The Sun.
London, England, 1864-03-05 00:00:00

Mr. ROEBUCK has always been distinguished as
the champion of popular rights, and the bold, un-
hesitating advocate of all who are in any way op-
pressed. The Tribune of the people, as he has been
called, on Thursday evening drew the attention of
the House to the " Police Spy System in England."
The hon, and learned member commenced his speech
by pointing out that the spy system in France had
long been a notorious fact, and that it had often
been said that the people of England would never
stand such interference, but that in reality there
was much to amend in this matter. It appears
from the report of the inspector that " societies are
established for the purpose of supplying informa-
tion to inquisitive persons." Mr. ROEBUCK. read a
letter which more fully explained the purport of his
remarks ; it was from Captain BICRWELL to the
editor of a Lincoln paper. This epistle certified
that the police of the county were constantly in the
habit of receiving communications from
"private
inquiry offices," which demanded inq iiries regard-
ing the character, respectability, and fortunes of
persons who settled in the towns or villages. Tne
chief constable of Lincolnshire thus called Eaten•
tion to this improper proceeding, and very properly
prohibited inquiries of this inquisitive and imper-
tinent form " on the part of the constabulary of the
county." General CARTWRIGHT, the Inspector of
Constabulary in the Eastern Counties. 4:0-1 made
inquiries, and found that in many counties and
boroughs the system prevailed, and had become a
common practice. The general made some very
suitable remarks, and truly stated that if this course
of " spying" was continued the police force would
lose its popularity, and thus its efficiency would be
very greatly marred. Mr. ItoElincii then remarked
that the "efficiency of the police was of chief im-
portance to Government, but that the House should
consider the welfare of the community." It
would be difficult to find a more odious prac-
tice, or one more repugnant in every way to
the general feelings of the English people than
this "Spying" System to which Mr. ROEBUCK
has made reference. It militates against the
rights of the subject, and is totally subversive of
that independence which has ever been the chief
characteristic of our nation, and whose enjoy-
ment haa been rightly ranked among our proudest
privileges. It is earnestly to be hoped that the
strictest supervision will be exercised, and the
most decisive efforts made to check the progress,
and finally to stifle the action of this pernicious
and disgraceful practice. No ono has a right to
go to the police, or to apply to secret societies
for information regarding their neighbours. What
they cannot discover in the way that is fair and
above-board they must be content to remain in
ignorance of. The idea that in this free country,
and in these enlightened days, persons arc to be
tracked and followed is really raonstroua. The
way to render such habits unfrequent would be
to make such ignoble ihquiaitore amenable to the

law, and o e sooner such a step is taken the
better. Sir G. GREY'S reply to Mr. ROEBUCK
savours tco much of effiaial reticence to afford
much satisfaction, or to reassure those who :are
in doubt respecting the putting down of the prac-

tice. The right hon. gentleman said that the
practice exists only in a very few instances, but
the reports of the Inspector and Constable seemed
to say otherwise. Also, some replies have not been
furnished yet to the Home Secretary, and therefore
there aro grounds for supposing that in these
localities there may be unfavourable symptoms ex-
isting. At any rate it is very creditable to Mr.
ROEBUCK to have brought this forward, and it is to
be hoped that many will thu3 be put on their guard,
and be slow in furnishing the means to the inquisi-
tive persons who may come in their way of satisfy-
ing their impertinent demands, and giving an
answer to their very unnecessary inquiries.

