The Sun.
London, England, 1853-01-24 00:00:00

METROPOLITAN IMPROVEMENTS.

(From the Morning Advertiser.)
We regret to observe, on the part of some of the
members of the Corporation of London, a want of
cordiality in the great scheme for bringing a central
terminus in the heart of the City, and that at the
Common Council on Thursday, this great under-
taking was described in a manner which indicates
either an inability to comprehend its advantages, or
else a determination to proceed with vexatious if
not factious opposition. It is, we believe, the mis-
fortune of those Common Councilmen by whom this
great enterprise is opposed, to stand in opposition
to the opinions of the generality of the public,
whether in or out of the City. It is not the case
that "there are few beyond the projectors of the
railway, and others who hope to make money by
it, who would not say that you cannot inflict a
greater evil on the City than by bringing six railway
termini within it." The • project we regard as one
in which the public generally feel a very deep in-
terest, and one which they would be glad to see
realised.
The authorities in the city of London, instead of
looking on the plan, under consideration with in-
difference, or meeting it with opposition, will secure
for themselves the thanks of the public, if they lend
their powerful aid for the accomplishment of a plan
which is so well calculated to promote the public
convenience and to secure the best appropriation
of a site, which seems evidently reserved for a great
public work like that proposed in Mr. Pearson's
plan.
With these views, which we have entertained
from the time when this admirable scheme came
under our notice, we deprecate the factious opposi-
tion which the author of the scheme and the com-
pany formed to carry it out have to contend against.
It should be recollected, that on more thanb one
occasion the Corporation of London has pronounced
in favour of having termini within the City. This
was done in 1845, when the Improvements Com-
mittee reported that, in their opinion, it was de-
sirable for the progress and advantage of the city
of London to have the benefit of this arrangement.
Further, as the Common Council were reminded
by Mr. Dakin, the Fleet Valley Committee had
an instruction from the Corporation that they were
to hold a conference with any properly constituted
bffody, .
for the purpose of carrying this project into
eect
If the public convenience and the real improve-
ment of the City, and the prosperity of the metro-
polis, be the object aimed at by the gentlemen who
have directed their attention to this important mat-
ter, we must confess our inability to account for
the manner in which they treat the best, and in-
deed the only practicable scheme for bringing a ter-
minus into the heart of London. Certainly it would
be a great convenience to railway passengers to
London, whether visitors or inhabitants, to be
landed in the centre of the metropolis, instead of at
the outskirts, some two or three miles from the point
which they may wish to reach. In addition we are
surprised that men of intelligence, especially those
who have directed their attention to the require-
ments of London in a sanitary point of view,
should not hail with delight the opportunity of se-
curing from day to day the advantage to thousands
of our population of breathing the fresh air, with-
out abstracting more time than they can spare
from their duty in the heated and smoky atmos-
phere of the town. To us it appears passing
strange, that a scheme which seems so admirably
planned, and so capable of being carried out effi-
ciently and promptly, should be described as
Utopian, and condemned by the judgment of in-
dividuals who, from their position, might be sup-
posed to have intelligence enough to see the ad

vantages which they are anxious to cast away.
We believe, however, that all the opposition with
which this great public work has to contend, will
prove utterly fruitless. With the large amount of
200,0001. already subscribed, with a moral cer-
tainty of obtaining the Act of Parliament for which
the Company are now seeking, with the prospects
of those ample returns which would justify an3r
great contractor in making all the required ad-
vances, waiting to be indemnified out of the pro-
ceeds of the Company, there is no reason, we be=
lieve, to fear that any amount of indifference or
opposition will succeed in defeating the object of
the projector.

The sad experience of the last few years has ren-
dered the public very unwilling to become share-
holders in great railway undertakings, and sign
deeds of settlement, yet such is the public con-
fidence in the plan of the Central Terminus, that
the large sum we have noticed has been subscribed
for, and must be regarded as a proof that the
merits of the scheme are appreciated, and that the
public appreciate it sufficiently to support it, and
see it safely carried out, whatever may be the
opposition, and from whatever quarter it may
proceed.

THE SPRING HANDICAPS.—DECLARATIONS OF FOR-
FElT.—.Richard Primmer was struck out of the City and
Suburban Handicap and Northamptonshire Stakes at
half-past four p.m. on Thursday, the 20th inst. Placid
was struck out of the Northamptonshire Stakes, the
Newmarket Handicap, and Chester Cup, on Friday, the
21st. On the same day, Candlewick was struck out of
the City and Suburban Handicap, and Lady Amyott
and Candlewick out of the Chester Cup.
A NOVEL DIRECTION.—The following is a verbatim
copy of the direction upon an envelope containing a
letter, and received by Sergeant Fearn, of the Derby
police. The letter was from a person residing at Shrews.
bury, and the direction is very legibly written. The
name is in black, and the remainder of the address in red
ink :

" Mr. postman oblige me by sending this letter
To (a jolly good fellow, you can't find a better)
Ben. Fearn, Police Sergeant, at Derby you'll find him,
And answer's required, the contents will remind him.
At Derby late contest, he did (and yet can)
Frustrate the designs of ' The good and safe man,'
Whose 'judgment' we question, whose quickness' we see
Has not answered the purpose of W. 13: "