The Sun.
London, England, 1863-01-23 00:00:00

THE SEVERN BRIDGES.

In the course of a few months the magnificent
iron railway bridge which is now being thrown
across the Severn at Coalbrook-dale will be com-
pleted, and another fine specimen of engineering
skill will be added to the already rich collection of
the surrounding neighbourhood.

Those who travel often in the western counties
must be familiar with the romantic valley of the
Severn, for from the railway which for many miles
follows the course of the river, the beautiful
country adjoining its wooded banks is viewed to
great advantage, and many are the spots of histo-
rical and local interest which may be pointed out
along the route. The whole course of the river is
fraught with interesting reminiscences of our first
and most eminent engineers; and, indeed, to those
who have not been embittered against engineering
progress by some intrusion upon their favourite
landscape, there is a perfect romance attaching to
this scene of Telford's early labours. In this valley
Telford lived and worked for many years. Hidden
away among the rich deep wood of the vale is the
famous iron foundry, which may almost be consi-
dered the birth-place of the iron trade which has so
revolutionised this country.
These extensive premises were built early in last
century, and their proximity to the deep, rushing
stream of the Severn, which had long defied the
strength of wooden or stone bridges, first led to the
adoption of iron as a material for the construction
of large bridges. In 1773 Messrs. Reynolds and
Darby, the proprietors of this foundry,were invited
to carry out a design for constructing a bridge
across the Severn at Coalbrook-dale. Ironbridge
was the result of their labours ; and although it
now appears very imperfect both in design and
workmanship, it was certainly no mean forerunner
of the stupendous structures of later engineers. To
construct an arch of one huuered feet was in those
days a bold undertaking. But the bridge was built,
and great must have been the astonishment of the
Severn villagers when they saw the beautiful banks
of their river bound together by a single iron link.
The arch is formed of nearly semicircular cast-iron
ribs of six inches square section ; the centre of it is
about 50 feet above the level of the river, sufficient
to allow the passage of flats and small craft sailing
up the river.

Nothwithstanding the complete success of this
undertaking, nearly twenty years elapsed before
a second attempt was made to construct iron
bridges upon a large scale, except, indeed, Mr.
Payne's wrought-iron bridge, which was built for
America in 1777, but was never erected. In 1793
the great Sunderland bridge was erected by Mr.
Burden, and about two years afterwards Mr. Tel-
fo:d constructed his first iron bridge at Buildwas,
about three miles above the original Ironbridge.
This bridge of Mr. Telford's is of a very peculiar
construction. It is a single segmental arch 130 feet
in span. The main arch is very fiat, and formed of
cast-iron ribs, the spandrils being filled in with iron
panels ; two alditional ribs are bolted one on
either side to the vertical spandril rods which sup-
port the roadway; these ribs, being segments of a
smaller circle than the main ribs, rise from a lower
point in the abutments to about three feet above
the road at the crown of the arch, and thus form a
stiffening brace to the whole bridge; this brace
gives the bridge a somewhat curious appearance,
but it looks upon the whole very elegant and pretty
among the dark woods which shroud the old ruins
of Buildwas Abbey.
The point at which the new bridge is being
erected is about half way between the two old
ones. It is a flat segmental arch, spanning the
river at a width of 200 feet, nearly equal to the
side arches of Southwark-bridge. The arch is
formed of cast-iron ribs, varying from 4 feet to 4
feet 6 inches in depth, with equal flanges on the
upper and under sides ; the ribs are cast in seg-
ments of about 25 feet ; the whole was cast and
fitted at the Coalbrook-dale foundry. The breaking
weight of one of the segments was found to be no
less than 450 tons placed at the centre. The ends
of the ribs are made to step into cast-iron chains,
which are embedded in the masonry of the abut-
ments, and form a kind of ball and socket joint,
which gives the iron work freedom for the expan-
sion caused by atmospheric changes.
The work is being ably carried out by the resi-
dent engineer, and th© design is at the same time
well calculated to give sufficient strength and
rigidity, and is of very sightly and elegant propor-
tions. It is, we believe, the 1 trgest arched iron
bridge that has yet beeu constructed in this
country for the purpose of carrying a railway.

FALL OF A PORTION OF SHAKESPEARE'S CLIFF.
_-DovEu, Thursday,—About a quarter to one
o'clock yesterday a portion of the cliff immortalised by the
name of " Shakespeare," slipped with majestic grandeur,
almcst noiselessly, into the " confined deep," singing and
barging until the vast mass of chalk (consisting of several
tons) had found its subsidence in the frothing sea. The
portion of cliff that has thus disappeared was near the front
of the Dover double tunnel, and almost facing the viaduct
of the South Eastern Railway. The " high and bending
head" still looks fearfully upon the waters.

