The Sun.
London, England, 1852-02-13 00:00:00

MINORITY-NOES, 48.

Arkwright, George Gwyn, Howel Pakington, Sir J.
Baillie, IL J. Haliewell, E. G. Peahen, Sir G.
13renwidge, Richard Hamilton, G. A. Peel, Frederick
Chatterton, Colonel Hardinge, C. S. Rushout, Captain
Child, Smith Henley, J. W. Sandars, George
Collins, Thomas Herbert, H. A. Sidney, Alderman
Conolly, Thomas Hodgson, W. N. Spooner, R.
Deedcs, W. Hughes, W. B. Stanley, Edward
Disraeli, B. Keogh, William Sullivan, Michael
Dodd, G. Knox, Colonel Tyler, Sir G.
Du Pre, C. G. Lygon, General Whiteside, James
Forester, G. C. Mackenzie, W. F. Willoughby, Sir H.
Freshileld, J. IV. Mahon, Viscount Wodehouse, E.
Frewen, C. H. Manners, Lord J. Wortley, J. S.
Fuller, A. E. Morgan, H. K. TELLERS.
Gallwey, Sir W. P. Naas, Lord Bateson, T.
Greenall, Gilbert Napier, Joseph Jones, Captain

COURT OF COMMON COUNCIL.
Yesterday a Court was held for the dispatch of pub-
lic business. There was a full meeting of the Members
in consequence of the notice of the report of the Fleet
Valley Improvement Committee.
Mr. LAMBE gave notice of motion for the next Court,
that the sum of 2001. be granted in aid of the fund for
the surviving sufferers by the late frightful inundation in
Yorkshire.—(Hear.)
Mr. BENNOCH suggested that the Court should sus-
pend the standing regulation, in order to come to an
immediate and unanimous decision upon the subject.
The majority, however, were of opinion that much
inconvenience might arise from an instantaneous decision
as to the appropriation of any part of the funds.
The Tower CLERK read the following communication
from Mr. Professor Brande:—
" Royal Mint, 3d Feb., 1852.
" Sir—l beg to acknowledge the receipt of your letter
of yesterday's date, inclosing a resolution of the Court
of Common Council appointing me to test the quality of,
the gas supplied by the Great Central Gas Consumers'
Company.
" I regret to say that I am obliged to decline the
acceptance of the appointment in consequence of my
other avocations.
" I have the honour to remain your faithful servant,
" WILLIAM THOS. BRANDE.
" Mr. Sergeant Merowether."
Mr. DAKIN hoped that the Court at their next meet-
ing would proceed to the appointment of a practical
chemist to teat the gas, and an inspector of meters as
between the consumers and the company.—(Hear.)
The LORD MAYOR was understood to assent to the
suggestion.
Alderman Humphery and Mr. Deputy Watkins were
appointed governor and deputy governor of the Irish
Society for the ensuing year.
THE COAL EXCHANGE.
Upon the motion of Mr. FREEMAN, the chairman of
the Coal, Corn, and Finance Committee, the report for
providing moneys for the improvements in Tower-street,
and on other financial matters of the Corporation, was
taken into consideration.
Mr. Deputy HARRISON and Mr. R. L. JONES proposed
that the report should be sent back to the committee,
with instructions that more particular details should be
supplied of the apparently unaccountable expenditure in
rebuilding the Coal Exchange.
The CHAIRMAN said the details would sufficiently
prove the care and vigilance of the present committee,
and bad no objection whatever to the reconsideration of
the report, which was accordingly recommitted.
BLACILFRIARS BRIDGE.
Mr. 11. L. TAYLOR (the chairman of the Bridge-
house Committee) brought up a report for sanctioning
the Chamberlain's advances in respect of works autho-
rised to be executed at Blackfriars-bridge.
Mr. BENNocrt called the attention of the Court to the
state of the bridge, which was continually sinking, and
causing a continual sinking of money by that dangerous
process.—(Hear, hear.) Although 1,0001. had very
latety been expended in repairs, no advantage had been
effected. On the contrary, while the Bridge House
Committee were tumbling rocks round the piers to prop
them up, the Navigation Committee were at work to
clear the river of such impediments.—(Great laughter.)
Is was quite evident to the public that the corporation
must very soon either build a new Blackfriars-bridge, or
build a new bridge somewhere else. As for repairs they
had been worse than useless, for they prevented the al-
