1. OPENING OF THE NEW SOUTHWARK STREET.-This day the Metropolitan Board of Works delivered over to public use their first new street, extending from High-street, Southwark (within 200 yards of London-bridge), to the Blackfriars-road, coming out exactly opposite the entrance to Stamford-street. It thus gives a direct and amply wide communication along Stamford-street and the York-road between London and Westminster bridges. When the southern embankment of the Thames and its roadway is complete, there will be one spacious unbroken road from Londonbridge to Vauxhall. The actual length of the new street is 3255ft., and its width is 70ft. throughout, from end to end, or 10ft. wider than New Cannon-street. The novel feature in the construction of this roadway is the formation of a subway in the centre of the road. This subway is an arched passage, 12ft. wide and nearly 7ft. high, built of the most solid and probably the most carefully finished brickwork that has been seen for years. From this subway, side passages, each 4ft. high by 3ft. wide, lead to the cellars, which are already built beneath the footwalks, in anticipation of the houses which are to follow. In this subway the gas, water mains, and telegraph wires are to be laid, the side passages conveying the two former necessaries direct into the cellars, and thence into the houses themselves. The object of this subway is, to do away with the nuisances caused by the stoppage of thoroughfares when a careless workman happens to make a bad joint in a gas or water main, or whenever an accident happens to either, and the street has to be stopped, and the pavement to be taken up to get at them. This subway is wide and high enough to allow of any repairs of this kind being carried on with the A most perfect ease, and at each end there are entrances sufficiently large to admit all necessary materials. As with the gas and water, so with the sewers. The drains from the future houses are formed of strong stoneware pipes, passing at a rather steep incline beneath the subway into the main sewer, which is placed below the floor of the subway in the centre, but not so deep but that it can instantly be opened for repairs or removal of stoppages. 8. ACCOUCHEMENT OF THE PRINCESS OF WALES.-The Princess of Wales was happily delivered of a Prince at two minutes to nine o'clock p.m., at Frogmore House. The Prince of Wales, Earl Granville, and the Countess of Macclesfield were present at the birth. Dr. Brown, of Windsor, was in attendance upon the Princess, in the absence of the physicians appointed to attend Her Royal Highness, consequent on the auspicious event being pre mature. The joyful event of the birth of the Prince at this time was quite unexpected, as the accouchement of the Princess was not anticipated until March. It was intended that the confinement of Her Royal Highness should take place at Marlborough House, and the Princess was to leave Frogmore for London in about a fortnight. For several days previous the Princess had been slightly indisposed, suffering from catarrh and cold. Her Royal Highness, however, had sufficiently recovered to be able to be present at a skating party at Virginia Water on the 8th. Upon returning to Frogmore, the Princess became so unwell that the Prince of Wales sent a telegram to the Queen at Osborne announcing the condition of Her Royal Highness, and a messenger was despatched for Dr. Brown, who arrived at seven o'clock, and at two minutes to nine the Princess was safely delivered of a healthy Prince. Messages had been sent for the medical men who were appointed to attend the Princess, and for Sir George Grey; but the Prince was born long before they could reach Frogmore. Dr. Sieveking was the first to arrive from London. He was followed by Dr. Farre and Dr. Gream, and later by Sir Charles Locock. Sir George Grey arrived at eleven o'clock. The event being premature, there was no nurse in attendance, and no preparation had been made at Frogmore for the advent of the Prince. A telegram was despatched to the Queen immediately after the birth of the Prince. Earl Granville was the only representative of the Cabinet present at the birth. His presence was owing to his having been invited to shoot on the following day with the Prince of Wales. The next day Frogmore was the scene of great excitement, each train from London bringing Cabinet Ministers, members of the household, and large numbers of the aristocracy, to offer their congratulations to the Prince of Wales. The unexpected announcement of the birth of the Prince was received with joy by all classes. The event was announced to the Mayor of Windsor by Lieutenant-General Knollys, when the bells of the castle chapel and St. John's Church were rung. Royal |