The Sun.
London, England, 1856-07-25 00:00:00

31,8 W WESTMINSTER BRIDGE.

The followin; is a copy of the report which was
presented to the House on Wednesday last, the
23d inst. :

"That in 1853 an act was passed, entitled, 'An Act
to transfer Westminster-brbige ' and the estates of the \
Commissioners of ber Majesty's Works and Publics
Buildings, and to enable such la3t-mentioned commis.
sioners to remove the present bridge and to build a new
bridge on or near the site thereof. Under the provisions
of that act the -corporation -‘ of the Commissioners of
Westminster-bridge ' Rai dissolved.
" The Commissioners of Works were incorporated for
the purposes of that act.
" The property of the old corporation was vested in
the Commissioners of Worlss, with power to apply the
same under the provisions of the act.
"That no funds beyond those so transferred have
been provided by the said act or otherwise. The said
commissioners were also aothotised to build a bridge
and make approaches thereto according to a plan re-
fern d to as the amended plan.
"That a plan is deposited in oiA library of the Hones
of Commons, signed hy Sir William Molesworth, Sir
Cilarles Barry, and Page, but it is not auu4uckg.fsl
anrdetatfedVang _Of d;swi
ner of constructing the piers or the work generally.
"The bill was referred to a select committee,' and
evidence was taken thereon.

"The mode of constructing the piers of the bridge
was not brought fully to the notice ot the committee ;
indeed, would seem not to have been at that time de-
cided on.

" After hearing evidence the committee decided, by
the casting vo,e of the chairman, that headway under
the new br,d4e should not exceed 20 feet ; 26 feet being
the he,ght under the lowest of the other metropolitan
bridges.

" Tii,s decision was affirmed by a small majority upon
a division in a thin house.
"That, by the direction of the Commissioners of
Work 4, a plan (deviating in some points not material
from the amended plan) and specifications were prepared
by Mr. Page.
"It does not appear that the plan so prepared, and
proposed mode of construction, although novel, was sub-
mitted to any other professional opinion.
"Several of the principal firms in the building and
iron trades were invited to tender for the execution of
the work, according to the said plan and specification.
Only three of these firms sent in tenders.
" That a contract was entered into with Messrs. Mare
and Co. to execute the works at the end of April, 1854,
and they were commenced shortly after.
" That in September, 1855, the contractors, Messrs.
Mar-. became bankrupt.
" Thlt the work WM carried on by the assignees until
the end of March, 1856, when it was entirely suspended.
"Ail the witnesses state the works appears to be very
well done.

"The present First Commissioner of Works, in come:
quence of representation made to him, instructed Messrs.
Rene; el and Simpson, on the 31st of March last, to inquire
and rep 3rt professionally, among other points,—
"1. Their opinion of the original scheme, and the exact
nature of the scheme.
" 2.. The desirability of proceeding with it.

".The report of those gentlemen i; before Parliament.
Your committee have examined Messrs. Rendel and
Simpson, and also Mr. Stephenson, Mr. Hawkshay, and
Mr. Fowler, all civil engineers. The two gentlemen
last named were selected by Mr. Page, who was also
examined.
"A written statement has also been put in by Mr.
Page, who also had every opportunity of suggesting
such questions as he deemed fit to the witnesses.
"Application was made by letteron the part of the city
of London to be heard on the subject of the headway
under the bridge. The late period of the eession determined
your committee to confine their inquiry to the propoud
mode of construction of the piers, their sufficiency to
bear the weiAit to he put upon them, and how far such
a construction can be considered permanent.
"Toe description of the construction of the piers and
plans thereof will be found in the report of Me.ers.
Reudel and Simpson. (Parliamentary Paper No. 318,
Session 1856.)

"The evidence has satisfied your committee that the
proposed piers are of strength amply sufficient to bear
the weight proposed to be placed upon them ; that the
piers will be secure so long as the iron casting remains
sound ; that the iron casting can be replaced whenever
it may decay or be destroyed ; that such a mode of eon-
struction is less permanent and secure than granite piers,
founded deep on the London clay by means of coffer-
dams ; but it is less expensive, and can he ca 'vied out in
a shorter period of time, and causes less obstruction to
the navigation of the river.
"The changes that have taken place in the bed of the
river and in the flow and ebbing of the tides of late
years ought to have due consideration before determining
the mode of construction and the headway under the
bridge.
"The witnesses examined before your committee
dif-
fered somewhat in opinion as to the amount of any pro-
bable future change in these respects.
"The report of the select committee on publio offioes,
presented to the house during the sitting of this com-
mittee, contemplating extensive changes in the immediate
neighbourhood and approaches to Westminster-bridge,
has been brought to the notice of your committee.
"Your committee are of opinion that, subject to the
consideration of responsible professional advice to be ob-
tained by the First Commissioner of Works, as to the
security of the old bridge, the further progress of the
works of the new Pire4minLter.bridge should,remain sus-
pended until the Government have had an opportunity of
considering anddeciding on the advice tobe off,:recitoParlia-
meat upon this last subject, when the site of the new bridge
might be reconsidered in coot,ec t on with any general plan
of alteration and improvement of the neighbourhood as
well as the all-important subject of the headway under
the new bridge.
" Your committee, finding that upwards of 50,0001.
having been already expended, subject to the foregoing
remarks, subject also to some of the modifications and
alterations suggested by the witnesses, are of opinion
that the plan proposed might have been carried out."

