The Sun.
London, England, 1860-03-26 00:00:00

THE NEW METROPOLITAN MEAT

AND POULTRY MARKET.

DEPUTATION TO THE HOME SECRETARY.
A deputation attended on Saturday, by, appoint-
ment, at the Home-office, to explain to Sir G. C.
Lewis and the Hon. C. Gore the plan proposed by
the corporation for the erection of extensive whole-
sale markets to be connected by the Metropolitan
Railway with the abattoirs at the Cattle Market
and the great provincial railroads by which the
metropolis is now chiefly supplied. The deputation
consisted of Mr. Henry L. Taylor, chairman ; Mr.
Ross and Mr. Gibbons, members of the Markets
Improvement Committee; together with the City
Remembrancer, the City Solicitor, and the City
Architect. In consequence of the continued indis-
position of Sir G. C. Lewis, the deputation were
received by Mr. Waddington, one of the Under-
Secretaries of State, and by the Hon. C. Gore, Chief
Commissioner of her Majesty's Woods and Forests.
Mr. TAYLOR stated the objects contemplated by
the corporation, and the architect explained various
maps and models showing the position and charac-
ter of the proposed structure. The market is to be
600 feet in length by 240 feet in width, and from
20 to 30 feet in height. The site is north of Long-
lane, and will be surrounded on all sides by a road
60 feet wide.

Mr. WADDINGTON observed that since the last
interview the committee had had with the Home
Secretary he understood that some important
changes had been made in the design. He wished
to have those alterations explained, in order that he
might apprise Sir G. C. Lewis of their character
and extent.

Mr. TAYLOR said that the site, size, and shape of
the market would be precisely the same as he had
described them at the last meeting. The Home Sec-
retary, after that meeting, had signified to the cor-
poration the general approval by the Government
of the principle involved in the plan, but lie required
further information as to the mode contemplated '
for the appropriation of that part of the ancient site
south of Long-lane which was not to be used for the
market or surrounding roads ; that additional
information the committee had endeavoured to
supply by a letter addressed to the Chief Commis-
sioner of Woods and Forests, a copy of which had
been likewise sent to the Home Secretary. As
that letter had stated, the purchase of the land for
the market and roads was estimated by the archi-
tect at so large a sum, and the cost of such an ex-
tensive building was necessarily so large, as to
render the committee anxious, if possible, by con-
necting the market with the metropolitan railway
system, to obtain a rental for the use of the base-
ment floor, and both expedite and cheapen the con-
veyance of meat from the country as well as from
the abattoirs at the Metropolitan Cattle Market
into the new establishment. Unless this could be
accomplished, the committee had felt it necessary
to pause before they could recommend the Com-
mon Council to embark in such a great experiment.
Mr. GORE remarked that the proposed appropria-
tion of the site of Smithfield Market was not in
conformity with the recommendation of the com-
missioners who conducted an inquiry upon the sub-
ject in 1856; they recommended that it should be
retained as an open space.
Mr. TAYLOR observed that that recommendation
was principally founded upon the objection to have
buildings erected so as to impede the free circulation
of air. The present plan was not amenable to that
objection. Almost the whole of the ancient site
would be uncovered. The market itself would not
be so lofty as the houses it would displace. The
60 feet road by which it was intended to surround
the buildings would far more than compensate for
the small portion of the ancient site on which a part
of the market would stand. Unless the small por-
tion of ground not exceeding one-third of an acre
could be obtained for a descending waggon road to
the basement floor under the market, as shown in
the model, the railway companies would not con-
nect their lines with the market, for beneficial as
it would be to the public and the market that the
connection should take place, the profit on carrying
from 60,000 to 80,000 tons of meat a-year would
not be sufficient to remunerate them for their great
outlay. The return for their outlay must be sought
for in the saving of cartage upon City goods which
were now taken to and from Camden-town and
Paddington in waggons and vans.
The CITY SOLICITOR said he had already entered
into an arrangement with the railway companies,
by which one thousand of the industrious classes
would be taken out of town nightly, and brought
back daily, at a charge of one shilling each person.
If her Majesty's Government will: allow the rail-
way companies to employ the unproductive half
acre of the ancient site which they require to make
it worth their while to bring their railroads into
Smithfield, he had not the slightest doubt but that,
within two years from that time, they would see a
train started from that very spot, upon the terms
stated, with a thousand of the warehousemen, por-
ters, mechanics, and humble classes, who are now
compelled, by the force of circumstances, to inhabit
the unwholesome dwellings in that densely-popu-
lated neighbourhood. Assuming the average of
five to each family, the first result of this mighty
measure of social improvement would be to re-
lieve the City of fifty thousand of its over-crowded
population.
%Ir. Waddington and Mr. Gore then said that
they could not give any mower to the application