The Sun.
London, England, 1854-01-20 00:00:00

COURT OF COMMON COUNCIL.

Yesterday a Court was held for the despatch of public
business. A great portion of the day was consumed in
the appointment of the various committees of the Court.

-- - -
SOUTHWARK BRIDGE.
Mr. R. C. BucKNALL brought up the following re-
port, and moved that it be entered on the journals of
the Court.

" TO THE RIGHT HON. THE LORD MAYOR, ALDERMEN, AND
COMMONS OF THE CITY OF LONDON IN COMMON COUNCIL

ASSEMBLED.
" We, whose names are hereunto subscribed, your
Committee for letting the Bridge-house Estates, to
whom, on the 27th day of October last, it was referred
to ascertain by professional inquiry, the strength and
durability of Southwark-bridge, and to continue
.the
negotiations with the directors of the Southwark-bridge
Company for the purchase thereof, do certify that we
appointed a deputation to confer with the directors,
with the view of continuing the negotiation for the pur-
chase of the bridge ; and the deputation have since re-
ported that they held a conference with the directors
accordingly, when they stated that they would recom-
mend the proprietors to sell the bridge for the sum of
300,0001., which they considered was the lowest sum
the proprietors would be induced to take, an t e
rectors could not pledge themselves that the proprietors
would now accept that sum, as many of them were
strongly impressed with the opinion that the bridge
must be purchased for the use of the public, and that a
larger price might be ultimately obtained. And the
directors stated that they could not allow the income
derived from the bridge to be in any way taken as a basis
upon which to estimate the amount to be paid for the pur-
chase thereof. The deputation further reported that they
were informed by the directors that a survey and examina-
tion of the bridge had been recently made by Mr. Rennie,
civil engineer, who had reported that the same, toge-
ther with the foundations and abutments thereof, were in
a perfectly sound condition. We, your Committee,
having fully and maturely considered the subject, have
thought it right to report the above circumstances to
your i
hon. Court before we incur the expense of employ-
ing professional gentlemen to make a survey and exami-
nation of the bridge, in 9rder to ascertain the strength
and durability thereof. All which we submit to the
judgment of this hon. Court.—Dated this 20th day of
December, 1853.
"R. C. BUCKNALL, "J. DAVITS,
" J. WATERLOW, " T. JOYCE,
" R. CHAPLIN, " D. SALOMONS."
"T. DAKIN,
Deputy PEWTRESS concluded that they had not car-
ried out the instructions of the Court in respect to the
resolution submitted to them, and that the Court were
now as ignorant with regard to the matter as they were
before the reference. It was utterly impossible for the
Court to form a plain and satisfactory estimate as to the
amount asked for the bridge until it had been clearly
ascertained that the structure was capable of accom-
plishing the purpose for which it had been erected. The
report had not the sanction of the chairman, and, al-
though it had that of the committee, it was only by a
majority of one, very considerable difference of opinion
existing among them. If the statements which had
been made with regard to the cost of a new bridge and
its approaches were correct, it would be impossible fo r
the corporation and the public to obtain facilities equal
to those now presented for two or three times the
amount asked for Southwark-bridge. A new bridge
and its approaches would cost not less than 1,000,0001.
sterling. (Hear, hear.) He therefore thought the
Court ought to come to the conclusion that the price
asked for Southwark-bridge was fair and moderate.
Alderman SALOMONS said the purchase of the bridge
appeared to him to be the best plan for relieving the
crowded condition of the city. Before, however, the
corporation agreed to give anything for it, they ought to
ascertain, through their own engineer, whether it was
worth anything. He therefore moved as an amend-
ment—" That the report be referred back to the com-
mittee, to ascertain by professional inquiry the state of
Southwark-bridge, with reference to its strength and
durability, and to report the same to this court."
Deputy HARRISON, in seconding the amendment,
said he had a great deal of doubt, from information he
had received from others, as to the stability of the
structure.
Deputy CORDER suggested that an interview should
be sought with the Government, with a view to ascer-
tain if they would assist the Court in the contemplated
purchase.
Deputy DAKIN thought the committee had acted with
very great discretion in bringing up the report. He
thought the committee had acted very wisely in coming
back to the court to state exactly the views of the direc-
tors of the bridge with regard to the price to be paid in
the event of the corporation becoming purchasers.
(Hear.) Tho,e gentlemen had informed the committee
that Mr. George Rennie, their engineer, had within the
last six weeks examined, at their request and cost, the
state of the piers and abutment,, and had reported
them to be in as sound and perfect a state as when the
bridge was first built. And there was likewise the report
of Sir R. Stephenson and others upon the same point.
Mr. ANDERTON said, if the Court wished unneces-
sarily to incur an expenditure of 7001. or 8001., they
would pass the amendment. He thought 300,0001.
much too large a sum to be paid for the bridge.
Mr. GRESHAM .If the Court wish for the bridge, let
them get an act of Parliament, and summon a jury to
assess the amount at which they shall have it.
Mr. ELLIOTT hoped the amendment would be carried,
in order that the Court might show their anxiety for
affording increased accommodation to the traffic of the
city.
Alderman WILSON—I think it the duty of the Court
to refer the report back for further inquiry. The ques-
tion is, whether the structure is equal to carry the traffic
of London-bridge. lam satisfied it is not. The direc-
tors formerly asked 190,0001. for Southwark-bridge.
They now talk of 300,0001., thinking you cannot do
without it. Rather than give this sum I would build
another bridge. (Hear, hear.) It is one of those at-
tempts to extort money which I think the corporation
ought to resist. (Hear, hear.) -
The LORD MAYOR having put the motion, declared it
to be negatived.
The amendment now became a substantive motion.
Mr. HAWKINS moved as an amendment the addition
of the following words to the motion :—" That the
Bridge-house Committee having reported that the
minimum, price required by the directors of the South-
wark-bridge is 300,0001., it is the opinion of this Court
that they cannot further negotiate those terms."
Deputy DAKIN seconded the amendment.
The Court divided, when there appeared—
For the motion 33
For the amendment 26
Majority in favour of the motion
Deputy HARRISON presented a petition from the Com-
mittee of the City of London Hospital for Diseases of
the Chest, praying for a grant in aid of their funds.
The petition was referred to the Coal, Corn, and
Finance Committee to examine and report.
ASSOCIATION FOR THE RELIEF OF THE POOR OF THE
CITY OF LONDON.