ARCHDEACON DENISON'S CASE.—Yesterday morning
the court of his Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury re-
assembled at the Guildhall, Bath. Dr. Bayford said
that on the part of the Rev. Joseph Ditcher, the Vicar
of South Brent, the promoter of those proceedings, he
must then address the court upon the true subject-matter
at issue, and upon which his grace was so pre-eminently
qualified to decide. The learned advocate proceeded to
quote largely from the sermons of the archdeacon, and
contended that the sacrament could only be given after
a heavenly and spiritual manner, and that the body and
blood of Christ could only be received in the same
manner, id est, by faith. Having cited Jewell, Nowell,
Hooker, the articles of the Rubric, the Catechism, and
th 3 Formularies of Church of England, he rnainta'sa I
that all those were directly antagonistic to the doctrines
held by the archdeacon. The court then adjourned, Dr.
Phillimore having intimated that his speech for the de-
fence would occupy at least three or four days.
COAST DEFENCES.—We are glad to announce that
Government has come to a definite resolution of esta-
blishing lines of defences along the north-east coast of
Scotland in the first place, and prospectively on that of
the West. On Saturday, Col. Moodie, of the Royal
Engineers, proceeded north to Kirkwall, accompanied
by two assistants, with the view of selecting a site for
the erection of a battery there. During the time the
steamer lay in our bay, Col. Moodie landed here, and
after examining the locality, left instructions at the Har-
bour-ufEce that the ground in the immediate neighbour-
hood of the Pilot's Look-out should not be permanently
let, as it was to be chosen as the site of a defence battery.
In addition to these facts, we are in a position to state
that it is intended by the Government to station a screw
ship at Leith, for the service of drilling the Royal Naval
Coast Volunteers, along with a few gun-boats ; and that
there is every probability that the volunteers of the
northern counties will be called out for drill soon after
the close of the present herring fishing.—Northern En-

sign,
[AnyzarisEmEsr.]—Among the numerous extraordinary
cures without medicine effected- by Du Barry's Delicious
health-Restoring lievalenta Arabica Food of Indigestion,
(Dyspepsia) Flatulency, Constipation, Nervous, Bilious, and
'Liver Complaints, Cough, Asthma, Consumption, and Debi-
lity the following are not the least remarkable :—Athol-
street, Perth, May
15451,—Thirteen years' cough, indiges-
tion,2, and general debility have been removed by Du Barry's
excellent Revalents Arabicri Food.— James Porter. Hun-
ton, 2.2 d Nov., 1850.—Dear -§jr,----I am happy to inform yon
that your excellent food has relieved me from an incredible
during the last eight
years,accum ualllatkioinnd:fosfumireerdinieginers°l‘hni.ebhp'en, tried in vain. My
feelings and sufferings previous t• taking your food wore the
following :—lndigestion, nervousnesg,-')%iiliousness, affec-
tions of the liver and kidneys, costiysapps, palpitation
of the heart, noises in the cars, pains in almost all the
body, low spirits, general debility, loss of memory,
wretchedness, thoughts of self-destruction.— MaryGOdsmark-
Supported by testimonials- from the celebrated Professors of
Chemistry Dr. Andrew Ure ; Dr. Shorland ; Dr. Harvey ;
.-Dr. Campbell ; Dr. Gattiker ; Dr. Wurzer ; Dr. Ingram ;
Lord Stuart de Decies ; the Dowager Countess of castle-
, stlart ; Major-Gen. Thomas King, and many other respectable,
persons, whose health has been restored by it, after all Other'
indatiVef cure had failed. Suitably packed for all climates, 'is
with full instructions. In canisters, slbs., Ils. ; Nibs., 225, ; i-
f super-pined, ilb., fis. ; 2lbs., Ils. ; 51bs., 225.; 101bs., 335.
1 The 10Ibs, and nibs,. carnage free, on receipt of post-office.
order. Barry drffiarry and Co., 77, Regent-street, London ;
Fortnum, idason, and co., Purveyors to her Majesty, Picca-
dilly ; also at 60, Grace'elfurch-street ; 33. and 451, Strand; 4.
Cheapside; 60, Ccrnhi/I''' 4% Bishopsgate-street ; 55, Char.
ing-eross ; 54, Upper iaker-straotk 63 and 157. qxicrd.
*trot. ... ~ ,