The Sun.
London, England, 1859-05-04 00:00:00

ON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, MAY 4, 1869.

thrust. The weight of each column is 150 tons, each being
cast in 6-feet joints, two inches thick, aid supported inside
with powerful ribs and angle irons. As fast as they were
finished, planed down, and fitted together with the neatness
of joiner's work, they were sent off piecemeal to the centre
pier, but not erected, as they could only be built up under
the centre spans as the latter, in one mass, weighing
1,200 tons, were gradually lifted to their places by hydrau-
lic pressure. The great spans, eadh end of which rests
on two of these columns, may be best described as being
made on the principle of a double bow. The lower bow is
of chains, carrying the roadway ; the upper is a tube of
wrought-iron, to which the lower is attached by powerful
supports. Thus a great weight on the lower bow only
tends to give additional support by straightening the upper,
and vice versa ; each, in fact, counteracts the effects of the
other, so that there is no lateral thrust from either side, an
indispensable requisite where no buttresses could be erected
to resist it. Each arched tube is elliptical in form, being
12 feet by 17 feet, and both are made throughout of inch
boiler plate. At intervals of 20 feet the insides are wrought
iron diaphragms, with tie-rods and angle irons throughout
their entire length. The curve of the arched tube is 28 feet,
and the tension chains of the lower bow are of course the
same. The double chains are exactly similar in principle
to those of an ordinary suspension-bridge, only, instead of
each link being composed of seven and eight bars, those at
Saltash are of 14 and 15 bars, each barbeing one inch thick
and six broad, and each link having been tested with a
strain of four tons to the inch. Both the chains and tubes
are bound together by wrought-iron trusses to each other.
The spans before being lifted were tested with a strain (in-
cluding their own weight) of 2,300 tons. This load, which
gave a strain of about five and a half tons per inch of sec-
tion on the tubes and chains, deflected the entire span seven
inches—a deflection which recovered itself immediately after
the mass was removed. The greatest strain which the
bridge can now undergo covered with earth to the depth of
a foot, and loaded with a train of locomotives, will be less
by half a ton per inch than this proof. The test of the
Government inspector was only a load of 400 tons, under
which the bridge deflected one and a quarter inch.
The manner of raising these spans was quite as curious
as those of the Brittania-bridge Each was built entire,
and after being tested was floated out and lifted by hy-
draulic presses of immense power. These presses, however,
required such massive foundations that only those which
were built for the bridge would serve their turn. Thus the
span was floated to the centre of the river, and as it was
raised the iron columns and great massive pier we have
mentioned were built up under them. The two spans, or
arches, which meet on the columns in the centre do not en-
tirely rest on them, but on a mass of iron built above them,
called a standard, into which the arches are fixed. This
standard weighs no less than 200 tons, and is composed of
five 6-feet joints, each weighing upwards of 40 tons. When
the whole bridge takes its bearings, as it is termed, the
pressure on the centre pier foundation will be more than
eight tons to the foot, or double the pressure of the whole
mass of the Victoria 'rower on its basement story. Lateral
motion is counteracted by the transverse floor girders under
the roadway, and the ballast checks vibration. Six inches
have been allowed for contraction and expansion, but the
greatest difference yet observed between the coldest and the
hottest day has only been three inches in the entire length
of both spans. The total quantity of wrought iron used
has been 2,700 tons ; of cast iron, 1,300 tons ; of masonry
and brickwork, 17,000 cubic yards ; and about 14,000 cubic
feet of timber. The inspection of his Royal Highness, oc-
cupied half an hour or so, and on returning to the eastern
end his Royal Highness declared the Royal Albert-bridge
opened amid loud and continued cheers. The Prince then
descended the embankment to the engineer's office to look at
the working drawings ; and, after partaking of lunch in
a pavilion erected for the purpose, embarked* on board the
Vivid and crossed to Tor Point, where horses were in readi-
ness, mounting which his Royal Highness and suite rode
across the country for about seven miles, to a place called
Tregantle. This place forms the neck of a little peninsula
of land fronting Plymouth and Devonport, and one side of
which is so well known to the lovers of picturesque scenery
as Mount Edgecumbe. The western side of the isthmus,
however, near Tregantle forms a fine and spacious bay,
admirably suited for landing troops and whence, by a short
march on Tor Point, an enemy, by taking the whole line
of fortifications in the rear, might destroy Devonport and
Plymouth. Across the neck of land at Tregantle, there-
fore, it has been just decided to cut a fosse and throw up a
rampart, to be armed at proper intervals with heavy guns.
It was to inspect this intended fortification, the works of
which have only been ordered within a very brief period,
that his Royal Highness visited this little spot on Monday.
Not much has yet been done towards completing the
earthworks, but his Royal Highness saw enough to show
the important nature of the position, and the necessity for
its being immediately placed in a state of complete defence.
When the lines are finished half the garrison always in
Plymouth will suffice to man them, and keep an enemy
confined to the place on which they land till ample time is
given for reinforcements. His Royal Highness remained
here a considerable time, after which ho re-embarked on
board the Vivid, and landed at Plymouth in the evening.
As it was not known where he would land, there were com-
paratively few spectators on the spot, but the number soon
increased, and at the station great crowds were collected,
who made the air ring with their cheers. The Royal train
left Plymouth at seven o'clock, and returned to Windsor at
one yesterday morning.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.-(T.HIS DAY.)

GUILDHALL.

UNPAID MAGISTRATES.—To-day this police-court was
magistrateless till half-past twelve o'clock, at which time
Mr. Alderman Allen took his seat upon the bench. From
twelve till half-past a youth, charged with felony, was
standing upon the steps leading to the dock, a mark for
every one to gaze upon. Surely, out of so many aldermen,
one could attend at twelve o'clock, the hour appointed for
adjudicating upon the several prisoners sent for trial to this
court.

ROBBERY BY A YOUTH.--Alexander Johnson, a respect-,
able-looking youth, was charged with robbing an iron-
monger, named Parks, of a large quantity of property.
Taylor, a city detective, proved finding a quantity of
duplicates at the prisoner's lodging relating to some tools,
and at the workshop at which ho was employed some locks
and screws, which had since been identified by Mr. Parks.
Prisoner, upon being questioned, said he know nothing
about the goods found at the workshop; he purchased
those to which the duplicates related.
Mr. Parks said he was an ironmonger, of Fleet-street,
and had identified the property produced by the officer.
Cross-examined by Mr. Lewis, of Ely-place—He had not
sold the property in question. He knew his private pro-
perty; there was the private mark on it. Witness did not
keep a stock book. Witness received the parcel of locks of
which those produced form a portion about the 11th of
March last, and could swear that between that time and
the present he had not sold any large quantity.
A lad named Stubbs, aged 14, employed by the pro-
secutor, said he saw the prisoner take a package from Mr.
Parks' shop on Saturday last, That package contained
screws. Witness told Mr. Parks about it in the evening.

Cross-examined—The shopman was at the counter at the
time ; but I said nothing to him about it as I did not know
what to do, and did not want to have anything to do
with it.

Alderman—But you should have interfered when you
saw your master robbed.

The shopman to Mr. Parks said that on Monday last
prisoner visited the shop at half•past seven in the morning,
and requested to be shown some bradawls. Witness had
occasion to go to the end of the shop once or twice, and
upon witness returning the second time he saw the prisoner
in custody.
_ _ _

Mr. Lewis asked that the case might be disposed of sum-
marily, but
The Alderman said he must commit the prisoner for
trial.