The Sun.
London, England, 1867-05-18 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

Si R,—The uninterrupted state of t,legraphic com-
munication with America is evidenced by the fact
that in the course of yesterday 91 messages passed,
yielding £2,591 7s.
In order, however, to mitigate as far as possible
the effect of vague and ex iggerated rum ,ur I feel
it my duty, as chairman of this company, to ask
you to place the public in possession of the follow-
ing facts, namely :
On the sth inst. it was reported that on the 4th
inst., at 6.30 p.m., "a large iceberg ground3d off
the harbour of Heart's Content, Fewfoundland,
about a mile and a half N.N.W. of Northern Point,
and 200 yards east of the 1866 cable, in about 16
fathoms water. No danger with present wind."
On the Bth inst. it was reported that " Iceberg
has disappeared," but in passing over the cable of
1866 it seems that some damage must have been
done, for the signals through the cable became im-
perfect, and have now ceased. The cable of 1865,
however, is uninjured, and there is no reason to
doubt that the injury to the cable of 1866 will be
repaired without delay, or any considerable ex-
pense.

I need only add that the capacity of the cable of
1865 exceeds the requirements of the business, great
as it is, between this country and America.—l am,
sir, your obedient servant,

CHARLES E. STEWART,
Chairman of the Anglo-American Telegraph Co.
Anglo-American Telegraph Company; Limited,
26, Old Broad-street, London, E.C., May 17.

Frightful Accident and Probable Loss of
Life at Blackfriars-Bridge—This Day.

We regret to state that one of those fearful acci-
dents which occasionally take place in carrying out
large undertakings in the metropolis happened this
morning at the works now progressing at Black
friars for the building of the new bridge. Owing
to the great excitement which prevailed, and the
objection of the workpeople to give the least infor-
mation as to the cause of the melancholy event, but
few particulars of a reliable character could be ob-
tained, but the following may, in the main, be
relied upon as free from exaggeration :—lt seems
that whilst the City police were on duty on
the temporary wooden bridge, regulating the
horse traffic, they had their attention directed
to a number of men who were engaged in the
upper stage of the works to carry out the building
of the new bridge. At the same time there were
nine other men employed at one of the " travellers,"
and with the aid of four "crabs" were working
with all their energies in lowering an immense iron
cylinder weighing some tons, for the purpose of a
pier for the bridge being built therein. Whilst the
men were laughing, talking, and some were even
singing, their hilarity was suddenly brought to an
end. As the enormous piece of iron work was de-
scending towards its bed in the river, the iron chain
by which the cylinder was attached, without any
premonitory signs,
snapped asunder, and the iron
work, about the size of a large room, fell with a
crash upon the stage below, striking the whole
of the men employed at the works. Some
were forced into the River Thames, and others were
fearfully crushed. Oue poor fellow was taken out
with his back broken. Re, with two others, were
removed away, but the first named was found, as
might be supposed, nearly dead. The others were
also seriously injured. Another man was, after
some time, extricated, and he was placed in a
cab, on the Surrey side of the bridge, and taken to
Guy's Hospital, but it was there reported that, al-
though alive, not the least hopes, owing to the
serious nature of the injuries he has received, can
be entertained of his recovery. The person who
became immersed in the water appears to have
received no serious injury. The precise cause of
the accident is not at present allowed to transpire.