The Sun.
London, England, 1857-04-21 00:00:00

rHE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, APRIL 21, 1857.

of space ; its " suburbs," or surrounding libraries,
750,000. The building is constructed principally of
Lon with brick arches between the main ribs; sup-
ported by2o iron piers, having a sectional area oflo
superficial feet to each, including the brick casing,
or 200 feet in all. This: wiring of space by the use
o' iron is remarkable, the piers of support on which
our dome rests only thus occupying 200 feet,
whereas the piers of the Pantheon of Rome fill
7,477 feet of area, and those of the Tomb of Mahomet
5,593. Upwards of 2,000 tons ofiron have been used
in the construction. The weight of the materials
used in the dome is about 4,200 tons—viz., up-
wards of 200 tons on each pier. The first standard
was only fixed in January, 1855. The framework
and scaffolding upon which the dome rested were re-
moved on the 2d of the following June. No sub-
sidence or " set" of material was observable on the
wedges being removed. The entire dome was roofed
in and copper covering laid in September, 1855.
The roof is formed into two separate spherical and
concentric air chambers, extending over the whole
surface ; one between the external covering and
brick vaulting, the object being the equalisation of
temperature during extremes of heat and cold out
of doors ; the other chamber, between the brick
vaulting and the internal visible surface, being
intended to carry off the vitiated air from the read-
ing-room. This ventilation is effected through
apertures in the soffites of the windows, and partly
by others at the top of the dome ; the bad air pass-
ing through outlets provided around the lantern.
In order to obviate the effects of condensation, all
the skylights, lanterns, and windows throughout
the building are double. The quantity of glass
used amounts to about 60,000 superficial feet. In
order to guard against the consequences of an
avalanche of snow falling from the dome on to the
surrounding libraries, the building has been carried
up outside perpendicular to such a height above
the spring of the arch as to form a gallery nine feet
in width, provided with proper outlets by which
the snow is intercepted.
This vast Dome contains ample and comfortable
accommodation for 300 readers. Each person will
have a separate table, 4 feet 3 inches long. lie is
screened from the opposite occupant by a longitu-
dinal division, which is fitted with a hinged desk
graduated on sloping racks, and a folding shelf for
spare
books. In the space between the two, which
is recessed, an inkstand is fixed, having suitable
penholders. Thus the whole table top is free from
writing implements or other embarrassments, and
every precaution is taken to preserve the books if
the readers will but use common care.
The framework of each table is of iron, forming
' air-distributing channels, which are contrived so
that the air may be delivered at the top of the lon-
gitudival screen division, above the level of the
heads of the readers, or, if desired, only at each end
pedestal of the tables, all the outlets being under
the control of valves. A tubular footrail also passes
from end to end of each table, which may have a
current of warm water passed through •it at plea-
sure, and be used as a footwarmor if the reader
have a slow circulation, or perchance there comes a
Moscow winter.
The Catalogue tables, with shelves under, and
air-distributing tubes between, are ranged in two
concentric circles around the central superin ts ndent's
enclosure or rostrum, the latter being fitted with
tables, ticket boxes, and with dwarf partitions sur-
mounted by glassscreens, dividing a passage leading
to the surrounding libraries. The pedestals of the
tables form tubes communicating with the air
chamber be!ow, which is six feet high and occupies
the whole area of the Reading-room. It is fitted
with hot-water pipes, arranged in radiating lines.
The supply of fresh air is obtained from a shaft 60
feet high, built on the north side of the north wing
about 300 feet distant, communicating with a tun-
nel or sub-way, which has branches or " loop-lines"
fitted with valves for diverting the current either
wholly through the heating apparatus, or through
the cold-air flues, or partly through either, as occa-
sion may require. The air channels are of suffi-
cient capacity to admit a supply of freSh air for 500
persons at the rate of 16 cubic feet per minute, and
at a velocity not exceeding 1.0 foot per second.
For summer ventilation steam pipes, placed at the
summit of the roofs and dome, will be heated, and
extract the foul air when the external and internal
temperature is unfavourable for the purpose.
The new Libraries now deserve description.
Their arrangement is equally remarkable and origi-
nal as the other parts of this immense and ingeni-
ous strusturo. It is calculated that the inner lib-
rary shelves in galleries within the Dome-room will
