The Sun.
London, England, 1864-01-02 00:00:00

PROPOSED STREET IDIPROVEMENT IN THE CITY OF LONDON.

Mr. H. L. TAYLOR rose to move the resolution of which
he had given notice :--,‘That, on account of the great im-
portance of the widening of Mansion-house•street, as a
means of facilitating the public traffic, and its connection
with the formation of the new street from Blackfriars to the
Mansion-house, the Board do contribute one-half of the ac-
tual cost of effecting the improvement, and that the resolu-
tion of the Board of 30th October last (No. 3), limiting the
amount to be contributed by the Board to £2,600, be varied
accordingly ; that the Commissioners of Sewers of the City
of London be requested to proceed forthwith to acquire the
property proposed to be taken, and that the amount of the
contribution by the Board be raid to the commissioners, on
a certificate by the architect of this Board of the cost and
completion of the work," In support of this motion he said
that since this matter had been before the Board it had
been found that the owners of the property required had set
a much higher value upon it than had been contemplated,
and from inquiries he had no hesitation in saying that this
improvement could not be effected for less than £50,000, but
the maximum might be £60,030. That sum would include
the setting back of St, Mildred's Church about 14 or 15ft,
and the whole line of Mansion. house-street wouldbe thrown
back to the Britannic Assurance Office. Ile suggested that
the Board should contribute £25,000 towards the cost, the
Commissioners of Sew,rs contributing the other half. Now
the contribution on the part of the Board would only in-
volve a rate of id. in the Fund, but the City of London
would have to contribute 51d, in the pound, in addition, so
anxious were they to bee improvements in that particular
locality in connection with the now street from Blackfriars

bridge to the Mansion-house, He should lament if the
Board refused to co-operate with the Commissioners of
Sewers, as the setting back of this street would undoubt-
edly be a great imirovement.
Mr. LE BRETON seconded the motion.

Mr. DOULTON, M.P., opposed the motion, and said they
ought to seek elsewhere rather than by direct taxation for
funds for improvements of this character, but he believed
this would not be an improvement of the slightest benefit in
connexion with the new street to Blackfriars-bridge. What
they wanted to improve the street was to pull down a corner
of the Mansion house.

Mr. BENNETT also opposed the motion, as the improve-
ment would be on the wrong side of the street. He should
vote against the motion, and should have voted against
any money being applied to this purpose had he been
present. _ _ .

Mr. HEALEY and Mr. FECKETT opposed the motion.

Mr. SAUNDERS said the Board must do that which was
practicable, and if it was desirable to widen the street and
take down the Mansion-house, he would ask them were
they prepared to go to Parliament for powers to do that
which would not cost them £25,000, but a very much larger
sum ?

Mr. FREEMAN looked upon it as reckless to proceed with
a work without proper data which might possibly cost them
£lOO,OOO, or even more.
Mr. ROCHE urged that the Corporation of London ought
to contribute out of its own funds to so important an. im-
provement.

Some members having expressed their opinions,
The CHAIRMAN put the question, when the motion was
negatived by a majority of 31 to 7.

ANTIQUITIES FOUND IN THE SEWERS.

A letter was received from Mr. Panizzi, of the British
Museum, inviting the Board to send to the British Museum
such antiquities as were found 'auring the progress of the
main drainage works. The subject was referred to the
Main Drainage Committee.
Some other matters were disposed of, and the Board ad-
journed at an early hour for the purpose of proceeding to
open the new street in Southwark.

THE CONVICT TOWNLEY,

(From the Derbyshire Advertiser.)

We append a letter received from the Rev. J.
Bryans, the gentleman whom Miss Goodwin pre-
ferred to Townley. Now that so much interest is
felt in the whole of this sad story, this letter will
be eagerly perused. Without it the narrative of
the tragedy would not be quite complete. Mr.
Bryana asks no pity for himself, but every man's
heart must feel some sympathy for fond hopes and
tender ambitions ruthlessly blighted—and while
they remember the life of love and happy useful-
ness which the poor girl might have enjoyed, they
cannot but extend their pity to the victim rather
than to the murderer:—