The Express.
London, England, 1851-11-14 00:00:00

COURT OF COMMON COUNCIL

Yesterday a court was: held at the Egyptian-hall
in the Mlaabiun•huaee ; the newly-elected Luau MAvea in
the Chair.

't he court was very numerously attended both by alder-
men, common councilmen, and citizens, it having beim
notified that a discussion was to take place upon the railway
terminus and City improvement plan proposed by Mr.
Charles Pearson. The whole of the proceedings, which
were very protracted, appeared to excite the most lively
interest. . _

1/0“ the motion of Mr. T. DAMN the memorial of Mr.
Charles Pearson was read to the members of the court. The
document embodied the planet the projector, of which we
yesterday gave an outline, and contained a prayer for the
appointment of a committee before which the memorialist
might prove his allegations, and further show that a corn- '
naittee of citizens influenced by public and not pecuniary
couMlerations are willing, pending the inquiry, to take
upon themselves to provide fur all necessary proceedings
preparatory to the approaching session, and to keep the
control thereof in their own hands, ready to be deliver“l
over to public commissioners or the corporation if it shall
be thought desirable to carry oat the projected improve-
ments iu the manner suggested in the railway commis-
sioners' report. It was further added that the whole im-
provement might be carried out within three years without
the stoppage of a single street.
Ina:lover to Alderman Stnxiev, Mr. PEARSON said no
company hail been formed to carry out the improvement ;
he had conceived it his duty to keep aloof from any com-
pany with pecuniary views upon the matter.
Mr. Deputy HARRISON moved " That it be referred to
a ward committee, now to be appointed, to consider in detail
the railway terminus and City improvement plan proposed
by Mr. C. Pearson, in connexion with the resolution of this
court of the 3rd of November, 184.3, and to inquire into the
desirability, practicability, and cost thereof, and to report
their opinion to this court ; and that, pending the forego-
ing inquiry, the COlllnlittee be empowered to give the ne-
cessary parliamentary cotices in the Gazette and the news-
papers to enable the court to act thereon in the approaching
session ; if, after receiving the report of the committee,
they shall determine to do so." It as his opinion that it
the curl ration of the City of London were to entartaiu the
project of a central railway terminus from the Great North-
ern lines into the heart of the City, the public would he
much convenienced. Such a scheme would prove in opera-
tion most valuable.

Alderman SIDNEY rose to propose that all the words
after the first paragraph which had reference to the com-
mittee " being empowered to give the necessary parlia-
mentary notices in the Gazet'e and newspapers," should he
omitted. lie gave the solicitor every credit for his skill,
while he consiuvred that the plan was deserving of every
praise ; still he thought it right to ask the court to pause
before they agreed to go too far, as they might perhaps be
doing muck more than their municipal duty. ("
and "oh.") Ile believed that the project before them
would not simply cost a million and a half but several mil-
lions. (Hear.) With Depul Harrison, he was anxious for
full inquiry, and he hoped that the whole affair would be
referred to some committee, that the advice of the City ar-
chitect might be taken thereupon ; but he objected to that
committee having the proposed power of giving notices to
parliament before they reported to that court as to their
opinion. lie would move the amendment he had named.
Alderman CUBITT, M.P., seconded the amendment.
He did so because he had grave doubts both of the feasi-
bility and practicability of the scheme. The plan was to
form a railway upon the existing level of the Fleet valley,
and to ruse the roadway upon arches, the basement storeys
looking ea to the proposed line, which it was proposed to
make laid feet wide and a mile and a half lung. Now it must
appear clear to the members of that court that houses
so built would be scarcely habitable from the constant
vibration which would be caused by the locomotives and
trains, and the constant confusion to which the inmates
would be subjected. Then again, not only would the
masa be unbearable, but from the continual puffing out of
jets of steam an I feu' air by the e.'gines the houses would
be rendered unlit fur human habitation altogether. The
main element in the proposition was the raising of the
valley of the Fleet, but he had doubts as he before said
whether the proposed Wart for doing so was practicable.
After some discussion, the amendment was negatived by
• large majority, and the original motion was carried amidst
loud cheers.