a work highly creditable to
their distinguished eoginers, tied calculated to begot the
greatest local utility. In thus drawing their labours to •
close, and on the occasion of dedicating the bridge to the
service of the public, the directors congratulate themselves
on the mines of her Majesty's repremetatives for the
counties of Glonoester sod Somerset. They coefideutly be-
lieve that the result of their 111.1114i0111 will be sonnies to
the publio weal, and that the structure which they now
deliver over to your lordships officially to open will form •
bond of social nice betweee the counties me enduring as
the chaise With now for all time indissolubly link them
together.
The Bishop of Gicincterelt and BBIIITOL, all people being
uncovered, offered up • prayer of thankegivin foe lin
successful termination of the work, and banichieg the
blessing of God upon it, concluding with the Lord's
Prayer, in which all the vast ammenitilage within hearing
joined. Having delivered the pada& Meaning,
Earl DOOM, Lord Lieutennt of Gloucestershire, then
mine forward and ousgratulated the chairman and directors
of the company os the ascomsful completion of • beautiful
end useful structure, which not ugly had dope honour to a
great name, but had conferred a lasting benefit on the
neighbourhood. Os behalf of the county of Gloucester
and of the city and county of Bristol he declared the Clifton
Suapeomian-bridge open for foot peneniers from the next
(Friday) leering.
The Earl of Cook followed. After thanking the directors
for the opportunity they had afforded him of being preens
' on that intorestiog ocessios, he said it was • proud day for
the citizens of Bristol to me that work completed what was
so doubt coasidared is Aldernsua Vick's time as • chimera.
The bridge they bad that day assembled to epos was Dot
only beautiful is its structure, but it was almost unique of
it. kind for the speedy way in which it had been erected.
It was • credit alike to the late Mr. Brunel—hear,
hear)—es to those gentlemen present among them who had
carried out him great design. If the applause of the living
was a stimulus to others to do their duty, wady occasions
like that they had assembled to celebrate afforded that
stimulus. He felt proud to represent the county of Somerset
on that °nolo°, and on its behalf pronounced the bridge
open from the following morning.
The ceremony of inauguration being elided, the artillery
on the Someneishire able of the river fired a salute of

twent;•oce guns, and cheers from thousands and thousands
of throats net tbe air. The ran, which had been obscured
by rain early is the day, now shone out brilliantly, and the
spectacle wu altogether most exhilaratiag sad exciting.
Special cheers were gives for the Chairman, Mr. Aim, the
engiosers, the coatractors, the directors, and t►e ladies,
and the crowd gradually dispersed as the National Anthem
being played by the assembled bands.
At b o'clock the directors pre a banquet to the lords-
lieutenant and visitors, and At 8 p.m, the bridge was to be
illuminated with the electric light.
The only Ka:idiot which occurred wee the giving way et
scaffolding with a bomber of ladies upon it, several of whoa
were takes to the hospital, end we regret to it, found to
be mach iajand.

TRE ARRIBT 01 • FILNIAN to InsLAND.--The
young ores who some days ago was arrested is Skibbsrees,
oe • charge of beiag • member of the Fenian ceospinicy,
was as Wedreaday broeght before the megistrales at petty
uric.., sad fay committed le steed 6btrial as the
swims. The basalt refired to some' bail for bin. They
hare acted with • vigour sad finnan* which the pablic will
app ore. It is act the dust earesion as which bereft of this
absurd bat wicked plot have bees fared is the locality,
mid the mistaken lemeacy with which offredere have Mae
treated by the authorities has bed the edema el perystriatisg
the evil. A severe sample should be made if guilt be
breeght borne to the accured.—Dublin Ezra..

[TWOPENCE

ADDRESS OP THE LAITY TO THE TWO
ARCHBISHOPS.

