The Sun.
London, England, 1861-08-02 00:00:00

STAMPED

Doggett, deceased, to which theFislamongers' Company add
a guinea. The second and third prizes are respectively five-
eighths and three-eighths of the interest on £260 17s. 3d.,
formerly £2OO. South Sea Stock, left in the will of Sir WM.
Jolliffe, the amounts respectively being LI 17s. 9d. and
£2 18s. 9d. The prize for the fourth man is £1 Ils. 6d,', and
for the fifth and sixth men each £1 Is., the last three given
by the company. 'I hese are the usual prizes, but this year
Mr. Frank Towers, of the Victoria Theatre, announced
that he should give the winner three guineas, and the second
and third men a guinea each, which were accordingly pre-
sented at the theatre last night. Mr. Dards, the bargemai.t,,r
of the Fishmonger's Company, was, as usual, the umpire,
and got the men to their stations at London-bridc,e, whiner
they had to row against tide to the Old Swan, at Chelsea.
Each had his cutter with him, and three steamers crammed
with spectators accompanied. Hemmings was nearest the
Middlesex shore, and Wright nearest Surrey. There were
several false starts, but at length all
an
but Short got away
well. For 200 yards Hemmings, Gogg, Waller, and
and Riley had trifling leads, but then, as they settled down
more, Waller drew out and was well clear at Hemmings
bridge, Goggan and Riley being together,
fourth, Wright and Short astern. At Blackfriars Hem-
mings had become third, and shortly afterwards Wright was
passed by Riley. At Waterloo another change had occurred,
Short, till now last, passed Riley, and drew up to Wright,
who was making desperate efforts to pass Hemmings. A
splendid race ensued among the whole lot to near hunger-
ford, when Wright went into the third place, and left Short
and Hemmings hard at work till the latter had to succumb,
and presently little Riley again passed him. Now they came
to Westminster-bridge, Waller and Goggan were still first
b
and second, Goggan fast drawing on his opponent, when
being fouled seriously under the bridge, Waller went well
Lambeth, however,
a-head, Goggan still remaining second, and Short rowing
up third. At this point Hemmings fouled the bridge
seriously, and Wright having done the same at Hungerford
both fell dead astern. Waller now, as we have said, led
well,
Goggan
the
second,
he
olatterr ow andehdu
gapgerrieonssgesntthtl
the
e Surreyßileyb h t passed
Short
a.
At
splendid spurt into the third place, and Wailer and Goggan
seeing him cutting down one man after another, began to
put the steam on more. By the Penitentiary, however,
Short gradually approached Goggan. He fouled two barges
in succession very heavily, and met with other mishaps, but
still he gained, and at Vauxhall-bridge was within a length
of his man. A fine close race now followed to about Nine-
elms Pier, when after being level for 100 yards, Short rowed
into second place in a splendid manner. He now seemed
somewhat fatigued, but there was a long way to go yet, and
as they rowed along Thames Bank he slowly but surely ap-
proached the leading man, who was now rowing at his very
best, and at Messrs. Smith's distillery Short was over his
stern. A splendid race followed, Waller ever and anon
spurting away and then crossing his man when he found
him too close, but at length, when they had passed the Sus •
pension-bridge, and were within a quarter of a mile of
home, Short drew level, and amid deafening shouts, at last
went in front, and won by three lengths in three .quarters of
an hour from starting, against a very strong tide. Waller
was second, Goggan third, and Riley fourth, all close toge.
her.

TILE INTENDED NEW BRItGE AT

13LACKFRIAR,5'.

