The Sun.
London, England, 1855-08-03 00:00:00

.capitalist wishes to protect him by rendering him
liable in purse and person, not only to his last
shilling and la.t acre, but even with his liberty,
for the success of the man he has trusted. This
is, indeed, strange protection. Well may he
" Save me from such friends," and leave
me to deal for myself, to "do as I will with my
own without let or hindrance."

Mr. Commissioner FANS, who has done much
to instruct the public on this interesting and
important subject, has just published a
very timely brochure, in which the subject
is treated with that clearness and lucidity for
which the learned Commissioner is so remarkable,
and in which every fair objection is fully ccnsi-
dered and completely removed. We earnestly
commend this little production to public notice.
It will amply repay perusal.

The remarks of Lord REDESDALE, in the House
of Lords last evening, in relation to the Public
Offices, seem to us well worthy of attention.
That great inconvenience and detriment to the
public service is occasioned by the dispersion of
the public offices will not admit of question. In
the very nature of things it could not be other-
wise. One branch of the public service cannot be
conducted without communication with others,
and the less perfect such communication is the
more difficult it must be to secure that co-opera-
tion and that subordination to a governing head
essential to good administration. The evil, then,
being admitted and deprecated on all hands, the
question naturally arises—What is the best mode
of remedying it ?

This, of course, must be the adoption of a plan
which combines most perfectly the two elements
of efficiency and cheapness ; in other words, which
ensures a thorough cure at no more than the ne-
cessary cost; and all experience goes to prove
that doing things piecemeal does not answer this
description, but involves illimitable expenditure
without the ultimate attainment of the object
sought for. This was not less forcibly than cor-
rectly put by the Marquis of LANSDOWNE in his
reference to private houses. The Noble Lord,
however, need not have gone beyond the public
offices for an illustration. The piecemeal mode
has hitherto been adopted in dealing with them,
and with what result it is not necessary for us to
repeat.

It is to be hoped, therefore, that Government,
when about it, will originate a carefully-considered
scheme which will render future alterations,
unless of a minor description, unnecessary. To
the formation of such a scheme the purchase of
the fee-simple of the plot of ground between Down-
ing-street and George-street will by many be deemed
necessary. It will ensure ample space for what
is required, and an uninterrupted frontage from
the Treasury to the Houses of Parliament, and
it does not involve the necessity of an immediate
large expenditure in building operations, while it
must not be forgotten that the ground will ulti-
mately be required, and that it may be purchased
now at a vastly lower rate than it will command
in future. On the other hand, the purchase of
the ground, and the erection of the required
buildings by private parties, to be rented by Go-
vernment, and ultimately to fall into the posses-
sion of the Crown, is a plan sufficiently feasible
to deserve attention. Whatever scheme, however,
may hereafter be recommended, the public have a
right to expect that nothing short of the necessity
of the case, nor ihvolving useless or extravagant
expenditure, shall be adopted.