The Sun.
London, England, 1869-11-25 00:00:00

THE SUN, LON

OPENING OF THE SOUTHERN EMBANK-
_ MENT OF 7HE THAMES.

The formal opening of the handsome embank-
ment which runs along the south side of the
Thames, from Westminster-bridge past Lambeth
Palace, and as far as a point known as Gunhouse-
alley, and which is not far from Vauxhall-bridge,
took place yesterday. Sir John Thwaites and the
members of the Board of Works were true to their
previous announcement respecting the informal
character of the intended opening, merely walk-
ing down two-and-two from the office in Spring-
gardens ; but the Lambeth Vestry had ideas more
consistent with the importance of the occasion.
They had previously extensively announced the
opening, and had engaged a band, and the conse-
quence was that an immense crowd lined the
Embankment along- its entire length, and the
gentlemen who walked in procession were kept
in step by a series of martial and exhilarating
airs. Sir J. Thwaites and the members of
the Board of Works who attended were
joined at Lambeth Church by the vestry
of that parish, and the whole party then pro-
ceeded to the present terminus of the Embank-
ment at Gun-house-alley. Here a halt was made,
a grand salute was fired from a battery placed on
Lambeth-bridge, flags were run up, the crowd
cheered, and Sir J. Thwaites ascended a tempo-
rary platform which had been prepared for his ac-
commodation. In the course of the few words
which the chill and foggy atmosphere permitted of
his addressing to the crowd, Sir John dwelt
forcibly on the importance, both local and metro-
politan, of the work, the completion of which they
were celebrating. lie believed that the Southern
Embankment of the Thames would greatly facili-
tate the traffic of all London ; but besides that it
would effect a complete sanitary revolution in Lam-
beth. Formerly, as his hearers could well remem-
ber, every high tide flooded their roadways and
swamped the lower rooms of their houses ; but
now, thanks to the embankment, the people of
Lambeth would ahs ays live high and dry, even
although the tide should rise to the height which
had been prophesied some weeks before. In this
way healthy dwellings would be secured, and the
zymotic diseases which had so long been a
periodical scourge to the borough would be
driven away. Sir John reminded his hearers
that all this good work had been achieved
by municipal, not imperial exertion, and
expressed his hope that all classes in the country
would stand fast by our old Saxon municipal in-
stitutions. The people, he said, were a feeble
people, who relied not on themselves, but con-
stantly called upon the central government to do
their work. The observations of the worthy chair-
man were much cheered and appreciated by such
of the Lambethians as were able to get within hear-
ing distance of the platform, and were equally
cheered upon trust by the greater numbers who
stood in the remote distance outside.

The next p. oceeding was to adjourn to the open
space in front of the Church, where the National
Anthem was played by the band, and thence
the whole party, both members of the Board of
Works and Vestrymen, took shipping in a
river steamer, and proceeded by water to Paul's
wharf, whence they proceeded to the Albion
Tavern to dine. The party was a large one, the
members of the Board of Works being the guests
of the vestry, led by Mr. R. Taylor as chairman,
and both sections of our municipal organization
mustering in considerable strength. Speeches full
of mutual congratulation were delivered, Sir J.
Thwaites repeating with enhanced emphasis his
exhortation of the morning to "stand fast by our
municipal institutions ;" and the Rector of Lambeth,
the Rev. Kr. Lingham, telling the company how
the Lambeth fishermen, now an almost extinct race,
had once caught flounders at Lambeth-stairs, and
had made their toilettes with the clear, transparent
liver for a mirror, and he expressed his hope that
one of the results of the Embankment would be
before long to restore the river to something like
its ancient put ity. A capital selection of music was
given by Miss Banks, Mr. Feilding, and one or
two other artists, and the company, which had as-
sembl,cl early, retired early, according to the good
old municipal and parochial custom.
The Southern Embankment of the Thames,
which is about a mile and a half in length, was
commenced in July, 1866, and would have been
completed long since but for the difficulty that
was experienced in getting possessio i of the pro-
perty required. The exact measurement is 2,200
feet of river wall between Westminster and Lam-
beth bridges, and 2,100 het from Lambeth-bridge
to the site of the London Gasworks. The wall is
nearly uniform throughout its entire length, and is
similar in elevation to the Embankment on the
Middlesex side. The foundations of the wall are
carried down to a level of 30 feet below Trinity
high-water mark, and it is intended to excavate
the foreshore generally to the extent of 18 feet be-
low the same datum. At one portion of the river
bank excavations have been made to the extent of
no less than two acres, in order to produce a free
and uniform tideway, and in another place, close
to the first, and for the same purpose, nearly six
acres of land have been reclaimed fro. t the river.
The result of these works is, that the width of the
river now varies from 800 feet at Westminster-
bridge, to 700 feet at the Penitentiary. The ap-
proximate cost of the works has been, for compen-
sation, £712,963 ; works, about £280,000 ; to-
gether, say £993,000. From this the recoups :lents
are, St. Thomas's Hospital, £105,000 ; other items,
£30,000 ; total, £135,000 ; leaving the nett cost of
the Southern Embankment of the Thames some-
where about £858,000. The whole of the works
were executed by Mr. Webster, the well-known
contractor, and they reflect the highest credit both
on that gentleman and the whole of the subordinate
staff.