IRELAND.

DUBLIN, TAN. 22.

Several shipping ceisuaities occurred during the
heavy gale on Tuesday night. About 11 o'clock
the Shamrock put in at Belfast. She is a steamer
of upwards of 300 tons, plying between Sligo and
Liverpool. She left Sligo for Liverpool on Monday
between 3 and 4 o'clock, and he.d been beating
about since then. She had a large number of pas-
sengers, a general cargo, and cattle on board. The
steamer experienced the full severity of the
stone. The deck passengers were in a deplorable
sta:e when landed, as they had suffered severely.
Ooe man, named Debar, was standing on deck
with his wife and two children, when the vessel
shipped a heavy sea. The children were dashed
from beside their parents, and in a short time after,
v►hen their bodies were found, they were quite life-
less. In another heavy sea a sailor, named James
Flatt, got his leg broken. The wheel, the house on
deck, and several of the boats were carried away.
A number of pigs on board also died.

At Cork, about half-past 8 on Tuesday morning,
the Sabrina got aground on the bank opposite Horse
Head_ She left Cork for Bristol early in the morn-
ing, and steamed down the river to Passage, where
ail the vessels of the steamship company make a
short stay to take in passengers. Owing to the vio-
lence of the gale then blowing she could not come
alongside the hulk at once, and, in order to reach
the quay without accident, Capt. Stavely thought
it better to run down to Monkstown-bay, turn
there, and steam up slowly. This was accomplished
in safety, and the passengers having been taken on
board, the steamer ran up to Horse Head for the
purpose of wearing round and proceeding on the
voyage across. In turning she was caught by the
wind, which was blowing from N.N.W., and was
driven on the bank. The tide was about half ebb
at the time, but as she became firmly fixed in the
soft mud of the bank there was no danger whatever
of her heeling over at low water. It is expected
that she will be able to steam off at the flow of the
tide.

About three o'clock the same morning, while beat-
ing for the harbour, the brigantine Anne, belonging
to Gibraltar, with Indian corn, from Saffi, struck on
Canovan's Point, to the south side of Camden Fort.
The tugs William Wallace and Robert Bruce were
despatched to her assistance, but up to a late hour
yesterday evening there was no account as to whe-
ther they succeeded or not. The previous day an
Italian barque, the Calcutta, with corn, from Sulina,
in endeavouring to make for the harbour, went
ashore to the west of it, and soon became a total
wreck, the crew having to abandon her the same
day. Measures were at once taken to save as much
of the cargo as possible, and yesterday efforts were
made to cut away the masts.

ARCHBISHOP OF YORK.—The confirmation of
the election of Dr. Thompson, Bishop of Glocester
and Bristol, to this, " the Primacy of the far north," is
fixed to take place this day at St. James's Church, Picca-
dilly, at 11 a.m. Her Majesty's Commissioners will, we
believe, on this occasion be the Bishops of London, Durham,
Winchester, Rochester, and Worcester. The ceremony
(which is partly religious—partly legal) will fi 1 the archsee
of York, and leave void the see of Glocester ani Bristol.

At the second private ball of the Empress Eugenie
on Monday night her Majesty wore a white dress of
a light texture, trimmed with a deep lace flounce, and wore
flowers wreathed in the hair, the whole kept together by
means of a diamond comb. Her Majesty did not dance.
Prince Napoleon and the Princess Clothilde were present.
The number of guests was about 600. At midnight dancing
terminated by a cotillon, when supper was served, and the
party broke up at half-past one.
REPRESENTATION OF REIGATE.—The nomination
of candidates for the representation of Reigate is
expected to take place on Monday, Feb. 2. The two candi-
dates, Mr. Granville Leveson Gower, of Tetsey Park, near
Godstone, and Mr. W. A. Wilkinson, formerly member for
Lambeth, are the only parties in the field, and their can-
vass having been completed, each one expresses himself
confident of victory. The contest will in all probability be
a close one.

