Upwards of four hundred respectable firms in the City have
signed a petition to the Court of Common Council for removing the bankinghouse of Messrs Smith, Payne, and Smith, and by such means to continue the new street to London Bridge, and harmonize it with the Mansionhouse. The petition has received numerous signatures at Lloyd's and the Commercial Sale-rooms ; all parties connected with the trade and commerce of the City being of opinion that alterations in the plans of the London Bridge Committee, by which the bankinghouse will remain, ought to be made.
Two of the principal bridges over the Thames will be undergoing repairs at the same time ; but that which will materially interfere with the local trade of the city of London is the closing of Black friar; Bridge. To obviate this inconvenience, it is said the Corporation intend to treat with the proprietors of Waterloo Bridge for certain privileges, during the time the passage over Blackfriars Bridge is closed, respecting the conveyance of goods in those carts and other vehicles exempted from City toll. It is estimated that the expense of repairing the latter will amount to 90,0001.; and this sum will be entil ely expended in repairs under water, in consequence of the stone-work being in a very decayed condition. Since the building of New London Bridge, the water, when the tide is out, is so very low, that in many parts even of the centre of the river nothing larger than a wherry could float. This was not the case while the back-water at Old London 13ridge remainay Witich kept a sufficient quantity of water above bridge for the purposes of navigation. The first stone of Black friars Bridge was laid in 1760, the first year of the reign of George the Third; it was passable in 1766, finished in 1770, and cost 1.50,840/. Westminster Bridge has been more than three years under repair ; the stonework having been much decayed, from being of a soft texture, and ill calculated for durability. This bridge was begun in September 1738, the last arch finished August 1746, pier sunk and repaired in 1747, opened to passengers 1750, and cost 426,650/.
There is at length some chance of the Gresham lectureships being made of some use to those for whose benefit they were originally founded. About three years ago, an attempt was made to induce the lecturers to change the place of their delivery to one at which there was a probability of their having an auditory beyond that of four or five boys from the Mercers' School; and the opinions of Sir J. Searlett and Sir E. Sugden were taken on this point. These learned persons gave it as their opinion, that it was competent for the Gresham Committee to alter the place of delivery to any one within the jurisdiction of the City of London, and to alter the language in which the lectures are read. The lecturers, however, refused to hold forth in any other place. It is reported that the Professorship of Astronomy is vacant by the resignation of the learned person who formerly held it ; and that at a Committee which was held last week to fill up the vacancy, a very general opinion was expressed as to the absolute necessity of the party to be elected understanding that the lectures hereafter to be delivered, should be in so popular a mode, and at such times and place as might be considered most convenient to those who were to bear them. The public ought to watch this appointment, and see that no one is appointed who is not a man of high attainments : it is to be regretted that 100/. a year is an object to such men, but the labour is light and the labourers are many. The Committee consists of twenty-four members; twelve appointed by the Mercer's Company, and twelve by the Corporation of London.—/Iforrting Chronicle.
The Postmaster-General has taken measures for extending the threepenny post to a circle of twelve miles from the General Post-office, including the following post-towns—Stant/lore, Edgeware, Barnet, Hounslow Southall, Waltliamstow, Romford, Bromley, Footseray, Croydon, and Kingston; to all which places there will be a threepenny post delivery twice a-day (except at Footscray and Waltham Cross, which wil have one delivery only) in addition to the general-post delivery.
The Committee of the New Corn Exchange, Mark Lane, have come to the liberal determination, not to allow any person to have a stand on their market who is of the Jewish persuasion, however respectable his character or connexions.—True Sun.
It is reported in the City, that one of the arrangements Mr. Poulett Thomson has entered into with the French Government, is to reduce the duty on brandy to 10s. per gallon.
Attempts are making in the City to establish some new description of Court, over which, it is rumoured, Mr. 1%1. D. Hill is to preside. The present plan seems to be to melt the two Sheriff's Courts into one, entirely free from monopoly. An act of Parliament will be applied for early in the next session. —Lau; Magazine.
Mr. Spurrier has been appointed Law Professor at King's College. The following gentlemen have been appointed Lecturers at the Law Institution—Mr. Wilde, for Conveyancing; Mr. Dodd, for Common Law ; and Mr. H. N. Coleridge, for Equity. Mr. Theobald will take the Common Law Department during the temporary illness of Mr. Dodd. Mr. Amos will be as usual at the London University ; but no course by Mr. .Austen is announced.
A new road is about to be formed from Hammersmith Bridge to Barnes Terrace, which will considerably lessen the distance between London and Richmond.
The Autopsy steam-carriage has been running last week between Finsbury Square and Pentonville, and has continued to attract the attention of the public daily. It has performed four trips each day ; and each trip has averaged twenty-six minutes, or thirteen minutes each journey. The crowded state of the roads, and the difficulty of keepinothe machine from being too much filled by persons anxious to obtain a ride upon it, has been an impediment to its progress; but its average speed when going is from ten to twelve miles per hour. As soon as the other carriages are completed, and arrangements are made for sup plies of water and fuel, it is the intention to run to Paddington. , • On Saturday morning about a quarter past four o'clock, in consequence of the unusual height to which the tide rose in the Thames, the lower parts of the houses on the bank of the river at Bankside, Holland Street, the lower part of the Strand, Abingdon ,Street, Stangate, Lambeth, and Vauxhall, were inundated to the depth of several feet. The water flowed up the sewers with such violence, that many of the drains were burst open ; and the flood then poured into the houses in such torrents that even doors which were securely fastened were burst open, and considerable damage was occasioned. In some of the houses, where the kitchens were occupied as sleeping-apartments, many narrowly escaped with life; some of the inmates .being awakened by finding themselves in water, which reached above their bedsteads. At Lambeth Palace, the cellars were filled to the depth of between eight and nine feet; and along the Bishop's Walk, where a very strong iron railing has been erected, the tide poured in with such force, that the iron-work was snapped asunder in many places, and the stone and brick-work, together with a great portion of the bank, swept away into the river. The oldest waterman on the river does not recollect the tide rising so high before.
Tuesday being the anniversary of the Gunpowder Plot, a large body of unemployed English labourers assembled for the purpose of parading an effigy of Guy Fawkes through the streets at the East end of London. In the neighbourhood of Ratcliff Highway, they were met by a number of Irishmen; a signal was soon given for an attack, and Guy Fawkes was instantly thrown from his horse, and a general row ensued. Several individuals were seriously injured, and the Irishmen eventually , beaten, after a desperate conflict. ,,One of them received several severe contusions on the head and face, another had his hand and arm dreadfull lacerated, and a third was delirived of sense by a blow from a bludgeon. He was conveyed to a surgeon; and after being bled, and i restoratives applied, he slowly recovered, but still continued in a precarious state. A party of Police coming up, the combatants fled iti all directions; threatening, however, to renew the conflict in the evening.
An inquest was held on Monday on the body of W. Gilchrist, foreman of the masons employed at King's College, Somerset House,, whose death was occasioned by injuries received at the time the platform broke down. The Jury acquitted the parties who constructed the platform of all blame ; but this Jury, among whom was Mr. Blackwell, an extensive builder, were of opinion that the platform was net sufficiently strong to bear the stone placed on it. They returned a res.-. diet of" Accidental Death," deodand 51.
Previous page
