Court Of Common Council.
The Times, 1824-12-17T00:00:00

Yesterday the Court naet for the desDatch of bunineap. lme minutes of t!:e proceeding6 of the last Court having been reed, AIr. SAVAGE rosC, and begged to call the attention of the Court to a subject which deeply interested the friends of humanity. He had observed in the pubhc papers accounts which stated that a large body of foreigners at present in the metropolis were suffering undersevere distress. If the accounts of the situation of those were true, he thougf't the Court could not do otherwise than subscribe 501. for the immediate relief of those unhappy persons. Air. OLDHAm rose to order. The present was not a proper time to introduce the subject to which the honourable member had allud- cd. WVhen it should be brought before the Court in a regular tnan- ner, he had no doubt the Court would second the humnane intentions of thc Lord Mlayor towards the unfortunate individuals in question. Dir. Alderman WooD said, that the sufferings of the foreigners who had been compelled to seek an asylum in this country were truly distressing. A great body of Spaniards had been fbr some tine past subsisting upon the sum of five shillings a week each. The Italian refugees were in a still more lamentable state ; fer though the Government had allowed sorne small assiitance to the Spaniards, they had allowed none whatever to the Italians. Tel1 LORD IIAYOit obserived, that the subject would meet with due attention if brought before the Court on a future occasion. At present the conversation was irregular. 5M1THFIELD.AINtRET. Air. Alderman WOOD presented a petition signed by a consider- able number of thle inhabitants of Smithfield, setting forth that great inconvenience resulted from thc manner in which the horse-market on Fridays waa conducted, and praying that the Court would make such alterations as they might tlink fit. The worthy Alderman ob served, that the nuisance comnplained of was not confined to the in- habitants of Smithfield alone,but was also felt by the inhabitants of the ncighbouring strcets. The dealers, not content with showine their horses in the market, employed persons to gallop them up anid down thte streets, to the great danger of the passers by. The market never began till about three oeclock in the afternoon, when, at this season of the year, it was nearly dark; and in consequence of that ci-cam- stance, it was difficult to trace horses which had been stolen and sent to the market to be soid. He concluded by moving that the petition be referred to the Committee of City Lands.-Agreed to. MXr. BLACKETT presented a petition, praying that the horse- market might be removed altogether from Smithfield, which was referred to the same committee. SUPPL.Y OF WATER AT FiRES. The Chairman of the Bridge-house Committee, to whom it had been referred to inqttire into the circumstance of the want of water at the late fires within tltc city, brought up the report, which was read by the clerk. The following are extracts. :_ " We have been attended by the firemen of the different offices, and by other persons, frons wliom we have collected evidence rela- live to the supply of water at the fire in the ward of Aldgate, and those which have recently occurred at Fleet-street, Ludgateehill, and elsewhere withitn this city ; we havealso been attended by 2 de- putation from the Board of Directors of the New River Company, whom we heard upon the subject, asud whose surveyor we ex4siined ; we have also inspected several plans tlescribing the particular situa. tions of the nmains, service-pipes, lire.cocks, and plugs, belonging tu the New River Company, in the neighbourhood of the fires fronm the wliole of whici examiination it appears to us, and was adnmitted by the deputation from the New River Conmpany, that there had been an occasional want of water ; but after a most minute investiga. (ion itnto tbe cause, we are unanimously of opinion, that it did not procecd frosts any itiabllity of the New River Conipany to s8upplv water, but frons variouslecal circumstances, to some of wrhich we slhall presenitly, advert. U itlh respect to the prescist supply of water,.it was given in evi. tlence beforc us, that te iron mains belonging to the NcwRiver Cola. patsy affbrd a 8sUpply of 214,OW hogshcats per dien, of which quanrtity ratller more than one halt is supplied eastward of Temple-bar, and- the ntains eastward of Termple-har contain an area of 1793 square inches; they are supplied fiom an elevation of 74 feet above high- water-mark of the river Thanes, and arc constantly fll of water, which necessarily rushes forth with great velocity when any vent is given; and i t is only in case of repaira, whicht occur about once in five years, that assy interruption to the current of water through the mains takes place. Service pipes proceed from the umains, which whets the water is turned on become itnuoediately charged, and act as usains themnselves. The supply which the New River affords so msuch exceede all the present demands upon the Company, that a large surplus is suffered to esape, especially in rainy seasons. throughl the service pipes into the sewers; and a considetable quaauty is now used tor the mere ipurpose of turning a wheel to creRte a miore elevated head ot water. I deonendentlv of tins supply, the New River Coumpany have latejy erected a steam-enginc of 100-horse power near theThames, at Broken Wharf, which is intended to supply a main or culvert ot 33 incIbes diameter, (through which water can be conveyed to the New Riier Head, and tothe works in general, but wbich main is now constantly charged ftrom the New River Head,) the steam-engine having been erected for the purpose only of provithlig against accidental inter. ruptions In the supply f rum the NJew River, either by great droughts or extraordiniary drifts of 6o0w. l Ve shall now state the principal causes of the wantef water at the late fires, together with the regulations we propose, inordertoprevent a recurrence