The Sun.
London, England, 1847-09-29 00:00:00

CITY OF LONDON IMPROVEMENTS.

Mr. R. L. JONES brought up the report of
the Improvements Committee. The following is
an abstract :—" The attention of the Court has
long been drawn to the necessity of an improve-
ment at Holborn-hill, by reducing the acclivity
thereof, and they authorised an application to _be
made to Parliament in the last session for power to
purchase and take down the houses 79, 80, 81, 82,
and 83, Holborn-bridge, with other premises in Field-
lane, towards that purpose; that such application re'r
ceived the sanction of Parliament, and the premies
are seheduled accordingly in the Act above referred
to ; that your committee, feeling it desirable the cor-
poration should avail themselves of these powers
without further delay, recommend that we may be
empowered to give the necessary notices for the pur-
chase of the premises in question, as a period of not
less than six months must elapse before any payments
can be required for the purchase of the property, and
it is highly important the houses should be removed
to enable the accurate levels to be taken, in order that
the whole improvement may be carried out in the
most advantageous mariner. We further certify, in
connexion with this subject, and also with reference
to his plan for altering the inclination of Holborn-
hill and for a new line of street from Holborn to
King-street, Smithfield, that we referred it to the
Clerk of the City Works to consider of and prepare a
plan for the improvement of the acclivity of Holborn-
hill, being anxious, by every means in our power, to
forward and promote this most desirable and long-
called for improvement."—(Hear, hear.)
The CHAIRMAN stated that the corporation would
be enabled, by the arrangement comprehended in the
report, to effect a great improvement in establishing
something towards a level in the locality.
The report was unanimously agreed to.
Mr. R.L. JONES brought up a report from the same
committee upon a petition from tenants of premises
in Farringdon ew-street for a remission of ground-
rent, as an equivalent for the loss and disappointment
they had experienced in consequence of the unfinished
state of that street. It recommended the extension
of the terms of the leases of the ground let to the
petitioners in that street from 61 to 80 years.
Agreed to.
SANITARY IMPROVEMENT IN TAE CITY OF LONDON.

Mr. R. L. JONES brought up the following report,
to which he most particularly requested the attention
of the Court, as containing matter of essential im-
portance :
"We whose names are hereunto subscribed, your
Committee for effecting improvements within this
city, to whom, by two several orders of the Court, it
was referred to examine the allegations in the petition
of the inhabitants of Farringdon Ward Without,
praying the Court to set aside a sum of
money to improve thp sanitary condition of
the ward, and to adopt such measures as will improve
the habitations of the labouring classes, and in
the petition by the inquest of the parish or precinct
of St. Andrew's' Holborn, in the said ward, on the
danger to the public health arising from bad sewer-
age and other causes, and to report our opinion
thereon, do certify that we have proceeded in the con-
sideration of both petitions, and been attended by the
deputy of the ward and the foreman of the inquest,
who represented that the principal objects contem-
plated thereby were to ensure an increased and ade-
quate supply of water, especially in the poorer
localities—an improved state of sewerage, with powers
to compel landlords of houses to drain such houses direct
into the sewers—an extended ventilation in narrow
and confined courts and alleys by widening the same,
and for restrictions being placed on common lodging-
house keepers as to the number of inmates to be
lodged and harboured.—(Hear.)
" That having taken the said statements into consi-
deration, we find with respect to the complaint as to
the supply of water, that the Commissioners of
Sewers have taken measures to remedy the same, and
have arranged with the New River Company to
grant a daily supply thereof to the various courts and
alleys within this city; which arrangement has been
carried into effect.—(Cheers.)
" That with regard to the extension of the sewers
in those localities, a considerable portion has been
effected under the direction of the Commissioners, and
contracts have been made by them for the formation
of additional sewers, which are proceeding as quickly
as circumstances will admit. That they have taken
legal proceedings to enforce the emptying, cleansing,
and repairing cesspools, privies, and drains on the
basement storeys of the houses requiring the same,
where the parties have neglected or refused to attend
to the representations of the Commissioners. That
many such parties, when applied to, have readily per-
formed the requisite works, whereby great benefits
have been conferred upon the inhabitants of those
localities, of which they are fully satisfied; and that
the Commissioners, finding they have not the power to
compel landlords to drain their houses into the sewers,
and that various other additional powers are required
to put the whole system of sewerage of this city into
the most perfect condition, have agreed to recommend
the Court to apply to Parliament in the next session
for an Act to amend and extend their present power,
with such additional powers as are necessary to meet
the public requirements, and so as effectually to
carry into execution the beneficial purposes contem-
plated by the petitioners, and have directed a Bill to
be prepared for these purposes, which Bill, when
ready, will be reported to this Court.—(Cheers.)
" With respect to that part of the petition which
recommends the widening narrow and confined courts
and alleys, instead of the formation of a new line of
street from Cannon-street to St. Paul's, your com-
mittee, have to report, that the Court having agreed
to the plan for such new street, and applied to Par-
liament in the last session for authority to effect the
same, and the Act authorising the formation thereof
having been passed, the outlay for which must of
necessity amount to a very considerable sum, they
are not at present prepared to recommend any ex-
tended or additional works, and are indeed already
restricted from proceeding with those thus authorised
till such time as the Court have agreed upon the mode
for raising the funds required for the same.
"It must be apparent that, however desirable it
may be to widen the narrow and confined courts and
alleys throughout the City, the same cannot be effec-
tually done without a general improvement of the
existing localities and the formation of the leading
streets and thoroughfares in their immediate vicinity ;
but we are led to believe, when the measures in con
templation for a more general system of private
drainage into the existing public sewers are fully
carried out, as well as the increased supply of water
now afforded, there will be little, if any, reason to
complain as to the sanitary state of this city.
" With reference to the allegation of powers being
obtained for placing restrictions upon lodging-house
keepers as to the number of inmates to be lodged and
housed, we do not offer any suggestion, the more
especially as her Majesty has been pleased to appoint
a commission to inquire what special means may be
requisite for the improvement of the health of the me-
tropolis, of which the chairman of your committee is
a member. That commission will, doubtless, among
other subjects referred to them, turn their attention
to this point.
" Connected with the foregoing subjects your com-
mittee beg to report that the Court was pleased, on
the 12th of March, 1846, to see a petition from the
working men of the metropolis, for furtherance of
the means of improving the sanitary condition of the
working classes, presented by the late Dr. Lynch.
which petition embraced most of the points alluded
to in the foregoing petitions, and prayed that a por-
tion of 20,0001. per annum agreed to be appropriated
by the Court for the public improvements within the
city might be devoted to the provision of suitable
abodes for the working classes ; this was duly
brought before us, and upon the last occasion when
we were attended by Dr. Lynch (December 16,
1846), he stated that the memorialists would prepare
and submit a plan for our consideration. Circum-
stances, however, occurred which prevented his so
doing, and we received no further communication
from him upon the subject, in consequence of which,
as well as from his melancholy decease, we have not
proceeded further with this reference, but beg to draw
the attention of the Court to the previous part of this
report upon the petitions of the Ist of July last as our
views and opinions in reply to the said petition.
" We avail ourselves of this opportunity of report-
ing, that in addition to the steps taken by the Com•
missioners of Sewers, as before stated, the Court of
Aldermen directed prosecutions to be instituted against