Intelligence and Miscellaneous Articles. 389 



blished that the accident was caused solely by the fracture in the 

 bolt, the plate being as sound and firm as on the day on which it 

 was attached to the masonry. 



Before closing this article, we may observe that some very ex- 

 cellent | papers on chain bridges (one of them on this particular 

 structure) have been read at the Literary and Philosophical Society 

 in this town, by Mr. Eaton Hodgkinson, and, we understand, are 

 likely to appear in the forthcoming volume of the Transactions of 

 that Society. In the paper on the Broughton bridge, some defects 

 in its construction were pointed out, and particularly the insufficient 

 strength of the stay-chains, as compared with that of the suspen- 

 sion-chains; but the particular defect which principally led to the 

 failure of the bridge, having been concealed under ground, was not 

 seen by the author of the paper, and of course was not men- 

 tioned in it. In an appendix to this paper, Mr. Hodgkinson strongly 

 enforces the necessity of proving by a very high test, the chains 

 used in the construction of bridges of this kind ; and he details a 

 variety of experiments for the purpose of showing that a test of 

 this kind does not, as is generally supposed, diminish the strength 

 of the metal in any sensible degree. The accident which has just 

 occurred will go far to bear out this suggestion. If the different 

 parts of the Broughton bridge had been carefully and adequately 

 proved before its erection, no such joint as that which gave way 

 could ever have existed in it. 



It has been suggested to us by a friend, that great advantage 

 would probably result if a system of periodical inspection of sus- 

 pension bridges by eminent engineers were adopted by the pro- 

 prietors of the bridges. In order to render the plan effectual, it 

 would be requisite that the results of the periodical examination of 

 every part of each bridge on which its stability depends, should be 

 published, on the authority of the engineer employed, and for the 

 correctness of which he should be considered responsible. By this 

 means the attention of all parties concerned, to the most important 

 points of construction in chain bridges would be kept alive ; acci- 

 dents arising from defective materials, or accumulated strains upon 

 them, would be anticipated, and great security attained by the 

 constant responsibility of the inspectors. 



UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE. 



At a congregation on Wednesday, March 9, a grace to the fol- 

 lowing effect unanimously passed the Senate : 



" To petition the King that, if it should be His Majesty's pleasure 

 to comply with the prayer of a petition lately presented to His Ma- 

 jesty for a charter to incorporate under the title of the University 

 of London,' the proprietors of an institution recently founded there 

 for the general advancement of literature and science, a clause may 

 be inserted, declaring that nothing in the terms of the charter is to 

 be construed as giving a right to confer any academical distinctions 

 designated by the same titles or accompanied with the same privi- 

 leges, as the degrees now conferred by the Universities of Oxford 

 and Cambridge.'* MANGA- 



