The Sun.
London, England, 1859-09-01 00:00:00

of remark that the form of cable which they first
laid do9rn was adopted in opposition to very many
opinions—the five directors then at the table being
the original promoters of the company who decided
on that form, and every other form since adopted
had proved failures, whilst theirs remaindi as good
now as the first day it was laid down. He was not
connected with them in his professional capacity
now, although he was at all times ready to give
them his best advice ; and he could not help con-
gratulating the company that they had now a
young man as manager—Mr. Andrews—of great
ability and business habits, with whom he, as an
engineer, was greatly pleased, and of whom the
shareholders ought to feel proud.
The report was then adopted, the dividend de-
clared, and the retiring directors and auditors re-
elected.

It was then moved by Sir I. CARMICHAEL, and se-
conded by Mr. L. SIMPSON—" That this meeting
authorises the directors to issue the balance of
the necessary capital not exceeding the sum
of XlO,OOO by the issue of 1,000 shares
of XlO each (such shares to be fully paid up to the
company's bankers, the Union Bank of London, on
allotment, or at such time or times, and in such
manner, as the directors may see at) for finally
completing the company's several new lines to the
Continent, and in the meantime to pay the balance
of the cost and expenses of such lines by the issue
of such securities as they may be legally authorised
under the charter and deed of' settlement of the
company, and may think expedient to give or issue,
not exceeding the said sum of XlO,OOO, upon such
terms, and at such rate or rates of interest, as the
directors may think fit."
The resolution having been carried, a vote of
thanks to the chairman and directors closed the
proceedings.

TILE VICTORIA (ST. LAWRENCE)
BRIDGE.

[COMMUNICATED.]
The present autumn will witness the completion
of, perhaps, the greatest engineering work of our
time; of that great bridge across the river St. Law-
rence, of which the Britannia-bridge over the Menai
Straits proves to have been but the precursor, as to
Americans it will hereafter seem but as the shadow.
The Canadians, as may well be conceived, are in-
tensely excited at the prospect of finding their
country distinguished by so great a work of science;
and throughout the United States the completion of
the Victoria-bridge is regarded as an important
event in the history of that new world which,since
its discovery, has been marked by such rapidity of
progress.
It may not be uninteresting, at such a time, to
recall the circumstances under which this work wis
undertaken, and to record briefly the history of its
construction. There are many, indeed, who will
gaze with wonder on the lofty piers and stupendous
tubes of this structure, to whom its peculiar features
may scarcely suggest themselves, yet the greatness
of the conception of this design consists, In reality,
less in the size and character of the structure itself,
than in the objects—political, commercial, and
scientific—which it is capable of effecting.
The primary necessity of a new country is a road.
The better the line of communication, the more
certain the new country of success, The greatest
boon, therefore, that could be conferred upon Canada
was the con:truction of a railroad ; and those who
devised and carried out the project of the Grand
Trunk Railway, connecting the different depen-
dencies of the British Crown in North America, and
passing through the richest parts of both Upper
and Lower Canada for a distance of 1,200 miles,
must be regarded as great benefactors to the
country.
Yet, grand as was the conception of the Cana-
dian railway, its original design was imperfect. It
was not a road through the province alone which
Canada required. It needed imperatively a facile
communication between the north and south shores
of the St. Lawrence—railway connection free from
the inconveniences of transshipment with the United
States, and above all, direct communication with
the sea board of the Atlantic.
A very little consideration of the circumstances
of the country will show the imperative character of
these requirements. The broad and rapid river
St. Lawrence, whilst during the summer months of
the year it opens out the whole of Canada to the
ocean, for the five winter months completely-isolates
the province. Canada, lying to the north of the
river thus frozen up throughout its course, is itself
commercially as well as physically congealed.
During that protracted season no ships can leave
or can reach Quehec. With the United States
the communication is, in every sense, of the most
frigid character. Up to a very recent period, even
intercommunication between different localities of
Canada itself was, during winter, maintained with
difficulty.. To sleigh for 180 miles, as from Quebec
to Montreal, was a task attended with no little
trouble and with very considerable cost. Of course
the transport of goods was impossible. Commer-
cial markets, therefore, were comparatively useless.
In fact, the want-of means of communication with
the outer world, prevented by the frozen state of
the great river boundary and highway of the pro-
vince, deprived the Canadian of nearly one-half of
his active existence.
To the Grand Trunk Railway a direct and unin-
terrupted communication between the north and
south shores of the St. Lawrence was also of vital
consequence. Inasmuch as a bridge across the St.
Lawrence was the key to the whole province, se, in
possession of that key, the Grand Trunk Railway
would command the whole external intercourse of
Canada ; whilst, without it, it must remain a mere
provincial line. The tide of immigration sets very
much into Canada from and through the United
States. The whole of that traffic, so important to the
Grand Trunk Railway,would have been lost without
the connecting link between Canada and the United
States. In the winter season, also, the Grand Trunk
Railway kept open, despite snow and frost, by various
arrangements and appliances, would command the
trade of the province without having to contend
with any steam-boat competition. To show, by one
illustration, the importance of a bridge to the Grand
Trunk Railway, it may be mentioned that the Ca-
nadian Government contributed the large sum of
£50,000 a-year to the Steam Ship Company, upon
the condition of its opening and maintaining the
best direct communication between Liverpool and
Canada. In the summer months the route can be
directed from Quebec, but in the winter that is im-
possible. Without crossing the St. Lawrence, there-
fore, the route for which this handsome subsidy is
paid could not be maintained, and the Grand Trunk
Railway Company and the Canadian community
would alike sacrifice the advantage of direct com-
munication between Canada and Europe.
These considerations naturally weighed with in-
creased strength upon the Canadian people and the
directors of the Grand Trunk Railway as that line
approached completion. A bridge they saw that
they must have ; but the question was could such a
bridge be made ?
" The rapid river ran deep and wide ;"
and there were not a few who thought that to span
it by a bridge would be little better than a tempta-
tion of Providence.
The difficulties, indeed, of crossing the St. Law-
rence were far from inconsiderable. Its width, even
at the most available point, is very formidable, its

