The Express.
London, England, 1862-03-19 00:00:00

Inclined to trade. The value of the trade of Shenghae had
now reached thirty millions, and directions had been given
to defend that place and all the other treaty porta, and to
preterit British life and property spinet the Taepings and
this could be does by the few troops in the couutry and by
the travel force in Show waters.
Mr. WHITE stated that the origin of the rebellion in
China was to be traced t 'the destruction of the prestige
Of the imperial government, which followed the victories of
the British in that country. He should have been glad to
know if it was intended to drive the rebels from Niogpo,
which was one of the treaty porta. As regarded Shanghae
from his knowledge of the state of thisgs, he could state
that there need be no fear of injury to British life or pro-
perty there. Be advocated a policy of strict non-interven-
tion between the contending parties in Chins.
Mr. BUCHANAN expressed his gratification at the
statement that the government would take steps for the
protection of British interests at Shanghae and the other
eta
po
Mr. MARSH said that, while we were insisting on pro-
tection for British subjects in China, he thought that at-
tention should be drawn to the unjust treatment of the
Chinese in Australis.
The motion was withdrawn.
THAMES EMBANKMENT (NORTH SIDE).
Mr. COWPER moved far leave to bring in • bill
for embanking the north side of the river
Thames from Westminster-bridge, and for making
new streets in and near thereto, and from Blackfrianebridge
to the Mansion-house. He said that one of the principal
wants of the metropolis was freedom of passage along
the great thoroughfares which led from the east to the
west of London. At present that great artery along which
there was a constant flux and reflux of business was almost
impassable in certain parts. Ludgate-hill, Fleet-street, and
Temple liar, no longer served the purposes for which they
were intended, whilst the project of widening the streets
was, from the value of the property, almost impracticable.
The construction of • great thoroughfare from east to west
migh t at the same time supply another great want in the shape
of • low level sewer, which might be made without breaking
up the pavements of the Strand and Fleet-street. These
two objects might be accompanied by another result—
namely, the improvement of the navigation of the river
Thames ; and as a fourth advautage, it might contribute to
the embellishment of the banks of the river, and thereby
provide a place of recreation for the inhabitants of the
town. The main advantage of this plan was that
it did not attempt to maintain the wharves, which
all the earlier plans attempted to retain. Those
wharves could only be retained by the purism.
engineering ingenuity, as they were mainly k•
tended for the reception of the coal barges, and ea kiss
were less necessary now than formerly in consignees, of
the existence of railways, the inconvenience of doing away
with them would not be felt so much as formerly. Another
feature of the plan was the extension of a thoroughfare from
Bleck! riars-bridge to the Mansion-house, which would give
great ease to the traffic in this crowded locality, and betides
the narrownesa of the river below IBlackfrian-bridge
would not so well admit en embankment there,
looking to the interests of the navigation of the
river. This plan therefore would consist of a
many commencing from Weetmioster-bridge, passing
along the bank of the river till it reached Blackfruirs-bridge.
It then proceeded by • street across Cannonstreet, till it
reached the great centre of the City, surrounded by the
Mansion-house, the Baal of England, and the Royal Ex.
change. The funds by which this work was to be executed
were the funds appropriated by the Wine and Coal Conti-
nuance Act of lest year, and it was calculated that the work
would absorb the whole of the duties during the period for
which that act was passed, namely, ten years. He did not
think the coal duties could be appropriated to a better pur-
pose. It was proposed to entrust the execution of this
work to the Metropolitan Board. He knew there existed
an objection to that board in some quarters on the ground
that they were too lergea body and too much occupied
already. But the bill provided that the work
should not be entrusted to the whole body, which consisted
of 40 members, but to • committee of nine elected by the
whole body for this special purpose, two of the nine being
representatives of the City. It was thought only fair
as the road would pass through so mach of the city, that •
provision should be introduced to have it sufficiently repro-
slated in the committee. It had been imesidared desirable
Uri the embankment should extend not merely between
Bleektriare and Westminster, but that it should extend u
fires Vauxhall or Battersea If this bill were carried hen
iffiest, the small space between Westminster and if
would only remain to be acme, and that, he had no
doubt, would be executed in • few years. If this
were done, they would have a noble street of four miles
in length, extending from Blackfriare-bridge to Chelsea.
It was not proposed at present to do anything with the
southern side of the river. A committal= was now sitting
on the subject. They bad been hearing a good deal of
evidence, but had not yet agreed to a report, and it would
be premature to determine on what should be done till they
hid that report. He need ally say that among the advantages
which would be pined by the embankment of the north
aide of the Thames would be the throwing open of spaces
where the inhabitants of the metropolis could promenade
and breathe the fresh sir, as be hoped that by the im-
proved drainage and the &melon from it of the sewage
which now polluted It, the river would no longer
exhale the odours wM* it now did. He trusted
got when this week was completed the people
et London would find recreation and enjoyment
by disporting themselves on the banks of the river,
and that we should see handsome terraces and fine
stresta growing up opposite the river. The powers of con-
atructiog the work would be committed to the Metropolitan
Board of Works without any interference beyond that
which arose from the feet that they would receive the
fund from the Treasury, Into which the coal and wine duties
were now paid.
