Star.
London, England, 1817-06-19 00:00:00

OPENING OF WATERLOO BRIDGE.

Yesterday being the anniversary of the battle of
Waterloo, was properly filed upon for the ceremony
of opening a bridge, which is nominated after that
celebrated field—a field whose name, like that of
Marathon, will live in history long after every other
human monument of its glory will have crumbled to
decay. Multitudes had been pouring ii even from
the distant counties, during the last week, to witness

this interesting ceremony. At an early hour yester-
day the town wAs all life and bustle. The noise of
the hammer and the mallzt was incessant during the

morning, and all was impatient for the promised

spectacle. The day was a, warm•brilliant summer
day, peculiarly fitted to increase th.at flow of spirits
wt,ich the celebration of martial deeds must always
excite. Several hundred thousand persons assembled
cowar.is the river ; each bank, from Blackfriars-bridge

to Westminster, appeared as if the people were
wedged together in a mass. The surface of the river
fr every part appeared like a fair, from the number
of persons in boats and those who stood on the coal
barges and lighters. The houses along the river
were aiso crowded even to the chimney tops ; even
the streets leading to the river were thronged with
people, who remained seated in various places from
ay.: o'clock in the morning till after the procession
w.,s over. The terrace of Somerset-house, and every
v.indow, as well as the root of that magnificent
ir,g, exhibited a most cheerful assemblage of beauty
and fashion. Mr. Turton, Chief Magistrate of Hat-
ton Garden (Ace, at the head of a party of Police,
attended dulieg the day at Somerset House, where
accommodation was provided for upwards of three
thousand persons of distinction, who were admitted
by tickets. About a quarter past two o'clock, the
Duke of Wellington passed through St. James's Park
in his carriage, attended by his Aides-de-Camp, an.
unobserved by the multitude till he got near the Pa-
rade, when he was recognized by a few who ran
after the carriage, but the rate at which the carriage
was travelling prevented it from , being generally
known who was in it.
• The Prince Regent, attended by 4dmiral Sir Ed-
mund Nagle and Lord Forbes, the Naval cad Mi
litary Aides-de-Camp in Waiting, left Carlton-house
at twenty-Eve minutes past two o'clock, and pro-
ceeded through the gate into the Park. The Royal
carriage was immediately recognized by the throng
of persons assembled, who received his Royal High
ems: with every mask of respect. Both the windows
of the Royal carriage were open, and the public had
a full view of his Royal Highness, who was dressed
Nregimentals. Sir Edmund Nagle was dressed in a
aval uniform, and Lord Forbes in regimentals. The
Regent's carriage proceeded without any guards till
it reached the parade, where six Life Guardsmen at-
ached themselves to it, and conducted it to Fife-
house. The guard at the Wilt-yard were drawn outs
to receive his Royal Highness with military honours,
as v.,-ere-the Life Guards, with their colours dying.
and surmounted with laurel, as emblems of victory,
in commemoration of the day. They wore new pan-
taloons, of a dark brown mixture, with wide stripes of
red cloth on each side. A party of Life Guards, under
the command of General Barton. were stationed op-
posite the Horse Guards, to prevent any carriages en-
tering Whitehall, except those invited to Fife-house.
The Earl of Liverpool, accompanied by his Coun-
tess, received the Prince Regent at the door of Fife
House, aid conducted him in; they also received
their other Royal Guests in a similar respectful man-
lier, viz. the Duke and Duchess of Y'ork. (his Royal
Slighness was attended by his full Staff, Sir H. Cal-
3ffert, Sit W. Gordon. Sir H. Torrens, &c.); the
Dukes of Cumberland and Gloucester, with their
suites. There were also present most of the Foreign
Ambassadors, the Cabinet Ministers, the Lord Cham-
berlain, the Lord Steward, the principal Officers of
State, &c. &c. The company were in regimentals,
in Windsor uniforms, or in full dresses. They pro-
menaded for some time in the delightful gardens
Which are close to the water side, and were gratified
with the performance of the Duke of Gloucester's
band. Soon after the anival of the Prince and his
Royal relatives, the preparations began for their em-
barkation on board the Royal Wine.
/'.t ten o'clock a party of the Horse Guards, all
Waterloo men, entering the Bridge from the Strand,
wish their band at their head, in gay and gallant uni-
form, took possession of the Bridge, after which time
it resembled a camp, the horses being all drawn up
in groupes, and the men walking to and fro i 4 small
patties. So early as twelve o'clock the company
began to assemble in the windows and balconies and
on the platforms prepared for their accommodation,
in the range of streets along the river, presenting a
blithsenie and beautiful picture. The Strand, in the
vicinity of the Bridge, was also crowded with people,
atkd all the windows were studded with groupes of
gaily dressed females. Scaffolds wets Avowed io
oonvenient places, but we regret that they were disap-
pointed, as the procession moved by water, from a view
of which they were excluded. There was a report,
however, that the Duke of Wellington, accompanied
by a body of troops, would proceed along the Strand.
The watermen belonging. to the Insurance Office
Establishment were in their full dresses, with their
banners, fags, Ice. Several i f the boats on the Ri-
ver did not wish to appear deli, ient in military skill;
they were accordingly mount..d with carronades,
which were occasionally discharged amid loud huz-
zas. Bands of music enliveued ;he scene with mar-
tial airs, or. the Bridge and tea the water. A num.
be: of elegantly dressed !males 'graced the throng in
every dinctiou, and presented an interesting contrast
to the sable waggoner's who guarded the different
avenues to the coil wharft at the water's edge. and
levied contributions on those whose curiosity induced
them to ascend the coal barges, waggons, carts, &c.
which were provided for their accommodation. The
usual refreshments provided on those occasions, and
suited to every pocket, were to be had in all directions.
At three o'clock precisely his Royal Highness ens-
barked, whim was announced immediately by dis-
charges of artillery on the Bridge, and by the simul-
taneous hoisting on its battlements of the captive
Eagles of France, the standard of Great Britain, and
the ensigns of all the Allied Armies, which, glittering
in the sun, gave a singular brilliancy to the scene, and
forcibly recalled to wind the bloody hoot; jos which