It is just about a century since Blackfriars- ane lOllowing Lam. 0,i,.,...3 ...- ..,..,, ......
bridge was first built, and very nearly a quarter of cost of each of the metropolitan bridges :
a century since it began to show chronic symp-
Brid,ges. Length. width.' Area. Cost. , Cost per
toms of failure and decay. Its history is very much
the same as that of all our old metropolitan bridges i 1
Feet. Ft. In. Feet. Z i £ s. d.
—viz., a cheap structure at first, but costing im- London.,outwa
r. i.... :
.... .
leg
4,! : '17,912 542,150 IFt 6 0
mense sums afterwards to keep it in repair. Now, Water 100........:• 995 42 0 41,03 g 391,0000 11 i 'g
however, further repairs are quite out of the ques- IYeneee,7oid -- li,r4 'n
64 folg sgV,g 10 106 `,l,
tion. The safety of the public renders a new Westminster (0) 1,1:00 43 0 49,480 381,500 716 0
bridge absolutely necessary, and we are glad of it, Chelsea .........::. 022 3465 ().; 41,49030,3 8°808:000g I
?) 16 00
Westminster (N) 990 85 0 80,000kestimated 3 5• 0
for the new structure it has been decided to erect 11 ackiriars (N).. 980 70 0 77,0001 243,000 1 3 5 0
in its place will be the• finest and handsomest
Mr. Page expresses himself confidently as to being
of its kind in England, if not in Europe.
e.ble to do without a temporary bridge for traffic
The plan for the erection of a bridge at Black-
while the new one is constructing. But, while we
friars began in 1753, while the never-ending im-
do not venture to doubt that he will be able to do
provements and repairs of old London-bridge had
almost completely stopped that venerable, but im- this, we cannot help thinking that the old bridge
will require the most watchful care to keep it, up at
portant thoroughfare. There were, of course, the
all while the works around it are going forward.
usual disputes and clashing interests in the Court
The immense mass of scaffolding now round and
of Common Council of that day first as to whether
under New Westminster-bridge so impedes the ebb
a ridge was wanted at all, and next, if wanted,
and flow of the "tide that the water, when flowing
Iry Mere it ought to be. Eventually, however, after
up or down, is 12 or 13 inches higher on one side
the usual delays, Blackfriars was chosen as the
of the bridge than on the other. When all these
site, and in consequence of a petition from the cor-
onetaeles are removed, as they will be by March
potation to Parliament in 1756 an act was passed
eext, the flux and rcflum of the tide will be so much
authorising the erection. The act further stipulated
greater, and with this the scour of the river will be
that it should be so constructed as to allow e clear
increased in proportion. The condition of the sink-
water way of 'iso feet, "and that no buildings ex-
cept the proper gates and toll-houses" should be
ing piers of Blackfriars-bridge, with works going
0 on all around them, will then demand the most
erected on the bridge. It also provided for " the
anxious care and attention.
watching and lighting," and regulated the amount
The piers for the new bridge will be no less than
of tolls to be levied upon the credit of which the
28 feet wide by 120 feet long. There will be two of
corporation were empowered to raise £30,000 per
these built upon Mr. Page's plan for avoiding the
annum till the whole estimated cost of the strut-
use of coffer dams, in the following manner :—Over
tore, amounting to £160,000, was cleared off. The
tho whole area will be driven bearing piles of elm,
same act also empowered them to fill up the chap-
deep into the clay, at intervals of 3 feet apart.
nel of old Bridewell dock, to arch over Fleet-ditch,
Round this will be driven cast-iron piles to the
" and make sufficient drains and sewers into the
greatest depth to which they can be forced. These
is river." The Bridge Committee from a variety of
iron piles are of a peculiar shape, and cast with a
' plans chose that of Mr. Mylne, a Scotch architect,
and under his groove in their side capable of containing the edge
who had just returned from Rome,
of a slab of granite 2e feet thick. Between these
S.
A auspices the bridge was begun on piles, the first of
iron piles these immense slabs of granite will be slid
which was driven in the centre of the river on the
to a depth of nearly twelve feet below the bed of the
in 7th June, 1760. On the last day of October, in the
river, and rising to low water mark. All the area of
ad same year, the first stone was formally laid with
the pier thus enclosed will then be carefully dredged
''-et much state by the Lord Mayor, Sir Thos. Chitty.
out between the bearing piles, 'and the slabs of gra-
s were deposited money in gold, Under the stone d,
nite, iron piles, and elm all firmly bolted together by
silver, and copper coins of the reign of George 11.,
ae-
ta series of iron tie rods. The space will then be filled
of together with the silver medal given to the archi-
tof test by the Roman Academy. With these were
in with concrete up to a little below low water
mark, where the courses of solid granite commence.
also plae,ed a plate containing a Latin inscription
The whole pressure on the foundations will not
end eulogising the political merits and social virtues of
the exceed three tons per foot, very much less than
the " great commoner," -William Pitt," after whom
half of what most of the metropolitan bridges
ter-
it was originally intended the bridge should be
But long before it could be formally chris- exert on their bases. The arches are to be formed
adt, called.a
of wrought and east iron
combined. As in West_
mi
ier- toned it was so well and widely known as Black-
nster, they will be of cast iron up to near the
