The Sun.
London, England, 1850-10-22 00:00:00

LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, OCTOBER 22, 1850.

FINAL OPENING OF THE BRI

TANNIA BRIDGE.

MENAI STRAITS, MONDAY.—The permanent public
opening of the new line of tubes for the down line
from London to Dublin took place thie morning, the
great structure being now in ell important respects
made complete. On Saturday Captain Simmons, the
Governmeat inspector, went over it early in the
morning, and instituted, in conjuction with the en-
gineers, a long series of experiments. The first and
principal experiment consisted in passing two loco-
motive engines through the tube, and resting them at
intervals in the centre of the sections. At nine
o'clock a train of twenty-eight waggons and two
locomotives, with 280 tons of coal, was drawn into all
four of the tubes, the deflexions being carefully
noted. These &flexions, in every case, by
means of a nice apparatus for the purpose, were as-
certained to be exactly three-fourths of an inch over
the immense mass and area of iron. After an in-
teresting rehearsal of these experimental ordeals,
which occupied several hours, the train of 280 tons,
with its two locomotives, was taken out about a mile
distant from the tube, and then suddenly shot through
it with the greatest attainable rapidity, and the
result was very interesting, as determining a much-
discussed question ; it being found that the deflexion
at this immense velocity of the load was sensibly less
in the way of undulation or collapse than when the
load was allowed to remain at rest in the tube.
The manner in which these results were registered
and arrived at was by means of a new and curious
contrivance, it being found that the tremor occasioned
by trains in transit prevented these deflections from
being accurately read by the ordinary spirit level.
This contrivance consists in a large pipe, containing
water, laid along the lower cells of the tube, one end
rising up within the tube at the centre, and the other
end fixed against the stonework of the abutments of
the bridge. Both extremities of this pipe are fur-
nished with glass tubes and graduated scales, by
which the relative levls of the water are easily ascer-
tained. As the sligh eat leakage or evaporation over
the ordinary thermometric expansion of the water
would derange the level, while only half the actual
deflection of the tube was registered at each end
of the pipe, these disadvantages are obviated by the
addition of a large reservoir of water in the interior
of the tube, which is covered with oil and placed
beside the graduated scale. This larger area exhi-
bited the whole of the deflections at the abutment
extremity, and the apparatus presents a perfect mir-
ror of all the deflections of the great structure. We
learn from Messrs. E. and L. Clark, the resident en-
gineers, who have watched minutely, from day to day,
all the developed peculiarities of the novel undertaking,
many curious and interesting results. These gentlemen
state that the heaviest gales through the Straits do
not produce so much motion over the extent of either
tube as the pressure against the side of the tube of
ten men ; and that the pressure of ten men keeping
time with the vibrations produces an oscillation of 11
inch, the tube itself making 67 double vibrations per
minute. The strongest gusts of wind that have
swept up the Channel during the late stormy weather
did not cause a vibration of more than of an inch.
The broadside of a storm causes an oscillation of less
than an inch ; but when the two tubes are braced to-
gether by frames, which is now being done, these mo-
tions will be almost annihilated, and all apprehension
from wind or weather. from their being secured to•
gether, will cease. They calculate that a violent
storm exerts a power of about Nibs. on every squareaing
foot of tube exposed to its direct action, and, taking
the side surface of the tuba at about 13,400 square
feet, the greatest strain caused would be about half a
ton per square inch, or hardly worth notice.
The meteorological results since the tubes have oc-
cupied their 100 feet elevation have materially differed
from those that were observed when they lay along
the Carnarvonshire coast. The action of the sun at
midday, instead of bending them two or three inches,
does not move them more than two-eighths or three-
eighths of an inch. The daily expansion and con-
traction of the tubes varies from half an inch to three
inches, attaining either the maximum or minimum
at about three o'clock Aett. and P.M. These
and other interesting results, as indicating the
safe working of the great machine, are read
by means of self-registering thermometers
that record the constant temperature, placed in
mahogany cases, protected by plate glass, and under
lock and key. There is also a self-acting clock-work
apparatus that elevates a shaft on a vertical plane, all
the minutest motions of the tubes being delineated by
an arm carrying a pencil, which is fixed to the tube.
If a compass be held over any part of the bottom of
the cells, the south pole is effected, and if held over
the top of the cells, the north pole is effected, and this
effect is observable in all parts of the tube, whether
at the centre or end, although their position is only
about 10 degs. W. of the magnetic meridian. As a
matter of history, probably, a chronological summary
of the structure will be interesting.
On June 30, 1845, the Bill sanctioning the con-
struction of the Britannia-bridge was passed by Par-
liament. In July the preliminary experiments to
determine the form of structure commenced ; April
13, 1846, the first workmen were engaged on the
bridge; April 21, first stone of the Britannia tower
was laid ; June 13, 1847, the first vessels arrived with
iron at the Straits ; Aug. 10, the first rivet was in-
serted ; February 22, 1849, the Carnarvon and An-
glosey towers were completed ; April, 1849, the pon-
toons were brought to bear; May4,first tube was com-
pleted and platform cut away ; June 20, first tube
floated; June 22,1ast stone in Britannia-tower ; No-
vember 9, first tube deposited in permanent bed;
December 4, second tube floated ; February 7, 1850,
second tube deposited on permanent bed; March 3,
Carnarvon small tube lowered ; March 5, lint engine
passes through tube, and last rivet inserted ; March
18, single line of tube opened for public traffic;
June 10, third tube of second line floated; July 11,
third tube deposited ; July 25, last tube floated ;
Oct. 21, second line of tube opened for public traffic.
The total cost of the Britannia Bridge has been
about 60,0001. more than that of the High Level
Bridge at Newcastle, recently opened by the Queen.
Next month an enormous sale is to take place of all
the surplus material and stores. Preparations are
making for covering the tubes with a light arched roof
of peculiar construction. The effect of
two trains
passing at the same time through the parallel tubes
rtn
c weof snere
constantly
ts:tilttwN‘
visyni
trainssn
on t
oa
t hwnte bwwhile
u there,
thunder. All fear optl f r
there
eocollisions
hv
anosgfsingle line
everym bi a
an
oe
train. Large models of the bridge will form a promi-
nent feature in the next year's great Exhibition.
Yesterday the Irish express train and others passed
o obviatedt
o though
the was
approach
r n
brough the new line of tube, which will be hence•
'orth constantly used.