TRIAL OF A PATENT STEAM CAR BRAKE.— Oti
Tuesday afternoon, Oct 26, at New York, several invited
guests attended an excursion with the agent of the Long-
bridge Steam Car Brake for the purpose of witnessing a
practical test of the value of that invention. The com-
p tuy took passage in one of six cars drawn by a locomo-
tive furnished with the new brake, and were soon on the
meadows a short distance beyond the Tunnal on the Ed-
Railway. Here the experiments were made. While run-
ning at the rate of perhaps 20 miles an hour, the train
was brought to its first full stop in 28 seconds from the
moment the whistle was blown, having passed over, in
the interval between the signal and the stop, not more
than three times its length. In the four succeeding trials
the stoppages were made in 23, 18, 18, and 17 seconds
respectively, the rate of speed having been somewhat
diminished. The results of the trial were eminently satis-
factory, showing beyond a doubt that the invention is an
improvement well worthy of commendation. Its claims
for superiority over other brakes are that the control of it
is solely in the hands of the engineer, who, without the
aid of brakemen, and without the slighte,t, exercise of
physical effort, can bring his train to a full stop at plea-
sure ; that by its use much time is saved in making stops
at stations, and that it is easily attached to the hand-
brake, and can be used with or without it. As its name
implies, the Loughbridge steam-brake is operated by steam
A. small lever within reach of the engineer's hand
operates the valves in the steam-chest connected with
the boiler by an upright pipe. To the rear, and a little
below the steam-chest., is a horizontal cylinder, which,
caused to revolve, works a pair of cogged wheels at its
rear end, these in turn operating a main chain which
raises or depresses the levers attached to the brake-
beams. This brake, for reasons sufficiently obvious,
is a great safe-guard for life and property, and in the
opinion of engineers who have tested its merits, it cannot
be excelled for simplicity and power. It has been used
on the high speed through trains of the Pennsylvania
Railroad for nearly ten years, and, according to the testi-
mony of the officers of that road, has in many instances
saved the destrnction of life and property. On the Xlil-
waukee and St. Paul P.ailroad it has been in use for six
years, and all the express trains of the Morris and Essex
Road are furnished with it. The Supetinteudent of the
latt• r road says that on the 21st inst. the Eastern express
train, running at a high rate of speed, was brought to a
dead stop in 500 feet and in 16 seconds; and that but for
the use of the steam brake (this was a Stanhope; the loss •f
life would have been terrible, as a collision was thereby
prevented.

EMIGRATION TO CANTERBURY, NEW ZEALAND.—
On Friday last the clipper ship Siberia sailed from Graves-
end for Port Lyttelton, having on board 140 free and as-
sisted emigrants, consisting chiefly of agricultural la-
bourerF, mechanics, &c., selected by the acting emigration
agent' of the Canterbury Government, Mr. A. C. Ottywell,
16, Charing-cress.