contain 80,000 volumes.
.Two lifts are placed at
convenient stations for the purpose of raising the
books to the level' of the several gallery fibers.
The bookcases are of novel and simple construc-
tion, the uprights or standards being formed of mal-
leable iron galvanised and framed together, having
hard wood inserted between the iron to receive
the brass pins upon which the shelves rest. The
framework of the bookcases forms the support for
the iron perforated floors of the gallery avenues,
and which are generally eight feet wide, he central
six ft et, being appropriated to the perforated floor,
and the remainder being a clear space between the
back of the books and the flooring, and by which
contrivance the light from the skylights (in all cases
extending to the full width of the avenues) is
thrown down the back of the books on each storey,
so that the lettering of the backs may be easily
discerned throughout the book ranges.
Tne shelves are formed of iron galvanised plates,
edged with wainscot and covered with russet hide
leather, and having a book-fall attached. They are
fitted at each end with galvanised iron leather
soovered, and wadded pads placed next the skeleton
bookcase framing, to prevent injury to the binding
when the books are taken out or replaced. Between
these pads the skele.on framing of the cases forms
an aperture, by which a current of air may pass
and ventilation be kept up throughout. The
shelves rest upon brass pins, the holes for which
are pierced at three-quarters of au inch apart from
centre to centre ; but by a contrivance in cranking
the shaft of the pin, which may be turned upwards
or downwards, this interval is practically halved,
and the position of the shelves may be altered time
eighths of an inch at a time. There aro 2,750,000
of these holes !
In all cases, except against the external walls, the
bookcases are double, the books being placed back
to back, a lattice of iron work being fixed for their
longitudinal separation, Thus, throughout the
whole interior of the new building there are no
walls, the division being in all cases formed of a
double range of books, back to back. The only
exception is at the shelving provided for news-
papers, a single range of which necessarily occu-
pies the space of two ranges of books. Three
thousand superficial feet of cases are provided for
newspapers.
For convenience of access to the galleries the
staircases have been placed so the, throughout the
building, they are within 40 feet of each other.
The building contains three miles lineal of book-
cases, and which in all the cases are eight feet high ;
assu wing them all to be spaced for the averaged
octavo book size, the entire ranges form 25 miles of
shelves. Assuming the shelves to be filled with
books, of paper of average thickness, the leaves
placed edge to edge would extend about 25,000
miles, or more than three times the diameter of the
globe !
The cost, about 150,000/., includes the fittings
and furniture and the necessary shelves for the
working of the existing library establishment i
The decoration of the interior dome is happily
an exception to the monotonous and dingy shadows
usually adopted in this country. Light colours and
the purest gilding have been preferred. The great
room, therefore, notwithstanding its circular shape,
has an illuminated and elegant aspect. The deco-
rative work may be shortly described :—The inner
surface of the dome is divided into 20 compart-
ments by moulded ribs, which are gilded with leaf
prepared from pure gold, the soffites being in orna-
mental patterns, and the edges touching the adjoin-
ing margins fringed with a leaf pattern scolloped
edge. Each compartment contains a circular
headed window, 27 feet high, and 12 feet wide,
with three panels above, the central one being me-
dallion-shaped, the whole bordered with gilt mould-
ings and lines, and the field of the panels finished
iu encaustic azure blue, the surrounding margins
being of a warm cream colour. The details of the
windows are treated in like manner,—the spandril
panels blue ; the enriched coltinin and pilaster caps,
the central flowers, the border moulding and lines
being gilded ; the margins cream colour through-
out upon the tops of the main ribs' rests. The
mould rim of the lantern light, a hich is gilded and
overcoated to correspond, is 40 feet diameter. The
Imperialpait,the The,
under
sash is formed of gilt moulded ribs of a ray-like
from a central medallion, in
which the Royal monogram is alternated with the
terminating
ers
fringe being
ggmafaotsrstmihveeed endsa intond
nice, from which the dome springs,
wathoas panelstg
iwlbtho
fourinel wholly gilded,
bounded
ornament.l dbeyd, i then es
Each compartment of the cornice is marked by a
bold enriched gilt cousale, which forms at once the
The
eipfoorett ofof
tthheesomraibins,
isTidbimaigundeda
fboarseoofloorssastlamtuarabryle.
statues, the alventt of which art we ardently in-
voke. nederrwcon. emanating

