The Sun.
London, England, 1853-02-24 00:00:00

WATER SUPPLY.

The water supply to the City of London remains much in
the same condition as during the previous year, the supply
being given daily (Tuesdays excepted) upon the intermit-
tent system, and in the poorer localities; this supply being
afforded sometimes twice a day.
The question of supply of water to the common lodging-
houses within the City has been considered, and a quantity
of 24 gallons per room per diem delivered as the minimum
for which storage should be provided. The consideration
of this subject brought proininently forward the advantage
of the constant supply being essayed as speedily as pos-
sible (indeed, the inconvenience of having a water supply
in a transition state is daily felt) whenever the question
of the provision of sewerage comes before you or your
officers. Upon application from the commissioners, the
New River Company agreed to supply all common lodging-
houses in the vicinity of which they have pipes that will
enable them to do so, with a daily high-service supply,
without additional charge to the owners'or occupiers, on
condition that adequate cisternage is provided to receive
it, and proper means be taken to guard against waste.
The public urinals are still supplied at a nominal rental of
ss. per urinal per annum. The supply of water for cess-
pools, cleansing, flushing sewers, and public purposes, is
still gratuitously given, and the company have appointed
at their own expense, a man to attend, at all times and
occasions, to the various requirements which are made for
water by your officers.

IMPROVEMENTS.
I last year, for the first time, noted in my annual report
the improvements which wore, under your auspices, from
time to time effected in various portions of the City, and
adverted to the immense benefit which resulted from your
seizing favourable opportunities for prosecuting them
under the general powers of the Act 57th George 111.
The opportunities which have presented themselves have
been still more numerous during the past than during the
previous year. Improvements have been effected by
widening a portion of Lime-street towards the southern
end, in Gresham-street, at the north-eastern corner of
King-street ; a considerable length of Budge-row has also
been widened, and an additional length at the south end
of Fetter-lane, Rose-alley, New-court, Bishopsgate-street,
has for a length of 90 feet been widened from a previous
width of 5 feet 6 inches, to 15 feet ; the largest portion of
White's-alley, Moorgate-street, from 5 to a width of 20,
and a length of 119 feet; in West street, Smithfield, from
an 18 fr

waresl

to 30

feet in Ntittni.

1 Negotiations have been completed for widening a further
portion of Upper Thames-street, east of Peter's-hill ; for
continuing the widening of White's-alley, eastward, by re-
moving the house at the angle of Pitcher-court; and also
for making the public way known as Printing-house-yard,
Moorgate-street, 20 feet wide and straight, instead of
being, as at present, eight feet wide and crooked upon the
plan. Also for extending the improvement commenced
by this Commission some years ago, and from time to
time prosecuted as opportunity offered, at the southern
end of Chancery-lane ; and for continuing the widening of
Fetter-lane ; and negotiations have been opened for effect-
ing an alteration at the western end of Throgmorton-street,
for widening the eastern entrance of Tudor-street, for con-
tinuing the improvements in Lime-street still further
southward, and opening a public passage-way through
Whalebone-court, ' .tite's-alley, and widening another
portion of Upper Thames-street.
When the whole of those have been carried out, which
there is every reason to believe will be the case within the
present year, improvements 4wi }then have been effected,
since the beginning of the year 1851, in 20 different
localities, and I believe that the whole of them may be re-
garded with gratification by your honourable Court, from
the evident advantages derived from them by the general
public, the great satisfaction • they uniformly give in their
immediate neighbourhoods, and, I may add, from the
' comparatively reasonable expenditure at which they have
been made. I believe that, at the end of another year,
when the value of some of the surplus ground, which the
commissioners will have to dispose of, shall have been real-
ised, it will be found that the outlay has been insignificant
in comparison with the benefit effected by the expenditure.
The surveyor intimates that he will postpone his com-
ments upon the street orderly system till the contract, at
the cost of 12,1001., to conclude at Midsummer, shall have
concluded.