Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-31

docrways and lamps. The two lamps at
No. II are the only ones of their kind /
know of in London. They have somehow
Gn certain lights the look of two old-fash-
Toned policemens heads gathered in Peers
day and set there and worn thin by time
and lamplight.
Another feature is the big lon-headed
krocker at No. 10, whose loud, dry voice
has announced the coming of the news of
great events for nearly two centuries. 1t
would be easy to rhapsodize on the associa-
lions of this desirable knocker-hoW splash
ed couriers and soldiers have galloped up TO
it In the middle of the night with news from
Marlborough and the wars, or from the
peninsula or with word from the coast OF
Nelson and the north, how the footmen OF
great wings and tories have. hundred
upon it, how Disrael and Gladstone must
have knocked upon it in the intervals or
their lives in which they did not carry Its
latch-key in their pockets.
Nearly every imaginative young man VINO
comes to London, if his imagination does
lot carry him so far as to think ne VIII
one day have the latch-key. has designs on
that knocker. The policemen. who are
never out of Downing street, really keep
sharper lookout for these collectors than
for anarchists.
Several prime ministers have not lived in
Downing street. Lord Salisbury hardly
used 1t at all. Melbourne and Peel used II
only for office purposes. Wellington and
Nelson are said to have met for the mrs.
and only time in the entrance hall, although
neither knew to whom he was speaking,
but more distinct authorities give the To-
cality as No. IA, which was demolished IN
street. with its memories of two centuries
of statesmen and their work, can spare
even that great incident. Carlyle says on
No. 10 that it focuses more historic
glamour than any other house in London.
Most of the public buildings and monu-
ments of London have come under suspi-
cious review since the public mind was I'M
settled by the catastrophe at Charing Cross
station. The railway stations have natur-
ally received the strictest scrutiny, but
there has also been general investigation
of the condition of monuments bridges, the
aters. halls and churches 1t is reassuring
to hear that there is no danger of the col
lapse of the dome of ST. Paul's. and little
risk Of any 'bus-driver in Trafalgar Square
being hit by fragments from the Nelson
column. The point of the Cleopatra Needle
has been somewhat blunted by the oorrod-
ing vapors of the Thames. and the gilt on
the Albert Memorial has been tarnlsheo'
but there is no need to be alarmed for the
stanchness of those interesting memorials.
Like most OF the public administration OF
the metropolis the duty of inspecting public
buildings suffers from the lack OF concen-
tration The office of works Is responsible
for national buildings and memorials. the
county council has charge of those which
are strictly metropolitan. while the city cor
peration has control over the buildings
within its own area. In the next session or
parliament the county council Will intro
duce a bill to bring ell public buildings un-
der the supervision of one authority.
Although the scheme for the construction
of a channel tunnel, between Dover and
Calais, has by most people been thought to
be dead and buried, the promoters have
been In the habit of meeting year by year
in the hope that some day there might be
an opportunity for its resurrection The
annual meeting of the company took place
this week, and 1t was decided that the time
had at last come when public opinion might
again be sounded on the project. Naturally
Ii Is hoped that thesentente cordiale would
remove the uncordial MISUNDERSTANDING
that made the original scheme abortive, and
that when the question Is reopened, as II
soon will be, opinion on both sides of tho
channel will be unanimous in its favor. The
directors are to appeal to the new govern
ment for Its moral support, to engineers for
scientific counsel and advice. and to the
public for the funds necessary for the pro-