they were all alternately phrowded in the smoke of
battle. The Royal Barges proceeded down she Ri-
ver along the Surrey aide, and passed through the
centre arch of the Bridge, under two hundred and
two discharges of artillery, that being the number of
cannon taken at the battle of Waterloo. It then
landed on the Surrey side, and ascended the Bridge
stairs, where it was received by the Committee, paid
the toll, and walked along the Bridge by the estern
footpath, which was kept clear for the procession.
Three rows of benches were erected along the Eastern
footpath of the Bridge, for the accommodation of the
swetators, including the subscribers• each of whom
had two tickets, and ether friends and patrons of the
undertaking. The procession moved along the Wes-
tern side. -

The Regent himself headed the procession, atten-
ded by the Duke of York and Duke of Wellington,
and other great military characters and Officers of
State, preceded by a military guard of honour. After
having passed the Bridge, the procession took water
again on the Middlesex aide, and returned in the
Royal barge to Whitehall. The Lord Mayor. is the,
City barge. with the Aldermen, attended by the i
barges of the several public Companies, also ap-
peared on the River, in compliment to this splendid
memorial of British valour.

On their return to Fife House they partook of a
sumptuous early dinner. They retired from Fife
House a little before seven o'clock. On the Regent's
return, his carriage was followed by an immense con-
course of people, it going at a slow pace, who testi-
fied their attachment by loud Acclamations, and ac-
companied the carriage to the entrants to Carlton
House from the Park.

