The Sun.
London, England, 1852-09-17 00:00:00

THE LONDON NECROPOLIS.

A party of about 300 gentlemen, comprised principally
of deputations from the metropolitan parishes, proceeded
on Thursday, on invitation, by special train, from the
South-Western etation, Waterloo-road, to inspect the
site of the proposed " London Necropolis and National
Mausoleum," at Woking Common.
The day was most auspicious, the sun shining out in
all his splendour, and the country through which the
cortege passed charmingly picturesque. The proposed
site, comprising an area of 2,000 acres, is six and twenty
miles from the metropolis, is in close contiguity to the
South-Western lino of railway, but at a considerable
elevation above it, and is approachable at present by an
easy path, which winds its mazy way up the green sward
slope, having gained the summit of which, the expansive
area strikes the eyo as a magnificent panorama. The
ground, undulating gracefully, and encircled by a chain
of hills, also varying in form, indicates the spot as
most suitable and well chosen for the design of a
cemetery.
Besides the deputation of guardians, several clergy-
men of the Established Church, the Roman Catholic
Church, and of various denominations of Dissenters,
were present, in order to view the ground, and become
informed of the particulars connected with the design, a
diagram of which was circulated. Judging from this,
the design of which is by Mr. 11. R. Abraham, architect,
the cemetery, when laid out, will present many beautiful
features of attraction.
The prospectus states that the Government having
put an end to the powers of the Board of Health, the
ground was left clear to the " London Necropolis and
National Mausoleum Company," to meet the wants of
the community by the establishment of a really extra-
mural place of interment. The area is capable of fur-
nishing separate graves for several millions of bodies. A
tariff of charges for conveyance and interment of the
bodies is to be published, in which the cost for pauper
interment is to be lowest, that for artisans and their
families next in consideration, and so on in the scale of
gradation. Thus the large surplus of mortality will be
provided for, decently and religiously, at a cost, as was
stated in the courca of the proceedings, considerably
below the existing charges ; and without inter-
fering with parishes, or the religious rites of
any class, the company propose that each de-
nomination of religionists shall have their own
clergyman, and be at liberty to perform the funeral ce-
remony according to their own form. A church is to be
erected, and so constructed that several religious deno-
minations may have the burial service gone through
over the deceased without interference with, or bsiog
seen by each other. Parishes and religious commucities
may have their respective sections, thus preserving the
distinctive marks of parochial interments on the one
hand, and of religious denominations' burial spots on the
other. The soil is composed of a dry sandy clay, be-
neath a light peat surface. With respect to the pauper
funerals, it appears that the expense of transit by
the
rail and of interment is to be 155., including fees, with
liberty to send two attendants to Woking and back; and
on the subject of incumbents' burial fees, the company
contemplate the creation of a fund, included in their
charges, as a compensation fund, so that those parties
will continue to receive the fee payable on interment,
without being called upon, except where desired, to dis-
charge the duty.
The ground having been viewed, the deputations were
invited by the directors to partake of a cold collation,
which was provided for them in a spacious marquee,
pitched on the green sward for the occasion. It was
a well-furnished repast, with excellent wines and good
attendance.
W. J. VOULES, Esq., barrister-at-law, having proposed
the health of the Queen, and subsequently that of Prince
Albert, and the rest of the Royal Family, then entered
into a statement of the circumstances which led to the
formation of the company, and the purchase from Lord
Onslow of the site for the Necropolis. He criticised the
Metropolitan Interment Act, and referred to the Metro-
politan Burial Act, which took away all the objection-
able parts of that Act, including that part which gave
power to the authorities to take possession of the bodies
as soon as the breath was out of them, Since the com-
mencement of the career of the London Necropolis and
National Mausoleum Company, they had endeavoured
to constitute themselves as a silver thread, as it were,
running through those Acts, and endeavouring to secure
for the different parishes the power of taking possession
of the bodies of their own parishioners, and of intering
them with all the solemnity to which they were entitled.
They proposed to give allotments of land to parishes
and religious bodies ; and by the adoption of their
plan a saving of ono million of money would
be effected in the first instance in favour of
the public, and of eighty thousand a year, in the next.
By the provisions of their plan, all parties might lie
comfortably together in the Necropolis, without the
annoyance to the survivors of solicitors, and Chancery
suits, whom and which the company had resolved to
steer clear of. Everything connected with their object
was simple and defined. It was desirable that some
such cemetery, offering really extramural interment,
should be called into existence, so as not to have London
surrounded with a belt of cemeteries, like ancient Rome.
The company's plan was a great and comprehensive one,
with a permanency of character about it, and until
London reach Woking, or " Burnham-wood reach Dun-
sinane," it would be the cemetery for the population of
the vast metropolis. They intended to have a handsome
fence about it, and with the blessing of God, if the com-
pany went on, they would " feed" their friends as well
as they had entertained them now, and better. To be
serious, all dead bodies would receive the same sacred
attention; and their (the company's) object in bringing
the parochial deputations there to-day, was to exhibit to
them an area of the cemetery, and to take them out of
the trammels in which they were.
Mr. ROGERS, a medical gentleman, who has taken an
active part in graveyard agitation, moved the first reso-
lution, to the effect—That the public are greatly indebted
to the London Necropolis Company, for having secured
by Act of Parliament a Bill for a national cemetery of
such vast extent as to meet all the requirements of the
metropolis, &c.
Mr. MARSHALL seconded, and Mr. GEORGE, Of St.
Anne's, and Mr. LEWIS, of St. Clement's, sup Ported the
resolution, which was carried tmanimouely.
A second resolution, proposing the thanks of the meet-
ing to the directors of the company for having invited
the parochial authorities and other parties to an Lupo-

tion of the site of the cemetery, was moved by Mr.
WHITMORE, or Marylebone, and carrkd unanimously.
Mr. SAUNDERS and several other gentlemen subse-
quently addressed the meeting on the undecided ques-
tion of appointment of a commiLtee, all the speakers ex-
pressing their approbation of the site, after which, and
thanks to the chairman, the business terminated.

LAW INTELLIGENCE.
COURT OF BANKRUPTCY, Sept. 16.
(Before Mr. Commissioner ET.A.ris.)
IN RE A. MILLER.
The bankrupt who was a corn dealer, and had
carried on business at Conduit•street West, applied
for his certificate.

Mr. LAWRENCE, for the assignees, did not oppose.
The debts were 5,0001.; assets about 1,1001.
His Horiona remarked that the balance-sheet
showed that the bankrupt had traded most unwisely
and recklessly, but no charge of fraud had been made
against him; and it appeared, from the statement of
Mr. Johnson, the official assignee, that the bankrupt
had done everything in his power to assist his credi-
tors since tho failure. The certificate (second class)
would be suspended six months, with protection.

INSOLVENT DEBTORS' COURT, Sept. 16.
(Before Mr. Commissioner Law.)
IN RE THOMAS ASHBY.

This insolvent applied to be discharged. No credi-
tor opposed ; but the Learned Commissioner, upon
examining the schedule, found that the insolvent
about four years ago petitioned under the protection
clause as a trader owing less then 500/., and obtained
a final order. The debts in that schedule were stated
at 2981. 12s 9d., and in the present schedule has en-
tered a creditor for 1001,, due in 1848, for which he
held a lease as a security.,
The insolvent said he did not consider himself
bound to insert that creditor in the former schedule,
as he held security.
Mr. Commissioner LAW said that might be, but he
had also concealed the fact of his possessing any
lease. He had deceived the creditor and the Court
formerly, and was not entitled to immediate discharge.
When six months were gone, he might expect to be
discharged.—Adjourned sine die.