The Sun.
London, England, 1852-04-16 00:00:00

FRIDAY EVENING, APRIL 16, 1852.

rage of about ten feet, at which depth the limestone
rock was reached. The river was subject to floods,
which, rising rapidly spread across the valley for a
breadth of 180 yards, and to a depth of about 16 feet
in mid-channel. The progress of the structure was
delayed by the financial affairs of the railway corn-
'piny; and on the original contractors resigning the
work, it was completed by several others, among
whom was Mr. R. Mallet, M hat. C.E., whose able
assistance in the execution of the work was deservedly
eulogised by the author. Details were given of the
limestone piers, the material for which was quarried
contiguously to the bridge ; as 'also of the lime and
the modes of working. The timber used for the lat-
tice beams, or girders, was M-mel fir. The whole
was worked to templates and gauges, and the beans
were constructed with a curve, or " camber," regu-
lated by cleats spiked to the staging, on which the
beams were built. The intersections of the diagonals
were all very accurately fitted, and double spiked ;
the waling pieces were drawn close by bolts, and the
joints made water tight ; the diagonal flooring was
then bolted and spiked down, and on the trial of the
beam it was found that, on knocking away the cleats,
the deflection was about three inches, which gradu-
ally increased to 3+ inches; after passing several
trains across, at speeds varying between twenty miles
and thirty miles an hour, the ultimate deflection
(without a load) became 5i inches. The maximum
load had been 65 tons. The Government Inspector,
however, tested it by a train of loaded waggons, ex-
tending the entire length of the arch (200 feet), and
weighing 146 tons. The result of this was that the
beam deflected 2i inches under the heaviest load, and
rose again l 4 inch, thus leaving a permanent defl-c-
-tion, after the trials were concluded, of about 6,1
inches. The shrinking of the timber and the regular
traffic produced a further sinking, so that now the
entire amount was 71 inches; but the engineer had
calculated and allowed for the subsidence of 9 inches.
Details were given of the quantities of materials of all
kinds used in the bridge, the entire cost of which was
about 8,1001.; that of the timber arch alone was
about 151. per foot run, and the cost of the whole
mass, taken as a solid, averaged 33. 30. per cubic
yard.
_ _

- The paper announced to be read at the meeting of
Tuesday, April 20, was—" The Economy of P ail.
ways, as a means of transit, comprising the classifi-
cation of the traffic, in relation to the most appropriate
speeds for the conveyance of passengers and mer-
chandise," by Mr. BrAithwaite Poole Assoc. Inst.
C. E.

SOIREE AT THE LONDON INSTITUTION.
The last soirée for the present season was held on
Wednesday at this excellent institution. It was exceed-
ingly well attended, and, as usual, the library, which
was thrown open for conversation an hour before the
delivery of the lecture, displayed fur the inspection of
the company a choice collection of specimens of na-
tural history, and of works both of the fine and
useful arts. The lecture for the evening, upon
the ethnological and physical peculiarities of the Cape
of Geod Hope, was delivered by the Rev. J. Adamson,
D.D., late (we believe) of Cape Town. It was of a
most interesting and elaborate character, and was dis-
tinguished not more by the popularity with which the
subject was treated than by the scientific knowledge
which the reverend lecturer displayed of the various
points discussed. After describing the manner in
which the peculiar climate of the Cape was formed
by the action of the great atmospheric end ocean
currents, and by giving a general outline
of its prominent geological and botanical features,
he proceeded to discuss that portion of his subject
to which existing circumstances give so especial
an interest—the character and position of the native
tribes. He stated that British Kaffraria was origi-
nally inhabited by the Hottentots, a nomade people,
without fixed governments or settled habits, who were
always at war amongst themselves, but possessed no
capacity for resisting the attacks of an external foe.
Accordingly the Kafir or Zeolu tribes of the east
coast, who were a waxlike race, living under the most
absolute despotism, had overrun the country, partly
conquered and partly mingled with the other race,
and the result had been to render this district a com-
plete scene of confusion and of war, there being a
nearly complete want of government amongst the
compound race. This was the great difficulty which
we had in dealing with them, and would, he thought,
render it necessary for us to introduce our own go-
vernment amongst them ; respecting, however, their
right to their lands, which wo had hitherto not always
done. Of the character of the Kafirs, Dr. Adamson
gave the most unfavourable account, describing them
as nearly entirely destitute of truthfulness, and so per-
fectly selfish, that Europeans had the greatest difficulty
in inducing them to adopt any suggestions, because
they could not conceive that these could possibly be
given without some sinister object. The Hottentots,
who were a race of a much milder character, were, he
believed, diminishing in numbers, although placed in
circumstances of great physical comfort. Indeed, he
thought that the improvement which civilization had
effected in their condition was probably the cause of the
diminution, in consequence of its having surrounded
them with totally different circumstances and conditions
to those amidst which their physical constitutions had
been formed, and to which they were adapted. Be-
sides these tribes, there were the Bushmen, who al-
though speaking a Hottentot dialect, were the com-
mon foe of all the other natives, and lived in the most
precarious manner in holes in the rocks and in the
ground; in fact, in a manner which would be im-
possible to any but a race of their dwarfed stature.
These general views of the state of the native popu-
lation of the Cape were illustrated by a variety of
anecdotes and details of the most interesting descrip-
tion, the whole forming one of the most pleasant
and instructive lectures it has ever been our fortune
to hear.

