The Sun.
London, England, 1863-06-05 00:00:00

ST. THOMAS'S HOSPITAL.

A general Court of the Governors of this Hos-
pital was held yesterday at the London-bridge
Railways Terminus Hotel to receive a report of the
proceedings of the Grand Committee in continuing
the negotiation with the governors of Bethlehem
Hospital, and also to receive the Grand Commit-
tee's suggestions with a view to prevent any further
delay in fixing on a site for a new hospital.
Sir John Musgrove, President of the Hospital,
took the chair, and there were about 50 governors
present.
The minutes of the last General Court and of the
proceedings of the Grand Committee since the 21st
of April last were read and approved.
A long correspondence between the Grand Com-
mittee and the authorities of Bethlehem Hospital
was els.) read.
Mr. BROOKES considered that the committee had
lost much valuable time in communicating with the
authorities atter the very decided resolution that
body had come to not to cede to St. Thomas's Hos-
pital the site on which their building stood.
Alderman DAKIN asked whether the committee
had had their attention drawn to a site in West-
square which had been mentioned by Messrs. Poole
and Gamlen, and which probably might be found as
convenient as the site at Bethlehem Hospital itself.
Mr. BAGGALLEY (the treasurer) said he knew the
firm to which the worthy alderman had referred, and
also the locality he had spoken of. There were about
126 houses on the site, letting at £4O, £5O, and £6O
a year, and they covered two streets. Still, the
question was an open one. _

Alderman DAMN said the owner of the property
would be a willing vendor.
The PRESIDENT said in reference to the extent
of the property (which was a point always to be
borne in mind) he believed it was about seven and
a half acres.

Mr. SOUTH (the retired surgeon of St. Thomas's
Hospital, and who attended for the first time as a
governor) said he had no doubt the gentleman who
owned the property was anxious to be a vendor. He
(Mr. South) knew the property well, and it was, in
his opinion, as unfitting a position for a hospital as
as any that could be found.
Alderman DAKIN thought it a great pity that
their architect, Mr. Correy, and the professional
gentleman connected with Bethlehem Hospital had
not conferred together before any plan had been
prepared by the former gentleman.

The PRESIDENT—That was sought by the com-
mittee again and again, but was often refused by
the authorities of Bethlehem.

Alderman DAKIN said, after looking at the plan
proposed by Mr. Correy, that there appeared to
him to be such a mixing together of apartments
and arrangements, that the whole thing seemed
never intended to be successfully carried out.
Mr. TITE, M.P., agreed wish the worthy alder-
man that there ought to have been greater harmony
between the two bodies. In the first instance the
Grand Committee proposed as the natural course to
be taken, if it were meant to come to a conclusion
on the subject, that the architects sioould meet and
discuss the general nature of the arrangements re•
quired ; because it was impossible to come to any
conclusion with which they could approach the
Court of Chancery or the Leglislature until they
knew what to lay before those tribunals. But the
general resolution with which they were met by the
Bethlehem authorities was that Mr. Correy might
prepare a plan, but that they declined to come to
any arrangement in respect to it, as it was Impos-
sible to come to any conclusion as to what the build-
ing of a new Bethlehem Hospital would cost. Mr.
Correy had no alternative but to prepare the plan
he had submitted to the committee, and that gen-
tleman was not obnoxious in the least degree
to any of the remarks which had been made
upon the subject of that plan. As to the accom-
modation afforded by that plan not being sufficient,
when it was so stated, the Grand Committee said
they would make one more attempt, and accord-
ingly they observed to the Bethlehem authorities
that it was no use going on talking and writing,
and losing time ; and then asked them whether they
would meet the Treasurer of St. Thomas's Hospital,
and and sit down and look at the whole
'question
practical men. The answer to that was, that a
similar proposition had been negatived before, and
that the President and Treasurer could not enter-
tain the matter of themselves, but that it must be
submitted to the usual Court. Having then made
this very reasonable offer, and which had not been
met with common courtesy, the committee consi-
dered that there was no intention on the part of the
authorities of Bethlehem that the committee should
obtain the site of that hospital for the purposes
which they and the General Court desired.
Mr. J. ADAMS said, that what had been stated
proved the inconvenience resulting from unautho-
rised negotiations being commenced. The Grand
Committee of St. Thomas's Hospital Was never