The Sun.
London, England, 1852-08-19 00:00:00

THE SUN,

THE WEATHER.—SuN OFFICE, ACGUST 19.
THERMOMETER, IN THE SHADE.
71—highest since noon yesterday.
55—lowest this morning and during the night.
67—this day, at noon.
liAnoyurrE.R, 29 99.
WIND N.N.E.—light airs and dull, hazy weather.

London-bridge was the first great cause of the lead-
ing City improvements. The building of King Wil-
liam-street and the sweeping away of the old and
narrow approach to the bridge, was a great improve.
ment. Another was the making of a fine
approach to the Bank from Islington—
the building of such an open and clear
thoroughfare as Moorgate-street was a public benefit,
and merits the public gratitude. Earlier in date was
the removal of Fleet-market (a collection of unwhole-
some nuisances) and the making of Farriegdon-
street, with an intended line of buildings, in a wide
street, stretching up as far as Clerkenwell, and clear-
inga away many notorious haunts of vice and perpetual
seatsand, of
it infectious
was
hope dd ise
that
se a
s'
wWidheenstreet wouldhave
Lad-lane
been opened from the Bank to the New Post-office,
was
hand, in
relieving Cheapside of some of its heaviest
traffic.
There was great mismanagement, for in-
stead of the wide and open thoroughfare,
we obtained the narrow and winding Pas-
sage called Gresham street, which is little better
than what Lad-lane was—narrow, straggling, and
leconvenient. New Oxfordestreet, cutting off the
narrow end corkscrew route of High-street, Holborn,
although not a City improvement (we owe it to the
Woods and Forests), must be mentioned here as one
of the greatest improvements by which the City has
benefited. It opened a facile communication from
the West-end to the City, and 1195 much accommo-
dated the public.
The line from Ferringdon-street to Clerkenwell,
too long delayed, appears to be near commencement
at last. There have b- en difficulties arising out of
the complexity of interests, rs represented by the
City on one band and the Clerkenwell Improvements
Commissioners on the other. These are arranged now,
and further steps towards the prosecution of the
plan will be taken next month. The required
notices as to the purchase of property have b3en
given, and after the assessment of value no time will
be further hist in carrying out a line which Rill
make a direct communication between the north and
south of the metropolis—from Clerkenwell (with
Pentonville and Islington) direct over the leading
thoroughfares beyond Bleckfriarsebridge.
Another new street, now in course of being made,
is that which will extend from Eastcheap, in
.a
straight line, to the south side of St. Paul's. This
street, to be thirty feet wide in the roadway, and ten
in each of the side-paths, has considerably advanced,
and will have a double terminus westward—one end-
ing by St. Paul's, the other passing to Earl-
street,
close to Blackfriars-bridge. Eventually
Ludgate-hill, St. Paul's Churchyerd, Cheapside, and
the Poultry, will be relieved, by this route, of the
heavier traffic f:om the west of the City. The funds
are supplied by the Corporation, but we dare say
that the increased value of rents along the new street
will eventually more than repay the cost of these im-
provements, great as it is. We have glanced at what
is being done, re it is only fair to mention municipal
consideration for public convenience, whenever it is
exhibited. It proves, in fact, that the Corporation is
desirous of doing some good with its immense re-
venue, and enable a man to say of London that (on
it) he may travel from Dan to Beersheba, and may
say "all is not barren." This is rather negative
praise, but we shall be delighted to increase it, if
the Corporation will allow us, by deserving more.
In connexion with this subject crises another consi-
deration—where Pee the working classes, unhoused
by these improvements in street-extension, to find
future habitations ? The opening of New Oxford-
street broke up the clessic regions of "The Rookery"
in St. Giles's, end (to say nothing of the narrow and
populous lanes which will be swept away by the new
City route) the whole line from Ferringdon-street
to Clerkenwell, is crowded with the very poorest of
the labouring classes. What shall become of these
tribes ? It behoves the public to look at this ques-
tion in time. For every one model lodging-house
&rawly erected (and admirable places they are,
clean, cheap, and convenient,) twenty are required.
In fact, a street of such habitations would find full
and much coveted cccupation, and might be erected
on the new line to Clerkenwell. It is pleasant to
know that, even as en inves'ment of capital, such
a street would yield a very liberal return for ex-
penditure.