borough
THE WRECK OF THE P.I7OVIDEATC.E,
On Tuesday an inquest was held before thee...,,b,,b
coroner at Liverpool on view of the body u
Williams, a cooper on board the Providence,
during
for the coast of Africa, and which was wreckedo_
f the
the late gale off Burbo. Bank. Tile
body
yder-casks in
de-
ceased had been found under some pow_
d John Bird,
the between-decks, by a fisherman i.iame the car'
from
who had been employed in discharginggd bound
one' being
on board ;,the Providence. The .
bohey, deadouse,
brought tojaiverpool and placed In t•ed. The facts
was identified by the wife of the decelas
and there was
Albert was adjourned, in
of the case were exceedingly simile,
cast upon the
nothing to create difficulty iu arrivioego
but, in consequence of an imputation
cut the rope
at a verdict ;
cap I:ci William Parry,
crew of the Liverpool lifeboat, in
whilst they were in tow of the.
the scene of the wreck, the inquiry
the Providence,
ase
order that the circumstances of thetc-n
b-msitgehamt
b-etufgultlyo
of the Provi-
investigated. Robert Mope,
Bence; William Veale, the mate;
boarded
° purport. The lust-
s. first-class pilot, who had a_
b°fr the Albert steamer,
and James filcher, capta!ri
gave evidence similar
mentioned witness said
the men in the boat
Albert was about three-
was too much sea on.
mile from the ship
nlitfehbeyostsa‘ivdasthmeyancnouedld by
twelvequa
r te r
smoefn
a. When the tll
e
called out to let go the rope,
sea and was nearly full of
nothing for the ship,
The lifeboat had shipped Bo
Liverpool. At the ad-
water. It then returnedbe
glen on board the lifeboat
journed inquest two of t ,
aid their reason for giving
appeared. One of them
c proceeding to the wreck was,
up their intention o,.n_ a sea, they were obliged
that, upon the boat shippi as
another sea had come upon
to part the rope, as, 1 have been washed out of the
them, all hands would
possible to reach the ship, as
boat. They found It impossible
in such a sea. After a
the boat could not have
trener, the jury returned a
brief address from the
death.coroner, as there
To this they added a
verdict of " Accidental
effect that, although they did not
presentment to the
lifeboat altogether blameless,
think the crew of the
fault lay Principally in the bad
they thought that the
They also thought that
construction of the
lifeboat..' boat was censurable for not ap-
the captain of the h.
fPbut that the conduct of Parry, the
peario g before them,
pilot, and the captain of the steamboat was deserving
of the highest prals2

FisßEßy._The GreerilawnadsafnodrtDy
;avis the
year, the
TAE WHALE
Straits whale fishing, we regret to learn, has been very un-
successful this season, and will show. a very great diminution
in the produce as compared with. last. year,.
engaged in the, fishing
quantity of oil
1,761 tons.
numbernvun laline,ri boyf of
awsrl r'hii apvlszei lss
This year, the number of ships
caught 218, and the.
engaged was
just received fron‘a Abtr:e:
1.1u,11, &c., we learn that of these 23 have arrived, or Peterhead,been
reported, containing only 63 whale:. If the nine vQssels nut
yet reported is taken at the same. average, that will give
only 88 whales, and 650 tons of oil, or a.falling off of 155
whldes and 1,111 tons of
.oil. But, looking at the matter
even in the most hopeful light, there seem:, to be no hope of
the produce of the fishing amounting to one-half of that of
last season.
The accounts from the continental produce markets
concur in representing most articles as )ei.,,g....
steadily sup-
ported, although business was less animated. Coffee and
sugar at Amsterdam and Rotterdam were without material
alteration, bat prices coutatued to be regarded as firm.