The Sun.
London, England, 1846-08-13 00:00:00

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MUSICAL GOSSIP.

PARIS.—The Prince Poniatowsky is writing an opera
for the Academie Royale. A new ballet, called Etty,
with a new Italian dancer, Mae. Fuoco, has been pro-
duced with moderate success. The c(acqueurs are
furious about Mdlle Flinn, but the ft uilletonistes are at
variance. Theophile Gaunier is very warm. Jules Janin
very cold about the matter. It appears, from what we
can gather, that Mc?lle. Film() is pretty, agile, and
strong, but that her style of dancing %anti; variety, An-
cold, a new basso much talked of, will, it is said, make
his appearance, with Madame Sto!z -and Gardoni, in the
new opera or Rossini.

VlENNA.—Balfe's opera of the Bohemian Girl was
produced here on the 24th of July. The overture was
encored, as were also the cavatina of the tenor in the first
act, the duet between the tenor and bass, Arline's
romance, the quartet, the air of the tenor, the trio, and
the last rondo of the prima donna. In all, seven pieces
were encored—nearly the whole opera. This success
amongst the phlegmatic Viennese, who, unlike the
Italians, arc most difficult to excite, is unparalleled.
NAPLES.—Bazzini, the violinist, is creating a great
sensation at the Teatro del Fondo, where he has given
three concerts.

SEVILLE.—Moriani has been playing here—Lucia
and Lucrezia, as usual, were the operas. One would
imagine that he knew no others.
BOLOGNA.—The news of the political amnesty ac-
corded by the new Pope arrived at Bologna in the after-
noon of the 21st of July. To celebrate this act of
clemency, the members of the Philharmonic Society
organised a concert a l'improvisite, which took place the
same night in the grand piazza. Rossini hastily adapted
a hymn of thanks, improvised by a Bolognese poet, to
the music of the final chorus of La Donna del Lago,
which was afterwards sung by the whole populace that
crowded the piazza.
VICENZA.— Verdi's Attila has been attended with
some success, according to the papers. The singers
were La Barbieri Nini, La Colzari, Varesi, and Bond*
Louisa Fitzjarnes is the dancer here in vogue, and pleases
in Girdle.

MILAN.—As soon as Perrot arrives, his clever ballet
of Catarina will be prepared at the Scala. Lucile
Grahn will represent the heroine.
According to La France Musicale, Rossini is
engaged in writing his own memoirs, which are
to be positively published in the winter. The poet
Mery will correct the proofs. Great consternation is
expressed at the menace of this book, from certain per-
sons who have reason to think they shall be exposed to
the satirical severity for which the " Swan of Pesare "
is famous.—Musical World.

WESTMINSTER BRIDGE.
The piers of the bridge were built on caissons without
bearing piles under them. The bed of the river for a consi-
derable depth under the caissons is loose gravel. The exist-
ing foundations were designed and calculated for much
smaller piers with a light wooden superstructure for a bridge.
The third pier from the centre began to sink, so that two
arches lost their circular figure, and some of their principal
stones fell into the water, before the bridge was finished.
The quality of the masonry is bad, and the superstructure
never can be made a very solid and secure work. In the
course of ninety years however the fabric had comparatively
consolidated. The removal of old London-bridge again dis-
turbed its repose. Between 1823 and 1835 the river fifty
feet below Westminster-bridge had deepened its chan-
nel six or seven feet by its own action. To a certain
extent, the same operation had been in progress under
the bridge, and the piers being thus deprived of their
liberal support, again became unsteady. In 1844, the 17-
feet east pier had gone down nine inches, and was three
inches off the perpendicular. Between the 7th May, 1845,
and the 19th May, 1846, this pier sunk 13/4 inches; and the
16-feet east pier about 1% inch. In the beginning of July,
the 17-feet pier was found to have sunk 2-10ths of an inoh
additional; and the 16-feet pier 1-10th. The continued
sinking of the two piers has affected the stones of the 72-
feet arch which rests upon them ; an open joint is percep-
tible in the soffits, and one of the south-face stones has
dropped down about half an inch. The palliatives recom-
mended by various distinguished engineers are all objection.
able ; one would cost 120,000/. ; another would obstruct the na.
vigation; and even were they carried into effect, none of the
proposers will guarantee the stability of the bridge, In
addition to its insecurity the bridge is very inconvenient.
Its inclination is greater than that of any bridge over a tidal
river in England; for 50 yards at each end it is one in 14i,
and about lin 33 for the remainder. The surface of the road
is five steps below the footpaths on both acclivities ; and near
the ends of the bridge the carriage-way is only 22 feet. Sir
James M'Adam stated, in 1844, that 6,600,000 horses passed
Charing-cross annually, and of that thoroughfare he con.
sidered the largest proportion, particularly the heavy car-
riages, passed over the bridge. The annual expense of
management in salaries is 1,487/. ; from sth April, 1810, to
sth April, 1838, 83,097/. were expended in repairs ; from
sch April, 1838, to sth April, 1844, 81,341/. ; front
sth April, 1844, to sth July, 1846, 25,782/ ; in all, 190,2201.
There are genie arrears due for works during the <in..o period
on the bridge, which will raise this sum to not less than,
200,0001. The repairs still remaining to be made, and the
London-bridge,
ivdening of the bridge to equal the width of
London-bridge, would cost 100,01;0/. more. The bridge mato
consists of 10,000/. in Consols, and lands and houses esti-
mated in 1843 at 172,521/.
The following are the resolutions of the Select Committee
appointed to consider the present state of Westm
bridge, of the new Palace at Westminster, &c. .aster-
" 1. That the majority of the witnesses who have been
examined on the point concur in the statement, that the
foundations of Westminster-bridge having been originally
vicious, the bridge can never be permanently sound.
"2. That the expense of completing the alterations and
repairs now in progress or in contemplation, according to
contracts and designs under the superintendence of the
Bridge Commissioners, 'will be very considerable, amounting
at the least to 70,0001.

