The Sun.
London, England, 1853-10-01 00:00:00

FALL OF A RAILWAY BRIDGE.

Yesterday a circumstance occurred about half-a-mile
from Dorchester, which was near being attended with a
lamentable loss of life. At the spot referred to a rail-
way bridge has been recently constructed across the
turnpike road over the Wilts, Somerset, and Weymouth
Railway, and has only within the last few days been
open for traffic. On Wednesday morning last the work-
men were engaged in completing the excavations beneath
the bridge, when the crown of the arch was observed to
sink considerably. and the process of underpinning was
immediately adopted. The situation of the bridge evi-
dently demanded the utmost caution, and the parapet
wall was taken down to relieve the structure of its
superincumbent weight. In this state of things the
navvies were all engaged in excavating beneath the
defective arch, the traffic over it being again turned into
the temporary road formed during the construction
of the bridge, and the trucks laden with chalk from
the cutting continuing to run beneath it as before,
when at a few minutes before eight o'clock yesterday
morning, one of the navvies, fancying he heard a
cracking noise, carried his eye attentively along the
east side of the bridge, and observing it in the act
of giving way, had just time to warn the workmen
above and below the bridge of the impending danger,
when it fell in with a tremendous crash. Most for-
tunately they all got out of the way in time, and
no one was injured. But for the timely warning, at
least twenty men must inevitably have lost their lives.
This is the second time the bridge may be said to have
been built up ; for, about six months ago, it had almost
arrived at completion, when it was declared by a compe-
tent authority that it would "never stand." It was
therefore taken to pieces and the foundations laid afresh
—with what result is now seen.

Lord Stanley, M.P., son of the Earl of Derby, passed
through Fort-William on Monday (remaining all night
at the Caledonian Hotel), on his road to Achnacarry, to
join Lord Malmesbury's party.—lnverness Courier.
THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER.—After re-
ceiving his civic honour in Dingwall and Inverness, Mr.
Gladstone remained on Tuesday night in the Union
Hotel, and on Wednesday morning proceeded by the
Edinburgh Castle steamer to Glasgow.—lbid.
DRIIRY-LANE.—Last night bills were placed on the
walls of Drury-lane, stating that no more money could
be taken. We believe that such a circumstance has
not occurred before for a quarter of a century.
. ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS, REGENT'S-PARK.—The Zoolo-
gical Society exhibited yesterday, for the first time, an
adult living example of the great South American ant-
eater (Myrmecophaga jubata), by far the most remark-
able animal which they have acquired since the hippopo-
tamus. The extreme singularity of its form, the marked
character of its colouring, and its very considerable size,
will, in all probability, render this acquisition as inte-
resting to the public in general, as it cannot fail to be
to the scientific world. The great difficulty of trans-
porting an animal whose food has hitherto been sup-
posed to consist entirely of insects from the forests of
South America to an artificial home in the Regent's
Park has, up to this time, prevented the society from
filling up the desideratum in their series, which they
have now bad the good fortune to secure.
THE LATE PANIC.—The late unreasoning panic in
the Stock-Exchange has wholly subsided, and although
the market is still extremely sensitive, it has assumed
altogether a different aspect. At the commencement of
operations yesterday the accounts from Paris, and the
absence of any direct confirmation of the favourable
rumours circulated on the Turkish question, occasioned
some flatness, but continued purchases on the part
of the public subsequently created an improvement of
one per cent. From this there was a temporary reac-
tion, but without any case being assigned for it, and
before the termination of business prices had returned
to the highest point touched during the day, a report
being at the same time prevalent that the Sultan had
unreservedly left the adjustment of his dispute with
Russia in the hands of the allied Powers.—Tunet.