Yesterday, by appointment of his Grace the
Archbishop of Canterbury, a coesidierable number of the
laity of the church of England attended at Lambeth Palate,
to present to the Archbishops of Canterbury and York
an address, thanking their gz for their remit pastoral
letter to the clergy and laity of their respective provinces,
in reference to the recent judgment of the Judicial Com-
mittee of the Privy Ceasel in the cam of the two writers
in' Eamys and Reviews," ain't whom proceeding were
takes by the Bebop of and the Rev. Mr. Feudal'
respectively.
4imose the laity present were Earl Romosy, Si, Brooke
H.P., Mr. Newdergsie, .11LP., Professor Donaldson,
BMer*.iraerish (formerly Governor of Bombay). Mr. Nugent,
Mr. ilawkseworth, Mr. Sidney Kirby Sir W. James, Mr.
Ca!lZMt. H. 11. Palley, Oolosid'Geddes Walker,
, H. Roars, Mr. J. G. Talbot, Mr. Wilbraham
Taylor, Sir Welter Farquhar, Mr. W. H. Gladstone Me
of the Obsesellar of the Exchequer), the Hoe. A. Kin-
saint, M.P., Lord Richard Caveacush, M. There were also
semal elernymen socompenying de tabors, including
Gees Wordsworth, Dr. /elf, Rev. W. Maya", Rev. Dr.
Wilk Jam'., Rev. R. T. West, Rev. R. Lirl-
do. Interim Rev. K. Parkinson Rev. 0.
send, and Rev. C. K.
Parke Vincent, Rev.
Oakley.
Bruce, Rev. G. Filer Town-
,
Letten of Avalon ware seat by the Ear of Shrewsbury.
' the Earl of Sury, Laid Lemma Gower, Mr. J. C.
Oskinlems, Mr. G. Hamilton,i of the Dreamy, and sr
real Mien. The two archbishops having taken their
seats is the library, the Archbishop of Canterbury in
the presidential chair, and the Archbishop of York on hie
right hand, the tation advanced to the table, and
Ear! BOUM, the Archbishop of Canterbury,
said—Then being so few people in town at the present time,
it falls to my lot instead of, as I could have wished, to same
perm of pester weight and importance, to present
to your grace an address from the laity of the church of
Peeked, and which, as it explains itself I will with your
grace's pannier= proceed to read without further re-
mark. It is ea follows :—" To his Grace the Lord Arch-
bishop of Cariterbery, Primate of all Eagle nd and Metro.
po/itan,—We, the undersigsed laymen of the several pro-
visoes of Ragland and Inland, hereby acknowledge with
deep gratitude the pastoral they issued by your grace to
clergy and laity of issued
of Canterbury.
Our fervent prayer es that your grace may be richly
endowed with wisdom from on high, and may be enabled,
with the other prelates and bishops of the United Church
of Enigma aad Mlaud to take effectual counsel for up-
holdieg, amid the peculiar dangers of the present times,
the divine authority of Holy Scripture, and the integrity of
the faith, so that the gospel of our Lord and Saviour may
be taught in all its purity among ourselves, and handed on,
without diminution or additions, to our children's chil-
dren." I have a similar address to his Grace the Arch-
bishop of York, which, as it is drawn up in the same words,
it will sot be nocemery fur me to read. I may, however,
be allowed to ea) that these addresses have been signed by
no less then 131,01.10 persons, and in amoral instances the
signatures are those of persons representing meetings more
or leas numerously Meade& so that the signatures attached
to these domunente represent a much larger number of per-
sons than the 137,000 who have actually signed them.
The addresses having been beaded .m,,
The Archbishop of CANTISILBURY emid—My Christian bra.
three, I accept with cordial &dialectic° the expression of
your gratitude for the pastoral letter which I recently ad-
dressed to the clergy and laity of my province odder cir-
cumstances of no imry gravity. Articles of belief which
had ever been held by the church catholic and by all its
several breaches seemed to be impugned, and deep anxiety
pervaded the minds of a large proportion of the lumbers of
our church. I then felt myself called upon to give my
reasons for having dissented from the recent judgment of
the Privy Council. The principle on which I proceeded is
the very principle laid down and recognised by that
judgment itself—viz., that such rule or teaching
only is to be ameibed to the church as we
fluid to be expressly stated in her articles or formu-
laries, or which is plainly Involved in, or to be collected
from, that which is written. Media:arises is question seem
to me to be so pkialy involved in or to be collected from
the attires and familiarise of our church, that I had
no alternative but to dissect from a judgment which affirmed
the castrary, sad it is most gratifying to me to find that the
course I then plumed is so commit with the views and
feelings of the large and important body of churchmen
whom yea remount, sad that there is so resolute a de-
termination ea their part to maintain and uphold the cardinal
doctrines of (ins church.

