The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-07-26 00:00:00

IMPROVEMENTS ROUND ST. PAUL'S.

On Monday a pnvate meeting of gentlemen took place at the
Mansion-House, for the purpose of constdering the propriety of
dopting a plan submitted by Mr. Ehnes, the Actuary of the .ffi:gis
Assurance Office, for the improvement round the neighbourhood of

St. Paul's.

- -.-
The Right Hon. the LORD MATOIL in the Chair.
Amongst the persons present were, Aldermen Wood and Thomp-
son, Mr. Slade, Mr. Blades, Mr. Peliatt. &c. &c.
The drawing of the plan is beautiful in the extreme. In fact,
the change contemplated by the projector cannot be adequately
described, except by the pencil or the reality.
The proposed improvements consist in removing to a proprr
distance, and rebuilding on a regular plan, all the houses round
the present church-yard, and constructing two or three useful and
necessary streets. The leading feature in the new design is the
building of a tiemi.circus at the west-end of the edifice, divided by
a handsome square, and a splendid new street at right angles with
the meridian of the Cathedral, which terminates nearly in the
centre of Crescent-place, Bridge-street. The semi-circus is then
continued to the eastward, on both sides of the Cathedral, where,
joining with St. Paul's School on the east, and to a grand opening
near the south end of the new Post-office, it forms an amphitheatre
of splendid shops and handsome houses, which it is proposed
to name the Amphitheatre of St. Paul, near to the centre of
the Amphitheatre parallel to the meridian of the Cathedral,
and opposite to the transepts are two other wide and hand-
some streets. That on the north crosses Paternoster row,
and terminates in Newgate-street ; and that on the south, a little
bitlow Titanic@ street, where it is proposed to build a new market,
as midway between Hungerford Market and Billingsgate. This
market will be appropriated to the sale of fish, poultry, fruit. ve-
getables, and other similar produce, that are brought down the
river from the neighbourhood of Chelsea, Battersea, Fulham,
Putney, Brentford, and Isleworth. Another street will be formed
opposite to the Old Bailey, by widening the passage into Water-
lane, and carrying it obliquely into EarLstteet. The importance of
this street, leading as it will from Blackfriars-bridge to Smithfield-
market, is calculated upon as very great. Amongst the leading
advantages of this improvement to the public, will be the widening
of all the approaches and avenues to and round the cathedral, mak-
ing the north side passable, as well as the south side. for coaches,
and facilitating the approaches to and front the new Post-office, by
which means the Cathedral will be then thrown open to a proper
vista. At the same time a due regard is to be paid both to profit
and economy, as the new streets and amphitheatre will tern the
handsomest anti beat places for business in the City.
The LoaD MAYOR was inclined to think that it would be ad-
visable to mix up this plan with a plan for the generalaimprove-
ment of the City. He wits unwilling to do anything that might
have a tendency to commit the Corporation, and suggested an ap-
plication to the Court of Gommon Council, for the purpose of peti-
tioning the Legislature out the subject.
It was stated that Government had already given an answer to
the invitation to join for the general improvement of the City, by
declaring that the City must manage to pay for its own improve-
ments. This answer, however, did not refer to national works, of
which the improvement round St. Paul's se. mcd to be considered
one of the greatest that could be accomplished. Lord Liverpool
had mentioned upon the occasion, that the Government would be
happy to co-operate with the City in a national work.
Of course sonic of the meeting directed their attention to the ex-
pense likely to be incurred by an undertaking of 83 stupendous a
nature as this, whilst others who had witnessed the frightful jobs to
which the City had been subject in almost all the new buildings
undertaken at the instance of the Corporation, felt apprehensive of
a continuance of such ruinous labours. it was immediately ad-
mitted that the alteration proposed was magnificent in the extreme,
but the expenses incurred by the building of the Custom-house and
the Post-office, stared the Meeting in the race.
Mr. Ei.BIES combated the argument of expense, by stating that
the outlay would not exceed 1,200,000/. and the destruction of
property would be confined to about 200,000!. ; the purchase of
good-will and fixtures would amount to about 250,000/. and the
purchase of freeholds would not exceed 750,0001. By the sale of
the old building-materials.34,oot 1 would be regained ; dieground-
rent would produce 300,0001.; and the value of the reversionary
interest would be so great as to cover the other expenses, with the
exception of the 200,000/. already alluded to.
It apeeared that Mr. Arbuthnot had expressed his strong praise
of the plan ; and it is believed that his Majesty and the Duke of
York have manifested towards it approbation the most unequivocal.
In the coor.e of the discussion of its merits. it was stated that the
City of 1 lublin bad become one of the most beautiful cities in the
world, by the annual grant of 20.0001. or 30.000/. a year frqm Par-
liament ; and it was regretted that Commissioners were not at'-
pointed in the same manner to superintend improvemenrs in this
metropolis.
After considerable discussion, it was agreed that Alderman
Wood, and Mr. Hick, of Cheapside, who are going to consult
Lord Liverpool on the subject of the Post-office, or the Custom-
house, in the course of the week, should incidentally mention the
subject of the improvement contemplated, with the view of ob-
taining the sane ion of Government. A petition is alsoto be drawn
tip and prevented to the Court of Common Council, upon the sub-
ject. Tue Meeting was founded upon a letter from Mr. Arbuthnot,
advising that the name and powerful influence of the Lord Mayor,
and the great hotly of the Corporation, should be obtained to the
undertaking, and expressing a hope of a successful result, under
the administration of a Parliamentary Commission.

Sri ss.—The Liverpool Mercury, which, during the reign
of Radicalism, attributed all the riotous and seditious
movements that then took place in the disturbed districts
to the machinations of spies in the pay of Government,
has just discovered that " spies are actively engaged in
endeavouring to lead our suffering fellow-countrymen into
the commission of acts which may form a pretext for the
revival of the reign of terror, and for the employment of
increased military forces." Aware how ridiculous it would
appear if it asserted that these spies were in the service of
Government, the Mercury admits that they are " nut in
the employment of Ministers, but of certain officious and
almost professional spymongers." That the Magistracy
and their officers are watching the movements of the disaf-
fected, is certain ; it is their duty so to do ; but that any
" offieicus" persons have employed spies for the purpose of
stimulating the suffering poor to commit acts of violence,
is too ridiculous to gain belief in the mind of any but a
Radical.