The Sun.
London, England, 1852-07-15 00:00:00

CLERICUS:

------ SOUTH WALES RAILWAY.
OPENING OF THE BRIDGE ACROSS THE WYE.
The private opening of the Wye-bridge, the span of
the, main arch of which, constructed on the tubular sus-
pension principle, is 309 feet,
Brunel,took place yesterday
afternoon. Amongst those present we observed Mr.
Captain
R.N.Snionds (the Government Inspector),
tary of the South
's manager) M'sr
Captain Claxton
wa Mr. F. G. Saunders (the secre-
of the" Railway), Mr. J. Bennet (Mr.
Potter (directors
Brunel
Paull, Mr. Lewis, and Mr.
resident engineer of
Air. kornypany), Mr. G. Owen (the
Mr. M. Lane e the\ resident Brereton, Mr, Grissell,
Western Railway), Mr. zds, engineer' a
the Great
Sayer, Mr. Manley (the locomotivear Mr. Dibben, Mr.
the South Wales Railway), Mr.
v.lasrreerintendent of
tenclent of the line), Mr. Snead, banker, &the superin -
&c. There was present a large number 0_ Chepstow,
i ladles resi-
dent in the neighbourhood of Chepstow.
The bridge merits an extended nutice, from the no.
velty of its construction, the difficulties with which the
engineer has had to contend during the progress of the
works, the cost at which it will be completed, and the
almost perfect rigidity of the structure, as evidenced
yesterday, under a very heavy weight.
The engineer, in throwing a bridge across the Wye,
had these difficulties to overcome. The stream is ex-
tremely rapid—the tiee extraordinary (rising, as it does,
44 Frei)—the bed of the river covering the solid rock
some 40 or 50 feet, and the elevation et which it was
necessary to carry the railway being 50 feet above high-
water mark. To meet these difficulties Mr. Brunel de-
termined to carry the main span of bis bridge over upon
cast-iron cylindrical tubes, and to derive the chief sup-
port of the roadway laid upon them from a bailer-plate
tube fixed high above it, and having diagonal chains
fixed to horizontal girders, across the bottom of which
the permanent way of the line should be fixed.
The bridge—which we had the pleasure of crossing
with the testing train yesterday—may be very shortly
described. The *width of the Wye at this point is about
1 600 feet. The bridge consists of four arches, and it is
the one on the Gloucester side, of 309 feet span to
which the tubular suspension principle has been applied.
The sides of the roadway are formed of two vertical
girders, 8 feet in depth. They partake of the cellular
principle, but the cells are triangular, and afford a power-
ful resistance to compression from the peculiar form of
their construction, and the bottom of the roadway is
formed of a web of wrought iron to resist extension.
The two side girders are connected together by cross
girders, upon which the timber flooring is laid. Upon
the flooring the ordinary ballast of the Great Western
Railway is deposited. These girders rest upon the cast
iron cylindrical pillars to which we have already alluded,
and such is the nature of the bed of the river, that the
pillars had, on the average, to be sunk 48 feet before the
solid rock could be reached. Upon the solid rock all of
these pillars rest. As an instance of the labour imposed
upon the engineer in this portion of the work, we may
mention that in sinking the pillars, such an influx of fresh
water was met with, that an engine of 30 horse-power
was constantly required to get rid of it. The tubes are
fifty feet out of water at high-water mark. In a line
with and at an elevation of fifty feet above the roadway
is the cylindtical tube or standard. The end on the
Gloucester side of the river rests upon a stone arch, and
the other end upon iron work running up from the cylin-
drical pillars. The tube is nine feet in diameter, and
has a curve or camber of two feet six inches in the centre.
From this tube the main chains by which the roadway is
principally supported run diagonally from either end to
a point fifty feet from the centre, and for about 109 feet
of the roadway the main chains run horizontally. The
adjustment of the road-girders is effected by screws act-
ing upon the suspending chains, and by wedges under
two vertical trusses about 103 feet apart. By driving
in these wedges, which move upon rollers, the suspend-
ing or supporting tube is made to keep its original curve
or camber, and this, with the assistance
to
fbethe screw
will give at all times the proper rigidity. roadway.
the bridge under a heavy
Of the practical rigidity of.
satislactory proof.
weight we shall presently give a lc h
the strength of the
bridge, an engine and tender, and a couple of trucks_
one containing a brass band, and the other most of the
.
gentlemen whose names we have enumerated above
started from the temporary sttlolab at Chepstovr, and
proceeded through the deep cuttg etween the station
and the bridge. Several thousand persons were upon the
the i
heights of the cutting, and iseng.ne moved upon
the bridge they sent forth sheeny cheer, which was met
by a louder cheer from the workmen and a large con-
course of persons assembled on the other side of the
Wye. This was but a preliminary trip—the weight
that had gone over the bridge was not more than about
seventy tons. The real and practical test followed.
Two engines, with their tenders, were attached to ten
trucks loaded with 100 tons of iron rail and stone,
the whole weighing upwards of 200 tons, and the
steam having been put on, the train crossed the bridge
at the rate of about ten miles per hour. Mr. Brunel
and Captain Simmonds were in the centre of
the main span, and upon of the vertical girder., for
the purpose of observing to what extent the train
would'
affect the rigidity of the structure. The load we have
mentioned—viz., upwards of 200 tons, seas taken
across
the main san of the bridge several times, and the
greatest deflection was barely seven-sixteenth sof an inch.
It was calculated by Mr. Owen, the resident engineer,
that the greatest moveable weight that
be brought on the bridge at on© htcould possibly
e would be about
one ton per foot run, or 300 tons 0
span. That load could only beever a bridge of that
Produced by forming a
train of locomotive engines.
portion of the bridge was tested t was stated that this
(.),n the ground before it
was erected in its present • position, by loading it with
nearly 1,000 tons, and that the deflection onthat c o ca-
sion did not exceed ono inch and . the tube is 220 tons, and of the achai Thel weight of
tons, together 340 tons, or 720 tons twofonrs'tfieate 8'
linesc of
way over a span of 300 feet. The ironwork other
of the portion of the bridge weighed
about 700 tons, making
the total weight of iron used in this bridge, 600 feet in
length, for a double line of railway, about 1,400 tons.
We may congratulate the shareholders of this fine
line upon the realisation of the great project. So long
as the break in the line existed at Chepstow the mer-
great
chandise traffic would necessarily be limited, baults ca nbe
increase may now be counted upon,
sir
c 0
London and
conveyed from the Welsh coal bssia t
cost, while
will other places at a very inconsiderable
jconveyed, with
the large quantities which
other heavy merchandise, wilt produce a gratitying in-
crease.
The bridge will be fully open for traffic, it is stated,
there is so
awe this Me uncer-
tainty. Monday next, though
ent inspector is expected to-
morrow, The Government
the time for conveying
morrow, and after his d
across the bridge will e
f6o be fixed.
passengers and tra_

