Star.
London, England, 1816-08-13 00:00:00

le.iftiXatAL
•
The Psioprietisrs of this elegant %stark, and the ori
ginators of thee adventurous speculation which gave
birthlo it, dined together yesterday, at the Cumber:
land Arnie Tavern, near Vinishill. &party of about
150 gentlemen sat down to dinner, Mr. MELLISH, the
Governor of the Bank, in the chaii• ; and a great va-
riety of excellent glees and songs were executed by
Messrs. LUTZ, Goss, aid other professional singers.
After the-usual toasts of loyalty and ceremony, which
werf drank with more than usual enthusiasm, the
Chairman apologised very handsomely for the ab-
sence of his brother member for Middlesex (Mr.
fiveo), who is In France; aed for that of the two
Members for the county of Surrey, one of whom
(Mr. H. SUMMER) was confined by domestic misfor-
tunes, and the other (Mr. S. THonwroe) was, he
was sure, kept away by some unforeseen occurrence.
These gentlemen had been the original Trustees;
and, he wasawite sure, were animated with all his
ovtn feelings and anxiety with regard to the success
and prosperity of that undertaking, which they had
at length accomplished.
Mr. DAVIS, the deputy eirairiaan, begged to re 4
commend as a toast, the health of Mr. Leyborne, a
gentleman on the side of the chair, without whose
perseverance and singular liberality, ;he bridge might
have been stopped half way, and the hopes of the pro-
drietors been disappointed for ever. 1 his toast was
rank with perfect cordiality, and Mr. Leyborne re-
turned thanks in an appropriate speech.
• Mr. DAVIS, the deputy chairman's health being
given, with a warm eulogy on his active services in
support of the interests of the company, that gentle.
man considered it his duty to enter into a candid ex-
planation of his endeavours in their service. He had
been, he believed, the means of defeating the plans
of Mr. Rennie, which, he was convinced, were in-
compatible with the state of the company's funds.
Mr. Rennie's original estimate had been C 269,000 ;
Mr. Walker had under:aken it open an estimate of
41215,000, and had carried his estim lie, as nearly as
the nature of things admitted, into practical effect.
What had once been a source of despair. he had con-
verted to a prospect full of hope. -and had thus, by
the simplest of all claims, entitled himself to their
grateful approbation.—( Great amlaure.)
The health of the Chairman, of the Treasurer. and
the Solicitor, were equally well received; after which
Mr. Sara tose to offer a slight tribute to the merits
of the man who had completed the work in which
they now rejoiced. The charalter of Mr. Walker
would be best understood by his exertions, and the
success by which they were crowned. Nothing invi-
dious ought to be stated on such an occasion; but it
was still tit that positive merit should be noticed,
nor could that festive meeting more effectually dis-
charge its debts of; gratitude, in addition to the piece
of plate of SW guineas value which they had that
morning voted to him, than by bequeathing him as
a legacy to any future private undertaking of a simi-
lar nature. To him belonged the rare merit, consi-
dered apart from the uniform zeal and fidelity of his
conduct, that his estimates had always turned out to
be on a par with his expenditure, and that the con-
sistency of his proceedings was only to be surpassed
by the accuracy of his eesginalcalculatioas.—Lweaa
natural to admire the noble pile and the magnificent
productions of art, but it was right and just to think
also of the labour which they had cost. and of the
genius to which they owed their creation—(4mlaure.)
Mr. WALKER gracefully expresied hii acknowledg-
ments, anal the evening was spent in the most unal-
loyed harmony and conviviality.
The Vauxhall Bridge consists of nine arches of
equal span, formed of cast iron, and raised upon
stone piers. The span of each arch is SO feet, and
the width of each pier about 14, which is somewhat
more than the width of the piers of the famous La-
mande's Bridge, at Neuilly, near Paris, of which the
span *of each arch is no less than ISO feet. These
piers are said to be constructed of the best, stone, and
in the most solid and durable manner. 'rhe elevation
of the centre arch above high-water mask is above SO
feet, and that of the other arches is not materially
less. l'he length of the bridge is above 800 feet ; its
width exclusive of ample foot ways, afford sufficient
ram for four carriages to pass abreast. The sides
are guarded by light and elegant iron pal:sadoes.
through which even the foot passenger has an uninter-
rupted view of all the beautiful scenery which abounds
on the banks, as well as of the interesting objects
which hourly present themselves upon the bosom of !
the Thames.

The roads are so judiciously constructed, that the
ascent to tbro bridge is scarcely perceptible, although
originally elevated so much above the level of the
ground on each side of the River, while the slope of
the Bridge itself is so gentle as to form a very strik-
ing contrast, indeed to the precipitate acclivity which
so materially derogates from the bridges of West-
minster and Blackfriars, and which readers them so
very inconvenient, if not dangeroos, to waggons and
carriages heavily laden.
The approach of this bridge on the Surrey side is
from the east of the Vauxhall turnpike, from which
it is not above 100 yards distant. Thezvenue on
the Middlesex side is formed by a new road df 60feet
wide, including foot ways. This road is about a mile
in length, in a direct lioe to Eaton-street, Pimlico,
through which and Gmsvenor•place a fine opeoing
continues to Hyde-park Corner. This such a com-
munication is formed with the west•end of the town,
that the access from that quarter, and especially
from Mary-la-Bonne pari►h, to Surrey and Sussex,
is shortened, it is understood, no less than twa miles,
compared with the old goad over Westminster-bridge,
while, by pacing along•Vaushall bridge, the pubis
streets, and what is generally found so disagreeable,
14 travelling over the stones," may be entirely avoided.
This Bridge presents some resemblance of Bonaparte's
celebrated bridge of Austerlitz, but is far its superior
in extent and elegance. •

blftwithatanding the unfavourable state of. the
weather, Vauihalt Gardens were list night crowded
with compatiy.--Madame SAQVI• Wig entirely re•H
covered, ascended the Rope with great eclat.
Duzi..—A meeting took place on Saturday morn-
ing between a Noble ford; accompaniedly Captain
C. as his second, and *Mr. B. accompanied by Mr.
P. as his second. The affair is supposed to have ,
arisen From some language made use of by bfr. 111..
with feepletto a Leglyp. After an exchange 4.
ffioti
the bulling' umminated without bloodshed.•