Among the various schemes (Alcoa for the altera-
tion or improvement of London, one of the most
useful and practical is the Holborn Valley Improve-
ment. The difficulties and inconveniencies which
arise from having so steep an ascent and descent in
the line of one of the two great thoroughfares from
east to west have long been apparent, and year by
year some change for the better has been looked for
in vain. The Holborn Valley Improvement Bill,
however, brought the sanction of Parliament to
stimulate the efforts of the reformers, and since then
plenty of plans and projects have been laid before
the committee of the Common Council appointed to
consider the matter. The principal features of
some of these rival schemes have been laid before
the public, and many of them had good points,
although their suggestions were not always suffi•
ciently practical. The committee must have had a
somewhat arduous task, as committees of selection,
if they discharge their duties faithfully, usually
have. In the present instance there was more than
a mere matter of taste to consider, more responsi-
bility in the office of selection than in passing judg-
ment on a heap of prize essays or poems. The
comfort and convenience of many generations evi;l
be affected by any change of so lasting a character,
and without of course rushing into needless extra-
vagance, within reasonable limits the question of
expense must be altogether secondary in works of
so permanent a nature. Fifty thousand pounds
more or less will make very little difference now,
but the character and quality of a great metropo-
litan undertaking like this will be an important con-
sideration for many a long year to come. We are
glad to find from the report of the improvement
committee presented on Thursday to the Common
Council that it is now proposed to carry Shoe-lane
on to the viaduct instead of under it, as was ori-
ginally talked of. This is a great improvement on
the scheme which was first contemplated by the
committee, and the difference in the cost—X7s,ooo
—should not be allowed to hinder its execution. In
other respects the plan proposed in the report seems
good and feasible. The line of improvement from
east to west is to commence near the Old Bailey and
terminate at a point 55 feet beyond the western
side of Hatton-garden, thus giving scope for a
thorough and comprehensive change. The whole
of the property on each side is to be pulled down
and a high level roadway formed at a width of 80
feet, with a scarcely perceptible gradient. Mr. DE
JERSEY, one of the deputies, who criticised the re-
port with some asperity, objected to this; main-
taining that the allowance of 80 feet for width was
extravagant and not justified by the requirements of
traffic. This is a very singular reason to give re-
specting one of our busiest thoroughfares. It is
only the great width of Holborn-hill that saves it
from a larger number of accidents and inextricable
confusion at present, and in spite of all the relief
afforded by metropolitan railways, and the Thames
embankment highways, it must always remain one
of the great arteries of our busily circulating life.
We have no reason to suppose or to fear that our
commercial activity will suffer any considerable
diminution, and one would think that the good citi-
zens of London had suffered too much from narrow
streets in their own most populous highways, for
any Common Councilman to come forward and clip
ten feet off a thoroughfare of such importance as
the new street proposed. Happily the sense of the
meeting was against Alr. DE JERSEY'S amendment,
and the report of the committee was agreed to, on
the understanding that seven years instead of ten
should be allowed for the work. We should rather
suggest five years as the time of performance, since
the inconvenience will be great, and all unneces-
sary delays should be avoided. It is true that the
task is a stupendous one, but a liberal suppi.y of
money and hands can do wonders, and neither need
be wanting in tWs case. The chief features of this
plan areas follows;--Farringdon-street is to be span-
ned by a bridge, and Farringon. road widened to the
width of Farringdon-street. Two new streets are
to be laid down, both starting from Farringdon-
street, the one to start opposite New Market-street
and to join the upper level at Hatton Garden, the
other to start a little north
of the bridge, and to
reach the upper level at St. Sepulchre's Church.
The object of these streets is to give communica-
tion for vehicles between the tipper and lower levels
—a need that they will very efficiently supply. To
increase the convenience of access on the south side
it is proposed, as we have said,
to carry Shoe-lane
on to the viaduct, and the gradients at all the main
places abutting on the high level roadway will be
improved. The committee consider that this plan
should be carried out as quickly as possible, a re-
commendation which we trust will be attended
to. Although the total estimate of half a millioa
will probably be exceeded before the work is done
thoroughly and efficiently,
there will be no cause
for complaint.

ESKDALE—FATAL ACCIDENT—A fatal occurrence
took place on Friday last,
in the parish of Eskdale-
muir. Mr. Thomas Wightman, farmer, Coto, and Mr.
Thomas Dalgleish, farmer, Rennelburn, were driving home
from Langhohn, Where they
had been paying their rent, in
Mr. Dalgleish's gig, Near the eleventh milestone from
Langholm the road is raised about seven feet above the level
of the ground alongside of it,and is bounded on ono side by
a stone dyke at the bottom of the embankment. At the
same place there is a steep incline on the highway. It was
about nine o'clock and dark when they came to this place;
over the d
the horse was then going pretty smartly, and Mr. Wight-
man remarked to Mr. Dalgleish, who was driving, that he
was afraid he was keeping too much to one side of the road.
Before the latter could
pull the reins the gig upset, and be
was pitched clean
He was stunned by the fall, but almost immediately yke into the plantation beyond.
reco-
vered, and got over the dyke on to the roadside. There he
saw the horse and gig lying together, and without looking
for Mr. Wightrnan he ran to some house not far off for
assistance. This was immediately rendered by John Arm-
strong, shepherd, Carurie, and a joiner, who brought a lan-
tern to the scene of the accident. Ihero they found Mr.
the gig, beneath
W ightinan lying with the shaft across his
neck, and the horse cn the shaft; the whole weight of the
animal was thus thrown upon Mr. •Wig,htman's neck. As
speedily as possible the horse was lifted and the gig re-
moved, but the unfortunate gentleman was quite dead.
Armstrong mounted the horse, which was little the worse
of its fall, and rode off for Dr. Ray Laneholw, who made
all haste in returning to spot. llis cid, however, was of no
avail, and he gave it as his opinion that Mr. Wightman
had been choked by the pressure of the gig shaft on his
neck. Deceased was 63 years of age, and was tbout a
mile from home
when the accident happened.—lhimff ies
'Standard,

COMPENSATION FOR DAMAGE BY WAR.—Bills
aro before both Houses of Congress at Washington
for appointing commissioners to receive and adjudicate upon
the claims of citiams against the Government for injury
done to property by the use or occupation of the Federal
army. But no claim is to bo allowed where the person
making it has "favoured the rebellion" or been at anytime
4Qetile t 9 the Fvderi4 VoyorumeAt 9 (1610'41.