The Sun.
London, England, 1864-02-06 00:00:00

METROPOLITAN BOARD OF WORKS,

The usual weekly meeting of the Board was he a
yesterday at the offices, Spring-gardens—Mr.
Thwaites in the chair.
The cash statement showed that the balance in
the hands of the treasurer on current account was
£120,651 33. 4d., and on deposit account £32,000.
The sum of £96,729 S. 7d. was invested in Govern-
ment securities.

THE ENGINEER'S REPORT ON PROPOSED RAILWAY

SCHEMES.
A very important but elaborate report from the
engineer, on the proposed metropolitan railways,
was submitted, and which minutely described the
proposed lines, and detailed at great length the
proposed •interference with property in the me-
tropolis.
The report from the Streets Committee was also
presented, of which this is an abstract :—The com-
mittee having considered the report of the engineer,
find that bills have been deposited for the construc-
tion of 417,1 miles of railway within the limits of
the metropolis, with a capital of 70 millions for
their construction ; but many were competing lines,
and the admission of one would exclude the others.
The engineer reports that Hyde Park, the Green
Park, St. James's Park, Kensington Gardens, New-
ington Park, Hackney Downs, Ley ton Grange Park,
Trinity-square, Finsbury-circus, Camden-square,
Oakley •square, Ampthill-square, Euston-square,
and Sloane-square would be cut through, some of
them in two or three places ; and the same would
be the fate of the following commons :—Stoke New-
ington, Clapham, Tooting (invaded by seven diffe-
rent lines), Acton Bock, Acton, Wimbledon, Ful-
ham, Deptford, and Turnham-green. The White
chapel-road would be crossed by 13 railways, Euston
and Marylebone-roads by 13, Bishopsgate-street by
nine, King William-street, City, by four, Palace-
yard, Westminster, by four, and other important
parts of the metropolis would be crossed in the
same manner. St. Stephen's-churchyard and St.
Pancras burial ground would be invaded, the latter
by three different lines. It was therefore by no
means unreasonable that some alarm should be felt
at so serious an interference with the open spaces
and public thoroughfares. The committee exa-
mined the proposals for accommodating the in-
ternal traffic, and they felt that no argument was
necessary to prove the advantage of completing
what had been called the inner circle, of which the
Metropolitan Railway formed so important an in-
stalment, by the completion of which the whole of
the several metropolitan stations would either
directly or indirectly be brought into communica-
tion, and by which a steady uninterrupted flow of
traffic would be maintained throughout the day.
The committee could not conceal from themselves
that in whatever way that object might be effected,
it was almost inevitable that a part of the work
should be constructed in the line of the Northern
Embankment, and though earnestly deprecating
any interference with that improvement, either
above ground or below, the committee could not
ignore the fact that propositions would be laid be-
fore Parliament showing that a portion of the inner
circle might be conveniently constructed under the
Thames Embankment. The connexion of the new
Charing-cross station with the stations of the great
lines north of London was next in importance to
the inner circle. It was therefore desirable to per-
mit a carefully-planned line in that direction, more
especially as such a line might be conveniently com-
bined with the construction of a new street, mate-
terially facilitating the uninterrupted flow of traffic
from north to south. If the engineering difficulties

could be overcome great advantage would result to
the public by connecting the eastern and southern
lines by means of thr Thames Tunnel ; much of the
heavy goods traffic now encumbering the streets
between the docks on each side of the river and
London bridge would be diverted, and greater faci-
lities afforded to trade without at ail interfering
with the navigation of the river. The committee
were decidedly of opinion that no railway bridge
should be permitted to cross over the pool below
London-bridge, as a free and unimpeded access
to the wharves on both sides was of primary im-
portance to the trade of the port. No power
should be spared to defeat any interference with so
necessary a condition. The committee considered
that the suggestions they had thrown out, coupled
with the eccomodation promised by lines now in
course of construction, would at present suffice to
meet metropolitan requirements. The committee
believe that even now the public do not derivo all