" 3. That this expenditure will still leave the bridge in a
state requiring constant attention in respect to repairs, and
without any certainty of permanent security; while it wilt
likewise leave the water-way far less adequate to the re-
quirement of the navigation, particularly when the con-
traction of the stream by the embankment in front of the
New Palace is considered, than would be the case under a
new bridge. _

" 4. That, irrespective of the approaches, the expense of
a new stone bridge near the site of the present bridge, and
retaining the present bridge for temporary use, would not
exceed 360,0001., according to the highest of the estimates
for that object which have been furnished to the Committee,
either in 1844 or in the present year.
" 5. That the bridgeestates would probably furnish a clear
surplus of at least 100,0002 in aid of the funds for the erec-
tion of a new bridge.
" 6. That Parliament having by direct grants from the
Exchequer (the remaining expenditure having been pro-
vided by money raised in lotteries, under Acts of Parliament)
furnished a large part of the expense of erecting originally
the present bridge, and having constituted the commission
under which the said bridge was erected, and has since been
administered, and having, by sec. 20 of the 9th Geo. IL,
c. 29, declared that the said bridge shall be extra-parochial,
and by sec. 21, that it shall not be a county bridge, main-
tainable as such bridges are, by county rates, has recognised
and sanctioned the principle that this bridge, which is thus
by law excluded from other support, shall be maintained,
and when needful, repaired, restored, and rebuilt, at the
expense of the State.

;'• 7. That, in these circumstances, a sufficient case has been
made out to justify this Committee in recommending to the
House, that the present bridge be pulled down, and Mat a new
bridge be constructed ; and that a Bill be brought into Parlia—
ment next session to transfer to the Commissioners of her
Majesty's Woods, &c., the estates and property of the Bridge
Commissioners, due consideration being had to the claims of
the officers of the Bridge Estates, if their services should ba
discontinued."

EDUCATION IN THE SWISS CANTONSO--11l these re-
publican communities, possessed with their peculiar national
jealousy of anything that hampers individual liberty, it is
compulsory on parents to send their children to school. The
poverty of their parents is great, yet they do not think of
eking out the family meal by the scanty earnings of the
child withdrawn from the lessons of the teacher, to work.
In the increased sobriety, forethought, and self-respect
which education inspires, they find abundant recompense for
the temporary privations which the expense of that educa-
tion, slight as it is, imposes. With its population of 2,200,000.
little more than that of London and its suburbs, Switzerland
has thirteen large and efficient normal schools, in which the
future schoolmaster receives not only an intellectual but a
partially industrial training. England, with its population
of sixteen millions, has only six normal or schoolmasters'
schools which deserve the name. In Switzerland, then,
where each canton has its own internal government, we see a
great and efficient scheme of education at work. Here the
formal instruction of the school is succeeded by the practical
training of industrial or agricultural life. There is no
antagonism between the two. Except in the Catholic can•
tons, where the Jesuits limit all speculation of a religious
kind, opinion and action are free in Switzerland. The edu•
cation bears its fruits. It has been in operation only since
1832 ; but in the younger part of the population, who alone
have enjoyed the benefits of it, its results are perceptible in
their increased sobriety, industry, and forethought.--Douglas
Jerrold's Weekly Newspaper.
STEAM NAVIGATION.--The Steam Navigation Bill
(recently introduced into the House of Commons by Sir G.
Clerk, Sir G. Cockburn, and Mr. Corry) has just been matted
as amended by the Committee, and a re-commitment. Se•
veral new clauses have been added, which enact that steamers
are to be provided with paddle-box boats ; that a penalty not
exceeding 100/. is to be enforced on owners of vessels not
transmitting the required declarations most recently made
with respect of such vessels; that all indictments arising out
of this Act are to be preferred by direction of the Lords of
the Committee of Privy Council, or Commissioners of Cus-
toms; and that this Act is not to repeal the Passengers' Act,
5 and 6 Vict. c. 107.

METROPOLITAN BUILDINGS.—An interesting return
has just been issued, by order of Parliament, of fees received
by surveyors of districts under the Metropolitan Buildings
Act, 7 and 8 Vict. c. 84, from which it appears that the
fees received from the Ist January, 1845, to March, 1846,
amounted altogether to 20,064/. 16s. Bd. This does not in-
clude any fees arising on works in progress at Ist January,
1845, under the former Building Act, 14 Geo. 111. c. 78. The
above fees were received on 16,016 buildings complo-ted, and
3,000 in progress. _ _

EXECUTION AT YORK.—On Saturday John Roddy
suffered the extreme penalty of the law at York Castle, for
the murder of his infant at Skipton, in Craven.
SLEEPING IN THE PARKS.—During the past month
of July seventeen persons have been imprisoned, for sleeping
at night in the plantations of Hyde Park. numbers making it
their nightly resting-place.
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Waterloo and Blackfriars-brulgos, to
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got aground between
the no small tibillay of tbe passengen.