- - •
current is very rapid;• in
significant.
Besides depth not
Besides this, the navigation of the river, not merely
by steamboats and other vessels, but by enormous
timber rafts, had to be provided for; so that un-
usual elevation and unusual width between the

piers were both required. There was another ob-
stacle more formidable, far more formidable, than
all. In the winter season the river St. Lawrence

presents a field of ice from three to five feet thick.
Whilst it is thus frozen the river rises sometimes

as much as 20 feet above its summer level. This
rise of water might be provided for ; but how was

accident to be avoided, at the annually-recurring
period when the " breaking up of the ice" exhibits,
in North America, one of the most wonderful ope-
rations of nature on that continent ?

This " breaking up of the ice" in North America,
though welcomed as the harbinger of returning
summer, is an event which-carries with it no ineon-

siderable amount of apprehension to the mind of

the Canadian.

From the extreme thickness of the

ice in the middle of the river, little or no effect is

immediately produced upon it by the action of the
sun. But the banks of the river imbibing the heat,
melt away the thinner portion of ice which touches
them, depriving the main body of the support it re-
ceives from its contact with the land. Then, when

a small line of blue water intervenes between the
shore and the river ice, the ice begins to move, first
slowly, then more rapidly, until the velocity and
power of the current, rapidly increased by the melt-
ing of the snow, wrenches the ice upwards, and
breaks and tears it into fragments, which, larger
or smaller, go floating down the river in masses,
bearinr, before them almost everything which they
encounter.
Dismal tales are rife in Canada of the fatal dis,
asters which have occurred to life and property by
" the breaking up of the ice." The city of Mon-
., treal has especially suffered from these fatalities.
Berore now, the ice has burst into that city, and
been found sliding its streets. It has broken into
the second floor windows of dwelling-houses after
blocking up the front doors for weeks. It has
forced down river terraces and spoilt public and
private gardens. Large warehouses, erected with-
out due protection on the banks of the river, have
beetij)2l4 over by the great moving sheets of
44
as if Off were mere houses of cards. At
r suddeniver ice
b,
bends of the river,
wlore the ice meets with
obstruction, it piles itself sometimes into h!ioe ice_
bergs from 50 to
80 feet in height. At length,