New-York tribune., 1900-11-26
LONDON NOTES.
cuEsTER ROWS IN HEART OF THE ME-
TROPoLIS-THE BYZANTINE CA
THEDRAI- EAST END JEWRY

-
ii paws opening in four main streets from the
III -ret cross. There are continuous galleries
|t. rlace OF the front rooms of the first floors
Ir,ine the streets. In OF the streets. North
tr,,e the rows are on the ground floor. like the
Lr,a5es Of the Swiss towns Berne and Thum
Ina the quaint italian city Bologna. In East
N cate the Rows are on the ground floor, like the
M s.ont rooms with the party walls have been
r.. away and converted into continuous gall
< ,.rv with the ceiling of the ground floor as a
galway. while the upper stories form the roof.
L RISE covered arcades are approached from the
4 t.eet level by flights OF stone steps. and are
4 psed with shops These double galleries. with
lines Of shops. one above the other. contain some
q the most beautiful examples of antique tim
IL her built houses to be found in England. and
4 there curious carvings and quaint decora-
tlcns in some OF the fronts. The Chester Rows
txre always been regarded as a most interesting
J survival of old time life and architecture but
fir Frederick Bramwell has been the first to
rest that the construction of these galleries
good and useful model for metropolitan i'm
proyements for the present day.
= The most important municipal undertaking in
London Is the thoroughfare between Hol-
born and the Strand. Designs for the street
have been submitted by architects and approved
by the London County Council, and probably 1t
alteration. II the accepted plans carried
out the new thoroughfare will be essentially
commonplace and like other avenues which have
been opened IN the crowded sections Of old Lon
don. Sir Frederick Bramweli proposes in
genious device. by which the metropolis would
be provided with unique and splendid street,
worthy Of its imperial fame. There would be
roadway from Iolborn to the Strand at least
eighty feet in breadth, with a sidewalk Of ten
feet on each SIDE. the shop lines being hundred
feet apart. Above the street level there would
be a second row of shops with a pavement or
footway fifteen feet in width. That pavement
like the one below, would be rooted in, and
would also be protected at the side by q stone
parapet. There would be staircases every hun
dTed Yards between the pavements and at street
crossings light bridges would be thrown across
the main ROADWAY The second and third floors
would be set back five ten feet, making q
third i!na Of construction in front and increas-
ing the facilities for light and air in the upper
pavement and the shops. II this plan were car
red out architects would have a precious on
portunity for altering conventional designs and
creating a thoroughfare pre-eminent for orig
inaiity and solendor.
Objections are promptly raised to this mag
nifcent scheme by small minds. 1t is urged
I that the disposal of ashes and refuse from the
first floor shops would be difficult and that 1t
would be impracticable TO water and clean the
H upper arcade Sir Frederick BramweIl suggests
H the Use Of chutes for refuse and ashes, and as
4 serts that il would be easy TO keep The arcaded
footways orderly and clean. Police supervision
would necessarily be extended to the upper gal
leries. and the local authorities would be re-
4 CURED to deal with the arcades as double
II streets. The question Of lighting the shops pre-
Ascnts greater difficulties, but so great an au-
d fSbo-s+- NJ
10 the Royal Institute of British Architects de-
Nasres thar these not insuperabIe while un-
tooumeoy, the arcades would offer the only
fhahoe Of making shop fronts constructively
safe and reasonable. since at present huge
fagades of stone terra-cotta and brick are
sung in air yawning abysses OF plate
glass. The chief question which has been de-
baied in the press has been the name Of this
new thoroughfare; and countless suggestions
4 have been made for comforting upon it dis
|. unguished title. If the construction were bor-
rOTed from quaint Chester. the street would be
worthy Of the capital of the world and the
name would take care of itself Rows" would
be DISTINGUISHING mark. The new street could
Dc called Victoria Rows. Empire Rows OF
Colonial Rows. even London Rows.
The shell II the new Roman Catholic Ca
hedral of Westminster is approaching COM
peiion The site in Ashley Gardens, off Vic
tlFla-st. was purchased by Cardinal Manning
i ana his successor. Cardinal Vaughn. is build
/ ing temple which is expected TO cost at least
1 G50G00 The structure is still enveloped with
Scafolding, but the proportions are fairly re-
Fesled. The cathedral Will be as long as the
one at Chester. and wider than old Canterbury.
surrounded by high fats, 1t will be a singular
example Of early Christian Byzantine, not un-
Ike 81 Sophia al Constantinople, except that
tA= material is mainly Of brick 1t is premature
% assume that either the interior the exterior
VIII be impressive. much less magnificent. The
walls Of the VIII illustrate the history OF
'ne Roman Catholic Church In Britain from the !
ileafAest time The front facade will be some |
ulihg unique in London. and the high tower, as
mucous as the old Wren spires graceful and !
UsAOtlful' viii be fantastic landmark on the |
e0se Of the slums Of Westminster. In any !
cent the cathedral will be an immense struc-
j u's Tor the dimensions are $50 by 100 feet. /
VIII probably be many years before this |
's'y temple receives its finishing touches.
IN The time Of Cromwell there was a small |
s"euo outside the eastern walls Of he city. |
-e growth Ct the Jewish communitS was slow, |
NJ II was not until the present century that 1t |
eloed lis limits the East End, over
~'"ihg the boundaries Of Whitechapel. spread
e horthward and eastward into Rethnal Green /
~a southwark into St Georges in the east.
} ~ ~ forming fresh centres in Hackney, Shore
H' stepney and Bow. There are now one
lIHafeo thousand Jews in East London and at
s' zen thousand more can be found in Soho.
\ .e!s"ater, Hampstead and other districts OF the
Il e"opohs During the last twenty years there
s oeen q great influx from Russia Poland
u Aumania Poverty stricken deteriorated
physique and degraded in morals they have