The Sun.
London, England, 1864-03-05 00:00:00

law, and tb e sooner such a step is taken the
better. Sir G. GREY'S reply to Mr. ROEBUCK
savours tco much of official reticence to afford
much satisfaction, or to reassure those who are
in doubt respecting the putting down of the prac-
tice. The right hon. gentleman said that the
practice exists only in a very few instances, but
the reports of the Inspector and Constable seemed
to say otherwise. Also, some replies have not been
furnished yet to the Home Secretary, and therefore
there are grounds for supposing that in these
localities there may be unfavourable symptoms ex-
isting. At any rate it is very creditable to Mr.
ROEBUCK to have tronght this forward, and it is to
be hoped that many will thu3 be put on their guard,
and be slow in furrishing the means to the inquisi-
tive persons who may come in their way of satisfy-
ing their impertinent demands, and giving an
answer to their very unnecessary inquiries.

Among the various schemes afloat for the altera-
tion or improvement of London, one of the most
useful and practical s the Holborn Valley Improve-
ment. The difficulties and inconveniencies which
arise from having so steep an ascent and descent in
the line of one of the two great thoroughfares from
east to west have long been apparent, and year by
year some change foi the bettor has been looked for
in vain. The Holborn Valley Improvement Bill,
however, brought tle sanction of Parliament to
stimulate the efforts cf the reformers, and since then
plenty of plans and projects have been laid before
the committee of the Common Council appointed to
consider the matter. The principal features of
some of these rival schemes have been laid before
the public, and many of them had good points,
although their suggestions were not always suffi-
ciently practical. The committee must have had a
somewhat arduous task, as committees of selection,
if they discharge their duties faithfully, usually
have. In the present instance there was more than
a mere matter of taste to consider, more responsi-
bility in the office of selection than in passing judg-
ment on a heap of prize essays or poems. The
comfort and convenience of many generations wi.l
bo affected by any change of so lasting a character,
and without of course rushing into needless extra-
vagance, within reasonable limits the question of
expense must be altogether secondary in works of
so permanent a nature. Fifty thousand pounds
more or less will make very little difference now,
but the character and quality of a great metropo
titan undertaking like this will be an important con-
sideration for many a long year to come. IVe are
glad to find from the report of ,the improvement
committee presented on Thursday to the Common
Council that it is now proposed to carry Shoe-lane
on to the viaduct instead of under it, as was ori-
ginally talked of. This is a great improvement on
the scheme which was first contemplated by the
committee, and the difference in the cost—L7s,ooo
—should not be allowed to hinder its execution. In
other respects the plan proposed in the report seems
good and feasible. The line of improvement from
east to west is to commence near the Old Bailey and
terminate at a point 55 feet beyond the western
side of Hatton-garden, thus giving scope for a
thorough and comprehensive change. The whole
of the property on each side is to be pulled down
and a high level roadway formed at a width of 80
feet, with a scarcely perceptible gradient. Mr. DE
JERSEY, one of the deputies, who criticised the re-
port with some asperity, objected to this; main-
taining that the allowance of 80 feet for width was
extravagant and not justified by the requirements of
traffic. This is a very singular reason to give re-
specting one of our busiest thoroughfares. It is
only the great width of Holborn-hill that saves it
from a larger number of accidents and inextricable
confusion at present, and in spite of all the relief
afforded by metropolitan railways, and the Thames
embankment highways, it must always remain one
of the great arteries of our busily circulating life.
We have no reason to suppose or to fear that our
commercial activity will suffer any considerable
diminution, and one would think that the good citi-
zens of London had suffered too much from narrow
streets in their own most populous highways, for
any Common Councilman to come forward and clip
ten feet off a thoroughfare of such importance as
the new street proposed. Happily
the sense of the
meeting was against Mr. DE JERSEY'S amendmen

and the report of the committee was agreed to, on
the understanding that seven years instead of ten
should be allowed for the work. We should rather
suggest five years as the time of performance, since
the inconvenience will be great, and all unneces-

sary delays should be avoided. It is true that the
task is a stupendous one, but a liberal supply of
money and hands can do wonders, and neither need
be wanting in this case. The chief features of this

plan areas follows;--Farringdon-street is to be span-
ned by a bridge, and Farringon. road widened to tha
width of Farringdon•street. Two new streets are

to be laid down, both starting from Farringdon.
street, the one to startcpposite New Market-street
and to join the upper level at Ratton• Garden, the
other to start a little rorth of the bridge, and to
reach the upper level 4t St. Sepulchred Church.
The object of these streets is to give communica-
tion for vehicles betweea the
upper and lower levels
—a need that they will very efficiently supply. To
increase the convenience of access on the south side

it is proposed, as we have said,
to oarry Shoe-lane
on to the viaduct, and the gradients at all the main
places abutting on the high level roadway will be
improved. The committee consider that this plan
should be carried out as quickly as possible, a re-
commendation which we trust will be attended
to. Although the total estimate of half a million
will probably be exceeded before the work is done
thoroughly and efficiently, there will be no cause
for complaint.

ESIIDALE—FATAL ACCIDENT—A fatal occurrence
took place on Friday last,
in the parish of Eskdale-
muir. Mr. Thomas Wightman, farmer, Cote, and Mr.
Thomas Dalgleisb, fanner, Rennelburn, were driving home
from Langholtn, where they had been paying their rent, in
Mr. Dalgleish's
Laugh°lnu the road is raised about seven feet above the level
gig. Near the eleventh milestone from
of the ground alongside of it,and is bounded on one side by
a stone dyke at the bottom of the embankment. At the
same place there is a steep incline or, the highway. It was
about nine o'clock and dark when they came to this place;
the horse was then ;
go'ng pretty smartly, and Mr. Wight-
man remarked to Mr. Dalgleish, who was driving, that he
was afraid he was keeping too much to one side of the road.
Before the latter could pull the reins the gig upset. and he
was pitched clean over the dyke into the plantation beyond.
He was stunned by the fall, but almost immediately reco-
vered, and got over the dyke on to the roadside. There he
saw the horse and gig lying
together, and without looking
for Mr. Wightman he ran to some house not far off for
assistance. This was immediately rendered by John Arm-
strong, shepherd, Carurie, and a joiner, who brought a lan-
tern to the scene of the accident. There they found Mr.
Wightman lying beneath the gig, with the shaft across his
neck, and the horse on the shaft;
the whole weight of the
animal was thus thrown upon Mr. Wightman's neck. As
speedily as possible the horse was lifted and the gig re-
moved, but the unfortunate gentleman was quite dead.
Armstrong mounted the horse, which was little the worse
of its fall, and rode off for Dr. Hay Langholm, who made
all haste in returning to spot. His aid, however, was of no
avail, and ho gave it as his opinion that Mr. Wightman
had been choked by tho pressure of the gig shaft on his
neck. Deceased was 65 years of age, and was about a
mile from home when the accident happened.—buinfries
,qtandarcl.

COMPENSATION FOR DAMAGE BY WAR.—L.IIB
are before both Houses of Congress at Washington
for appointing commissioners to receive and adjudicate upon
the claims of citizens against the Government for injury
done to property by the use or occupaticn of the Federal
army. But no claim is to be allowed where the person
making it has "favoured the rebellion" or been at any time
WNW() to Yvsleal (iinvuolextt or digoll.