Between the cornice and the floor the space is
filled with the bookcases and galleries of access, the
cornice, standards, and railings of which are wholly
gilded, the panels of the sotlites of the latter being
blue, having gilded ornaments therein.
' The tables and attendants' enclosures are of
wainscof„ the chairs of mahogany, the doors being
coverer' with Kamp-tulicon.
The main entrance into the new reading-room is
tiixvos.from the great Hall, and there are secondary

entrances via tin King's Library and the Great
Northern Library rooms.

We should not do justice if we omitted to give
credit to those who richly deerve it for individual
aid in this invaluable service of the public. To
Mr. Panizzi, as we have shown, is due the merit of
the first conception of a single and sufficient struc-
ture. His indefatigable industry and his untiring
interest in the Museum have been devoted to the
daily inspection of the works, and he has originated
constant and valuable suggeztions in the course of
their progress. Some of the trustees have given a
similar attention and individual aid. The archi-
tect, Mr. Smirke, has his merit in the preparation
of the original and first designs. The contractors,
Messrs. Baker and Fielder, share no common de-
serts in their professional labours. Indeed, the
skill, perseverance, and ingenious resources of their
managing partner, Mr. Fielder, have been beyond
all praise. All worked together, we understand,
without vanity or jealousy, to complete a public
reading-room worthy the Museum and their cowl try.
It is gratifying to record that such a vast and lofty
building has been completed without loss of a single
life or any'serious accident.

The vexed question of the new catalogue need
not be mooted. In fact, the real progress of that
laborious and unprecedented undertaking is now
unquestionable. The amalgamation of the several
catalogues, which are drawn up on various
plant, with one catalogue prepared on a uniform
plan, is prone ?ding rapidly. Letters A, B, C,
D, E, F constitute about one third of the en-
tire catalogue, and this portion completed will be
placed in the new reading-room on its opening ;
it will be comprised in 500 volumes. The comple-
tion of this Herculean work is now under the re-
sponsible superintendence of Mr. J. Winter Jones,
the intelligent successor of Mr. Panizzi in the
keepership of the department of printed books, Mr.
Panizzi being now the Principal Librarian.
It may be the subject of vain regret that such a
public building, so perfect and grand within, has no
architectural exterior or outward presence. But it
must be obvious to all our readers acquainted with
the limited area of the Museum ground, and with
the extensive buildings already erected, that no
sufficient or tolerable new frontage existed consis-
tent with the proper and more important objects of
the new erection. An improved reading-room was
the public want and constant demand—an object of
utility, not of ornament. Further, any exterior
architecture would have been at an enormous cost,
for which the House of Commons would not have
been justified in providing the means. We must,
for our generation probably, be content with this
large gain of reading accommodation, superior to
any afforded by our continental rivals.
We intended to have given the statistics of the
chief foreign libraries, of Paris, St. Petersburg,
Munich, Copenhagen, Berlin, Vienna, Dresden,
Madrid, and the Vatican—not for vain-glorious or
jealous comparison—all more or less possessed of
invaluable and particular treasures, but our limits
will not now permit the detail. The fact, however,
may be stated, that in number of volumes is the
British Museum excelled by the Imperial Library
of France alone. Ours, ere many years, with the
increase of room and publicatious, may obtain pre-
cedence in bulk. In value we are already without
a rival, and now in sumptuous accommodation for
readers we surpass every similar institution in the
world. The completion of the new reading-room
is an era in the reign of Victoria.—Times.

LAW INTELLIGEN6B.-April 20.