Four companies of Artillery, most of them Water-
loo men, arrived in the morning from Woolwich.
The procession was superintended by several Na-
val Officers, who were very active tiering the whole
of the rooming. They were in the boats of the Eat-
DAM'S and &muttlens frigates, which were manned
by the respective. crews of—these vessels. Each boat
.had a swallow-tailed flag, with is Waterloo" thereon.
Some of the Officers of State, the Chancellor of
the Exchequer. the Members of the Board of Admi-
ralty, the Judges of the Admiralty, and the Mem-
bers of the Beard of Ordnance, embarked at the
stairs of the new Ordnance Office, where Mr. Croker
attended at an early hour giving orders for the
procession.
• The boats belonging to the Thames Police, under
the superintendance of the Chief Magistrate, Captain
Ritchbell, also attended, to prevent the procession
from being pressed upon or impeded.
The procession rowed round a boat *hid hoisted'
a large white flag, and was stationed as a kind of
beacon off the Temple. The Lord Mayor's barge
at first headed that in which the Prince and the Duke
of Wellington were, but on account of the numbers
which it carried, it was advancing so slowly that
Loid Exmouth gave the Royal bargemen a signal to
shoot a-head of the City barge, which they did, and
the latter was afterwards obliged to cut straight over
•to the landing place in order to ;gain its station in
the order of the procession.
No serious accideet, we are happy to learn, occur-
red during the day. Every thing was conducted with
the utmost telularity.
A beautiful new banner was displayed from the'
spire of St. Martin's Church, in the room of the
royal standard, which was torn by the terrible storm
of wind on the King's bish-day.
The Foot and Lite Guards were decorated with
wreaths of laurel, and in letters of leaf gold were the
words Waterloo, 18th !tine. 1613."
At the Sutliag.house, in the Tilt-yard, a bough of
laurel with the same inscription was displayed.
The gun mounted in the Park had a large sprig of
laurel fixed, in the touch-hole, with the words in gilt
letters, 46 Watetloo, June 18, 1813."
After the Royal visitors departed from the Water-
loo Bridge, the populace became quite impatient to
walk along the magnificent structure ; their wishes
were acceded to, as no money was demanded; and in
a few. minutes the place was filled by thousands of
people, who rushed in from the Strand 'and from the
Surrey side. So late as one o'clock this morning the
13ridge continued to be a lively promenade for all
descriptions of people. The attractions which pre-
sented themselves on the Surrey side, encreased the
number of these visitors very considerably. The.
fields on each side of the new road which leads into
the New Cut, were covered with innumerable booths,
stalls, she ws, xhibitions, swings, roundabouts, and at-
the ether kinds of machinery which constitute a lair.
All sorts of refreshments were sold in tents erected
for the purpose, and some of Ciese were so extensive
as to be sufficient each to contain two or three hun-
dred persons; in several of them there were small
bands of music, and they were all crowded with visi-
tors. One would suppose that all the people of Lon-
don had gene to pass a festive night upon a Tot,
'which hitherto was in some manner an inaccessible
swamp. Such are the wonders effected by the ex-
tended cultivation of the useful arts. A large space
of grounds on thick some years ago a human foot
had seldom trod, has within these last two dayrbien
transformed into a temporary town, ant& become a
vast scene of mirth and festivity. It is said that these
amuseinents will be repeated here every year, in com-
memoration of the glorious geld of Waterloo.
DESCRIPTION OF THE BRIDGE.

The length of stone work, within theajmunents, is, from one
river bank to the ether, 1240 feet, whose harmcnizing strait
lee, runnins parallel with the river or water-line through ft,
giro It that simple elegance and grandeur which is not equalled
by any work of this deseripdon In Europe. the length, or gentle
Incline of plane from St. Geoege's Fields, to obtain the,aummit of
the Bridge, ts 1250 feet, and carried on partly by a astound of
earth and brick gush& lb. length, from the north share, from
the abutment to the Strand; la 400 feet; the read principally car.
tied over on brick arches, and almost directly level with the for.
mar. The total length of the Bridge, with its approaches, from
the Strand to St. George's Fiekis, is 2490 feet. The span of the
nine stone arches over the River, all of which are of equal di-
mensions, is 120 feet each. The width of the Bridge, within the
balldaratits, 1; 42 feet, divided on each side by a footway of 7
feet, leaving the carriage road 28 feet. The s,umber of brick or
dry arches, on the South shore, is 40 ; and on the North, or
Strand side, is 16. So that the total number of etches which
have been carried over, for the completion of thii Grand Work,
is 65—ft Work which will be banded down to posterity, to sheer
what a Nation like our's can do, even while carrying on an ex-
pensive war. The whole of the exterior of the Bridge Is exe-
cuted with durable Cornish moor-stone.

Yesterday a man, in attempting to climb an old
house in the Savoy, in order to see the procession,
fell off the roof and Woke three of his ribs ; several
boys fell through the roof, but 'pm not mush hurt.