The Sun.
London, England, 1862-01-18 00:00:00

METROPOLITAN IMPROVEMENTS.

A report was brought up from the Works and Improve-
ments Committee, stating that, having reconsidered the
memorial and letter from the Commissioners of Sewers of
the City of London, relative to the setting back of the houses
No. 70 and 71, Watling-street, they are not prepared to re-
commend a contribution towards the cost.
A motion was made to the following effect :—" That so
much of the report as relates to the improvement in Wat-
ling-street be approved." To this an amendment was pro-
posed, " That the Board do contribute the sum of £l,OOO
towards the cost of the improvement in question."
Mr. H. L. TAILOR said that, considering the crowded
state of the city, and the difficulty there was for vehicles of
all sorts to pass through such streets as Watling-street and
those adjacent, they ought to be improved ; and it was the
bounden duty of this board to contribute towards the cost
of such an improvement, which it could not be denied
would be of the greatest benefit. He said at the present time
it was a thoroughfare—the mart of the city—through which
it was impossible, and almost dangerous, to attempt to pass.
He was very much surprised, on receiving the report of the
committee, to find that they had come to the conclusion of
not recommending this Board to contribute towards this
improvement, as it would increase the value of the property
and relieve one of the greatest thoroughfares in the city.
He hoped therefore that the Board would not let this
matter be dropped, but that they would be unanimous in
carrying the amendment.

Mr. FREEMAN contended that there was no doubt this
improvement would increase the value of the property; and
no one could deny that Watling-street was of great value,
but the idea of widening this street for a public thorough-
fare was entirely out of the question,
Mr. MACDONALD believed that it was not at all just and
fair that this board should be called upon to contribute
towards the cost of an improvement in the city, and which
did not at all come under the head of metropolitan im-
provements, but was merely for the benefit of the proprie-
tors of the large warehouses, who impeded the traffic by the
customers they received for their goods. There was nothing
in it of the character of a metropolitan improvement that
aught to justify the board in contributing £l,OOO towards
its cost, and he hoped therefore that the recommendation of
the committee would be adopted.

The recommendation of the committee was negatived,
and the amendment was put as an original motion, and car-
ried by a majority of 16 to 14.

LONDON, CHATHAM, AND DOVER RAILWAY STATION IN

BLACKFRIARS-ROAD.

Mr.VuLLIAInt, the superintending architect of the board,
read the following report relative to the additional property
required for station purposes by the London, Chatham, and
Dover Railway :—" With regard to the proposed station
arrangements of the London, Chatham, and Dover Railway
on the east side of the Blackfriars-road, near the bridge, to
carry out which the necessary plans, &c., have been de-
posited by the company, I have to report that if the scheme
be matured in accordance with the deposited plans, showing
the boundary of the property proposed to be acquired for
the purposes, the new street now being formed by this board
from the High-street, Borough, to the Blackfriars-bridge-
road, will for the first 280 feet of its length, commencing at
the Blackiriars-bridge-road, be enclosed in a tunnel, or be-
tween retaining walls on either side, or by some other such
mode equally detrimental and fatal, in my opinion, to the
new street in question, and 1 recommend that steps be
taken to oppose the proposed schemes by all possible means
in Parliament."

The CHAIRMAN said that the proposal would convert the
first portion of the street into a tunnel and materially affect
the drainage.

On the motion of Mr. Deputy HARRISON the report was
referred to the Main Drainage Committee for consideration
and report.

WORKS AND IMPROVEMENTS.

A further report was brought up from the Works and
Improvements Committee, recommending that the Board
r o contribute one-third r f the cost of effecting a public im-
provement in Newgate-street, to be carried out by the Com-
missioners of Sewers of the City of London, by setting back
the houses Nos. 76 and 77 in that street, as shown upon the
plan produced to the committee, estimated at £4,424 13s Bd,
such contribution not to exceed £1,474 17s 10d ; and that
such amount be paid to the Commissioners of Sewers of the
City of London, on a certificate fr. m the architect of this
Board of the completion of the work. That the Board do
contribute the sum of £2OO towards the cost of effecting a
public improvement in Fleet-street, to be carried out by the
Commissioners of Sewers of the City of London, by setting
back the house No. 189 in that street, as shown on the plan
produced to the committee, estimated at £789 Os 4d, and
that such amount be paid to the Commissioners of Sewers
of the City of London, on a certificate from the architect of
this Board of the completion of the work.
The report also stated that they had reconsidered the sub-
ject of the re-erection of the King's Head public house, at
the corner of the Euston and Hampstead-roads, and, hav-
ing regard to the excessive price demanded by the owner,
they were not prepared to recommend the Board to proceed
with the negotiations, and expressing the regret of the com-
mittee that the Board have no power to act compulsorily
with such cases.
The report of the committee was carried unanimously,
and the Board adjourned.