The Sun.
London, England, 1864-12-26 00:00:00

LATEST INTELLIGENCE.

[REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.]

ITALY.

NAPLES, DEC. 24.

Cardinal Ardrea has paid a visit to Prince Hum-
bert. His Eminence was received with the honours
due to his rank.

EGYPT,

ALEXANDRIA, DEC. 24.

The English frigate Caradoc arrived hero from
Constantinople on the 22d inst., having on board
Sir Henry Bulwer, who will probably pass the

winter in Egypt.

MAILS FROM INDIA AND CHINA,
SUEZ, DEC. 23.

The Messageries Imporiales steamer Tigre arrived
here with the above mails, 123 passengers, and 833
packages of merchandise.

FRANCE.

BOURSE, Dec. 24.—The market remains in the
same inactive state, but with previous prices in
general well maintained. Threes, for the Account,
re unvaried at 65f. 20c. Mobilier shows a slight
r. Railway Market quiet,
ion in quotations. The

advance, being now et 930
with very trifling varial
market closed as follows:-
4; per Cents. 93 80

Italian Loan 65 40

Do. end month
3 per Cents
Do. end month 65 30
Credit Mobilior 930
Do. end month 930
Bank Shares 3510
Credit Foncier 1240

Do. end month 65 45
Ditto Threes
Now Mexican 5O 25
Russian
Austrian .. B2
S'panish Threes..,
Rome Debt

Roman -

Deferred

RAILWAYS.

tt,sh. decmni.
Orleanm
Northern lOOO 998 75
Lyons and Mediterranean 881 25 .. 881 25
Southern 587 50 .. 595
Western
Eastern .... 496 25 .. 500
Sardinian ...... 315 , . 315

Austrian ..
Lombard
North of Spain
Saragossa
Ditto to Barcelona

437 50 .. 440 -
607 50 .. 507 50
375 - 372 50
438 75 437 50

The Contemplated Improvements in the
Metropolis,

The street communication of London is a subject
that presses so much for settlement and decision,
that it must be constantly referred to from time to
time. The improvements do not keep pace with the
demands and the necessities of the public. Whilst
all regret the want of some controlling power, those
powers that do exist are on their trial. It is true
that their means are limited, but their actions are
still more confined. It may be said that they have
an equal interest with their fellow-subjects in the
promotion of public works. But they certainly are
open to the charge of omitting many improvements
that are very generally called for. Before the
Metropolitan Board was established the corporation
of London laid out so much of their immense funds
as were not spent in eating, drinking, and shows,
upon and within the city of London. Even now th&
Corporation representatives at the Metropolitan
Board endeavour to get the lion's share of expendi-
ture for the City and its approaches, and are to be
found voting against the most requisite changes in
the suburban districts. The representatives of the
several districts pursue a similar course. The result
is that many useful works are delayed or put aside
altogether. This is one of the evils of a represen
tative system, composed of separate and frequently
opposing sections of this vast metropolis. This too
is the principle upon which the Metropolitan Board
will be either reformed or overthrown.

Still we are disposed to forgive the London Cor-
poration a great deal, if they proceed honestly and
promptly with the Holborn Valley Viaduct, which
promises to be a great and useful work. The Me-
tropolitan Board too has given notice of their inten-
tention to carry out three very important openings
of street communication. The first is one of small
cost, but very great uti,ity in the east end of Lon-
don. It is to make at the cost of little more than
£l,OOO a wide opening between the great thorough.
fares of Whitechapel and the Commercial Roads.
Any one who has chanced to drive to Blackwell,
instead of using the river or the rail, will remem-
ber a detour through two or three short, narrow
streets at the east end of the Whitechepel-road.
This narrow passage was known to the nautical
population about the docks as the Straits of Gib-
raltar. It is surprising ho ,v little it will cost to make
a wide and open communication here, but there was
no one to do it, and the Metropolitan B nard will
obtain a cheap reputation by this small work. It
will, however, mainly help to give us a nearly con-
tinuous thoroughfare of the widest description all
the way from Paddington to Blackwell. To make
this long thoroughfare complete they also mean to
pull down Middle-row, Holborn. This will be au
expensive job, but its necessity is universally acknow-
ledged, and it will have the support of the members
for the city, and the East and Northeast of Lon-
don. The third sTheme for which the Metro-
politan Board is about to seek Parliamentary
sanction is no less necessary—perhaps more neces-
sary than the others. But it relates to the West-
end, or rather to the Northern and Southern com-
munication. It is also situated in the wealthiest
pert of London ; and although its necessity is loudly
demanded oa all sides. there is a manifest reluctance
in the representatives of the outlying and poorer
districts to vote for this most essential improvement.
But, in fact, the opening through Hamilton-place
is a real metropolitan improvement. It may, at
first sight, seem to be an accommodation to the
higher classes; but those are the classes most useful
to the trade of London, and the tradesmen them.
selves would greatly benefit by the accommodation.
Although there is some indifference manifested at
the board, we are glad wire that the leading mem-
bets are resolved to push it on, and even the corpo.
ration nominees will hardly oppose it unless they
want to confer on themselves the character of re-
sisting all schemes but their own. There are three
modes proposed to effect this essential communica-
tion from Chelsea to Bayswater. The first that of
Mr D'lffenger, to inundate the Park with public
convey ances is one that may be summarily dismissed,
for it has not the smallest chance of being listened
to for a single moment. The second, that of w.den.
ing park-lane, would be so expensive that it would
be difficult to find money even with the prospect of
being recouped for a part of it by the improved
buildings that would replace the old ones on either
side. This is a means of partially providing funds
for public improvements that has been very success-
ful at Paris; but it woetd be a dangerous experiment
in Park-lane. We shall be glad to see its results in
the new street that is to be made from Tottenham.
caart-road to Chandos-street by the Charing-cross
and North-Western Railway Companies, in connec-
tion with their underground railway. We anticipate
such a success from this experiment, that we expect
to see it followed in more instances than one. But,
for the present, there is only left the passage through
Hamilton-place. The owners of the half-dozen
houses there will, no doubt, claim compensation for
special damage, although it turns out that there is
no special clause in their leases from the Crown
against an opening of the roadway to the north.
Still there may arise some difficulty. 13ut if Mr.
Thwaites and his board are resolute, and the Firs:
Commissioner will grant a slice to the north of the
passage for opening Park- lane, the thing may pull
through. By this means an excellent thoroughfare
may be obtained, and the park spared for some years
yet to come for the recreation and health of the
public. There are many more improvements, such
as the continuance of the mall in St. James's-park
in a direct line to the Strand through Charing-cross,
to which we have so often referred. But sufficient
for the day, perhaps, are the works for which the
Metropolitan Board have given notice. If they
carry them out successfully, we shall be disposed to
forgive them much—even the delays in the Thames
Embankment. But this is a subject which will
probably soon demand a separate inquiry and a
fuller notice than we can give to it now.--Ol•
server.