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

I V BITT WESTMINSTER BRIDGE.

The following 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-bridge ' and the estates of the
Commissioners of her Majesty's Works and Public
Buildings, and to enable such last-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' was 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 Works, 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 authorised to build a bridge
and make approaches thereto according to a plan re-
ferred to as the amended plan.
"That a plan is deposited in the library of the House
of Commons, signed by Sir William Molesworth, Sir
Charles Barry, and Mr. Page, but it is not accompanied
with any detailed plans c,r drawings, showing the man-
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 piere of the bridge
was not brought fully to the notice of the committee ;
indeed, it would seem not to have been at that time de-
cided on

"After hearing evidence the committee decided, by
the casting vote of the chairman, that headway under
the new br.dge should not exceed 20 feet ; 26 feet being
Vie I e'ght under tie lowest of the other metropolitan
bridges.

decision was affirmed by a small majority upon
a division in a thin house.

"Teat, by the direction of the Commissioners of
Works, 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.
Mare. became bankrupt.
" That the work was carried on by the assignees until
the end of March, 185 G, when it was entirely suspended.
"A'l the witnesses state the works appears to be very
well done.

"The present First Commissioner of Works, in conse-
quence of representation made to him, instructed Messrs.
Rendel and Simpson, on the 31st of March last, to inquire
and replrt 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 is before Parliament.
Your committee have examined Messrs. Rendel and
Simpson, and also Mr. Stephenson, Mr. Ilawkshay, 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 alio had every opportunity of suggestins
such questions as he deemed fit to the wituesies.

" Application was made by letteron the part of the city
of London to be heard on the subjeet`of the head way
under the bridge. The late period of the session determined
your committee to confine their inquiry to the pi opos !ti
mode of construction of the piers, their sufficiency to
bear the weight to be put upon them, and how far such
a construction can be considered permanent.
"Tee description of the construction of the piers and
plats thereof will be found in the report of Messrs.
Bendel and Simpson. (Parliamentary Paper No. 318,
Session 1856.)
"The evidence has satisfied your committee that the
prop Lied piers are of strength amply sufficient to bear
toe 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 an i secure than granite piers,
founded deep on the London clay by means of c-trei-
dams ; but it is less expensive, and can be ca -tied out in
a shorter period of time, and causes less obstruction to
the navigation of the river.
"Toe changes that have taken place in the bed of the
riveir aid 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 public offices,
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 Werke, as to the
securty of the old bridge, the further progress of the
works of the new Westminster-bridge should remain sus-
remded until the Government have had an opportunity of
consideringauddeciding on theadvice tobe offeredtoParlia-
mou t upon this last subject,when the site of the new bridge
might be reconsidered in coat e: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 50,000/.
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 Guildba.ll, Bath. Dr. Bayfor3 said
that on the l a t of the Rev. Joseph Ditcher, Vie 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 vas 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 Fame
manner, id est, by faith. Having cited Jewell, Nowell,
Hooker, the articles of the Rubric, the Catechism, and
the Foonulsries of Church of England, he mainta as
that all those were directly antagonistic to the doctrines
bele, by the archdeacon. The court then adjourned, Dr.
Phillimore having intimated that his speech fur the de-
fence would occupy at least three or four days.
Consr 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 Vest. On Saturday, Col. Moodie, of the Royal
Engineers, proceeded north to Kirkwall, accompanied
by two assistants, with the view of selecting a site fur
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-office 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.
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