The Sun. — 1851-08-19 (London, England)

BATTERSEA NEW BRIDGE FOUNDA TIONS.  A correspondent of a morning paper gives the following particulars of this new bridge:— The piers of Battersea new bridge are founded on rows of bearing piles, driven from 20 to 30 feet into the bed of the river. These bearing piles are surrcunchel on every side by cast-iron guides and sheet piles, driven 16 to 20 feet into the bed of the river. The foundations of the piers are, therefore, bearing piles, protected by a cast-iron casing, sunk about is feet below the bed of the  river. The guide piles and sheet piling are carried up to the level of low water, and from that to several feet above Trinity high-water mark, by a peculiar arrangement of the framing of the cast-iron plates or sheet piles. Into this casing of cast-iron a concrete of gravel and cement is poured; so that the piers consist of a solid mass of artificial stone cased with iron to protect the stone from craft, but founded on piles so protected as to render any undorwashing arising from the bed of the river wearing deeper impossible. In France and Germany the use of cofferdams in circumstances similar to the Avon-bridge piers, and even in harbour works, has long is been discontinued; but neither is the cost of a `‘ cast-iron casing" for the concrete incurred. Concrete poured, by proper machinery, on to the prepared river-bed abd carried up to low-water mark, and then the masonry is built on the artificial rock base--the river-bed being supposed to have sufficient resistance without any artificial foundation, as in the Avon.  It is difficult to say who originated the use of castiron casings for buildings in water. Captain Moorsom, in the paper on the Avon-bridge, read to the Institution of Civil Engineers, attributes its first adoption to Mr. Ward, of Falmouth. The late Mr. Evart took outs patent for making cofferdams of cast-iron plates in 1822, but the plan had been previously applied by Mr. Matthews, of Bridlington. Mr. Walker, Mr. Cubitt, Mr. Sibley, Mr. Hartley, and others, have from time to time since 1822 used cast-iron piling for saving the expense of cofferdamming. In 1836 Mr. William Bush proposed the use of castiron coffers or chests for reeking foundations for a lighthouse on Goodwin Sands, and soon after tried it. It hes been recently adopted in important cases by Mr. Cubitt and Mr. Brunel.  NENV ACT TO IMPROVE THE ADMINISTRATION OF CRIMINAL JusricE.—The new Act which will come in force in a few days for further improving the administration of criminal justice (14th and 15th Victoria, cap. 100) has just been printed. The object of the new law, which was brought forward by Lord Campbell, is to get rid of the legal technicalities which often defeat justice, it being declared that " such technical strictness maj., safely be relaxed in many inn; stances so as to ensure the punishment of the guilty weitnc°.” depriving the accused of any just means of defenn e Another object of the Act is to correct variances between theand statements in indictments and the proof of names!_dater, circumstances which have frequently caused a tice. By this Act criminal courts are empowerediutr: amend° certain variances not material to the merit oatne case, and his defence, by which a defendant cannot be prejudiced and may either proceed with or postpone the trial, to be had y indictment for before the same or another jury. In any of this Act into murder or manslaughter, after the operation, it will not be necessaryastocosenit forth the manner or inflicted, nor it be the means by which the injury WC to prove that willtntenecessary, in eases of forgery, particular. person ; " but it shall be sufficienttion was to defraud a to prove that the dfendant did the act charged with an intent to defraud. On the trial of an indictment for robbery the jury may convict or an assault with intent to rob. A person tried for misdemeanour need not be acquitted if the offence turns out tobe aasfelon3 money. After%Coin and sbpaenckifyninogtesomthae3; be described simply matters in which parties may be convicted on indictments, there are several provisions respecting indictments for perjury, one of which is to the effect that judges of the superior courts,z' justices of the peace, commissioners of bankruptcy and insolvency and county courts, may direct indictments for perjury. The Act will come into operation on the Ist of September.