Mr. AYRTON submitted that it was out of order to
bring in this bill in this way. It was • bill affecting • tax,
and resolutions on which to found a bill ought to have been
first submitted to a committee of the whole home. The
right honourable gentleman submitted toe precedent of that
kind when he submitted to a committee the resolutions for
appropriating pert of the produce of the coal duty to the
making of • road in Kensington-gardens.
Yr. COWPER said the bill did not impose any charge on
the public in regard to rates or duties, and consequently he
thought
he should be departing from precedent if he intro-
ducedthe bill in committee. He never heard that the
mare appropriation of • charge already created should be in-
trodemed in • committee of the whole house. With regard
to the case of the road in Hyde-park there was this dif-
herniae that it indirectly imposed • charge on the public.
Sir J. SHELLEY said perhaps the right hon. gentleman
was right But last year these duties were continued for
ten years, and if this bill were not peeled, the tax might be
appropriated to some other purpose. He thought it better
that the motion should be brought on in committee.
Lord JOHN MANNERS said the bill was an appropria-
tion of public money, and he thought ought to he intro-
duced in committee. If the right hon. gentleman pro-
posed to hand over the work to the Metropolitan Board of
Works, he should have great pleasure in supporting the bill.
The SPEAKER, with reference to the point of order,
said that as no new burden was proposed to be put on
the inhabitants by the proposition before the house, and as
it was only sought to appropriate funds already voted by
parliament, ho did not think there was anything informal
in the motion of the right hon. gentleman.
Mr. WILLIAMS was sorry to hear that the right hon.
gentleman did not include in his proposition the embank.
uncut of the south aide of the river. He trusted that the
improvement of the southern bank would not be neglected,
as he believed it was much more required than that of the
north side. •
Mr. J. LOCKE also urged the necessity of having the
south aide of the river embaoked, and expressed a hope that
the plans of the proposed works would be lodged is the
house so that hon. members might have an opportunity of
inspiriting them.
Mr. BRADY supported the bill, believing that the im-
provements proposed were much needed, slid that if they
were carried out, the embankment of the south side would
soon follow, the necessity for it would become so apparent.
Mr. CON (eared that the grand road spoken of by the right
hon. gentleman would be effectually blocked up by carts
running constantly between barges on the river and the
merchants' stores and yards. One firm alone loaded from
barges in one part el the river 50,000 tons of coal in the
course el the year and at that point the carts engaged
would shut out anything like traffic. It was very desirable
before the bill was read a mooed time that an opportunity
should be given to hon. members to make themselves roasters
of the details of the proposal byan inspection of the plans. He
feared that the new road in continuation of the embankment
would be found much more costly than useful or convenient.
He was in favour of metropolitan improvements, but he
thought the proposed one would in fact be • nuisance.
(Oh, oh.) At least that was his opinion of ft as regarded
the southern side of the Thames.
Mr. CONINGHAM looked upon the project as owe( the
greatest of metropolitan improvements. (Hear, bear.) He
could not understand why the hon. member for the Tower
Hamlets should oppose all metropolitan improvements,
except it was that his scheme for the government of the
metropolis had not been adopted. (A laugh.) He hoped
that all the bridges scram the river would soon be
open to the public. It was absurd to treat the
capital of England as if it were a provincial town. Mar,
hear.) He treated that the hon. member for the Tower
Hamlets, after the lesson he had received that night,
would lessee his violent opposition to these improvements.
(Laughter.)
Mr. KINNAIRD thought that the proposed embankment
would be most useful and bemficial, and thanked the. First
Oommissiener of the Office of Works for the trouble he had
bestowed upon the subject. (Hear, hear.)
Leave wee then given to bring in the bill.
THE LNNS OF COURT.

Sir O. DOWYFA in Tieing to ask for leave to bring in a
bill for the better government of the Inns of Court
saki that at that late period of the night he would not
wimpy the time of the house by explaining at length the
object of the measure, bat would reserve his detailed state-
ment until the second reading, which would be put off
until the members of the bar h►d returned from their
circuits.
OOLLEDE OF PHYSICIAN (IRELAND) BILL.
Sir R. PEEL moved for leave to bring in • bill to define
the powers of the president ad fellow' of the Xing and
Queen's College of Physicians, in Ireland, with raped to
the election of its fellows. The bill proposed to pet the
physicians in Ireland on the same footing u the pbyelebee
is the colleges in London and Edinburgh.
Leave was given.