The Sun.
London, England, 1863-05-25 00:00:00

THE CHARING-CROSS RAILWAY.

The works upon this most important metropolitan
line are being pushed forward with vigour, and it is
expected to be ready for opening in July. At
Charing-cross the station is rapidly advancing, the
wails being up nearly to the height required for
carrying the iron and glass roof. The front facing
the Strand, the lower part of which is to serve as the
booking and general offices, and the upper part to be
used as a hotel, has advanced to the basement story,
and the east wing, facing Villiers-street, is progress
ing with equal rapidity. The bridge may be con-
sidered as complete so far as its actual supports and
heavy framework is concerned. Old Hungerford-
bridge has disappeared with the exception of the
lower part of the two towers, which rest upon the
brick piers, and the chains which supported the
structure are now at Clifton, where they will shortly
span the Avon. The station at Charing-cross will
be 170 feet wide, and about 450 feet long. It will
be on brick-built arches, the whole of which have
been tarred and concreted. The arches, which are
of enormous solidity, and have a span of 30 feet, and
they cover a large area available for cellarage. The
station front will be 100 feet back from the
Strand, and its frontage will be 230 feet in length
extending from Villiers-street on the east to
Brewer's-lane on the west. On the land portions
nearly the whole of the work is completed, and,
with the exception of a bridge near the Borough-
market, and another across the road leading to the
present London-bridge station, no heavy work now
remains to be done. This latter bridge will be a
most unsightly one. It will be a skew bridge, and,
being of very great span, requires to be of enormous
depth in order to obtain the requisite strength. To
Mr. Hawkshaw belongs the credit of having done
more to deface London by the unsightly bridges
which he has erected upon this Charing-cross line
than any engineer who has ever enjoyed the oppor-
tunity of constructing a railway. A commencement
has been made with the piling and staging for the
bridge to be built over the Thames for the Cannon-
street branch of the Charing-cross line, and it is to
be hoped that some control may be exercised over
the engineer in the matter of the design of
`his structure. London-bridge is a graceful
and elegant work, and it would be a
great pity if within a short distance from it we
should have a monster edition of one of those hide-
ous coffin-shaped tubes which already disfigures
each of the leading thoroughfares on the Surrey
side traversed by the Charing-cross line. When
completed, the railway from Charing-cross, con-
nected as it will be with the South-Western, and
the whole system of the SoutivEastern, the London,
Chatham, and Dover, acd the Brighton railways,
will be of immense value in relieving the crowded
streets of the metropolis;, while the wants of an
enormous local as well ab through traffic will be
provided for. The success which has attended the
Metropolitan or Underground Railway has asto-
nished even the most sanguine of its supporters ;
but great La have been the number of passengers
who have travelled on that line, they will
assuredly be small in comparison with those
who will asail themselves of a railway which will
land its passengers within a few yards of the Bank
of England, or place them in direct communication
with all the railways in the south, south •east, and
south-western districts of England.

The Earl and Countess de Grey left town on Sa-
turday for the Isle of Wight, for the holidays.
Viscount and Viscountess Palmerston left town
on Saturday for Brocket Hall, Herts. The noble Premier
has issued invitations for a grand dinner party on Saturday
the 6th of June, in celebration of the Queen's birthday.
Viscount and Viscountess liolmesdale have gone
to their seat, Linton, Kent, for the Parliamentary holidays.
Lady Moles worth entertained at dinnern
nace, the
day evening, at her residence in Eaton-place,
, iscount and Vis-
Earl of Wilton, the Earl of
Seft°an Viscount and Comte de Paris, the Earl and Countessvo ages-tPerfield, the
Vis-
countess Lismore, Viscount
James Macdonald and
Lady Chelmsford, Colonel land Mrs Holford, Mr. G. Lane
countess Castlerosse, Lord and Lady
Cremorne, Lord and
Hon. Mrs. Macdonald, Mr. .
Fox, &c.
The Chancellor of the Exchequer and Mrs.
Gladstone left town on Saturday on a visit to Lord Taun-
ton, at overstowey, Bridgwater.
Earl
II left town on Saturday for his rest•
hins seat,uss
e
dews in Richmond Park.
Jersey,
better 7ahnod ihna as
is
during The
the Countesspast week(Dbeoe:a veryge r)
unwell,of
few day s there is every prospect of h
her,friends as usual. er being able to receive
DEATII OF LADY LECON ' lIELD.—The death of
Lady Leconfield took p l
under very sudden and ace on Saturday afternoon
field, her dapainful circumstances. Lady Lecon-
ughter, and
Grosvenor-place, on Saturday
nephew left the family residence,
visits. After canine,. in
Eaton-place,
afternoon to pay ordinary
ton-place, and then going to
Grosvenor-street, immediately after handing her servant
the visiting cards, her
daughter. She Was at onceladyship
dfell on the shoulder of her
medical aid called in, butall medirivecanl ha
sosmi
seta,
naon d the
was fb ensot
avail. Her ladyship was attacked about 20 minutes past
four, and expired by five o'clock. Dr. Hamilt In and the
other professional gentlemen called in stated that death had
arisen from apoplexy. The late Lady Leconfield, Mary
Fanny, was the only daughter of the Rev. Win. Blunt, of
Crabbett, Sussex. By her marriage with Lord Leconfield
she has surviving issue the Hon. Fanny, married to Mr.
Alfred Montgomery ; a daughter married to Lord NW, ande
a daughter married to Lieut.-Col. Mure ; and two sons,
Hun. Henry Wyndham and Hon. Percy Wyndham.