The New York herald., 1867-03-21

The HERALD has published the memorial
which was presented the other day to tAs
Legislature by James e. Serrell, proposing
to remodel the city Of New York. We
need not say that we should be tho
last to discourage any feasible plan which
claims, like the plan of Mr.. Serrell, to be . the
result Of many years Of practical work, stady
and research" and that "is adoption ana
completion necessarily would have tendency
to make New York the greatest city in The
world" We are also aware that engineers ars
unwilling, like Napoleon, to admit in their
vocabulary the word q impossible Give
them enough time, money and science, and
they profess to be able 70 do anything what
ever in their line. my proposition is,''
says Mr.. Ssrrell, "to change the shape Of
the boundary on the easterly side Of ths
city Of New York and the westerly side
Of Long Island opposite thereto, by cutting
new East river, Of the dimensions as herein
after described, through Long Island nom
Hunters Point to Long Island Sound, to be
completed by sections and not opened until
finished, after which the old channel may be
closed and filled up, thereby avoiding and
doing away with He'll Gates, both large and
small, and adding to the city Of New York ths
width Of the channels on each side Of Black
wells Island, the island itself and the land On
Long Island, and also Wards and RandaIlh
islands. The proposed new East river or chan
mel could be completed before Ae present
channels are In the least changed or interfersd
with, and would be i've and quarter miles
long, three thousand three hundred feet Wide
and forty feet Deep"
The mere statement Of such propositiea
suf1ces to show its simpracticability. Obviously
Il involves violation Of the laws Of nature
which have given Manhattan Island il present
shape, and Of those laws, almost equally fixed,
which regulate the growth Of ell great cities
and which have made New York gradually
reach Its present expansion, determining IL
very directions In which IL should stretch
ITSELF Mr.. Scroll has the same motto q San
Patch, that what man has done man oan do,
and be points 10 the building Of St Peteuburg
y an encouraging precedent. But We muse
remind hin that Peter the Great had an immenss
advantage over him In having gained posses
'ion Of the river Ne~a, ~ well - In not having
o demolish great cities on each side Of iA
before at ih mouth, among the marshes, he
aid the foundations Of St. Petersburg In l7O3.
The Gear began ct the beginning. Mr.. Serrell
las mot yet won possession Of the East river.
md "the easterly side Of New York; and sths
westerly side Of Long Island opposite thereton
ire pretty well built up already.
We are the less inclined to waste time IN
seriously discussing Mr.. Serrell's grand bus
scheme, inasmuch as IL is, IL We
ire not misinformed, but single one Of many
similar schemes which have swarmed forth
rom the same busy, but, we fear, overheated
brain. The protector Of this plan for remodel
ing New York was, II we remember Alright
Atally tardy with his plans and specifications
4 Port Royal. But he was prompt enough,
We have been told, with proposition to erect r
J mole from Hilton Head to Havana az
40 and sure outlet for the black element in
he problem which perplexed the national mind
Turing our late war. ALI tho negroes in the
'opsh vess 70 ssrsggls over thls mole, dry Shod