ternative of a solid and permanent structure.
Mr. Low said the observations of Mr. Bennoch were
calculated to excite unnessary public alarm, and were ob-
viously made to hear out that gentleman's new notions
about a new bridge.—(Hear, hear.) It was true that a
large expenditure of money had taken place in conse-
quence of the frequent dikpidations, but no committee
of the court was culpable. The fact was that a few
years ego 100,0001. had been expended in repairs
under the management of Messrs. Walker and Burgess,
who asserted that they would last fifty years.—(A
laugh.) In opposition to that assurance was the now
existing fact that two of the piers wore sinking. It oc-
curred to him, when that defect was discovered, that the
most advisable course to ba adopted would be to sink a
coffer dam to ascertain the cause.—(Hear, hear.) At all
events, the corporative had acted with due caution and
activity, and were not answerable for the conduct of the
contractors, who had engaged to accomplish an impor-
tant task, which they had failed to perform.—(Hear,
hear.) The statement of Mr. Bennoch was exaggerated,
but it could not be denied that a large sum of money had
been thrown away.
Mr. 11. L. TAYLOR said the price of a coffer damn for
the ascertainment of the defect would have amounted to
30,000/.—(Hear, hear.) It appeared, however, from the
representations of those who were engaged in repairing
tho bridge that the experiment would not be necessary.
Tho corporation was in the hands of the doctors, and
certainly Messrs. Walker and Burgess had no cause to
be dissatisfied with their patient.—(Laughter.) A large
sum had been expended, and the corporation was in the
following positiou. It had acted under the advice of
Messrs. Walker and Burgess hitherto, and it would pro-
ceed no further without the additional advice of Sir
William Cubitt and Mr. BruneL—(Hear, hear.) The
obligation to repair the bridge bad been saddled upon it
by Parliament, and piers would sink and bridges would
fail, and when they did fail new ones must be built for
the accommodation of the whole commanity.—(Hear.)
The report was then agreed to.
THE GREAT FLEET VALLEY IMPROVEMENT.or
e„
Mr. Deputy Kenmore rose to present the report
the Fleet Valley Improvement Commipttereesehunptcooonnbjs•eihsetsedwasef
me-
morial of Mr. Charles Pearson. His
to have the report and its app.endices,
the reports of the several engineers, awndhicother evidence
of an important character, printed, and to prApeoenr.e) the
consideration of the matter to a future d y
what Mr. H. L. TAYLOR wished to know
.
d ble appearance as
appen-
dices (which presented a most formidable the
altogether looked
to hulk) consisted of before he would consent to the ex-
pense of printing them. The document
than
anything
more like a huge railway concern
of allowing such a mass
else.—
(Laughter.) He could not thin
to get into print without due d
Court had to his know-
elkiberation.
Mr. RICHARD TAYLOR said theendices
of considerably
ledge frequently ordered p
greater length to be printed before discussion, otherwise
it was quite impossible that the members could know
any of the contents.
in
the appendices, order to show the necessity
M
r. Deputy HARRISON,Henneso
noted some sentences from
of printing
p connected with the estimate
es
the reorts of the eng
of the probable cost Ortll9 undertaking.
Several members tvls
be to hear a statement of the
heads of the report, but
Mr. Deputy HA-eisn ore handed the report itself to Mr.
Woodthorpe, and moved that it should be read.
carried,
The motion being
The CLERK read the report, which Was in substance
as follows:--
e Teas having met immediately to proceed in the con-
sideration of the reference, we, in the first instance, di-
looted Die. to
prepare the proper notices
cir
to he inserted in the Gazctie and uewspapers—that we
were subsequently attended by Mr. Remembraneer, who
laid before us the draft of nut;eo of an application to
parliament, which had been prepared by Messrs.l3urchell
and Parson, solicitors, and the draft of a notice proposed
to be given on the Put of the City, which he itod Pro-