The Express.
London, England, 1863-07-07 00:00:00

LANDS IMPROVEMENT COMPANY'S BILL.

re i:bai Inosr;ail a third time caddpas7el -
LONDON, CHATHAM, AND DOVER (No. I) BILL.
This bill having bees read a woad time,
Alderman SIDNEY moved" that it be an instruction to
the committee ea the London, Chatham, sad Dover Rail-
way (No. 1) Bill, that they do admit the mayor, aldernws,
sad commons at the City of Leaden to be heard upon their
pentium with reference to the railway already antberiaed is
the City of Loaders, and for the fireflies of a clause prohi-
biting the railway comma, from carrying a viaduct over
Ludgate-bill" The ihon. geotisman said the object of his
motion wee to have the proposed viaduct over Ludgate-hill
rscoosidcred. The work was oars of an notional character,
and was opposed by almost all the proprietors
on that aide of the water. The Metropolitan Rail-
way had proved that railways could be wifely
and economically constructed under ground. Unless
some comprehensive system were adopted by the Legislature
with respect to the arrangement of stations within the
/metropolis the greatest incoevaniettes would be felt by the in-
habitants of Undoes. The proposed station is Farrimrdoe-
street would be from ld to 20 fist &bye the level of the
ground, and it was intended to connect this company's line
with the Metropolitan Underground Railway, which wit
about 25 fort below the level. The result would be •
gradient of 1 in 40, which would be attended with danger
and inc,uovaciance. Why should the oompessy not build a
tunnel instead of • viaduct, which would get rid of all objec-
tion ! No doubt the company by their bull of 1660 had ob-
tained leave to orestroct a viaduct, but the question was not
then placed before the public is its true light The cor-
poration of the City, the large commercial interests,
as well as the Commissioner@ of Sewers and the Board of
Works were opposed to the viaduct. The hoe. gentleman
then read letters from Mr. Hennes and Mr. Penrose, in
favour of • tunnel instead of a viaduct. He was aware that
the corporation were • few years ago in favour of ihe via-
duct, but upon mature consideration of the subject they
were sow coeviaead of the difficulty, the inconvenience, and
bad taste of such a work.

Mr. MASSEY said the course proposed by the boo. alder.
sae was not only one of a roost unusual character, but ab-
solutely unprecedented— (bear, blear)—and if acceded
to would shake to the foundation faith in rights,
eroded by act of parliament. (Hear, hear.) It would
enable parties, after a scheme had been fully considered
and sanctioned by act of parhanient, to come in for the pur-
p of nesettliog that scheme upon a collateral issue.
(Near. hear.) The proposition of the hon. gentleman eras
nothing km than one for the repeal of a clause io so act of
parliament which bad be, pissed three year ago, by
which vest interests were created, and upon the faith of
which vast sums of money bad been expended. (Hear,
hear.) He would not enter into the merits or demerit. of
the proposed viaduct. But, whatever its demerits, this was
not the mode of raising that question. It could Dot be
named by any private individual. It should he mined by
the parties who had got the ball, and twelve should be givea
to the persona interested. As the powers vented by the
bill were panted by parliament, it would be the duty of the
goreromeot, if they considered the powers granted by the
bill ought to be withdrawn, to propose that the Igki-
lotion of the year 14tiO on this subject should
be re-considered, that some other works should be
suhstituted.and that compensation should begiven kith. par-
ties for the money theybed expended under the former act.
The proposal of the boo. gentleman was ineothiskat with
the commonest rules of justice.
While the hoe. gentleman was speaking Lord Palmerston
entered the hoes. from Wiled the Speaker's chair, and was
loudly cheered.

Sir J. SHELLEY maid that the CommissioDere of Sewers
were Dot opposed to the visduct, and the Metropolitan
Rood of Works bad dote:min.-it by resolution that they
would not Dooms it. In coasoluence of the narrow ►p-
proaches totbe Victoria-station trues were often detainedos
the bridge. The object of the bill was to empower the
Loodoo, Chatham, and Dover Railway to improve those
approaches. The hoe. alderman Dow proposed to stop this
work merely bosom the corporatiois of Lanka had changed
their minds as to the viaduct scrota Ludgate-hill
Colonel STUART said that he was a member of ►he
committee of 1460, before which he mid the Wm Lord
Mayor sad several members of the corporation were examined
in favour of the bill, at that time under oonsideratioo.
Mr. CRAWFORD remarked that • deputation bad
waited on him to revisit that he would oppose the scheme
for crossing Ludgate-hill with a viaduct, sod he iaforroed
them that he could Dot, beams, they disapproved of the
viaduct, vote aping a bill which bad nothing what-
*war to do with that subject He hoped that the ken

would steed by its established usages. sod not accept se
monstrous a proposition as that now before it. (Hear.)
Mr. LOCK E said he did not think that the hon. alderman
merited the obloquy which had bees east upon him, because
• very nogg feeling had been manifested out of doors, in
the pressilla elsewhere, against what mu regarded aa the
hideous viaduct proposed to be thrown anon Ludgate-hill.
When the former bill received the sanction of parliament,
the corporation of the City of London were large proprie.
ton of Metropolitan Railway stock, which the proposed
line was to join, and would very much benefit. Ty sop-
the measure, and the Lord Mayor, and only the Lord
sop-
ported gave evidence in its favour. It was now suggested
that the governmeut should bring in a bill by which the
expense to be Matured in an alteration of the plan from a
viaduct to a tunnel should be provided for, and he thought
it worth consideration whether such could not be done by
• clause to be inserted in the present bill.

Mr. TITE believed that the line might easily be made to
pass beneath Ludgate-hill instead of over it. Such was ales
the opinion of the engineer to the Board of Works.
The motion was then put and negatived without •
divisiot.