The Sun.
London, England, 1852-06-24 00:00:00

. .

LONDON, THURSDAY, JUNE 24, 1852.

Yesterday the Metropolitan Burials Bill passed
through Committee in the House of Commons, and
to-day will come on for the third time. Although
the measure is by no means adequate for the removal
of the enormous evils resulting from intramural in-
terment, it appears to us so manifestly preferable to
its predecessor, that we have remarked, with no
trivial satisfaction, its progress through the Legisla-
ture. If satisfactory in nothing else, it cannot fail
to be so in reviving the knowledge of the necessity
for reform in this particular direction to the public
remembrance. It constitutes a wholesome reminder
of the difficulties requiring dissipation. It recalls,
moreover, to the consideration of the general com-
munity the little already accomplished in regard
to the closing of the City graveyards and the opening
of suburban cemeteries. Asa testimony that the
Bill introduced by Lord JonN MANNERS on the 20th
of May, 1852, has already acted thus beneficially in
arousing the desired enterprise of the population, a
prospectus can now be referred to with some plea-
sure, as having within the last few days been issued
by the Great Extramural Cemetery Association. It
has reference to Harlesden-green, Middlesex, and
would thus, if carried into operation, become a for-
midable rival to the Surrey project, so frequently
mentioned in these columns under the authority
of a company entitled the London Necro-
polis and National Mausoleum. Although we still

conceive that the proposed site at Woking would be,
perhaps, of all the very best that could be selected,
we are still rejoiced to observe in the scheme relating
to Harlesden-green the promise of a very consider-
able, and we cannot but think also a very desirable,
competition. Opposed as we are by principle to
monopoly of all kinds, we are more particularly so
to anything like monopoly having reference to the
burial of our fellow-creatures. It is indeed, among
other things, with a view to break up the terrible
and disgusting system cherished by the present ghoul-
like grave monopolists of the metropolis, that we en-
deavour so very strenuously, upon every available
opportunity, to advocate the interference in this
matter of her MAJESTY'S Government. The sanitary
objections to intramural interment forms, of course,
the basis of our argument for extramural sepulture ;
added to this, there are in this matter considerations
affecting public morality, which we would fain see
recognised by the sagacity of the Imperial Legisla-
ture. But associated with these, there is a soli-
citude in our minds to see destroyed, at length,
those abominable regulations by which certain
parties within the boundaries of London and
Westminster retain a pecuniary interest in the
corpses of the inhabitants of the capital—flourishing
themselves in proportion to the amount of the an-
nual mortality. That mortality has been generally
estimated at some 60,000 in number, out of which
the cemeteries already in existence give room for a
little more than 12,000 annual interments. So that
48,000 dead bodies are each year added to the mass
of corruption already crowding the intra-
mural graveyards. Against the continuance of
these horrid abominations we would therefore
see every energetic effort made both within and with-
out the walls of Parliament. Within those walls
there has recently been carried through various stages
the Bill introduced by Lord JOHN MANNERS. With-
out those walls there are, on the other hand, those
enterprises at Woking-common and at Harlesden-
green, the one in Surrey, the other in Middlesex,
which, if carried out with a spirit proportioned
to that manifested in their commencement,
Would afford the inhabitants of the Bri-
tish metropolis for the first time the requi-
site ground for their annual sepulture. Every-
thing should be done by the public at large to
ftlivauce the interests of companies like these, built up
on
ae
secureierfvc:indations, and tending to the realization of
be
so %a_
uy long-despaired-of advantages. At least the
ould sh
in which both schemes have originated
mud for them the serious attention and
the careful i
by
ulenvestigation of the community. Sup-
ported
anifestation of this timely enterprise,
bprise,othoutside
m
and inside the House of Commons, the
advocates of sanitary
improvement may now reason-
ably look
condition ook forward toi the beginning of a new epoch in
socialthelnf the multi •
Besides the Metropolitude.
tan Burials Bill, it will be
inhabitants of
affecting the physical
perceived tharttheeth
well-being nnitan
beenPerc submitted in the
th ecoluersgei
sr the
ts of the metropolis have
present session to
the judgmentlast some probability that
Insomuch that
water may be
that increased drain-
hlaisst of realized
at hgeer e
sins
dat a
watched over
inscribed beforebet:olrrcinngassumPuPtiple°llll:tth'hee
with some
the existing B
theseiWproVcehMaenllgteSs.
degree of Minis Chief Commis-
Forests has
sioner of Woods and Acserved well of
and has in a great measure
anxiety, theYs'em
his fellow-countrymen,
for the justified the circumstance
• • tenal
of his selection
Noble Earl at
con-
duct of that responsible office
' Government.
the head of her MAJESTY 'a by the

There is a reasonable hope that early in the
next session of Parliament some one or more men,
sures of Church refs)rm will be introduced, 80 far
at
least as the administration and distribution of its re.
venues are concerned. "'Olio attention bate been for