The Archbishop of Your rat replied a. follows :
My Quietism brethren, I thank you most smosrely for the
address this has just been read so far as it relates to
myself. I thank you for the support which it gives to or,
whose SZPII6OIIOII I. the episcopal car hat been short, and
who would gladly her left the leading part in these &o-
ccasions entirely to older and wiser prelates. Nothing but
a akar seer of duty would have drawn from me the pas-
toral letter to which the address is a reply. I do not
conceal trout myself that tree are times of severe trial.
The pence of Our Lord Himself and the divine doctrines
that fell from His own lips will hardly escape the criticism
which has begun with the book that revere them. But,
on the other head, past agr have seen the semi kind of
steno cloud the sky, and the storm has , and the sue
of Rightseessoss shines still u in the heavens.
Author of Light end Life to the.. that torn towards Him.
I am Denuded that this will be the issue now, ere If the
steno he long, and Trey hearts fail boner of it. The duty
of Christian trans at this time is not difficult to see. The
church of Engird is founded oe the Word of God—that is
her law and bar doctrine. She has no other weapon against
the sin and evil ia the world. Our duty is to be mare and
more active in • that Word—more earret in the
study 7 of It, sod of Al that can throw light upon it—more
ssdubaa in preaching warning and orrealatioes asw.
vincingly to oar more dilreet in instrooting our
ehildren—more ul that our preaching shall be not as
echo of some prism:ration, but an application of eternal
truths to the needs of men and women in this somewhat
lazurioue and self hadideent, but hatclikeasi 11 this
is the effect of our pressed troubles** church of Christ
may emerge from them charred and strengthened for her
wort of tuning souls to Clint.
The proceedings then terminated.

THE DW OP WESTMINSTER ON TERCEN.

T 1 ABib tt.

An address we. delivered that evening at
Myddeltee Hall, Uppmetreek Islington, ma the three
tercentooaries of 1864 via.:—Calvin, Galileo, and Shake
pear*, by the Very Bar. the Dean of Westminster. The
hall was well filled by a highly respectable eornpasy.
The Rev. DUI observed that duriog the year INA
three tormatmaries bed been celebrated is Eurpe—Calvin.
at Gamma ; Galileo, in Italy ; and Shakespeare to &seised.
Now, he would ask, what advantagen might be !mural from the
rerassabrame of these three great names! They had been
broaght before the public la • manner the bke of which might
never mom stale. When on the 27th Nay, 1564. Calvin
died, it was Sweatt that when his sun went dolma the same
light would sever be seen again. Bat what name did Calvin
leave behind him? He was an instance that a man may
hi greatly esteemed in his own time, and hie fame become
greatly diminished after death. At his death Do Same bad
acquired such a height. As Hooker said then, "it was safer
to attack all other estate than to attack the character of
Cahn." Bat hie great fame was now no looter what it
ma wee. Erasmus and Luther were still powerful, while
Caleb' had left little behind. Bat he lad left two great
legacies—the Ent was the doctrines of predestisatino. This
dootrise still lived. True it was that there was One higher
than man, and whatever wee good in man came directly from
ibexes. Carla had meshed this doctrine to SIMS, yet he
bad helped to heed it down to the present time. The next
feature in hie history was that be established st Geneva
liberty and a high state of morality, though perhaps too
severe sad rigid. Yet did he introduce into that little town
an atmosphere so healthy, that the wealthy of Europe
seat their woe to Geneva to be educated and kept oat of
the path et temptation. Calvin paused away, aid his death
wee felt to be as afilictioo to the world at large. But
there was one born two months before Calvin's death, and
another one mouth before, and these two men were as far
above Colvin as the Mamas were shove the earth. The
matbeinaticim and the writer of plays soared far above the
theologian—Galileo, the father of astronomy; and Shakes-
pean,tholeMrptetrefhamannatare. Clalileo,apastf roes the
scientific beessaa66is conferred oe can by his marvellous use
of the telescope, revealed not only the infinity of space,
bat largely displayed to man the infinity of God himself.
Galileo, therefore, oreferred leetieg benefit on religion.
Turning to William Shakespeare,the rev. gentlemen observed
that be was • benefactor to religioo, to his country, and
to the world at large. It might be leaked what benefit was
Shakespeare to the Christie/a. Did be sat teach them what
human nature was, sad which knowledge we. uoquestioo-
ably meemery to teach • man to do his duty in the world?
It had bees said each pertieralar Blase of moo had their pecu-
liar views of natem—the clergy the weak side, the lawyer
the dark aide. But Shakespeare held the balance for man-
hied is • high dame. teaching his fellow to " judge not,
beet ye be judged." This was truly an evangelical lesson.
He taught many valuable religions lassoes, bat no meet could
claim Item se their supporter. Calvin was • protestant,
Galileo • Berm cathoW ; but it wee in vale to search for
the met to which Shakespeare could be said to belong. He
had • deep mom of the grates= of God, of the soothing
infiessee of Cluisteenity, said the wards of the Bible were
familiar to him. Mere meld sot be mid. The dean
emeladed by showing that • man might be great, and that
treatises might carry him above meta and parties,
t
perhaps the same thing would sot so well apply ire
present day, whim it might be more mosseary tar • man to
declare his creed end owe his party.
A gamier:me vote of thanks to the dean for his able
Manse closed the proosedinp.