ROYAL MAIL STEAM PACKET COMPANY.
At the meeting of this company, yesterday, the divi-
dend declared was 21. per share, free of income-tax (or at
the rate of EL 13s. 4d. per annum). and the report and
accounts were unanimously adopted. An amendm, nt
was moved for an increase of dividend, but was defeat .d
by a large majority. In the course of the discussion
uptm the report, the loss of the Amazon, the accident
to the Demerara, and the complaints alleged with re-
spect to the service of the Deo and the Conway, were
severally alluded to, and, with respect to the irregulari-
ties mentioned, and the statement made on that ques-
tion, it was intimated that the management had taken
every precaution to prevent their recurrence. Some of
the shareholders objected to the mode adopted in the ar-
rangement of the accounts, which fail to show, as in
former years, a comparative view of workings, while
others contended that i: was an impolitic course to
allow so large a sum as that sot down for the deprecia-
tion of the company's fleet. It was also argued that no
support ought to be given to other projects, and
that distinct enterprises should be suffered to
make their own way, since the proprietors by
investing their money had done so with the
object of obtaining an increased dividend,
rind not for the purpose of promoting other
routes, either of railway or steam conveyance. On
behalf of the board, it was announced that the directors
were only anxious to make such arrangements as
were likely to improve the revenue of the com-
pany; and, acting under this impression, they sought
in an ordinary manner to co-op -rate with under-
takings which promised to yield mutual advan-
tages. With regard to the allowance for depre-
ciation in the company's fleet, it was felt that the
time had arrived for dealing with that question, and
in future au annual estimate would be calculated. It
was considered that general affairs were in a prosperous
condition, since, notwithstanding the loss of the Amazon,
there was every expectation that the whole of the cow
vessels would be completed without the necessity of a
call.
- Tho points of general interest as far as the public
are concerned in the report are the allusions to the
Amazon, the authority given by the Admiralty for the
use in one instance of iron instead of wood, the advance
on Panama It ailway debentures, the project for steam to
Australia, and the views of the company regarding
the " attacks" levelled against them. Whether the
loss of the Amazon is to be passed over as a visi-
tation, wholly unconnected with any want of fore•
sight, is a matter upon which the public, with
all the facts recently before them, can easily form an
opinion. With respect to the now illustration of the
changed views of the Admiralty regarding iron, the cir-
cumstance affords another proof of the effects of Govern-
ment interference with commercial enterprise, since it
shows that the prohibition of that material has been a
mistake, The railway loan is so completely opposed to
sound principle as to need no comment. It neither the
railway stockholders nor the public think sufficiently
well of the undertaking to supply the requisite funds, it
can hardly be proper for a company which depends
upon a Government subsidy to employ any portion of
that subsidy for such a purpose. On the subject of
steam to Australia, the announcement that the company
intend to connect themselves with a project in that
quarter calls for vigilance on the part of the
mercantile world, to prevent any attempt that may
t,
bo made to obtain a further mail contract, and
a new grant of money. There is no intimation that any
such application is intended, but the Pacific is the only
region left free from the influence of monopoly, and
official mode of managing affairs of that sortthe
is
such as
to allow little chance of expostulation until it is too late.
Finally, in connexion with the attacks' made on the
company, the effort to weaken themby.ave no influence.
representing that
the majority are " anonymous"
ena h
Most et the complaining parties arc
ployes connected with the trade or m
administrationereha
t merchants or
of
etihne-
West Indies, and it is too
should expose themselves to much'
to reuire that they
public body, etron the of an influential
glybeSupported by the home
merit. There might
ill-will, but people no to exerciee
in all other cases Gove n-t
neverthelesswner, not onlyi. ihotrtohil but
are
pew. rful
concerned, decline to risk it. est
conceive,au l moreover,
that if their statement Ist.
sufficientnemes to
they furnish their e which it is
published, tcfl,nm.:p:tp-ratelryinworded, and
it to attention on its gcuaranteeitst.
So far from public
aSorded to entitle
opinion
fiuding adenutteiwtn,xpTlion io these attacks, thy'
rt vtry rrwri,r,,t-,
eSO i g Al, 1 111
interest in details about incapable shins, crowded cabias,
bad fare, or unaccountable delays. Wile directors, it is