The Sun.
London, England, 1846-09-01 00:00:00

WESTMINSTER BRIDGE.

The work of demolition proceeds rapidly, mad there
is certainly but little trouble required in taking down
the front walls that fill the hollows between the arches
and carry the balustrade; the wonder is that the mass of
loose sand that is filled in behind these walls to support
the footways should not have pushed them into the
river. "To what base uses we may return!" Here are
the cornices and carved work, and other ornaments of a
structure which was at one time (as the Select Com-
mittee's report states) " the largest bridge in Europe
that covered water all the year round, and was con-
sidered wonderful, " bundled, without respect or dis-
tinction, into carts and barges with rubble and rubbish
of all kinds. According to the present rate, the piers
will in a short time have less to carry, and, should the
bridge fall into the river, there will be less to
fall—both very sufficient reasons, we think, for
the great activity. That the workmen at the
sides of the bridge may not be interrupted,
the road for foot passengers is now between temporary
fences near the middle of what was lately the carriage-
way. The stoppage of footway communications, and
the loss to shopkeepers and tradesmen, as well as the in-
convenience to the multitude of passengers, would be
very great if they were deprived of a foot passage at
Westminster. l'he evidence before the Select Com-
mittee is not yet published. By the report which we
gave in our journal there appears to have been an
opinion that the present might be used as a temporary
bridge while the new one was being built, but that " Mr,
Walker urged, in the spring of 1845, the erection of a
temporary bridge as at that time desirable, and that he
urged it again with increased earnestness before the
late Committee." To secure a passage withcut danger
may be presumed the principal reason for this recom-
mendation ; the objection was probably the expense, and
the opinion that the old bridge might be made to answer
the temporary purpose. The water-bailiff has visited
the bridge, and is in communication with the Lord
Mayor as to the means of removing the obstruction to
navigation that might be caused by any sudden failure.

—Last
evening,
A,
acsc
hDeE
wN To r AnTl eln
11ZrIe3
engagedl il cEN n Eaat nt
hDe
wares-
houses eS...
houses in course of erection on the margin of the new docks
at Birkenhead a scaffold gave way, and a number of men
were precipitated to the ground, burying several of them
tinder thousands of bricks. Four were very seriously in-
jured. They were immediately attended by Mr. Jermatte,
surgeon, who had them removed to the hospital, and admi-
nistered proper medical assistance to them. Their injuries
are very serious, but it is hoped they will eventually recover.
The following is a list of the parties more seriously injured :
—Patrick Moran, 33 years, labourer, St. Anne-street; Terry
M'Coen, 30 years, labourer, Oak-street; John Conway, 30
years, labourer, Albert-terrace; Henry Roach, 35 years,
' labourer 4, ood-street. They were all married men—
Liverpool . Journal of Saturday.
SAINT GEORGE-IN THE-EAST CHURCH• RATES.—in
consequence of the refusal of the parishioners of Saint
George-in-the-East to make a rate for the payment of or-
ganists and others connected with the performance of church
service, the Rev. Bryan King, the rector, got up a choir, about
three weeks ago, and yesterday preached a charity sermon,
for the purpose of defraying the expenses consequent thereon.
Amongst other observations, he said that he was happy to
think the time had come when the Church would be able to
do its duty by itself, without calling in the aid of heretics,
sectarians, or atheists. The collection amounted to upwards
of W. The population comprises more than 40,000 persons.
ORKNEY.—We are grieved to learn that the potato
disease has at length begun to appear in Orkney. It was
hoped that these remote islands of the deep would have es-
caped the visitation of this destructive malady— but alas for
human hopes !—Caledonian litercury.