The Sun.
London, England, 1866-12-04 00:00:00

Royal Institute of British Architects.

A. meeting of this association took place last even -
ing at the rooms of the institute, Conduit-street,
r.
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odo
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Dwellingsßc raei
Regent-street—Mr. I3eresford Hope, M.P., the
for ad a
papertepoo" tr." ~ihlelePlreaobrnleemd
gentleman commenced by reminding his audienc%
that they had already model dwelling-houses which
presented many features which he thought were ad-
vantageous to the interests of the labouring classes.
They were comfortable and wholesome habitations,
and were fitted with appliances to meet the require-
ments of the poor ; and, so far as these conditions
went, they had been highly successful and extremely
creditable to the present age. But a complaint had
arisen from those persona who had become the to.
nants that the rents were beyond their means, and
the builders of the tenements complained that, in a
business point of view, they received inadequate re-
turns for their money. These dwellings were se-
cured by a class altogether superior to the class for
whose accommodation they were intended, so that
the poor people, properly so called, were at the pre-
sent moment as unprovided as they ever were. It
was only by continuous efforts in various directions
that they were enabled in the course of time to ar-
rive at a solution of the question, and he had brought
the subject forward on this occasion, because the
problem was one that could best be solved by, archi-
tects if they would consent to give their attention to
it. In his present paper he would confine himself to
the dwellings of the poor in towns, but would re-
mark, in passing, that in the country wooden dwell-
ings were built for about £3O each. There were two
divisions of the question as regarded towns, because
there were two sections of the labouring portion of
the community in towns—the superior and the in-
ferior class. He now called attention to statistical
returns, which showed that the results of the visits.
tion of 1,500 houses in the parish of St. George,
llanover-square, were that families occupying three
rooms and upwards amounted to 8i per cent. ;
two rooms, 28 per cent. ; one room, 63/ per
cent. From this he naturally drew the conclusion
that a very large proportion of the working classes
occupied single rooms. The persons possessing three
beds and more were 13 per cent. ; those occupying
two beds, 44 per cent. ; and those possessing one
bed, 43 per cent. The idea that three bed-rooms
were the most encouraged in those dwellings was
therefore not a correct dogma ; and urged that
model plans were seldom adapted to the superior,
and never to the inferior, class. In his opinion the
argument was in favour of the adoption of single-room
accommodation at a rent not above 4s. a week. If
a labouring man was asked what he wanted he pointed
instinctively to a single room, and it was only right
that they should consider that the habits and wishes
of the labouring people were extremely simple. The
plan he would suggest was to constructsingle rooms
of large space; 20 feet in length and 17 feet in
depth, with a balcony in front 4 feet wide for access,
and a balcony behind 8 feet wide, as a back yard,
which would be serviceable for drying clothes and
useful as a play-ground for the children. There
must be one common staircase for all, and when
necessary they could have shifting partitions for
bed-room accommodation. He believed that one of
these rooms, without cross partitions, could be built
for £7O, and lie calculated that his plan would pro-
duce 9 per cent. to the capitilist —a consideration
which was doubtless of much importance, seeing
that people were not often satisfied with 5 per cent.
for their money.

A vote of thanks was passed to Professor Kerr
for his interesting paper, and the discussion thereon
was adjourned till the 17th inst.

Agricultural Prospects.