The QUEEN held a Council of her Ministers, at
Osborne House, yesterday, and the result was the an-
nouncement, in a supplement to the Loudon Gazette,
which appears in another part of our paper.
This is the reverse of satisfactory. The PRIME
MinsTER promised, over and over again during the
last Session, that the new Parliament should assemble
in the Autumn. He now prorogues it until the end
of October, without the notice that it will then meet
" for the dispatch of business." So, should Perlia-
liament meet at ail this ys:r, it will be so lea, so
close to Christmas as to make it almost a pro formic
meeting. What is the natural inference to be drawn
by the public from this shuffling, but that the Go-
vernment, afraid to meet the Parliament, are willing
to put off the evil day ? No one expected that in the
short Session before Christmas Ministers would
apply themselves to the purposes of legislation—
but it was hoped and anticipat-d that they
would then he reedy to make a full
declaration of principles, and to indicate the leading
features of the new measures, which, of course, they
must bring forward. We did hope that this Ministry,
certainly not of the hackneyed and red-tap class,
would have had the boldness, if not the prudence, to
avoid the coups d'idat of its precursors during the
lest thirty years—such as surprising the public by
sudden and unexi-- eted propositions. Formerly the
practice wes to announce a measure one session, and
legislate on it the next. The Duke, in 1829, took
the nation by surprise with the Catholic Relief
Bill, end from that time to the present
SF !eches from the Throne have been framed
on the principle of surprising the world. We
't 1. hoped, we repeat, that Parliament, meeting in
October, would have had some account from Ministers
of the plans they meant to adopt, the measures they
meant to propose. Instead of this—delay and evasion !
The usual, farce of assembling the clerical Convo-
cations is also postponed. It is really full time either
wholly to abolish these Convocations, or to make
them more than a name. The latter might be done
by releasing the hierarchy from the trouble of sitting
in Parliament, end making then an Upper Chamber
of the Convocation, really doing something for Church
discipline and doctrine.

MINISTERIAL TRIBUTES TO LITERATURE•
Reference was made a few days back to the ru-
moured appointment of Mr. Warren, the celebrated
author of " Ten Thousand a Year," as the Hull
Recorder. Another distinguished novelist has since
then received a marked tribute to his popularity from
the hands of the Derby Government. It is with pecu-
liar pleasure we find occasion to ep a.k thus in
announcing the nomination of Mr. G. P. R. James—
the most prolific of our living writers of fiction—
as Consul at Norfolk, in the Unitcd States.
We believe, moreover, that we are correct
in stating that a son of Mr. Ford—a gentleman
well known and deservedly admired for his inimitable
hand-book to " Spain"—has been in like manner dis-
tinguished by a diplomatic appointment. These are
acts that reflect honour upon the new Ministry, and
acts that will not be overlooked and forgotten by a
people who love as well r 1 appreciate the;r national
literature.

Lord Cowley bas within the last few hours errived
In "doll, where he purposes remaining for a brief
interval. The absence from Pal:s of her Britannic
Majesty's Ambassador, and big presence at this mo-
ment in London, may naturally give rise to a variety
of conjectures.

Rreitghtto announceHont he death of Mrs. S
relict of eof trheeg hen,
4th instant at Leghorn. R.
L. Sheil, which . occurred on the
THE WRECK OF THE Duc
After the lapse of six or seven weeks BESS OF KENT STEAMER.
vessel being sunk, possession hps from the time of this
at len a`
of her. During the prst week the re '-'`h been regained
vessel was obliged to be reserved for more
favourable tides
and on Saturday lest the renewed attem;
frustrated by the breaking of the chain fastened
tento lift her wesed
to the main
shaft of the engine from the floating vessels
above.
accident having been repaired, another lift -as made'Phis
m
Monday, which failed, as was expected; and again on
--
Tuesday, by which the decks of the sunken vessel were
ere
brought above the level of the tide at low water. Anotherw
lift will still have to be made, by which she may be left ou
dry ground on the receding of the tide, after which the sand
which tills her to the depth of between live and six feet, will
be cleared out, and she will be made water-tight and towed
tip to the repairing dock for the purpose of undergoing the
requisite repairs,