The Sun.
London, England, 1867-10-04 00:00:00

the English people for their country's good would
I still continue to flourish. He added that
meetings like that which brought them
together
were of great service in counteract-
ing the mischief done by demagogues, and in show-
ing that the country would not be dictated to by
them, and refused to adopt the doctrines of Messrs.
BRIGHT, BEALES, and Co. It is certainly worthy of
motice that great confidence was expressed by all
these speakers in the working class2s, and no doubt
some of this advice here proffered would, if followed,
tend to the advantage of society, and create more
sympathy and communion of interest between the
middle and upper ranks on one side and the work-
ing men on the other.

IThe curious ingenuity with which in our public
works our legislators and reformers continue to con-
tradict themselves, and to defeat their own objects,
was yesterday brought to light by the meeting of
the Common Council. Mr. Alderman LAWRENCE,
M.P., began to catechise Mr. TAYLOR respecting
the new Mansion-house street, of which we have
heard so much and seen so little. Alderman LAW-
RENCE put four questions on the subject. 1.
Whether the Metropolitan Board of Works have
commenced pulling down any of the houses and
clearing the ground on the line of that portion
of the new street from the Mansion-house to ,
Blackfriars which lies between the Mansion-
house and Cannon-street. 2. Whether any railway
company possesses Parliamentary powers which
enable it to impede in any way the formation of
this position of the new street ? 3. Whether, if

• the Metropolitan Board of Works were so disposed
they might not complete and open for traffic the
street, irrespective altogether of the completion of
the street from Cannon-street to Blackfriars-bridge ?
4. Whether Mr. Taylor could state in what year
it was probable the new street from the Mansion-
house to Cannon-street would be open for public
traffic ? These questions, as Mr. TALYOR observed,
were all very important, and they were all also very
significant of the lack of system and consistency
in our public improvements. How can there be a
collision between the Parliamentary powers grante d
to any railway company and the long-projected
street which is so greatly required by the ever-
increasing necessities of the City traffic ? Yet Mr.
TAYLOR, in his reply to the questions put to him,
said that most of the properties from Cannon-
street to Earl-street were at present in course of
demolition, but that the great impediment to the
more rapid progress of the work was occasioned
by the Metropolitan District Company, whose
railway would extend from the Thannes Em-
bankment to the new street. He should
be glad indeed to see the street from Canton-street
to Earl-street opened for traffic in connection with
the railway, but he believed that such an opening
could not be made for some years hence. Mr.
TAYLOR at all events is not too sanguine, and is
determined not to raise false hopes, and will not
even fix the possible date of this far distant future.
The prospects of the new street from Canncn-street
to the Mansion-house are more hopeful, not being
impeded by any railway company, and consequently
hopes may be without extravagance inlulged
that the property there may be shortly :c;eared.
Even this, however, will only be effected within a
twelvemonth, so that although Mr. TAYLOR pro- '

raises, on behalf of the Metropolitan Board, tha

they will do all in their power to get the property
cleared and the land re-let, so that the street may
be opened without delay, it is likely to be a work
of time. It is no great wonder that some of the
citizens are losing patience and beginning to wonder
when the work is to end, since it is so long in getting
fairly begun. In granting the requisite parliamen-

tary powers, it is surely not too much to ask that
care should be had that one scheme should not
unnecessarily impede the -progress of another ; and
n the present overcrowded condition of London
streets, more especially in the heart of the city, we
may well expect that there should be no needless
delay, but that the improvements which have been
decided upon should be pushed forward with promp-
titude and vigour.

The new Town Hall of Preston was opened
yesterday, and the importance of the ceremony was
enhanced by the presence of the Duke of CAMBRIDGE,
who appeared to perform the duties of the day. The
Archbishop of YORK and other distinguished per-
sons also came, but the Earl of DERBY was unfor-
tunately prevented from attending from illness. All
went off well, and the Archbishop offered up an
appropriate prayer, expressing a hope that the district
might be preserved from those deeds of violence which
had taken place elsewhere. The Recorder of Preston
addressed some observations to the Royal Duke, to
which his Royal Highness replied that he was
deeply sensible of the compliment paid to him in
requesting him to take part in such a ceremonial,
and was happy to believe that the desire for his
presence had been prompted by attachment to the
Throne, and to the long-established institutions of
the country. The announcement of the Duke to
the effect that the Hall was opened, which was sub-
sequently made, was received with loud cheers.
The general interest of the scene was enhanced by
Madame LEMMENS-SHERRINGTON, a native of Pres-
ton, singing " God Save the Queen." It is always
satisfactory to hear of these affairs going off well,
and undertakings of this sort possess an interest
and importance that extend beyond the range of
the community to which they actually belong, and
because the value of their success is greatly en-
hanced.