VISCOUNT BURYsaid, he would beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether he can give any information to the House as to the result of his investigation with respect to the state of Hammersmith Bridge?
MR. BRUCESir, by the direction of the Board of Trade, this bridge has been minutely examined by a competent engineer, who was assisted in his examination by the engineer of the company to which the bridge belongs. The result showed that the bridge, although never a very strong structure, is fully as strong now as it has been at any previous time. As it has borne large crowds without any accident occurring, it has not been thought expedient to prevent its use on the occasion of the Oxford and Cambridge boat race tomorrow. Notices have, however, been posted that access will be limited to the footway; and, in addition to this, there will be a force of policemen, who will endeavour to limit the crowd to the footway, leaving the carriage way for the use of carriages only. It is believed that the bridge will be fully competent to bear that diminished crowd.