The Sun.
London, England, 1844-11-09 00:00:00

°,

, C_

Mr. LE BRETON thought the difference so very
great between the prices, in the two districts, that it,
at least, justified some further inquiry into the matter.
The CHAIRMAN—There could be no possible com-
parison between the two. The sewers were different
in formation, the materials -were- different, and the
depths of digging were also very different.
Mr. GUTTER asked if the mode of contracting in
the Holborn and Finsbury division was like the mode
pursued by that Court ?
The CHAIRMAN—No,; they contracted by the job.
Mr. LE,BanToN.—Which was the better way ?
Mr. LESLIE then proposed a resolution, to the ef-
fect that, owing to the vague and imperfect manner
in which the bills of particulars had been made,
they containing many items not likely to be required,
that Court determined to receive fresh contracts fel-
their works in the Ranelagh and Counters creek
district.
Mr. GUNTER seconde I the resolution.

An amendment was moved by Mr. BEECH' and Fe-
conded, that Messrs. Hazlitt and Bonnin's tender Le
accepted.
A lengthened discussion arose upon the question,
Mr. Leslie explaining, at considerable length, the
(Efferent modes in which contracts were made by tht
different Cemmissions. He adverted to, the Jacts,
that the lowest candidates on that day had reduced
their tender to an amount of some 2601. from that
which they had put in a fortnight bef,re ; that there
were only three candidates in all, arising, he ha.l
no doubt, from the discouragement of public compe-
tition by the system pursued in that Court. Ile had
found that, supposing the Bow-street sewer to have
been built according to the Holborn and Finsbury con
tract, that the saving in digging alone would be about
3501. That was surely enough to make them pante
ere they proceeded further in the matter. Perhaps
clause in that .Commission's Act of Parliament could
satisfactorily explain the better management of affairs
there. It was enacted, under a penalty of 1001., that
no person interested in the question at issue should
sit in that Court. The Hon. Commissioner then gave
the relative depths of works done at the rate of

18s. 6d. per foot run in the Holborn and Finsbury
division, and argued therefrom that contracts should
be taken by "the job," as more likely to encourage
competition.
The CHAIRMAN said there was no parallel to Le
drawn between the works done in Bow-street and the
line to which Mr. Leslie had alluded. The aN erage
depth of the Holborn and Finsbury works was sixteen
feet, while in Bow-street the average depth was
twenty-four feet, and that, too, through gropnd of the
most difficult character—a running sand. Mr. Ben-
nett had been a great loser by the Holborn works,
and the fact was apparent, for the second tender was
greatly higher. It would have been impossible for
him to continue the works at those prices. But he
(the Chairman) maintained that no public body was
justified in getting their works done out of the pockets
of the contractors. There was another fact in the
system pursued by the Holborn and Finsbury district
which materially reduced the expenses of the con-
tractor. If he were to use old bricks, and be was
allowed to do so, they would be charged only 20s. a
thousand, and, in the great quantity of bricks used, this
made a most essential difference to him--

Mr. BErcu—Of course, when new bricks would-
be charged 365.
The CHAIRMAN—Then, again, he was allowed to
use the pit sand instead of sharp river sand, and this
also made an important difference. He (the Chair=
man) knew an eminent builder, and he had said to
him that he had some few years ago been allowed to
use pit sand in one of his buildings, and the mortar
was at that time actually rotten ; and so dissatisfied
was he with the result, that he stated he would rather
have lost in the first instance 1,000/. out of his own
pocket than used it. The Chairman was of opinion
that the tender given -in that day by 'Messrs.
Hazlitt and Bonnin was a moderate one, and should be
accepted.
The amendment and the original motion were then
put, when the former was carried by a majority of six.
Messrs. llazlitt and Bonnin were then c•illed in,
and informed that their tender was accepted ; but
these gentlemen begged to withdraw if the whole
works in the district could not be guaranteed them.
Their resignation was received, when--
Mr. LESLIE again urge I that further competition
should be invited.

Mr. Noon moved, and Mr. LOCKE seconded, that
the next tender should be accepted. The motion was
carried, but Mr. Todd resigned the contract on the
same ground that the first parties had.
Mr. LESLIE renewed his application, but again un-
successfully, for it was carried that the third and only
candidate should have the offer of the works. Ile
also declined to accept them, and for the. ame re inn.