Last week opened with a wet morning up to 8
a.m., when it cleared, but was showery again in: the
afternoon. Monday morning was of a doubtful
fell.ch araclt\erri,adbuN.
but theNv. ;
weather held up, and no rain
thermometer, 42 deg. ; baro-
meter down to 29.60 in. Field-work has progressed
where in late districts it had not been finished ;
while the wheat first got into the ground has come
up well, with a strong and healthy appearance.
Some very fine samples of Chidham have always
been met with, and of the red sorts Nursery has
been very prime ;. both these descriptions are now
very valuable to the millers, and from the advanced
rates, strong efforts have been made to plant as much
as possible, in anticipation of such paying well
another year. The farmers are now thrashing more
imports
of and with larger deliveries and larger
of foreign a pause in the upward
experienced. It is just the time, te n
too,den fora
little been
dulness, and the course the trade will take must
hen
sumsr are
between this and Christmas, w
of the farm. Tuesday
required for various purposes
depend on the extent of the supply from the farmers
generally. In Northumberland it was stated
on well
last re
was a thick but favourable day, and late work went
4' The weather since our ort has, upon the p
whole, been fine for the time of the year." On the
west coast of Scotland the weather was reported to
,
have been very unsettled. Thursday was dull and
cold, inclining to frost. The weather in Warwick-
shire has been variable during the week—lieavy
fogs, a few hours' rain, and changeable winds ; but
on the whole favourable for out-door work. Now
that autumn sowing is nearly completed, we may
look for better supplies from the farmers. As re-
gards barley, those growers who succeeded in secur-
ing any samples without rain, of a fine and bright
colour, can command their own prices ; for the pale
ale brewers will have such, be the rate ever so high,
and so long as any can be found. Intermediate
sorts are more plentiful, and these sell at irregular
rates, and mostly on lower terms than of late. The
deliveries of this corn have been 6,380 quarters more
than those of wheat, showing that the farmers are
anxious to bring it more freely than any other,
and with the present prices they must be at least
satisfied this season. The brewers complain, how.
ever, of the high prices of malt, and are finding
out a substitute to bring the cost of beer down to
about the usual rate. Many of them have resorted to
the purchase of sugar, and the use of this extending
theehmou a should meetgood
among the large metropolitan brewers as more suit-
tahbelemfoars
mpourctieir
as
shan
possible,foria andsecure
le.Farmerscustomers for the remainder of the season. Friday
month
farm.
proved a fine day, sunny at times, nicely closing the
o afrNovember,
morningbeil g suitableregistered
ster fore d 5
all
deg.r
pork
on the
m.
Saturday and
of
frost, wind E. ; thermometer at noon, 35 deg., and
barometer down to\ 29 70 in., and still falling.—
Mark Lune Express'of yesterday.

The Imperial yacht the Aigle has been ordered to
prepare for a short voyage on the Italian coast. It
is said that this order is connected with the visit to
Rome of the Empress Eugenie. Her Majesey is ex-
pected to embark on the 4th of December.
[ADVERTISEMENT.] —Holloway's Ointment and Pills.—
The Joys of Home. —How often does it happen that happi-
ness is driven from our hearths by illness ? Sickness and
sorrow are constant companions, though in most cases
their tenure is short when Holloway's remedies are used to
dispossess them. These medicaments can be confidently
and heartily recommended to all invalids as the most easy,
safe, and certain means of preserving all that is good, and
casting out all that is corrupt externally and internally.
They aro universally applicable to both sexes in every dis-
ease. Holloway's medicaments do not deteriorate by being
cakenpt,benorp;racrheatsleiedir peverroypewrhtieerse,cahnadngtehde
pbryi
oelaimt
watl..4llTtlhieeyy_
aro sold is moderate.

HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE.

rxie DAY.—Morning, 12h. 6m.—Afternoon, 12h. 28m,
10-11oRRow.-Morning,, 12h. 50m.—Afternoon, lb. 12m,

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w 41.34,.. 4„_.,,,...,„ ;.Prymtlif Air \%,- um,

LONDON, TUESDAY, DEC. 4, 1866.

Finis coronat opus. The great Reform Demon-
stration has passed off creditably and satisfactorily,
without any misadventure to mar the recollection
of the occasion. It was a genuine working-man's
assembly, and, as such, there was nothing like
rioting, lawlessness, or rudeness. The men obeyed
the directions of their leaders, marched to the ap-
pointed spot, listened to the speeches and the reso-
lutions, and then quietly dispersed, most of them
starting homewards with very little delay. They
showed throughout the utmost good humour and
promptitude in complying with the requisitions of
the programme, and their good temper was the more
remarkable and commendable, because the weather
during the afternoon was anything but favourable.
However, in spite o the inevitable delays in such