The Sun.
London, England, 1842-06-16 00:00:00

METROPOLITAN IMPROVE•
MENTS.

Yesterday a deputation from the Metropolitan Improvement
Society, headed by Lord Robert Grosvenor, had an interview
with Sir Robert Peel, in Downing-street, the Earl of Lincoln,
Chief Commissioner of Woods and Foreks, being also present.
The Deputation consisted of the following gentlemen :--Lord
Robert Grosvenor, M. P., Sir Charles Leman, Bart., M.P.,
Hon. H. Fitzroy, M.P., Gaily Knight, Esq., M.P., J. Wyse,
Esq., M.P., Dr. Bowring. M.P., Colonel Sykes, H. I. Hope,
Esq., H. E. Hickson, Esq., Dr. Southwood Smith, J. L. Do-
naldson, Esq., S. Mills, Esq., C. Fowler, Esq , J. Martin,
Esq., G. Godwin, Jun., Esq., J. Dillon, Esq., T. Oldfield,
Esq., H. Austin, Esq., and other gentlemen.
One object of the Deputation was, that Government should
advise with the Commissioners of Woods and Forests, and other
competent
.parties, upon the practicability of carrying out the
plans now in progress upon a scale better adapted to the end
proposed. But the principal object of the deputation was to
obtain a better agency for future improvements than that which
had hitherto been employed. They wished, as a basis for fu-
ture legislation on this subject, thit Government should cause
to be prepared an official scientific report upon the general cha-
racter of the improvements reqaired in the metropolis, in re-
ference to new thoroughfares and open spaces, roads connecting
the railroad termini, the most practicable means of throwing
open the banks of the Thames, and the steps to be taken for the
drainage of unhealthy districts.
The Deputation did not propose a commission in the ordi-
nary sense of the word ; they did not wish to see the subject
intrusted to a board of virtuosi of amateur architects, or of
parties who might be interested in any of the plans which had
been discussed by the Committee of the House of Commons.
They desired to see a report from parties possessing the special
qualifications
,required in the highest degree, and upon which
two or three of our first civil engineers and architects, or sur-
veyors, of equal ability to those who had been employed in the
Irish survey, would stake their professional character.
Sir R. PEEL said, that without troubling the Deputation to
enter into any particular explanation, he might at once say
that the subject was one which had engaged his serious atten-
tion, and that with the general 'views expressed by the Depu-
tation his own opinions coincided. Without pledging himself
to the exact course which he might deem it desirable to take
relative to the appointment of any board. he certainly
thought that the object would be promoted by taking a
broad and comprehensive view of the whole subject, instead
of legislating wholly upon detail; and that for this pur-
pose a Committee of the House of Commons—open, perhaps,
to local influence—was not the most desirable body to
whom such an inquiry should be intrusted. fie might fur-
ther add, that as the object appeared to him one of pa-
ramount importance, both in reference to the sanatory state
'of the poorer districts, and the greater facilities of communi-
cation required, he did not think the consideration of a merely
trifling expense should stand in the way, and he should pro-
bably not hesitate to propose such a grant as would be sufficient
to render the inquiry effectual. Some conversation then en-
sued relative to the character of the improvements now in
progress, plans of which were produced ; Lord Grosvenor
especially urging the attention of Sir R. Peel to the fact,
that if the formation of the new main thoroughfare streets
were built of a width of 52 feet where 60 feet at l..est were
required, and made crooked where they ought to be straight,
the opportunity lust might be eternally regretted, but could
never be recalled.

Mr. MILLS. Chairman of the Commissioners of Sewers for
Finsbury, in adverting to the importance of drainage, expressed
a hope for the speedy publication of the evidence which had
been taken by the Poor-law Commissioners relative to sewer-
age, and the Deputation took their leave, Lord Robert Gros-
venor thanking Sir Robert Peel, in the name of every gentle-
man present and of the public, for the extremely satisfactory
result of the interview.

IRELAND.
CLARE RIOTS.

Duntaw, Juwx 14.—The Government inquiry commenced
on Friday, and was continued till Saturday evening. At this
early stage of the inquiry it might be, perhaps, out of place to
pass any opinion either as to the origin of the riot, or as to
what course might have been adopted by which the loss of
human life might have been averted. The Clare
however, appears to think that much of the calamity would have
been avoided had the resident Magistrate, who brought out the
police, remained with them, as it was his duly to do. and have
prevented them from firing, especially when, according to his
opinion, he did not cousider they had received
:sufficient pro-
vocation to oblige them to do so in self-defence. Instead of
this Mr. L. Smyth becomes himself so greatly alarmed at the
first fire, that he retreats for shelter to the house of Dean
Shaughnessy, arid there remains for ten or fifteen minutes, not
thinking it safe to leave without having for an escort a Roman
Catholic clergyman. The evidence given by Mr. Fitzsimon,
the Constabulary Inspector, would lead to the inference that
the discipline of the force is not yet on a par with that which
governs the army.
Mr. SMITH, Queen's Counsel, in opening the inquiry on
Friday, said—ln consequence of certain representations
having besn made to his Excellency the Lord-Lieutenant,
relative to recent loss of lives in this town, arising out of dif-
ferences between the constabulary and the people, I have
'been directed by the Government to investigate the conduct
of Mr. Smith and the police, and to report thereon for the sa-
tofhis Excellency. I am now ready to hear any
win a cet
witnesses
s that may be produced relevant to the proposed tf ee
in-
quiry. The mode I intend to adopt is, that gentlemen em-
.ployed on both sides should entirely abstain from making obser-
vations as to the nature or tent'eney of the evidence produced.
'One person making a remark would draw forth another, and
the discussion would become interminable. Therefore, what I
'propose is, that the evidence shall be taken without commeot,
and leave me to draw the most befiting conclusions I can from
its import.
A number of witnesses were then examined, but, with the ex-
ception of the terrible responsibility fixed upon the stipendiary
Magistrate, by his own admission, little more than a repetition
of the evidence produced at the inquest had been elicited. Up
to the close of Saturday's proceedings the charge of having given
the order to fire hadbeen brought home to no one individual in
particular ; and the evidence of Mr. Fitzsimon, sub-inspector,
in common with that of other credible witnesses, tends to show
that the police engaged acted throughout independent of all
control. Indeed, so culpable was the apathy amongst their
officers after the fatal occurrence, that neither the cartouche-
boxes nor carbines of the men were inspected, in order that it
might be ascertained who had fired upon the wretched mob of
their famishing fellow-creatures.

ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL OCIETY.—The ordinary
meeting was held on Monday evening, R. J. Murchison, Esq.,
V.P., in the chair. The presents announced were very nu-
merous and valuable, consisting, amongst others, of ten in-
lumes from the Royal Bavarian Academy of Sciences; 392
sheets, and many folio volumes of the great cadastral map of.
Bavaria,. by the King of Bavaria ;48 charts from the Depot
de la Marine, and-the Depot de la Guerre, at Paris; with 47
charts from the Lords of the Admiralty. From Admiral Kru-
seristeirn was a copy, made by himself, of a rare map in the
collection of the Duchess of Parma, of that country in 1367.
From Colonel Napier was reads abort notice of a route through
part of Palestine. across from a point near Beyrout to the site
of the ancient Tyre. Dr. Deiffenbach communicated some
interesting particulars respecting the large lake of Tewanga, in
the Arekauri or Chatham Islands, which, having broke through
the low range of sand hills, had opened a communication with
the sea two miles in width. Mr. alurchisen presented to the
meeting two large and elaborate maps of the Oural. Mountains,
which have recently been surveyed by order of the Rteisian Go-
vernment. The mines were celebra:ed even as early as Hero-
dotus, and it was probable that the Romans derived t heir sup-
ply of precious metals from them. The Chairman stated some
interesting facts on a suhjrct which would probably come under
the notice of the Society. It was that a gentleman had, in
ascending the river Juba, in Africa, from east to eest, fallen
in with a considerable tract of country inhabited by a curious
race of pygmies, not exceeding 4 feet in height, with very
strange notions. of religion and government. and exactly resem-
bling the type of Herodotus, and singularly confirming some
opinions on the subject recently brought before the Aborigines
Protection Society.
INTREPIDITY or A I3ov.—On Tuesday evening,
one of the most extraordinary instances of intrepidity upon
record, and which resulted in saving human life, took place in
the Regent's-canal, near Camden-town, under the following
circumstances.—About six o'clock, a boy named Lodgeti,
residing with his parents at No. 1, Pear .Tree-court, Clerken •
well-close, who is between 14 and 15 years of age, had been
bathing in the canal, near the bridge, at the back f St. Pan-
cras workhouse, when suddenly he got out of his depth into
six feet of water, and sunk. The screams of his companions
brought a little boy, but II years of age, named Joseph Lague,
living with 'his mother, a poor widow, at No. 4, Oxford-
, terrace, King's.road, to the spot. On hearing what had hap-
pened, the gallant little fellow, regardless of consequences,
threw off his jacket and cap, and at once dived into the water.
In half a minute he made his appearance with the boy Lodgett
above the surface, but the latter being nearly double his size,
the strength of the pOor little fellow was unable to maintain
him, and he again sunk. Lague again went down after him,
and was equally successful in bringing him to tne surface,
but his strength again failed him, and he was forced to let
the older boy ga. After recovering himself for about a minute,
the little fellow, who is scarcely 31,E feet high, dived down
for the third time, and making a desperate effort, brought the
body of Lodgett again up, with his head under his arm, and
managed to reach the wood-work passing along the canal at
this part, against which he rested the body till some of the
boys caught hold of it, and they were both with the greatest
difficulty then got out and conveyed to the St. Pancras work-
house. Lague being very much exhaustei, was placed in the
Dr.orr. teEr
;tt eeingt
infirmary, and stimulants were administered; but the boy
Lodgett being to all appearance perfectly lifeless, was placed in
cso,he as
parish he
the dead-house, and was about to be left, when Grist, the gate-
for, two hours used every endeavour to restore suspended ani-
mation, which at the end of that period proved entirely success-
ful, and on making inquiries yesterday morning, it was found
that Lodgettras well as his youthful preserver, Lague, were in
ethousugrlint, surgeon,
the
who
oy move, instantly ran for
promptly attended, and
a fit state to leVoe-the infirmary. The intreoidity of the boy
has excited the greattigt,admiration, and it is understood to be
the intention of the Directors and Guardians to amply to the
Royal Humane satiety; erainilog,,atkiheir hands such reward
as they may think the merits of the ease deserve.
The Earl and Countess of Carlisle r( e?ived letters
from Lord Morpeth by the Acadia steamer, from New York,
the day before. yesterday. His Lordship talks of returning
home from his tour in the United States and Canada the latter
end of August. His Lordship, after leaving New Orleans,
visited the chief cities and ports in British America, and ex-
press:A himself pleased with his tour, and had been hospitably
entertained by the Governor-General at Quelec.
The Duke and Duchess of Sutherland are said to
save received an intimation of the intention of her Majesty the
Qtieolt aid Prince Albert honour their Graces with a visit at
their splendid seat, Trentham Half, Staff:m(lolre, it the elps6
of the season in town.— Wolrfrhohipton Chronicle. - I