Star.
London, England, 1826-11-04 00:00:00

PROBABLE REVENUE.

Rents and sewer rates in the line of the New Street ,C 35,500 0 0
Estimated yearly value of ground granted in fee for
public purposes

. . .

030 0- 0

£36,550 0 0
When the line of communication between Pall-mall
and Portland Place had been completed, and as soon as
we were pat in possession of the site of the Lower Mews,
at Charing Cross, we took measures for proceeding to
execute that part of the improvement, which had for its
object the continuation of Pall-mall into St. Martin's
Lane, terminating at the portico of St. Martin's Church,
and fotming an open area in front of the King's Mews;
and it having appeared to us, after mature considera-
tion, that the unequal lengths of the two sides of the
open area, proposed by the original plan, would be a
deformity, peculiarly striking, m the approach from
Whitehall ; that a much larger space, than was at first ,
dei;gned, ought to be left open, and the West end of
the Strand considerably widened ; and that the design
was, in other respects, susceptible of great improvement;
we directed Mr. Nash carefully to reconsider the subject,
with the view of getting rid of this, and of other ob-
jections, which had occurred—we, at. the same time,
debited that he would suggest what might appear tp
him the best mode of improving the communication
through the Western parts of the Metropolis.
The first of these improvements (with which the alter-
dons made and intended in the neighbourhood of the
Mews seemed to be particularly connected) was a more
commodious access from the Houses of Parliament,
Courts of Law. and Public Departments, to the British
Museum, and the numerous and respectably occupied
new buildings in the part of the Metropolis, in which
that great National Repository is now to be permanently
established.

Another opening, to which we directed Mr. Nash's
attention, had for its object the continuation of Coventry-
street into Leicester-square, and from thence through ,
Long•acre, Great Queen-street, and Lincoln's Inn
fields, into Holborn, near the north-east corner of Lin-
coln's
Inn-fields. It appeared to us, that this improve-
ment might be effected by the purchase of a compara-
tively small number of houses; and that by opening a
new communication from West to East, nearly through
the centre of the town, the Strand would be relieved
from a portion of that immense concourse of carriages
of all descriptions, and of horse and foot passengers,
with which it is constantly crowded.
• In pursuance of these instructions to Mr. Nash, we
were furnished by him with plans for effecting the ob.'
jects which w e had in view ; and to which he added, a
plan for a more direct communication, than at present
exists, between Oxlord•street and Holborn, as this would
also be a very desirable and important improvement.
Having submitted these several plans to the Lords
of the• Treasury, with our opinion that they were well
entitled to their Lordships serious attention, we were
directed to call for more detailed plans, and to prepare
the best estimates we could of so much of the originally
proposed plan as related to alterations in the neighbour-
hood of Charing-cross, Saint Martin's Church, and the
West end of the Strand, with a view to the early execu-
ti In of those improvements ; but their Lordships, as they
intimated to us, deemed it to be advisable that the con-
sideration of the remaining part of the proposed im-
provements should, for the present, be postponed,
Copies, however, of the whole of the abovementioned
plans are inserted in the Appendix to this Report.
Although the execution of a great part of shat was
proposed has been thus deferred for the present, the
whole would so promote the convenience, ornament,
and health of the metropolis, as to induce us to hope
that they may hereafter be reconsidered, and ultimately
adopted.

Having laid before the Lords of the Treasury the
plans and estimates called for by their Lordship; for
alterations in the neighbourhood of Charing-cross, and
these hating been sanctioned, a Bill has been introduced
into Parliament for carrying the same into ^execution,
and also for effecting some other improvements in
Westmimtet ; such as the purchase of the houses on
the South side of Downing-street, and North side of
Fludyer street, and the purchase also of some small

houses near Little lingitroot, St. lames's, fir the per-I
pose of making a carriage way from King-street into
St. Jatioes's-street, in the. year 1829, when the crown
'lease of other property in that neighbourhood will eipit e.
When the first Commissioner of this Board applied
to your Hon. House for leave to bring in this Bill, and
when he proceeded to explain• in detail the improve-
ments intended to be thereby effected, so general was
the desire expressed, that powers should be taken to
widen the Strand so far eastward as to include Exeter
'Change, that we felt it our duty to apply to the Dub
of Bedford and the Marquis of Exeter, who are the
proprietors of the greatest portion of the houses in that
neighbourhooi, in order to learn how far they would
be disposed to entertain proposals for the purchase of so
much of their property as would be necessary for effect-
ing so great an improvement. Those two Noblemen
evinced the greatest anxiety to meet the wishes which
had been manifested in yogi. Hon. House; and they
signified their readiness to' afford every facility for al-
lowing powers to be talc& under the present Bill, to
make the requisite purchases of so much of their res-
pective estates as shall be wanted. We accordingly lost
no time in causing notices of this proposed extension of
the plans to be sent to all the other owners, lessees, and
occupiers of the houses likely to be required, whose
names and residences we could ascertain (the general
notices required by the Standing Orders of your Hon..
House not having included their houses); and having
also directed that a plan, in conformity to such exten-
sion of improvement, should be prepared, both the ori-
ginal plan, and this last mentioned more extended plan,
were submitted to, and approved of, by the Select Com-,
mittee of your Hon. House. The Bill, therefore, in
compliance with the wishes so generally expressed, and
with the entire concurrence of your Committee, has
been so amended, as to give powers fir the execution of
all that has been proposed.
Soon after the date of our last Triennial Report, the
Lords of the Treasury, adverting to inquiries and ob-
servations which had been made in Parliament concern.
ing the state of St: James's, the Green, and Hyde Parks,
were pleased to direct that we should make Reports to
them, in the fullest and most detailed manner, upon the
various matters which bad been the subject of observa-
tion ; and we are also called upon to suggest, for their
consideration, such alterations as should appear to us to
be desirable both for the comfort and enjoyment of the
public, and for the general improvement and embellish-
ment of the Parks.

