The Sun.
London, England, 1844-07-31 00:00:00

WESTMINSTER-BRIDGE.

The following is the report of the Select Committee ap
pointed to inquire into the present state of Westminster-
bridge, and into the expediency of continuing the present
expenditure thereon, or of erecting a new bridge on or near
the site thereof, and also into the amount of the bridge
estates, and the liabilities thereon ; with power to report
their opinion, together with the minutes of evidence taken
before them, to the House :
" That on a review of the whole of the evidence, no case
has been made out to justify the Committee in recommending
to the House the pulling down the present bridge and the
constructing a new one.
" That it is desirable that the inclination of the roadway
over the bridge be improved by lowering its summit and
raising its extremities.
" That the parapets of the bridge be lowered as much as is
practicable and consistent with safety."

SHANNON NAVIGATION.—A return of payments on
account of the Commissioners for the improvement of the
river Shannon, in Ireland, and for works under their direc-
tions whether by grants or loans, has been obtained and or-
dered to be published, on the motion of Colonel Sibthorp.
We find, on examining the return before us, that the gross
total payments for the salaries and expenses of the above
Commission, under the Act sth and 6th William IV., cap. 67,
amounted for the period between November,lB3s, and March,
1837, to 4,907/. ; for that between April, 1837, and March,
1838, to 6,989/. ; for that between April, 1838, and March,
1839, to 7,039/. • and for that between April, 1839, and the
close of the dommission, to 1,767/., making a gross total
amount of 20,7031., of which the sum of 14,2211. was appro-
priated to salaries, 1,6071. to labour, and 4,8741. to travelling
and contingent expenses, &c. All the above amounts were
paid by grants, through the Lords ..of the Treasury. The
amount of 20,7031. (above stated) comprises not only the
salaries and allowances to Commissioners and clerks, but also
the whole of the expenditure incurred for pay to engineers,
surveyors, draughtsmen, et id genus omne, in making the pre-
liminary surveys and drawings of the river; as also the ex-
penses attendant on the valuation of property required to be
taken for the purposes of the works, the particulars of which
were fully detailed in a return made to Parliament in the
month of April, 1840. A further sum of 6,0001. was paid in
February, 1841, in part discharge of bill of costs for payments
to assessor, fees to counsel, and advances on enrolments. The
gross total amount paid for the salaries and expenses of the
Commission under the Act 2 and 3 Victoria, cap. 61, from
1839 to March, 1844, both inclusive, was 12,3481. of which
the sum of 9,3291. was for salaries, and 3,018/. for travelling
and contingent expenses. The estimate of the salaries and
expenses of the Commission for the year ending March 31,
1845, amounts to the sum of 2,797/. 2s. As regards the
expenses of the works, it appears that the gross total sum
paid, from 1839 to March, 1844, inclusive, amounted to
302,5754 of which the sum of 151,2871. (or one half) was by
grants, and 151,2871. (the other half) by loan. The amount
to be expended in the year 1845 cannot yet be ascertained.
The amount that the Treasury have still power to advance
for works, under the Act 2 and 3 Victoria, cap. 61, is alto-
gether 259,307/.. viz., 127,267/. by grants, and 131,340/. by
loan.
PLEASING RESULTS.—With the gaiety assumed by
nature in the brightness of the summer season there are
few disinclined to participate; and in pursuit of those
rational enjoyments personal ogremens, in . all their
variety, are necessarily objects of desire—those, of
which the perfection and durability are at once obvious
and important, meet their most available preservative in
Gowland's Lotion ; first, as a decided remedy fur all
cutaneous impurities • and, secondly, as an elegant, mild,
and effective appendage to the toilet, removing every
species of local discolouration, defending the skin from
all the well-known effects of heat upon its surface, and
as contributing largely to continued delicacy and fresh-
ness of the complexion.
A BALLOON IN TURKEY. CONSTANTINOPLE,
JULY 10.-0-Monday last we enjoyed the view of the as-
cension of Mr. Comaschi in his balloon. He alighted
safely about forty miles off, in .Asia, and the Turks
can scarcely believe that he was not lost on the
way, as he had to cross the Sea of Marmora,
and went to an enormous height before we
lost sight of him. The Sultan, all the Mi-
nisters, ambassadors, and half the population
of Constantinople, were collected to see him
off. The plain of Haider Pacha was like an immense
garden—parties of gaudily-dressed people in various
colours, looking just like flower-beds. The Turks now,
for the first time, believe that a man can trust himself
in such a machine, and I dare say Mr. Comaschi will
finish by taking up a few of them to prove that it is as
comfortable a way of travelling as anything but a rail-
road, of which they have as feeble an idea.
RISE IN VALUE OF GROUND NEAR GLASGOW.—
- -

On Thursday week the lands of Stobcross, to the west of
Finnieston, and extending from the Clyde northward to near
Dumbarton-road, were sold by public roup at the price of 3s.
per square yard, imperial measure. These lands extend to
about 63 Scotch or about 80 imperial acres, which being
about 387,000 square yards, makes the price amount to some-
where about 58,000/. ; but as the purchaser pays the auction
duty, which will be about 1,0771., as well as the half of the
conveyance stamp, the price will actually amount to upwards
of 60,000/. We understand that these lands were purchased
by the late Mr. Phillips (by whose trustees they have been
sold), in the year 1817, for about 3,7001., making a rise in
value of upwards of 56,000/.—Scotch Reformers' Gazette.
The Right Hon. the Speaker of the House of Com-
mons, on Saturday next, gives his customary entertainment
to the officers of that branch of the Legislature, previous to
1 the adjournment of the House.