The Sun.
London, England, 1864-11-10 00:00:00

measure, there is very little probability of its ever
being closed again. When the public have once
enjoyed the convenience, it is not very likely that
they will willingly relinquish it, and if the share•
holders are anxious to get the bridge off their
hands, they could not have adopted a wiser mea-
sure. Toll-keepers are not at the best of times a
very popular race, and their reputation would not
improve if they were to reappear upon the scene
after a prolonged absence, with the ungracious
office of barring the way which had once been free,
and of demanding the toll which every one, from
the highest to the lowest, begrudges, after a period
of happy immunity from the annoyance. The
shareholders have not demanded exorbitant terms;
on the contrary, they have been fair and reasonable
in the proposed arrangements. The bridge, which
has not proved a profitable property, was con-
structed some 50 years ago, having been opened at
midnight on the 24th March, 1819, after being six
years building. It is the oldest of our metropoli■
tan bridges, with the exception of Vauxhall, and
was considered, when constructed, a marvel of
engineering skill. It consists of three archer, the
centre one being one of the largest spans known.
For many years Southwark's iron sides looked
strange among the stone buttresses and arches of
its neighbours, but of late iron bridges have grown
more plentiful, and it is no longer singular. It is
a fine bridge, though as yet it has not been a
useful one, owing to the absence of traffic and the
vicinity of the free bridges. Whether it will
prove capable of meeting the increased de-
mands upon it remains to be seen, but for the
present it is likely to serve its purpose. The Cor-
poration are looking with some uneasiness to their
funds, and the number of extensive works which
they have already in hand made them reluctant to
undertake the immediate purchase of the bridge,
although the shareholders offered it to them for the
moderate sum of £200,000, not a third part of its
original cost. The shareholders, therefore, agreed
to a compromise, by which the Corporation have the
free use of the bridge for six months for the sum of
I eighteen hundred pounds, or for a twelvemonth on
the payment of about another thousand, the com-
pany undertaking all necessary repairs. On these
terms the bridge was opened on Tuesday with all
due form and ceremony by Lord Mayor LAWRENCE,
with a goodly company of those immediately con-
cerned, and although the public have hardly yet
had time to realise to the full the benefits resulting
from the movement, it is extremely improbable that
the unwelcome barriers will again be thrown across
Southwark Bridge, The temper of the public mind
is growing more and more averse to the toll atd
turnpike system, and the abolition of the turnpike
trusts has been hailed as a general boon, even where
the increased rates have pressed heavily on the
householders. The system is vexatious and inter•
fering, and is opposed to the whole spirit of our
English ways. We like our freedom to be visible
and practical, and object to the QUEEN'S highway
being blocked by a man clothed in cfficia; garb, who
bids us stand and deliver even if it be but a half•
penny. The evil within the precincts of ►he Ci.y
has, however, grown to a very serious height, and
has been productive, as we have seen, of worse
results than any mere fanciful annoyance, so that
the abolition of the toll may be regarded as a gene■
ral benefit, and the opening of Southwark Bridge
will certainly prove too practically advantageous
'or the public to submit to the reimposition of the
tax.