In pursuance of these directions, we immediately pro-
ceed to make a complete survey of the Parks ' • and after
obtaining designs and specifications (from those whom
we thought most competent to give them) for various
alterations and improvements, the pleasure of the King
was taken ; and his Majesty's entire approbation having
been signified, we received the sanction of the Lords of
the Treasury to carry into execution the whole that we
had suggested, care being taken on our part, to commu-
nicate with the Ranger on such matters as might more
immediately relate to his department.

In proceeding to execute the intended improvements,
our first object was to have the roads, rides, and walks
put into a state of thorough repair, and we gave orders
that these should be widened, and, indeed, the line of
them changed, wherever it might be requisite; we
also gave directions for the formation of an entire new
drive from Cumberland-gate to the North-east entrance
of Kensington Gardens, along the front of these Gardens
and the North side of the Serpentine River, till it joins
the old road; thus affording a communication with the
Gardens by carriages, which were formerly. accessible,
on that side, by a footpath only, and opening to the
public, in carriages or on horseback, one of the most
beautiful parts of the Park, from which they had here-
tofore been excluded.

It is our duty here to observe, that this great accom-
modation was in consequence of an caress command
from his Majesty, whose earnest desire tt was, that the
whole range and extent of the Parks should be thrown
open for the gratifitation and enjoyment of tbe public.
There is also in progress a new brike, to be thrown over the
Western end of the water known by the name of the Serpentine
Rivera
This bridge will, on the Hyde Park side, afford for
persons on horseback and on foot, a communication be-
tween the north and the sooth sides of the Park; and
being divided along the centre by on iron railing (the
mound between the water above, and the Serpentine
River below, being removed, and these two pieces of
ornamental water being thus united upon the same level),
the inner half of the bridge will be the passage for those
who frequent Kensington Gardens.
For the further accommodation of the public, there
will, at each end of the bridge, be means of access to
the gardens from the malls, which have been formed on
the sides of the Serpentine River.
New gates and lodges at Stanhope-street and Gros-
venor-street Gates have been completed ; gates and
lodges are also erecting at the top of Constitution Hill
and Hyde Park Corner; and a new lodge at Cumber-
land-gate is nearly finished, handsome and convenient
gates having been very recently erected there, by the
munificence of a Gentleman who resides in that neigh-
, bouthood. Sundry portions of the old brick walls in
Piccadilly and Park lane; and from Hyde Park Corner
towards Knightsbridge, have been removed, and open
iron railings substituted. The unsightly buildings of
the riding house, kc. have also been taken away; and,
we are at present in negociation with the Chelsea Water
Company for the removal of the engine house, and of
the buildings belonging to it.
A space of ground behind the houses in Piccadilly
Terrace and Hamilton-place, in front of Park•lane,
which was the resort of idle and disorderly persons, and,
in its former state, a great and general nuisance, has
been inclosed, and formed into an ornamental garden.
It is proposed, that those whose houses are in its imme-
diate neighbourhood, shall have access to this garden,
on payment of a stipulated annual sum towards the
expenses of keeping it up.
The whole of the Green Palk,. and a great part of
Hyde Park, have been carefully underdrained, by
which, and by other means, the herbage is much im-
proved. An entirely new fence, consisting of iron posts
and a bar, is now putting up along the footpath on
each side of the road from Hyde Park Corner to Cum-
berland Gate; and it is intended that the other internal
fences shall be renewed progressively, so that the whole
will be made to correspond with the general design of
the other improvements.
We have every reason to believe that, at no very dis-
tant period, the improvements, which we were autho-
rised to direct and superintend, viol have been com-
pleted ; and while we cannot but 6e aware that, with
respect to matters of taste, upon which each individual
'Will exercise his own judgment, there must necessarily
be • difference -of opinion, we venture to entertain the
hope, that the new buildings and the other works will,

in their general style and character, have added consi.
derably to the beauty and the convenience of the Parks,
Having, in the year 1823, been authorised by the
Lords of the Treasury to incur, rm. a period of two
years, an annual expenditure of 6001. in the formation
of plantations in Richmond, Hampton Court, Bushy,
a.d Greenwich Parks, with a view to preserve and
perpetuate, as far as possible, theteauty of the scenery,
and enjoyment to the public, of those Royal Domains,
we have now to state, that the principle, which had
been approved of by their Lordships for those purposes,
has been acted upon ; that several plantations, which
are now in a flourishing condition, have been made in
those Parks: and that the two years, during which we
were authorised to incur such annual expenditure,
having expired, their Lordships, upon being informed
by as of the extent to which we have carried this mea-
sure, and of its beneficial result, have been pleased, to
authorise us to incur a further expenditure ola similar
annual amount, for an additional period of two years,
in such of the Parks as are not, with respect to the
plantations, under the management of the rangers.
Under this.renewed sanction, new plantations are in
progress? to as grele an extent as the means, thus placed
at our disposal, enable us at present to undertake.