The Sun.
London, England, 1866-10-05 00:00:00

A HISTORICAL PICTURE.

The Town Clerk read a letter addressed to the Lord
Mayor by Mr. Alex. Melville, of 34, Fitzroy-square. In that
the writer stated that for a considerable time he had been
engaged on a large historical picture commemorating the
splendid entertainment given to the Prince of Wales and
the Princess of Wales, on his Royal Highness receiving the
freedom of the city, on the Bth of June, in the Guildhall.
Having brought this work to the eve of completion, after
more than three years of unremitting study and continuous
labour, he naturally felt exceedingly anxious to know his
future prospects in respect to it. The picture, he said,
covered a canvas of 150 superficial feet square, or loft.
long by 10`t. high, a surface of most elaborate detail,
faithfully representing the hall with its decorations and
the interesting ceremony of the presentation of the golden
casket containing the freedom. It contained about 450 por-
traits, and encouraged by many expressions of approval
from members of the corporation, he vent ured to hope that
his exertions, supplemented as these had been by the valu-
able assistance of his wife, might be requited by their be-
coming the purchasers of the picture, and that it might be
thought worthy of a place in their municipal hall, a lasting
memorial of their public spirit and the general interest ex-
cited by the interesting and important event it commemo-
rates.

Upon tho motion of Mr. Deputy Fry, seconded by Mr.
Medwii, this communication was referred to the City
Lauds Committee to consider and report.

THE NEW STREET TO THE MANSION-HOUSE.

Alderman LAWRENCE said he held in his hand the annual
report to Parliament of the Metropolitan Board of Works
for 1862-63, in which it was stated that the bill for the for-
mation of the new street from Blackfriar's-bridge to the
Mansion-house would open up great facilities for commu-
nication, that the total length would be 1,150 yards, the
average width 70ft., and the total cost £624,000. He wished
to ask three questions—first, what progress had been made
in the making of that street ; secondly, had the Metropoli-
tan Board of Works determined not to commence the clear-
ing of the ground until they obtained possession of the
whole of the houses and lands from the Mansion-house to
Blackfriars-bridge; and, thirdly,what was the probable time
when the works would be commenced and completed for
traffic ?
Mr. H. L. TAYLOR said it was extremely easy to put a
string of questions, but not quite so easy for any one to
answer them. His replies would be brief. To the first
question he was authorised by the architect to say that the
claims relative to 233 houses had been settled, and tint
those respecting 111 others remained unsettled. His answer
to the second question was, that he believed the Metropo-
litan Board of Works would not pull clown a small batch of
houses. When they went to work they would make a good
sweep at once. In reply to the third question he could only
say that the pulling down of the houses would be com-
menced with the new year, and that in the course of that
year some very magnificout buildings would be reared in
their stead. (Hear, hear.)