ige- friars that all attempts to alter its designation
crown of the arch,
and the rest of wrought iron
and afterwards were wisely abandoned. No less than 10
in build- ribs. Thus, of the 280 feet span of the centre
field
years and three-quarters were consumed
the fi tto last £152,840. The arch, about 100 feet will be of wrought iron. The
ibus ing it, and it cost from rs
nine arches, and is 99,3 two smaller arches, of 220 feet, will have about
ext ; bridge thus built is one of
and feet from end to end, With a carriage way of 28 feet, 70 feet of wrought metal. In all, about 5,000 tons
each. The arches of cast iron, and 1,000 tons of
re-
At and two foot-paths of seven feet
uired. On the crown of the centre arch the city
out are all nearly eliptical, the centre one having a span
q
arms, with its supporters, will be emblazoned ;
of 100 feet, those on each side decreasing gradually
over the side arches the city shield. The ap-
letts' towards the shores, being respectively 98, 93, 83,
,00d ;
and 70, leaving a clear water way of 788 feet. The 1 less
to the bridge will be wider and at a much
and
ood; curve of the bridge is a segment of a large circle, 1 less steep incline than at present, the gradient being
at of and the incline to and from it when first opened was , reduced from one in 24 to one in 40, while the
ut of as steep as lin 16, though this impracticable hill ' highest part of the structure will be a little more
scdo- I was subsequently reduced to the present slope of 1 than 9 feet lower than the present. The whole
and 1
: La. in 24. surface of the foot and roadways will be formed, as
mod ; This structure would doubtless have stood well at Westminster, by buckle plates of iron fastened
between the ribs. Over this will be a layer of
adage enough to the present day, had not the corporation
P•me been again compelled to take to bridge building and blocks of wood and asphalte, and over all the layer
a, out of granite pitching. Eveg rib and girder will be
replace old London-bridge with the present superb
.t 3.40 . it will be required
m colt structure, which, by giving an immensely increased i tested to about double the strain
to bear.
of the water way, so added to the scour of ti e Thames
It seems to be Mr. Page's fate to have some of his
that all the bridges soon began to suffer, and theproximity. of rail-
of all two oldest (Westminster and Blackfriars) to an in- best designs spoilt by the near.
bad his suspension bridges
takes • way bridges, as Telford
, curable degree. The money spent in repairs onmarred by the
horses at Conway and Men
each of these has probably quite amounted to the b 'd esof S
tubular ri g tephenson at
I Nur- position of the
cost of a new bridge, but now, as we have said, re- , also, with Mr. Page th
out of ( both Thus,
Memo- pairs to Blackfriars are quite impracticable, if not places.bridge has, since its e:Cheisaa
Suspensio.n- completion, been
el Cup; impossible. The scour has deepened the bed of the 1 by Mr. Fowler' •
1 ost hidden s railway viaduct,
Sod. river under the arches in some places more than 10 almost
and the still grander
meats, feet, generally about seven feet. As the earth was 1, .in like architectural design of Black-
friars will, manner, be hemmed in by
elwood. swept away from the piling the foundations of the
At 1.30 Cubitt's bridge, which is said to come as near it as
bridge began to sink. All the care and skill of Mr. 100 feet or so. The latter '
)dwood. is a real grievance, and we
Walker have been unable to check this settlement, would venture
Good- to suggest that, before the plans of
odwood which has now almost done its worst, for if any far-
each have been carried too far to admit of remedy, •
tial, out ther subsidence took place the whole structure would
some
ost emu- arrangement should be come to to prevent the
am, out go into the river. The centre arc by alai fine structure
at of the pletely broken, and is only kept up the powerful intended being utterly marred and
danger- 1 hidden. Ne day has yet been fixed for the
t imber centering built under it. It vibrates
cod wood dinary traffic, and is ' "huneneement of the works,but as they will occupy
rowing- ously under the passage of or • •
It is quite true at least three years,no time
.should be lost in setting
ood wood altogether in an insecure condition.
)odwood year but it might also about them. How the old bridge will bear the dis-
that it might stand for 10 y ,
.i. any further settlement turbance that must take place at its foundations iu
Le Ninth come in a single week i
The Bridge Committee, under sinking the piers for the new one, it is hard to say.
was to happen.
Mr. Valiance, have very properly decided that this Setting the foundations.
for the railway
bridge must
also, we should think, affect them materially, and
is not a satisfactory state for one of the main
this is another reason why there should be as little
avenues to the city, and have therefore determined,
of wasting time and money in
tinkeringdelay as possible in commencing. In any case addi-
)r yester- instead at .one'. , m
the old structure, to build a new and splendid one nmeasures of precaution must be taken with
rry, at once. They, therefore, called on the principal the old bridge before next March, when the scaf-
folding will be removed from Westminster, and the
./ionse. engineers in England for designs, and twelve coin
nays.
a. petitors entered the lists--Mr. Barlow, Afr. Brere- scour of the river increased. It will, therefore, be
Isey. ton, Mr. Goodchild, Mr. Joseph so much expense saved if this is done by means of
Brunlees, gr.
fr. Thee. Cubitt, Messrs. E. Bidder and E. Clarke, Mr. 'LW' the works of the new structure.