Mr. LESLIE inquired" whether, under tl ese un-
paralleled circumstances, it would not be worth tbetr
while to try the plans he had all that day been ad-
vocating. It was very evident that the bills of par-
ticulars were either not understood, or looked at with
suspicion. _ _ .

The CIItIRMAN was of opinion that the Court was
degraded in the eyes of all contractors, by its never-
ending efforts to cramp them in their operations.
After much r(crimination, the Court adjourned, it
being understood that the subject of the contracts
should be considered again next Friday.

COURSE OF EXCIIM
A mo.erd filll CF. 12 6
Ditto, at sight l2 4
Rotterdam 2U. 12 61
Antwerp
flamburgh M.B. 13 13
Aitona l3 13
Paris, 3 days' sight 25 65
Ditto, 3 months 25 90
Marseilles
lourdeaux 25 95
Frankfort on Maine l2l
Petersburgh, 3Us 37
Berlin 7

Vienna, efree. ft. 3M. 953

Trieste, ditto
Madrid 36

Cadiz
Bilbao 36
Barcelona 36
Se ills

714E.—(YESTERDAY.)
Gibraltar
Leghorn
Genoa 25 85
Milan
Venice ..
Naples ........
Palermo, per oz llB
Lisbon
Oporto 55
Rio Janeiro 23
Bahia 23
Buenos Ayres
NewYork,2ldys sight
Philadelphia
PRICES OF BULLION, rrr. oz.
Foreign Gold, bars. £3 17 9
Portugal Gold Coin 3 17 5
New Doubloons U U 0
New Dollars 0 4 9;;
Silver in Bars 0 4 na

LLOYD'S SHIPPING.
EAST INDIA SHIPPING.

Arrival3—Fairy Queen, Owen, from It:imbue, off Ply-
mouth, sailed Sept. 11, and from St. Helena Sept. 18.
Arrivals at St. Helena—Pink, Patterson, Sept. 13,
from C mit of Africa, and sailed 14th to Glasgow; John
l'irie, Morice, from Coast of Africa, and sailed 15th to
Plymouth: Sarah Charlotte, I)unnet, from Cape, and
sailed 14th to London ; Dryad, Hanson, 14th, from
Singapore, and sailed 15th to Liverpool; Rowley, Ewing,
16th, from Coast of Africa, and sailed 16th to Cork;
Beatrice, from Coast of Africa, and sailed 16th to Bar-.
'badoes; Margaret, Leitch, 17th, from Coast of Africa.
and sailed 18th to Cork; Jane, Pitt, 17th, from Coast of
• Africa, to iiarbadoes ; Victoria, White, 17th ; Lord
Johnston ; Guiana, Anderson ; Thomas Bat-
tersby, Eccles; Fairfield, Abbott, 17th; Superb, M`Kin-
non, 18th ; Margaret Boyle, Morrison ; James Dean,
Campbell; Lady Raffles, Craigie, 18th, all from Ichabue
to Cork; Hope, Crays ford, from China to Dubl:n.
• Departures from St. Helena—Her Majesty's ship
Albatross, Sept. 16tb, to West Coast of Africa.

SWEARING IN OF THE NEW LORD MAYOR..--AC-
cording to annual custom, the Lord Mayor elect Was'
yesterday sworn into his office or Chief Magistrate •
the City of London, at Guildhall. Sir William Magnay,
Bart., the retiring Lord Mayor, being a member of the
Stationcrs' Company, that body took a conspicuous part
in the ceremonial, as did also the Fishmongers' Com-
pany, of which the Lord Mayor elect is a member.
The principal members of these two companies and the
various civic functionaries proceeded to the Mansion-
house about one o'clock. They were there met by the-
new Lord Mayor, and having partaken of an elegant
.thjeuner a la fourchette, the whole party proceeded to
the Guildhall, where the ceremony of swearing in took
place. The ball had a very splendid appearance, being
all in readineSs for the banquet this day. His Lord-
ship elect arrived shortly after that hour in his private
carriage, and was accompanied only by his son, the
clergyman. He looked in good health and spirits, and
was smiling es he alighted from the carriage.
INTERESTING TO LADIES.

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