THE REPRESENTATION OF WEST SOMERSET.—
Mr. W. Gore-Langton, who represented West
Somerset from 1851 to the general election of 1859, has
issued an address to the electors. It is generally supposed
that there will not be any opposition to Mr. Langton. Mr.
Bouverie has been spoken of ; but that gentleman has not
put forward any address, and it is fully expected that the
Conservative party being so strong, Mr. Langton will be
allowed to walk over the course.— Western _Morning Aews.
PROSECUTION OF ESSAYS AND RETIEWS."—
Yesterday morning, at the sitting of the Court of
Arches, Mr. Toiler, the proctor acting for the Bishop of
Salisbury in the prosecution of the Rev, Dr. Rowland
Williams, vicar of Broad Chalk, made an application to Dr.
Lushington in reference to the appeal against his lordship's
judgment, of which notice was given at the time the case
was last before the court. Mr. Teller said that considerable
delay was likely to take place in the prosecution sf the ap-
peal to the Judicial Committee of Privy Council unless the
learned judge interfered and issued a peremptory order. The
appeal in the case of the Rev. J. Fendall against the Rev.
H. Bristowe Wilson, RD., vicar of Great Staughton (the
writer of the article on " The National Church"), Mr. Toiler
remarked, was going on rapidly; but, for some reason or
another, which he could not understand, the inhibition on
the part of Dr. Williams had not been served, and it was
very desirable that the two cases should be heard before
the Judicial Committee at the same time. He could not
account for the delay unless the appellants had some object
in view best known to themselves. Ho prayed the court
for a peremptory order upon the proctor of Dr. Williams to
serve the inhibition. Dr. Lushington said he did not like
to interefere, as the matter more properly came within the
jurisdiction of the surrogate sitting in the court of appeal ;
but at length after Mr. Toiler had shown that the appeal
would be greatly delayed if further time were allowed, Dr.
Lushington consented 'to an order being issued that the in-
hibition should be served within three days, and intimated
that, in the event of the order not being complied with, he
would issue a suspension, so that the appeal in each case
might be proceeded with at once and without further inter-
ruption. Now that the ground has been cleared it is ex-
pected that the Judicial Committee will be able to hear the
appeal after Easter term.
THE ADULTERATION OT MILK.—At the Sheriffs'
Court, Red Lion.square, yesterday, before Mr. Un-
der-Sheriff Burchell, an action brought in the Exchequer
was tried in which a defence was made under the Adultera-
tion of Food Act, Vic. 23 and 24, cap. 84. The plaintiff,
Moses Godwin, a farmer, at Farnborough, Hants, claimed
£6 14s. Id. as a balance for milk supplied to the defendant,
John Pigg n, of Harp-alley, Farringdon-street, milkdealer.
The plaintiff had sent milk from his farm by the South-
Western Railway, and the defendant fetched it from the
Waterloo station. He complained that the milk was
watered, but paid the first bill. The second bill, in August,
he refused to pay, and had a certificate from Dr. Letheby,
the analyst under the Adulteration of Food Act for the
City of London, and two parts only were found to be milk.
Tho defendant has paid for the milk two-thirds of the ac-
count, and refused to pay the balance of £6 14s. ld, for
water. Dr. Letheby attended the court, but his certi-
ficate was received as evidence. The plaintiff and his man
stated that the milk was sent to the railway perfectly pure
and unadulterated, and the ticket-collector of the Farn-
borough station proved the manner in which it was placed
on the railway, unlocked, and came to the Waterloo station.
The defendant declared that the milk was watered, and he
had thrown some away ; and two milkdealers, named Cole
' and Davis, had tested the milk at the Waterloo station and
found it adulterated. These were "middlemen," supplying
dealers, and they stated that they did not adulterate their
milk, but could not state the condition in which it was sup-
plied to the London customers. Mr. Peckham, solicitor, on
the part of the defendant, said the question raised under the
act was one of public importance, and he relied on the certi-
ficate of Dr. Letheby. The action was for milk, and, as ho
had proved that water had been mixed with it to the ex-
tent of one-third, the defendant had paid two-thirds of
the claim and resisted the remainder. On the part of the
plaintiff Mr. Kigby contended that if the defendant sue.
seeded the jury
otere
reached
an.determinectshat wouldTeaadtthe
etc.
pure
thojht
ine
eTarywnlynhi
Waterloo
veglt
ekauathl
htvnei
eweseaar
raldcaonsl
ut
oi
vehel
sdetneeser tntrdmuaaoti
station
togkoddfnreotoshrhr
iaeaststdht
hder
ehb,aie sreiapohl
edrwlffona nawi
busyse
eh:st
eti
been
—matbt
hhnyi he
unadulterated
hudwher wahy deihadtn plaintiff
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avt
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claimed.
SCOTLAND.—On
0
STLAND.—On Tuesday
morn-
ing Edinburgh was visited by a severe snowstorm,
following upon several days of very cold and squally
weather. The snow commenced to fall shortly before day-
break,
a strong wind blowing from west-north-west, and
the fall being very dense and blinding. The violence of the
storm, as well as its direction, was peculiarly shown by the
appearance of some of our octagonal steeples—which, on the
side immediately exposed, exhibited a heavy incrustation
of snow, the other sides being nearly bare. The fall tv,s
renewed at intervals during the day, but the amount of
snow deposited was not great, excepting in the corners into
which it had drifted. The temperature all day hovered
between fresh and frost, some of the streets being laid in
slush, while others more exposed were glazed with ice. At
night the weather was severely cold, not so much from an
access of frost as from the keen and chilling wind. The
snowstorm, we learn, was experienced in the north of Eng-
land, all over the border di:tricts, in the west of Scotland,
and as far north at least as the Perthshire Highlands,—
Edinburgh Courant.

