The Sun.
London, England, 1862-03-05 00:00:00

THE GAS MEASUREMENT ACT.

[ Mr. J. DAW, the principal clerk, reported that
he had received from the justices the sum of £706
odd which had been paid into them for stamping
gas meters under the Gas Measurement Act.
THE METROPOLITAN RAILWAY—THE MEAT •MARKET AT
SMITHFIELD AND THE CONCENTRATION OF COURTS OF
JUSTICE.
The ENGINEER (Mr. W. Haywood) brought up
an important report with reference to the following
bills now before Parliament :-
1. The Metropolitan Railway,_,Additional Lands,
Stations and Railway Works till.—The Engineer
Mated that the Metropolitan Railway Company ob-
tained, during the last session of Parliament, an act
for the extension of their line to Finsbury-circus.
That portion of the present project which effected
the City was to enable the company to take down
the houses on the northern side of Long-lane, from.
Charterhouse-street to the point at which the re-
moval of the property by the company was already
authorised. The whole of the northern side of
Long-lane might therefore now be expected to be
demolished, affording an opportunity such as might
never occur again of widening the thoroughfare
throughout its entire length; and as it would at a
future day be one of the most important approaches
to the new meat and poultry markets from the
eastern parts of London, it was to be hoped that the
occasion would be taken advantage of of making it
a suitable street for that purpose. The usual powers
appeared to be reserved to the commission in the
bill as it stood ; but it would be requisite to have it
clearly arranged that none of the public way of
Long-lane, included in the scheduled limits, was to

be appropriated by the company.
2. The Metropolitan Meat and Poultry-market
(Western Approach) Bill. —This the Engineer re-
ported to be an application made by the Corpora-
tion of the City to enable them to form a new street,
60 feet in width, from Victoria-street to the intended
Meat and Poultry-market on the site of Smithfield,
for which purpose almost the whole of the property
on both sides of West-street, from Victoria-street

to Smithfield, was scheduled, the total area being
4i acres, nearly the whole of which was within
the City. West-street would be entirely destroyed,
the new street being substituted for it. Nearly the
whole of St. John's-court, and Fox and Knot-court,
would also be destroyed. The powers of the com-
mission with regard to the sewers appeared to be
preserved in the bill, but the intention of the pro-
moters with regard to St. john's-court and Fox
and Knot-court should be known, and measures

takeii to insure that one of the courts alluded to
should be left as a passenger way between the pro-
posed new street and King-street.
3. The Concentration of Courts o f Tastice (Ac-
quisition of Site) Bill. The report stated that this
project was the same as reported upon last year.
The property scheduled was bounded on the north
by Carey-street and Yates'-court ; east by Bell-yard,
Fleet-street; south by Fleet-lane and the Strand
from Bell yard to Clement's-lane; and west by a
lane running from the last-named point to Horse-
Shoe-court, Clement's-lane. The total area, includ-
ing public ways, was about 16 acres, of which four or
five houses only were within the City. The Temple
bar itself was scheduled. The area of property taken
in the City was about 300 yards superficial. Shire-
lane would be destroyed as a thoroughfare. If the
arrangements made with the Government with re-
gard to the bill of last year could be extended to the
bill of this year, it seemed to the engineer that the
requirements of the commission would be met.
Upon the motion of Mr. H. L. TAYLOR, the report
was referred to the Improvement Committee to con-
sider and report.

THE SANATORY STATE OF THE CITY.
Dr. LETIIEBY, the medical officer of health, sub-
mitted the following report to the Court :
" To the honourable the Commissioners of Sewers for the
City of London.
" Gentlemen,—The inspector's returns, which are before
you, relate to 173 houses that have been inspected during
the week; and I beg to submit a list of 27 places for sana-
tory improvement in various particulars. I likewise sub-
mit a list of places for further proceedings on account of
orders already issued, but which have not yet been executed.
The markets and slaughter-houses have been duly in-
spected, and the officers have seized 2,2061b5. of meat as un-
fit for human food. It consisted of 21 sheep, 4 calves, 1 pig,
8 quarters of beef, 20 joints of meat, and 6 head of poultry.
" The mortality returns for the week are a little below the
average for the season. Last week the number of deaths
was 54, whereas in the corresponding weeks of the last 6
years the average proportion was 61. Seventeen of the
deaths were among children of less than five years, and 15
were among old persons of 60 years and upwards. The chief
causes of death were as follows :—Pulmonary consumption
5, pneumonia 5, bronchitis 6, mesenteric diseases 6, whoop-
ing-cough 2, continued fever 2, scarlet fever 1, making
together 11 deaths from tubercular diseases, 11 from inflam-
matory affections of the lungs, and 5 from zymotic diseases.
These returns are indicative of a satisfactory condition of
the public health.

" There were 5G births returned for the week, namely, 27
boys and 29 girls.—l am, gentlemen. &c.,
(Signed) "H. LETHEBY."
After transacting some other business the court
adjourned.