The National Register.
London, England, 1815-09-17 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REGISTER,

SEPT. 17.

CROWN BUILDINO LEASES.

TO THE RIGHT HON. W. HUSKISSON, &e.

SIR,-Knowing how ;nue!) you must be occupied with
tour various engagements, I am well aware of the impro.
priety of adding to their number, but the peculiar import.
ance of the subject, and the palpable error into w hick some
of the servants of the Crown are falling, doubtless ?tom
the best motives, have induced me, although a stranger, to
intrude the following observations on your notice.
It is needless to say that there is at present an immense
portion of unemployed labourers, not only in the metro-
polis; but in the provinces. It is as unnecessary to add,
that a great portion of the labourers thus unemployed con-
sists of niasons, hricklayers, and carpenters : that their
want of employment arises more immediately from the
step put to building, is equally evident.
Were I to-address an ordinary individual, and one not
profoundly versed in the best principles of political ceco-
nomy, I should fear 'that an attachment to old prejudices
would stand in the way of this application. Such a one
would place an extinguisher on all I could say, by utter-
ing the simple expression, "We are overbuilt." With
yen, Sir, I flatter myself, I shall not run that risk.
The circumstance to which I now particularly call your
attention, is the prevalent idea of obtaining large rents for
the leasehold, and high prices for the freehold land, about
to be leased 40 sold by the crown. the new houses in
Portland Place were imprudently taken at 951. whereas
the old ones only pay 291. or 351. The consequence has
l•ek.ti a total stoppage' to the erection of houses, the ruin
Cl' the builder, and-of course a loss to the community.
To the Crown the rent of the land is of no consequence,
itia=much as it has greater objects in view—the Excise
(ltitis on bricks, and Custom-house charges on timber in
the last, the taxes in the second, and the employment of
art::,ans in the third.

It 'weds but little argument to prove, that the Crown
being thus able to let the ground for a small, or even no
rent, the property is always more marketable than that
a a Duke of Bedford, who has no other means of revenue
than a ground rent, and who is thus compelled to load the
capital necessary to the erection of a building with a heavy
additional buithen.

But, so far from this idea having been adopted, and ade-
quate benefit being derived in the present exigence, dis-
tressing to the artizani from the vantage ground on which
the' crown stands, it is understood that exorbitant rents
and high prices are asked for leasehold and freehold
crown land. Indeed, I have heard the price of ground in
the lieighbourhood of Piccadilly stated (but perhaps in-
correctly) as high as three guineas per foot. Thus the
property is to be loaded with a tremendous charge, and it
is perhaps not going too far to say, that the fate attending
the first tenants of the expensive erections, and, indeed,
the erections themselves in Snow-hill and Temple-bar will
be that of the new houses in Westminster.

Hence, I would impress on your mind, Sir, the simple
idea of letting the ground at a very low price, and, to pre-
vent, as far as possible, jobbing speculation, in single
houses, and with a compulsory condition as to the period
in which the houses should be built. The consequence
perhaps would be, that builders would he found to take it
particularly as at this Mometit they can avail themselves
of the low prices of labour and brick.
As to the idea of the town being over built, it is not so

603

correct as many imagine. In fact, it is overtaxed. This
occasions families huddling three or four together into
one building. Let the Assessed Taxes be either partially
or wholly withdrawn, and we shall soon see whether we
are overbuilt or not. But, in a public point of view, 100
houses at 501. per ann. are as beneficial as GO at 1001. per
ann.; and, indeed, more so, as property is more di%ided,
and more labour is necessary to their erection.
I should imagine the operation of the taxes will be self-
evident in the excellent speculation of shop-building on
part of the ground belonging to Burlington-house. Some
persons go so far as to say, that thole will be 50 shops,
which will be worth 60 or 701. per ann. equal to 30001.
or 35001. besides a premium of 001. each, which, at five
per cent. will be equal to 12501.----together 47501. per
ann. on a property for which (1 believe) 60,0001. could
not be publicly obtained, and property taken from a still
princely house and gardens.
The taxes bearing on these shops will give them the ad-
vantage, and the builder of one of them, who does not
expend 3001. on it, will obtain a larger profit than if he
bad expended 30001. on an ordinary building.
I have the honour to ber &c. &c.
VI TM:VIVI.
Sept. 14, 1813.

THE PRINCESS OF 11/41. A ES.—They write from Swit7era
land, that her Royal highness the Pi ineess of Wales, after
having made a little tour to Mount St. Gothard, to visit the
Devil's Bridge, and what else is remarkable in the country,
arrived on the 16th at Lugano. ller Royal Highness, as soon
as she arrived, went to the Franciscan Church to see the
fresco paintings of the celebrated Luini; she examined the
has reliefs of the porch of the principal church, and conti-
nued her journey on the 17th.
NEW SH ERIFFS,—Monday, a Comtnon Hall was held for
the election of two persons to serve the offices of Sheriffs of
London and Middlesex, when Thomas Chapman, Esq. an 4
John Gladstone, Esq. were elected Sheriff, for the ensuing
year.

Notwithstanding the various revolutions Drury-lane The-
atre had undergone since the days of Mr, Garrick, one part
of the old building still remains to he seen ; this is the outer
door of the then entrance to the pit, in Nlarquis-coast, and
which now forms part of the premises of a printer. The*
stage-door, so ()lien passed by our inimitable Rosen's, when
going to enrapture his audiences, is at this time the duor to
the baking-house of a baker in Maiden-lane.
Captain Maitland. the Commander of the Bellerophon.
arrived in town on Thursday, and delivered to Sir Iludcon
Lowe, the new Governor of St. Helena, the 4000 gold Na-
poleons found among the property of Bonaparte. It is said
that the Governor will retain this money in his possessirsn,
to be given to Bonaparte in such propoitions as may not be
inconsistent with the proper security of his person.
ELOPEMENT IN HIGH F F.! A young married Lady
of rank, and highly distinguished in the fashiori.iiiie c 6c:its
by her personal attractions, is said to have abscomir-d trots
the neighbourhood of Berkeley•square, a few d.iys since, in
order to throw herself into the arms of the brother of an
English Duke.

In conformity to a late Act of Parliament, checks on bar-
kers cannot he paid unless the name of the place from whence.
they are draww (which must he within ten miles of the hank);
is inserted with the date. Nor can any drafts, dated for-
ward, drawn after date, or which contain ()triers for bilk, he
paid or taken in payment, unless snrh ()Niels or 'hafts are
written on their proper stamps rev i;.e4l by the said acts.