DREAD",(7.-----i7eAILWAY ACCIDENT.
13.—Yesterday
Jorsmorning several
excursion trains left Burnley, conveying tip.
Yo'oo of the teachers, children, and friends of
Sunday schools of the town of York,
wardsß URNLEtis
poo ,other places. The Goole train,
1 - and th
tmh monster n svt
aeorriois:or
Goole'
engaged by the Wosleyan Methodists, consisted of about
35 carriages, containing some 1,200 persons, and reached
Burnley, on its return, about 11.30 P.M., every one de-
lighted with the day's trip to the sea, and quite unpre-
pared for the most fearful railway accident which
has
ever occurred in this neighbourhood, The train had
arrived within a few hundred yards of the station,
when it was brought to a stand for the purpose of
detaching the engines (according to the usual prat.
tice), and running the train on to the main line,
which is not employed at this station for the ordinary
passenger traffic; but before the engines could be dis-
posed of; the train, from its weight, was again in mo-
tion, and, before the pointsman could attend to his duty,
had passed on, down the incline, to the usual passenger-
platform, which is adapted only for a short train. and
terminates in a strong stone wall. The train entered
the station with considerable impetus, and dashed against
the buffers protecting the wall, two of the carriages
being raised completely on end, and almost shivered to
pieces by the concussion. The scene which ensued was
mast lamentable, and almost baffles description, the
screams of mothers for their children being mingled with