of them. ' Isit. The vant of a suflicienit number of fire-cocks and plugs, and their being Injudiviously placed._-The fire-plogs are frequently paved over, an otherwise concealed- which was the case in the Old Bailey whent the fire on Ludgate-hill took place, where the pltug had been covered over by the paving on the new system whicii has re- cently been laid clown there.; and it was proved, that but for that circumstanee, an Pbundant and iustmediate supply wotil( have been o fained; to reisiedy wiich, we recesmend the strict observance by the churchwardens of the 8everal arishes of tbe 74th flnd 75rh clauses of tbe actofthe 14th-Gerge 111., cap. 78, c7thuorly can d 7 thte Builditig Act (which lias been too uici disr ard8ed), c o aereby thechurchwardegs of every parish are directed to hx plugs and firc- cocks in the mains and pipes-to catise marks to be set agaillst the nearest houses to suich phigs aand tire-cocks, directing where ther are plaoed, and to keep a key in every house where sue nmark bhall be, under a penalty of 101., one half to be paid to the informer, atid the other hallIto the surveyor of the diistrict; antd we recommend that it should be considered the duty of tbe latter to enibrce the strict ob. servance of those clauses. With respect to the judicious pladcng of the fire-cocks and plugs, we are of' opinion it rhould be (lone by the churchwardens, ill conjunction with the surveyors of th water compnnies,.for ncither pafty can, in our opinion, without tile aidl of the other, make selections ofthe fitteBL places * tind hile dellutation of thic New River Company have nssuted usa, that thleir oficers have directions so give to thc different patishes all the assistalce and atlvice in thieir power. W-e think it right to state the very dsctlcd advant:3gc that fire-cocks have over plugs ; and %vc strongly recomlmend the genieral adoption of thein; which, thlouglh attended iiith tome additional expense at first, we are convinced will prove the best ceoiomny in the end. t2d. The very large quantity of water which frequently escapes tlroumh the grating . of the sewers.-This circumstance occa. sioncti, In a great measure, an insuificient supply it the fire in Fleet-. strect. The defcct will be easily and effectually remredied, by ore or more tarlttulins with weights attaclhed, being kept in every watch. lhouse, anti attached to every parish engine; these being placed over th!e sewer gratilgs will fitly answer thie pturpose. Thc public en- gines have tartaullins, but they are ;not adapted to this partictilar 3d. The watit of a sure antl promplst ncan of finding the tUnrcock. -To effect whiich, we recoisimenld that tbtc conspanics should, at the expense of the several fire intusirance offices, appasintasutficient oulni- ber of night turn-cocks, who should be on dumty at as many fixed and knowrn stations as may be iltotiglit necessary, for procufinig on the instant an adeqtuatc supplpy of water; atd that the list of buch stt. tions be prlntctt on ahboard,to befixed in every watchbiouise. '1 4th. Thegeieritl confusion wticil ptevails, aud the want of proper autliority to keep off tle crokd,. to prevent a mischievous compe- uittos between tite firemen, and to aino ' full opportunitv for apply- ing the-water to the best. cffect.-This evil was much experienced at the late fires. To remedy this is a point of difficulty, and of no smaU importance, both as it regards the preservation of property, and the oxtmiguishing of the fircs; but it Is a .abject more Sitting tec nsdaeTti.n-a fthie &ti aut~ieeties tban ; f YVdr:CM7A td cwus of 0 ~ ti jqr er. 8.dIXNltlbo'e idep~B the m eoved th'a oliatl the med .1,fh !u 0-,dvx ~ _ .)51r. CROCXEIt hoped that dt`e CJour4 wou fimte at L-Once. -. Mr. AldermaRnd 3f wa s greater nAtentie, to the rt&port.'w,n6e rt if wa-3g The soubret trowchto the reotiu oefnrr- orEo ib- would hzve prese-nted _wainmerom John thiiporg conplete inv6stg b tedn, to lthfte nf iee petiunofSi>iow in the cornmitiee.4 The resflt o ? ich te commuilte r ts:the- was,precisely the same of tbat. vhich. haabdgerworndet6iidarea Coetmon Councilmben ofe loa ward, be dtoiU a e m-tlie ject i ito conrideration. - Mi. TAY.oOR and Mr. BUTT 'hentW THO0sjneaied to-the Cfom ira rnain ofndey rporgtob relectedy toitsbeoffpicte.. -hpttonfX The qutestion was thden put on the asiendment,,wll mcte ega,. tived, and the origilnl motion was agreed to. s A3 ELECTION OF' BAILIFF rOR. THEE OROUO1E -0FaonURWAR I The Court proceeded to the election of a Bale for outhArh.ntu 1onr. OLDHAM presentec a petition from John Holmes, ,6rayg thathermaight beelected,to fitheatec. The petitiu*ttetehA. t het he had, for-nearlh 40 years, filed the office of principof ierk tq th, Court of RequestW. On the f riotion of Mr.CnocxEn, thestandiugncrdewtechoice of that no nber of the Courtb shall be I e thesubert beiny hi gift of the cororati1on was suspended. Alderman ir C. Hexp TEs t then presented a petiiort from Alder.. man Ansley, -engt be elected totheoffice.. Tliepetltion.stted, wthst hedwco elcted alderman in 18n, since which,tim 1he bed gcted to Sherifhand Lgord tayer; that by calamities to which-and persenp engaged in mercantile transactions were liable, and viiI.ho.,:.. dence could avert, be was compelled to ask the.-support of eCor on thte present occasion. Alderman AwSLEY added, that if he should have the goafffor;.. tune to be elected, he woultt dischurge the ditties-of. the office faith.. fully. The Court then proceeded to the ballot. At four o'clock the LoanD DAY03i antounced tbai the choice of the CourtbaA fsllkn en Mr. Holmes, the naumbers being :.-_ Fror Air. Holmes. 156-For Aiderman-alv,-68&.Majority,SS The LORD M1AYOR addressed a few wordo fo MWr. Holmes, con.. gratulating him on his election. Mlr. HOLmEs expressed his gratituedeto the Court for the hGnour which it had conferred upon him, and said that lie would endevaour to discharge the duties of his new odfce with industry and fidelity. COURT OP COMMON COUNCIL. flISTRESSED FORLEPTnN'RQ-