ARCHES COURT.
(Before Sir John Dodson.)
ARCHDEACON DENISON'S APPEAL.
DENISON, CLERK, V. DITCHER, CLERK.
This was an appeal from the decision of the Arch-
bishop of Canterbury, sitting at Bath as pro-dio-
cesan in the matter of certain articles administered
at the instance of the Rev. Joseph Ditcher, vicar
of South Brent in the county of Somerset, to the
Venerable George Anthony Denison, vicar of East
Brent, and Archdeacon of Taunton. The proceed-
ings had been instituted under the 13th of Eliza-
beth, intituled "An Act for the Ministers of the
Church to be of Sound Religion," under the pro-
visions of which the latter gentleman bad been
sentenced to deprivation of all his ecclesiastical pro-
motions for an alleged infraction of the 28th and.
29th Articles. The material part of the pro-dio-
cesan's judgment, it may be remembered, was in
the following terms :
" That whereas the said archdeacon, in a sermon
preached by him in the Cathedral Church of
Wells, on Sunday, the 7th of August, 1853, did
advisedly maintain and affirm,
" That the Body and Blood of Christ, being
really present after an immaterial and spiritual
manner in the consecrated bread and wine, are
therein and thereby given to all, and are received
by all who come to the Lord's table ; and,
" That to all who come to the Lord's table, to
those who eat and drink worthily, and to those who
eat and drink unworthily, th• Body and Blood of
Christ are given ; and that by all who come to the
Lord's table, by those who eat and drink worthily,
and by those who eat and drink unworthily, the
Body and Blood of Christ are received ;'
" We, the said archbishop, with the assistance and
unanimous concurrence of our assessors did deter-
mine that the doctrine in the raid passages was
directly contrary and repugnant to the 28th and
29th of the said Articles of Religion mentioned
in the aforesaid statute of Queen Elizabeth, and
that the construction put upon the said Articles
of Religion by the Venerable the Archdeacon
of Taunton—viz., that the Body and Blood of
Christ become so joined to, and become so present
in, the consecrated elements by the act of consecra-
tion, that the unworthy receivers receive in the
elements the Body and Blood of Christ is not the
true or admissible construction of the said Articles
of Religion, and that the true and legal exposition
of the said Articles is, that the Body and Blood of
Christ are taken and received by the worthy re-
ceivers only, who, i►► taking and receiving the same
by faith, do spiritually eat the Flesh of Christ and
drink his Blood, while the wicked and unworthy,
by eating the bread and drinking the wine, with-
out faith, do not in anywise eat, take, or receive
the Body and Blood of Christ, being void of faith,
whereby only the Body and Blood of Christ can be
eaten, taken, and received." . . . And where-
as the said sermon or discourse contains the follow-
ing among other passages, . . .
" It is not true that the consecrated bread and
wine are changed in their natural substances, for
they remain in their very natural substances, and
therefore may not be adored. It is true that wor-
ship is due to the real, though invisible and super-
natural presence of the Body and Blood of Christ
in the Holy Eucharist, under the form of bread
and wine'—we, the said Archbishop, with the as-
sistaece of our said assessors, did determine that
the doctrines in the said passages are directly con-
trary and repugnant to the 28th and 29th of the
said Articles of Religion." In another passage of
the judgment similar doctrines set forth in a sermon
preached in Wells Cathedral on the 6th of Nov.,
1853, were likewise condemned.
The two articles referred to are in the following
terms :--
"XXTIII.—Of the Lord's Supper. —Th e Supper
of the Lord is not only a sign of the love that
Christians ought to have among themselves one to
another, but rather is a sacrament of our redemp-
tion by Christ's death, insomuch that to such as
rightly, worthily, and with faith receive the same,
the bread ' which we break is a partaking of the
Body of Christ ; and likewise the cup of blessing is
a partaking of the Blood of Christ. Transubstan-
tiation (or the change of the substance of the bread
and wine) in the Supper of the Lord, cannot be
proved by Holy Writ, but is repugnant to the
plain words of Scripture, overthroweth the nature
of a sacrament, and haPa given occasion to many
superstitions. The Body of Christ is given, taken,
and eaten in the supper only after a heavenly and
spiritual manner. And the mean whereby the Body
of Christ is received and eaten, is Faith. The
sacrament of the Lord's Supper was not by Christ's
ordinance reserved, carried about, lifted up, or wor-
shipped."

‘"XXIX.—Of the wicked, which eat not the
Body of Christ in the use of the Lord's Supper.—
The wicked, and such as be void of a lively faith,
although they do carnally and visibly press with
their teeth (as St. Augustine saith) the sacrament
of the Body and Blood of Christ, yet in no wise
are they partakers of Christ ; but rather to their
condemnation do they eat and drink the sign or
sacrament of so great a thing."
Dr. Phillimore and Dr. Deane appeared for the
archdeacon ; Dr. Bayford and Dr. Spinks for Mr.
Ditcher. Mr. Ditcher and half a dozen other
clergymen were present, but the case did not ap-
pear to excite much general interest.
Dr. Phillunora said be had tendered in the court
below a protest containing five pleas against the re-
port of the commissioners who had sat at Cleve-
land, and upon the report of whom the subsequent
proceedings were all founded. If these pleas, or
any of them, were held to be valid, they would put
an end to the case ; and it would, therefore, pro-
bably the most convenient course to argue the
protest first. The five pleas of the protest were as
follows :-1. That the proceedings of the commis-