WOOLNVIO3E, JULY 14 APPOINTMENTS.
.—Assistant-Engineers
ton and James A. Limber,t to the Blenheim, w
steam guardship at Portsmouth. 56, screF.C. Al
Second Master nenry M'Ausland (1843), to the
Nautilus, 6, brig, tender to the Impregnable flag-ship at
Devonport.
Boatswain Samuel Lock, to the Sampson steam-fri-
gate at Portsmouth.
jMi., Richardson, son,, and Ur. Richardson, jun., both
ustices of the peace for Merionethshire, arrived at
Woolwich in their life-boat, which was brought round
by them from Pembroke, coasting
in her all day and
landing on shore at night,
made of galvanized
iron in the form of two canoes, h_
d together with an
open space between, of about 4 lashed
in
breadth, and the
boat weighs 54 cwt. and 3e
as there is no part for stow-
age or going below. The boat is
owt. 1 qr. without her gear, as was shown when she was
qrs. withf all her gear, and 48
aYin the presence of the
N. She is eon.
weighed on shore here to-day,
authorities and Captain Washington, s R.N d
of persons an structed to carry a considerable number
fitted to be rowed oars, or to sail with two square
by 12
sails, one mast being ,
fore and another aft. Mr. Thomp-
son, builder,-oth0th erhithe, and Mr. Forrest, Lime-
house,
the
Messrs. Richardson's life-boat to-
day, and Mr. Forrest is to bring down a life-boat of his
construction to Woolwich to test her qualities at thesame time _
as the other.

OF FANCY CABINET MAKERS.
societyr
:
other trade society in existence, being
ba°°:inedChtirsubpaotn°f any
the strict principle of justice between master
and man. It does not compel a man to work for this
scale of piecework or that price for day work, labour
being the only commodity the working man has to
best price he possibly can for that laboury
bring into the market; it leaves ever
avoid coming into coion
steer clear of that systemviz , w '
only when his demands are -
If a man is out of employment.
many societies,man to get the
t_, Protecting .him
hwjil:thsh.hasjsbye been the mreualin of so
striking for a certain scale of prices.
their 'employers, .and
not enou
him from what most Englishmen dread— he -
to
otempt
hitimalltoowsremhiamin
onesutffi sufficient
to keep
rish—of
of fireb,all'otrk longer than
Ihni
meicaksnueps
es
riatadnoueast
inoont
alp
a sumis
sallowed he can possibly obtain it. In case
Out
towards repurchasing his tools.
this strange eventful history, oldihsitims;wavinidesowh
1 m
oafrrgoemn iota;e: s
.e.
once., and when death ends
last resting Pees grave by givinc,
a sum sufficient to lay him respectably in ,his
place. The fourth anniversary festival was
celebrated by a dinner at the Highbury Barn Tavern.
Islington, yesterday afternoon, when a largo party.of
the members and their friends partook of an enterton"
moat which reflected much credit on Mr. Hinton, the
liberal proprietor of this delightful place. Mr. Henry
Watts, of Bunhill-row Finsbury, presided as chairman,
and was well supported by several influential members
of the society. The cloth being withdrawn, the custo-
mary loyal toasts were given. The chairman, in a few
but appropriate words, proposed " Success to the So-
ciety of Fancy Cabinet Makers;" in doing so, he paid
a well deserved compliment to Mr. W. Scarrott, the
secretary, whose health in connexion with the
toast he wished the company to drink; this was
done with great enthusiasm, and Mr. Scarrott upon
rising to acknowledge the honour done him, was
received with great cheers in thecourse of his lengthened
observations relative to the rise, progress, and present
state of the society, hestated that he felt unable to express
his feelings for the kindness done him. Other toasts,.
including the health of the chairman, followed, and
several songs were sung; after which the company ad'
journed to the beautiful grounds, where a variety of
rustic-games were gone into until the evening, when a
ball, under the able management of Mr. Gonavilli, ILC.,
was opened in the long room, graced by the assemblage
of a numerous party of ladies. Dancing commenced and
continued until a late hour, when the company brokeiup
and returned to town, evidently having been bigbly en-
tertained with the day's proceedings. The society holds
its meetings every Monday
evening at the Blue Last,
Compton-street, Goswell•road.