Star.
London, England, 1830-06-15 00:00:00

u

No. 13,500.

THE NEW CEMETERY.

in a recent discussion in Parliament, on the presentation of a
petition on " interments in the Metropolis," Lord Viscount Low-
THZII said :—" I certainly should approve of any plan by which the
evil complained of might be remedied. The only burial.plsee over
which I had any control was that of St. Martin's Church and in
the late alterations which were made there, I directed that large
vaults or catacombs should be constructed, capable of containing all
the bodies which may be brought for interment in the parish for
many years to come." His Lordship was followed by Mr. PRO.
THEROIL, who stated that the example of the Noble Lord was a
Rood one ; and added, " I hope it will be followed by those who
have control over other burial-grounds ; but I think that, instead
of constructing catacombs or vaults of this kind, it would be much
better to introduce a measure for removing the burial of bodies,
under any circumstances, to a place distant from the metropolis."
Lord Viscount LOWTHER said, that, certainly, would be a still,
pester improvement, but it is, wholly beyond my control. Mr.
HOME—I believe it Is quitt beyond the Noble Lord's control, or,
that of any inclivishrid Member of this House. Nothing but an Act
of Parliament will be sufficient to remove the evil; and I think that
the time has now arrived when some legislative attempt should be
made for that purpose. Any one who has visited Naples, and many
parts of France, must have observed the decency with which the in-
terment of the dead is carried on in those countries ; and must, in
this respect, have seen many things to improve in our system. Four
years ago, I visited some of the churchyards and vaults of the metro-
polis; and I can state, from my own knowledge, that the most offen- I
sive effluvia came from them. lam not sufficiently a judge of the
fact to state bow far this may affect the health of the metropolis ; but
it does, in my opinion, deserve the serious attention of his Majesty's
Government. It is, I admit, a subject of very considerable deli-
cacy to talk of the removal of the bodies of persons buried ; but we
may prevent the evil for the future. We shall gradually depart,
and our places be supplied by others ; and if we begin the remedy
now, by adopting a plan of burial at a distance from the me-
tropolis, we may, before another generation shall have passed
away, correct the evil. As to the prayer of this petition,
though I am not in favour of pyramids for such purposes, yet
I think any plan would be an improvement upon our present
system. Mr. Spottistcoode.—The petitioner does not speak of a
pyramid; he speaks of a cemetery,. something similar to that of
Pire-la-Chaise.
Finding that none of our contemporaries have given any thing
like a general, or particular, view of the intentions of the " Gene.
ral Cemetery Company," we think it but justice to republish a few
detached passages from the prospectus ; and in doing so, we need
not add—what may have been collected from our previous notices
on the subject—that we unequivocally subscribe to the real utility
of the project. It would appear, then, that the " number of bu.
rials within the bills of mortality—as distinguished from the me.
tropolis—has absolutely decreased since the year 1700, according to
the bills of mortality; and, according to the parish register, cannot
be said to have increased, while the population, up to 1800, has in.
creased as 3to 2, from 885,000 to 1,060,500! !" And this not.
withstanding a very great impediment; since parishes, in order to
prevent the introduction of strangers--whereby they would more
frequently have to putchase a new ground, which parish funds can
but ill afford—generally charge double, sometimes treble, and earn
higher, or nest to prohibitory fees.
These facts being unquestioned and unquestionable, we have, in
conclusion, to narrate the conditions upon which the founders of the
cemetery propose to carry their praiseworthy undertaking into effect.
These are as follow :—" Subscribers may inspect copies of the tables
of fees payable in upwards of 100 places of interment, to satisfy
themselves of the pecuniary advantages likely to accrue when this
plan shall be carried into affect :—Vault to contain eight coffins, 200
guineas--50gs. was the sum required only two or three years back.—
For a non-parishioner, if buried In the catacombs in lead, 401.—Foe
every coffin the vault will contain, at the rate of 21 guineas—Pri-
vate vault, for each coffin, 40 guineas, exclusive of the fees to the mi.
nister, &e. &c.—For ground purchased, viz. 4 ft. 4 in. wide by 9 ft.
long—parishioner, 201. non-parishioner, 301.—For allowing an
monumental stone whatever to be placed in the burial ground, 201.
for a head and foot-stone ; 301. or 401. for a flat stone or ledger.--
Grave-stone under the church, and making thereunder a brick grave
Bft 9 in. long, by aft. 3 in. wide, 301. for a non-parishioner, 601.
Dues laying down gravestone under the middle aisle of the church,
201. non-parishioner, 401.—For permission to fix a tablet within the
church, 50 guineas."
The Society has been assured by several clergymen—incumbents
of large parishes--highly favourable to the intended plan, that they
wish the sums were even greater, as tablets are seldom ornamental
to the church, and the practice of interring, within the church, ought
to be restrained. We have thus explained the objects of the Cox.
PANT so clearly—we have given the marrow of the debate of a few
sensible men in the House of Commons, upon the subject—and
agreeing, as we do, on the especial usefulness and necessity for such
grave arrangements, we have only to add, that we warmly and soli-
citously trust, to have our bodies comfortably deposited in a London
Pere-la-chaise—quite out of the reach of an untimely resurrec-
tion.