limners were null and void by reason of the rejec-
tion of a plea tendered before them, and called re-
cusat:o judicuna. 2. That the commissioners had
refused to bear the defendant either by himself or
by his agent upon the subject on which he stood
charged. 3. Because the requisitions of the statute
with respect to the filing of the depositions, pro-
ceedings, and report of the commissioners had not
been complicd with, the documents having been

filed in the diocese of London instead of in the dio-
cese of Bath and Wells. 4. That the ArchbiShop
having sum atoned the de,fendant t o appear before him
at Doctor's-common, the archdeacon duly-at tended ;
and, as no charges had 13, en proceeded with against
him, he was entitled to be dismissed. 5. That
more than two years had elapsed between the
alleged commission of the last offence charged, and
the day on which the archdeacon was cited to ap-
pear before thew chbishop of Bath. A second pro-
test had &so been filed to the effect that, inasmuch
as the 29th article was not in the imprinted Book
of Articles mentioned in the statute of the 13th of
Elizabeth, the defendant could not be puni-hed
under that act for any alleged contravention of that
article. He (Dr. Philmore) suggested that these
protests should be disposed of before they went
into the merits of the case itself.

Dr. Bayford objected to this course as being
likely to protract the proceedings to an enormous
length.
The Court, however, decided to hear Dr. Philli-
more on the fifth article of the former protest.
Dr. Phillimore said the archdeacon had preached
three sermons on the Holy Eucharist—the first
on the 7th of August, 1853 ; the .second on the
6th of in the same year ; and the third
on the 14th Nov.,f
May, 1854. The charges relating to
this last, however, the court below had not re-
garded as proved, for the archbishop did not make
the least reference to it in his sent rice ; and it
would, therefore, not be competent for the pre-
sent court to eutertain any charges in connexion
with the third sermon. Mr. Ditcher made an ap-
plication to the archbishop on the 20th of October,
1854, and the commission was issued on the 30th
of November in that year. It met on the 3d of
January, 1555, and male its report on the 10th.
The alleged aiticles against the archdeacon were
served on the archdeacon on the 4th of August,
1855. The citation of the archdeacon to attend at
Doctors'-commons was dated the sth of May last ;
and that to appear at Bath was served on the 10th
of June. Now, he (Dr. Phillimore) contended
that the proceedings were not instituted within
the meaning of the 20th section of the Church
Discipline Act till this last date ; and that, there-
fore, the suit was barred by the statute. The object
of the preliminary commission was not to inquire
whether "further proccedings"shouH be taken, but
whether there were any grounds "to institute pro-
ceedings" at all. Such was the language of the sth,
7th, 13th, and other clauses • and the 20th clause
must therefore be construed in conformity with
that use of the term. The point had, moreover,
been decided by Sir H. Jenner, in the case of
" Brooks v. Cresswell" (Robertson's Ecclesiastical
Reports, vol. I.), whore it had teen held that the
proceedings commenced from the date of the cita-
tion. The same thing had also been decided by
the learned judge himself in the case of the "Bishop
of Hereford v. Thompson" (Robertson's Ecclesias-
tical Reports, vol. If.) At any rate it must be
admitted that the quest on was one of very grave
doubt ; and, such being the case, the defendant
was entitled by every principle of English juris-
prudence to the benefit of that doubt.
Dr. Deane was a'so heard on the
Dr. Bayford contended that the commencement
of the proceeding dated from the notice of the
archbishop to issue the commission ; or, at any
rate, from the time a copy of the criminal articles
were served upon the archdeacon, which was on
the 4th of August, 1855, three clear days within the
two years from the date of the first sermon. But
that was not all. The court at Bath was the mere
creature of the Clergy Discipline Act, and to this day
was literally without a name. It would be absurd,
therefore, to hold it bound by the rules which had
been established by long usage in the regular
courts of law. Moreover, the alleged " citation"
was not a " citation" in any technical sense' it was
merely a notice when and where the court would
be held. Anyhow, Mr. Ditcher had done every-
thing in his power to expedite the proceedings, and
if delay- had occurred the court would not hold him
responsible for the inches of the archbishop, whom
it had been found necessary to compel by manda-
mus to proceed at all. Lastly, the Court of Queen's
Bench had virtually decided by the manner in which
it spoke of the case, that the proceedings at Bath
were the cont;nuation of a suit already begun, not
the commencement of a new one.

Dr. Spinks was proceeding to address the court
on the same side, but
Sir J. Dodton adjourned the discussion till this
day.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE-April 20.

