The Sun.
London, England, 1848-11-13 00:00:00

RAILWAY BRIDGES,
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

RESPECTED FRIEND,—As the subject of economy
in the construction of railway bridges is of public im-
portance, and as the following letter has appeared in
the Mining Journal, calling the attention of engineers
thereto, permit me through your extensively circu-
lated paper to offer some observations upon it.
" RIDER'S RAILWAY BRIDGE.

" Sir,—l have observed in your paper and several
others, an advertisement headed Rider's Railway
Bridge.' As the statements made in relation to it appear
to be well founded, and the advantages it offers are of
importance to the railway interest, it seems to me that
the opinion of our own engineers ought to be had in re-
ference to the merits of this bridge, with a view to that
practical economy which is so much needed at present,
and which is always so desirable in all expensive under-
takings. I beg therefore to call your attention to this
subject.
"A RAILWAY SHAREHOLDER.

"Pall-mall, Nov. 2."
With respect to the plan alluded to, I may observe
that the principle of construction and arrangement is
somewhat like Smart's patent, though I consider
inferior both in arrangement and in economy, neither
of which plans in my opinion are equal for scientific
arrangements or economy to the form known by the
term of bow and string, or arch suspension, amodel of
which (I believe the first ever made entirely of
wrought iron) I constructed about twenty years ago
at Liverpool, and exhibited to the late George Ste-
phenson, Esq., and the directors of the Liverpool and
Manchester Railway, and subsequently made a foot
bridge on the plan for the Newcastle and Carlisle
Railway Company at Newcastle, about 25 feet long
5 feet wide, which contained about 14 cwt. of
wrought iron, and which supported with perfect
safety a load of 10 tons at a cost considerably under
20s. per foot, the principle of which has been success-
fully adopted by R. Stephenson, Esq., M.P., in the
construction of what is called the high level bridge
across the Tyne at Newcastle.
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ue
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at viaducts,the plan
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u economical
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the
same that is applied in con-
structing the machines sow adopted for moving large
blocks of stone, timber, &c., which maybe' seen in use
at many of the public builings now in the course of
erection, and also as at the different timber and stone
wharfs. A particular description for. constructing a
viaduct on the plan. accompanied with an engraving,
was published in 1831 in Dr. Lardner's Cyclopedia,
volume on Iron and Steel, page 118, in which he
states that the principle cannot be doubted:
Respectfully yours,
THOMAS MOTLEY, C.E.
London, 11th month 6, 1848.

MARYLETIONE VESTRY. PROJECTED NEW
COUNTY PRISON.—On Saturday, Mr. Haikes having
been called to the chair, and the parochial receipts and
disbursements for the week having been read and ap-
proved of, Sir Peter Laurie, in reply to Mr. Williams,
late M.P. for Coventry, said it was true that it had been
contemplated to erect a new county prison, in lieu of the
Coldbath• fields prison, which, if carried into execution,
would entail upon the ratepayers the expenditure of
150,0001., and if the Pentonville system were adopted in
the new prison, it would increase the amount of expen-
diture 15,0001., while the county was indebted 300,0001.,
and the county rates amounted annually to 70,0001.,
which twenty years ago only figured 40,0001. But he
was happy to state that the proposition to erect the new
prison was defeated. He hoped that all the metropoli-
tan parishes would unite in opposing the project of erect-
ing a new county prison if it was again brought forward.
—Mr. Elliott, Deputy Lieutenant of the county, as-
sured the board that no new prison could be built, but
expressed himself favourable to the prisoners sleeping
in separate apartments.—Mr. Williams moved the ap•
pointment of a committee to inquire into the amount of
the county rate and the mode of its expenditure—The
motion was carried, and a committee.appointed.—The
vestry adjourned at a late hour.
THE MAN OF LETTERS AS A PRACTICAL ME-
CHANIC.—On Wednesday last, a crowd of delighted boys
was seen and heard running along Devonshire street
and Warwick-road,while older citizens stopped with arms
akimbo as they passed, in attitudes no less expressive
of amazement. The cause of the hubbub was a postman
modestly seated on a comfortable saddle, supported by a
light frame, on four wheels—each side pair connected,
front and back, by a crank, which a footboard enabled
the traveller 44 work with the foot of the corresponding
side—leisurely, yet rapidly, making way with a respec-
tably filled post bag on big back I—Garlick Journal.