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

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

advance, being now at 930
with very trifling venial
market closed as follows :-
4i per Cents .. 93 80
Do. end month....
3 per Cents
Do. end month 65 30
Credit Mobilier 930
Do. end month 930
Bank Shares 3510
Credit k oncier 1240
Roman

Italian Loan
65 40
Do, end month 65 45
Ditto Threes ..
New Mexican .... 60 25
Russian
Austrian .. B2
Spanith Threes., 46 60
Rome Debt
Deferred

RAIL WAYS.

Orleans ,•.•.••..
Northern
Lyons and Mediterranean
Southern ... _ .
Western
Eastern
Sardinian ..
Austrian
Lombard
North of Spain
Saragossa
Ditto to Barcelona

Cash. Account.
855 „. 855
1000 .. 998 75
881 25 „ 881 25
587 50 .. 595
516 25 .. 518 75
496 25 .. 500 --
315 315 --
437 50 .. 440
507 50 .. 507 50
375 .. 372 50
438 75 .. 437 50

The Contemplated Improvements in the

Metropolis,

The street communication of London is a subject
hat presses so much for settlement and decision,
hat it must be constantly referred to from time to
ime. 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
ihat 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 shoege,
upon and within the city of Loudon. Even now the
Corporation representatives at the Metropolitan
Board endeavour to get the lion's share of expendi-
(are for the City and its approaches, and are to be
round voting against the most requisite changes i❑
ttre 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 metropotis. 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 arid
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 iaten-
tention to carry out three very important openings
of street communication. The first is one of small
cost, but very great utility 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 Whitechapel-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 Beard 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 Middleerow, Holborn. This will be an
eipensivejob, but its necessity is universally acknow-
ledged, and it will have the support of the members
for the city, and the East and Northaeast of Lon-
don. The third scheme for which the Metro-
politan Board is about to seek Parliamentary
sanction is no less necessary—perhaps more neces
wary than the others. But it relates to the West
end, or rather to the Northern and Southern corn
munication. It is also situated in the wealthier

part of London ; and although its necessity is loudly
demanded on all sides. tkere 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 to see 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'lffanger, to inundate the Park with public
conveyances 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.
nig park-lane, would be so expensive that it would

be difficult to find money even with the prospect of
bring 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 wolld be a dangerous txperiment
in Park-lane. We shall be glad to see its results in

he new street that is to be made from Tottenham.

court-road to Chandos-street by the Charing-cross
and North-Western Railway Companies, in connec.
Lion with their underground railway. We anticipate
such a success from this experiment, that we expect

o 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 compensatio❑ for
special dlm ige, although it turns out that there is

no special clauis in their leases from the Crown

against an opening of the roadway to the north.
Still there may arise some difficulty. But 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 bs 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 enuring-cross,

.0 which we have so often referred. But sufficient

'or the day, perhaps, are the works for which the

Metropo)itan Board bare given notice. If they

carry them out successfully, we shall be disposed to
forgive them much—even the delays in the Thames

Etubinkim,,nt

But thie is subjulat which will

probably boon dud a bekaraLe iuqu:iy uLct
fuller notice than wo can give to it now.—Qb.

server.