MANSION-HOUSE.—Mr. D. W. Harvey, the
commissioner of police, and Mr. J. Macgregor, and
Mr. M. Ware, two members of the committee of
the Ragged School Shoe Black Society, attended at
the justice-room.
Mr. Harvey, addressing the Lord Mayor, said—
It has been ft equently represented to the presiding
magistrate in this court, that the police interfere
with boys who are endeavouring to earn, as it is
stated, au honest livelihood by cleaning the shoes of
those who apply to them, such boys not belonging
to the society known as the Boys Shoe Black So-
ciety. In order that the public may understand
the principles upon which both this society and the
police act in reference to these boys, it is necessary
that their minds should be disabused, and that
they should understand how utterly impracticable
it is to pursue the course that has been suggested,
namely, of alldwing every boy to obtain what is called
an honest livelihood without the intervention of
the police ; whereas, we wish to represent to
your lordship that unless these boys submit to
government, and are under those regulations which
the gentlemen who are here representing the society
feel necessary, the result must be that they must be
all forbidden ; became if it is once understood that
any boy may place himself where he pleases in the
City with his box and brushes, pressing to clean the
shoes of passers-by, the inconvenience will become
altogether intolerable ; while, ou the other hand, if
boys have their allotted localities, and submit to
wholesome regulations, it is a great advantage to
them, and not loss to the public.
Mr. Macgregor, as a member of the Ragged
School Seciety,c'begged leave to explain the matter.
There are two sorts of shoeblacks—those who are
under regulation, and those who are free to do as
they please. The boys who are under system be-
long to four societies, all of which are managed in
the same way by gentlemen connected with the
Ragged School. The bays are selected for good
conduct from the Ragged School ; they are under a
regular system of discipline and control ; they come
at fixed hours ; they go to fixe places ;
they go in fixed numbers, and they have a fixed•
rate of payment proportionate to their earnings. A
regular system of discipline and of promotion, of
reward and punishment is established, and theirre-
ligious and iitellectual education, as well as their
advancement in life, and their preparation for emi-
gration, is attended to. This costs a considerable
deal of trouble, but I am happy to say that, al-
though very expensive, the whole expenses fi om
one end to the other are, in the oldest of the foiir
societies, entirely borne by the boys ; and this is the
fist instance of a self-supporting reformatory insti-
tution in the world. The other boys seen in the
streets earning money by shoe blacking are wholly
without control, they leave at such times as they
please, in such numbers as they please, and forsuch
purposes as they please. No person is responsible
for their conduct, and the question is whether
the boys shall be wholly left without con•rol,
or whether the discipline that is now extended
to those in the Shoe-black Society shall be such
a warrant to the public for their good
management as would justify the publice in com-
mitting to the police that exercise of their discretion
which is already vested in other eases in the streets
The earnings or amount of money taken by the
Shoe-black Society have been about 2,5001. during
the past year. We think some arrangement ought
to be made by which the boys who do not belong
to the society should not become an annoyar.ce to
the public.
The Lord Mayor—l am glad the Commissioner
has come to see me upon this subject, because, like
many others, I have felt the great evil likely to
arise from what we wish to be a great advantage to
the public. I at one time thought that one boy had
as much right to wand in the street and black shoes
as another. During the last two or three months I
have been watching and have paid great attention
to these boys, and I believe that the pretence of
blacking shoes has been made the means of congre-
gating pickpockets and thieves, whose system is al-
most as well organised as that of the Shoe-black.
Society. Certainly, the bays belonging to the so-
ciety do conduct themselves most properly, and
since I have occupied this chair not a single charge
has been brought against them. If after this the
Commissioner complains to me of annoyance to the
public occasioned by boys who aro not under the
control and government of the society, I shall im-
mediately endeavour to put a stop to it. I should
feel myself perfectly justified in punishing any boys
who obstruct the public streets by blacking the
shots of passers-by, unless they are under proper
control. If you were to form a brigade for sweep-
ing crossings as well as for blacking shoes, I believe
you might'employ about 1,000 boys in the metro-
polis, and I am sure that passengers would willingly
give them a ld. or ld. for their labour. Unfortu-
nately the present-crossing sweepers are a very 'dis-
reputable class, and on a ditty day as soon as they
have got a pocketful of halfpence they leave their
station, and not unfrequently spend their earnings
in drink.

Mr. Ware—By the end of this Week I believe
that a plan similar to that ligge*ted by your ic3A-