The Sun.
London, England, 1844-04-06 00:00:00

THE THAMES EMBANKMENT.

On Wednesday evening was held a meeting of the
Metropolitan Improvement Society, at their rooms, '
20, BedfOrd-street, Covent-garden, to take into con-
sideration the published plans of the Government
COmmission for an Embankment of the Thames.
Major-General Mercer, Dr. Southwood Smith,
Messieurs Frampton, Drew, Biers, Martin, Cantwell,
W. E. Hickson, Laxton, and other. gentlemen, took
part in the discussion. A general feeling of gratifica-
tion was expressed that the Commissioners had
adopted the principle of not merely embanking the
river, but of so embanking it as to form a continuous
thoroughfare between the bridges. From Whitehall-
place to Blackfriars-bridge, there would be a new
carriage-road, fifty feet in width, along the edge of
the river, including a pavement, of fifteen feet
for foot passengers. Within this line of road a series
of docks would be constructed to provide the needful
accommodation for the barges of wharfingers, who
would have the same facility of access to their pre-
mises as at present, so that it would not be necessary
to interfere with private property in any case. The
defects of the plan appeared to be—first, the imperfect
means of communication provided between the em-
bankment and the shore. These were on a very nig-
gardly scale, and, like the stations of
.railroads, con-
venient only to those living in their immediate neigh-
bourhood. No .public communication, for example,
was contemplated between Norfolk-street in the
Strand and Blaekfriars-bridge, so that a person
' might actually live within three .hundred yards of the
embankment, and not be able to approach it without
a weary walk of a mile. The principal termini of
the :roadway were also objectionable; it would be
entered at right angles bath at Blackfriars-bridge
and' hitehill-place, and the 'latter opening, in-
stead of one nearer Charing-cross, would be ex-
tremely circuitous and inconvenient to the whole of
the. inhabitants Of. the north-west of London. At the
city end, the embankment would be no relief to the
naiKow-and:Crowded:thoroughfare of Ludgate-hill, as
it might have been if carried along the shore, at least
as far as Southwark-bridge; and 'that part of the
plan, which provided a footpath only from Hunger-
ford-market to Westminster-bridge, and proposes to
give, up the.: ground: there from the river as
private gardens,' was strongly condemned. These
and other defects pointed out were, however, not of
a character which could not .be obviated as the work
proceeded. In the general outline of the plan there
was undoubted merit, and, as a whole, it was en-
titled to public support. The first step was the con-
struction of a new river walk, and it was the interest
of the publiC that this object shOuld be effected with
as little delay as possible. Various improvements
might after Wards be introduced in the internal line of
the embankment. Before the meeting broke up it
.was resolved that
.ft deputation from the Society
should unite With a deputation from the Master Car-

penters' Society to wait upon the Chancellor of the
Exchequer, with a view to such a remission of the
window duties as would enable builders to provide for
the ventilation of cellars, water-closets, &c., without
being subject to taxation.

During the past week three of the oldest and most
esteemed magistrates of the Metropolitan county have died,
viz.; Sir John Gibbons, the Rev. T. Cresswoll, and James
Otley, Esq.
[ADVERTISEMENT
ON THE VERGE OF TILE GRAVE ; OR, A MIRACU-
LOUS CURE BY HOLLOWAVS PILLS.—James Langley, a
ladies' shOemaker, residing in Allen-street, Goswell-street,
caught a violent cold about twelve months since, which,
being neglected, brought on a swelling of the legs and feet,
pains in the side and shoulders, night sweats, with inability
to keep food on his stomach ; indeed, he was at last reduced
to such a state of general weakness and debility that no one
thought he could long survive ; but, by the use of Holloway's
Pills, eVerY dangerous system quickly disappeared, and he is
now as hale and as hearty as ever he was in his life.—Sold at
Professor Holloway's Establishment, 244, Strand (where
advice may be had gratis); and by almost all respectable
veladurs of medicine throughout the civilised world.
A couple, who had been travelling the country
with a monster, partly in human shave, a short time since
took a house in Knott's-lane, in this city (Canterbury), and
left after a brief residence, having secured the being (if we
inaf so call it) in a closet. The neighbours, alarmed by
incessant scratching and hideous screeching, entered the
house, and on opening. the closet the thing rted out with
all the wildness of an infuriated being, increased.by hunger,
and flew at the persons present. It, was afterwards secured
and conveyed to the workhouse ; .and subsequently for-
warded to Chatham a person of this city, named Sayer, hav•,
ing the charge (Wit, Looking round on one occasion, he was
so much alarmed at its hideous grimaces, as to be thrown
into a fit of illness, under which he lingered till last week,
when he expired.—Kentisk Observer
The answer to inquiries in Portman-square on Thurs-
d'ayWas, that Mr. Hall had passed a 'better night, and
more favourable. the symptoms, were