Alderman WILSON presented a petition from the as-
sociation, praying fox- pecuniary assistance.
The petition was unanimously referred to the Coal,
Corn, and Finance Committee to examine and report.
Deputy HOLT moved,--" That the sum of 10,0001. of
this city's cash be placed at the disposal •f the Commis-
sioners of Sewers of this city, to aid them in the improve-
ment they are enabled to effect under the several acts of
Parliament, which give them the power to deal with
the property of our fellow-citizens."
Carried and ordered.

METROPOLITAN COMMISSION OF

SEWERS.

Yesterday a special court was held at the Court-house,
Greek-street, Soho, R. Jebb, Esq., in the chair. The
aommisioners present were S. Baker, Esq., T. Hawes,
Esq., Sir C. Fellowes, and Colonel Dawson. The state-
ment of accounts showed an available balance in hand
on Jan. 14, amounting to 44,028/.
The churchwardens of the parish of West Hackney
attended on behalf of the inhabitants of the parish
situate to the north of the North London Railway to
appeal against the district sewers rate of 6d. in the
pound made over Hackney-brook-level in December
last. The appeal presented stated that the inhabitants
had paid sewers rates rates for 80 years, and that those
rates had on some occasions amounted to ls. 6d. in the
pound, but that notwithstanding the heavy amount thus
contributed, they had no sewers within their district,
and had never received any benefit from the operations
of the commissioners ' • but, on the contrary, they had
been seriously injured by the conversion of the natural
watercourse at Hackney-brook into an open sewer for
the benefit of the district of Holloway. The appellants,
therefore, submitted that it was unjust to be rated
equally with the Hackney-brook-level, which was drained
in a far superior manner.
Mr. DENNY (surgeon to the West Hackney Die en-
Nary) stated that it was his duty to attend to a very
large number of people in the district, that there were
always a great number of cases, and on an average there
were 200 severe cases of typhus fever in twelve months,
and almost every case was traceable to the state of the
ditches. The whole district was intersected by these
ditches, and at the back of the dispensary there were
several of them, and he was confident that the general
bad state of health of the inhabitants was attributable to
them.
Colonel DAWSON said the powers given to them last
year by Parliament would enable them, he hoped, be-
fore the present year, to remove the evils complained
of. They could not listen to the appeal, because if they
did not receive rates how could they make sewers ?
The CHAIRMAN said he did not see any ground that
would enable them to listen to the prayer of the peti-
tioners, because if they rated one part they must rate the
whole of it. It would be acting illegally if they attempted
to make a district rate upon the Hackney brook level to
the exclusion of any part of it. A very light rate was
imposed upon that district, and until the Legislature
gave them power to impose higher rates, they would
not be enabled to construct covered sewers. At present
the open brook or ditch was the only outlet, but the
commissioners, who had long been anxious to construct
another and a better sewer, had only now received from
Parliament the power to do so, which would alleviate
the evils complained of. That sewer would extend for
several miles, and would not cost less than 300,000/. ;
but nntil that outlet were made it was impossible to
help them. Mr. Law had complained that he had con-
structed a drain at his own expense, but by the act of
Parliament he was bound to do it, or die commissioners
had power to compel him, therefore he had only done
what they could have compelled him to do. He moved
that the petition be dismissed.
Colonel DAwSON made a few remarks, and the petition
was accordingly dismissed.
Several other appeals of but little importance were
hen heard, and the court then adjourned.