LITERATURE.

The House by the Churchyard., By J. Sheridan
Le Fanu. 3 vois. Tinsley.
The readers of the Dublin Magazine have already
become acquainted with this interesting story. It
is one that partakes of the romantic in no common
degree, and the various complicated incidents ere
described in a very skilful manner. Tho style alsc,
is most animated, and the reader will find much to
direct and entertain, as well as graver subjects to
arrest his notice, It is impossible to give a shoe!)
of the story, as it is so very elaborate, but the chiet
point is that one man was suspected of a murder
that another committed, and that other was sup-
posed dead till he suddenly appeared on the scene
of action, under an assumed name. The circum-
stances which led to his detection are related at
some length, and it is an act of retributive justice
that the very means which the wretch adopted to
screen his guilt were the cause of his villainy being
discovered. Some of the incidents are most excit-
ing, and Mervyn, as the unfortunate young Lord
Dunoran was called, had a most anxious time in
searching out the dark secret that shrouded his
father's memory. He persevered, in the face of ap-
parently insuperable difficulties, and at last his
efforts were crowned with success. Tho manner in.
which Dr. Stark at last discovered the guilty man
is most ingeniously disclosed, and this part of the
narrative has in it something of the awful that will
doubtless attract many readers who love the hor-
rible. Apart from these sombre details we meet
with some simpler and more pleasing accounts of
life. Lilias, " Lilly" as she is called, is a gentle
young creature, who attracts one greatly by her
simple style, and yet she possesses firmness too
when she is placed in a position of trial. The short
but touching records of her last moments contain
much that is sad yet pleasing in their truthfulness,
and the poor old rector, watching his treasure fad-
ing away, yet striving to hope against hope, is one
of those pictures of mortality that all must recog-
nise as too often encountered. The passage which
describes her death is called, "In which Christiana
goes over," and her departure was as easy and tran-

quil as the last moments of her who was taken for
an image of it. The return of Nutter to his home,
after his most dangerous position, as being accused
of Sturk's murder, is also most impressive, and the
natural delight of such a meeting is truly toned
down to a quiet sort of awe, which gave a solemn
reality to the scene_ Poor little Sally Nutter, as she
was called, in the excitement of the hour, became a
sort of heroine, and indeed she had gone through so
many trials that it was not surprising that even her
facile mind had become roused to a different state
of feeling to what her former placid life had
created. "And so for a rapturous hour it
seemed as if they had passed the dark valley
and were immortal, and no more pain, sorrow,
or, separation for them. And perhaps these
blessed illusions are permitted now and again to mor-
tals like momentary gleams of Paradise, and distant
views of the Delectable Mountains, to cheer poor
pilgrims with a foretaste of those meetings beyond
the river where the separated and beloved shall em-
brace." Another true delineation is poor Mrs.
Stink. Her agony at her husband's sad deathbed
is painfully lifelike, as also the wild flashes of hope
which occasionally lighted the dismal scene, but it
was only the hope that keeps alive despair that
came into that chamber where she kept ao long her
anxious watch, and where the grim destroyer at
last seized his prey. The sad havoc that one
thoroughly unprincipled and reckless man occasions
wherever he goes is well exemplified in these stir-
ring pages. The family of Lord Dunoran were dis-
graced, and its heir wandering about the world
with a forfeitthe pronounced against his property.
Then when the fated being reappears on the scene
into many households he turned peace into discord,
and brought mourning for joy. Mrs. Sturk was
made wretched for life, after suffering so much
anxiety first. Then the Nutters were plunged into
great trouble, and so were many others. Inter-
spersed with these grave events there are some
more lively news and amusing anecdotes. Lieut.
Puddock is a comic character, the like of which does
not often enliven the fictions of nowadays, and Miss
Magnolia is another character in her way quite as
edifying. Her encounters with Firework O'Fla-
herty are ludicrous, and yet so smartly told, that
they gain attention. At the end of the story we
learn that this sparring couple did not put a truce
to their warfare when they were united, but no
serious consequences ensued from their differences.
Their Celtic virtues descended to their children, and
" one of the finest grenadiers who lay in his red-
coat and sash within the French lines on the field
of Waterloo, in that great bivouac which knows no
reveille save the last trumpet, was a scion of that
fine military stock." This story is one that can be
recommended to the reader who loves excitement,
and there are also attractions of other kinds to be
met with in its pages. It can be taken up with
the certainty of meeting with a narrative that com-
bines varied entertainment, and the style is viva-
cious and sparkling in the extreme.