The Sun.
London, England, 1862-09-19 00:00:00

IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CITY.

Mr. DE JERSEY, chairman of the City Sewers
Commission, then brought forward a motion that it
should be referred to the committee to consider
whether this court should aid, by grants of money
from the corporation funds, in such improvements as
the Commissioners of Sewers have at this time in
hand, or may hereafter consider it advisable from time
to time to effect for the public benefit, and to report
thereon. He said the court was well aware that in
former times, before the Commissioners of Sewers
were invested by Act of Parliament with the
powers they now possessed with reference to
making improvements in the City of London,
the corporation had expended large sums of money
in various improvements. Of late years, however,
this important duty had principally been carried
out by the Commissioners of Sewers, and it was un-
necessary for him to remind the court of the impor-
tant improvements that had upon several occasions
been carried out by that body. The funds-for carry-
ing out these operations were raised entirely from
the rates upon the inhabitants of the city.ust, an that
f,i that
appeared to him that it was only fair arid J.
ea for hex©
a portion of the amount that was reqtacircor
corp
purposes should be obtained from tt.
the corpora-
unless
resources. (Hear.) The citizens o
already taxed very heavily, and impossible to
would be London were
tion gave its assistance, it vcnotu
alterations and im-
inaporta
resent under considera-
effect a great many
provements that were at
P the present motion
felt assured that when
would be agreed to,
tahned
subject into c, nsicleration
lion. He therefore
tie felt
the committee took t
satisfactory conclusion.
vße:NEaseconded the motion.
osed it, on the ground that it
theDyepwuotuylduaAtrTvrEci
opp
Mr. tend I
would
place too much power in the hands of
the Sewera -
-
Commission, and he at the same time
said that
the motion appeared to him to be unneces-
alit as the
Commissioners of SeN.ven could at any

time come to the court and ask for pecuniary assist—
ance to carry out any improvements they were de-
sirous of effecting.
Dr. Abraham, Mr. G. Walter, Mr. H. L. Taylor,
and several other members of the court, supported
the motion, which was put and declared by the
Lord Mayor to be carried. A division was, how-
ever, taken, when there appeared—for the motion,
63; against it, 29.
THE LIBER CUSTUMORDM.
Mr, D. SMITH, the chairman of the Library Com-
mittee, brought up a report in reference to the miss-
ing portion of the ancient work called the " Liber
Custumorum."
It will be recollected that this work, which is of
very ancient date, and which treated of the customs
and charters of the City of London, extending over
a great many centuries, was found to be muti-
lated, and the missing portion was accidentally
discovered to be in the British Museum. There
appeared to be no doubt, from the investigation that
took place, that this portion of the work had been
stolen from the archives of the corporation more
than two centuries ago, and it appeared to have
been purchased by the trustees of the British Mu-
seum from the representatives of Sir W. Cotton,
into whose possession it had passed ; but although
there is not the least doubt that it is the property
of the corporation, the trustees of the British Mu-
seum declined to restore it, alleging that they have
no legal power to do so. The committee now re.:
ported that they had taken all the steps in their
power to regain possession of what was undoubtedly
their property, but were unsuccessful, and they
stated that they were also advised that there were
no means, either legal or equitable, by which they
could compel the trustees of the British Museum to
restore their property, and they therefore left the
matter in the hands of the court.
Some little discussion took place upon this ques-
tion, several members of the court expressing an
opinion that as they could not take any steps, either
legal or equitable, to recover the missing portion of
the work, they had better not take any further
trouble in the matter.
Alderman DAKIN' said he differed from this opi-
nion, and although they might not be • able to en-
force their rights by legal proceedings, he believed
that if they made out to the satisfaction of the Go-
vernment that the trustees of the British Museum
were improperly and illegally in possession of pro-
perty belonging to the corporation of London, it
would be all that would be required to obtain its
restitution. It appeared to him therefore that the
best course to be taken was for some independent
member to mention the subject in the House of
Commons, and call the attention of the Prime Mi-
nister, who was one of the trustees of the British
Museum, to the subject.
After some further discussion, it was arranged
that the question should be referred back to the
Library Committee for further consideration, and
Mr. Norris, M.P., who had been appealed to, ex-
pressed his readiness to bring the subject before the
House of Commons if the committee considered it
expedient to do so.
THE LONDON, CHATHAM, AND DOVER RAILWAY.
Mr. H. W. VALLANCE, the chairman of the
Bridge House Estates Committee, brought up a
report recommending the court to approve of a
plan submitted by the London, Chatham, and
Dover Railway for the erection of a railway bridge
over the River Thames at Blackfriars. -
The report was agreed to.

The Coal, Corn, and Finance Committee brought
up a report recommending that a sum of fifty gui-
neas should be granted to the Elizabeth Fry Re-
fuge, and a hundred guineas to the Finsbury Dis-
pensary.
The report was agreed to, and the court shortly
afterwards adjourned.