FOR THE

IMPROVEMENT

AND

EMBELLISHMENT

OF THE

METROPOLIS.

BY SIR WILLIAM HILLARY, Bart.

AUTHOR OF

"An Appeal to the British Nation on the humanity and policy of forming a National Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck."

THE METROPOLIS.

AMONGST the various happy consequences resulting from the general prosperity which has succeeded to those temporary difficulties, attendant on the transition from long and arduous warfare to a state of peace, not any thing can be more gratifying to all true friends of their country, than to contemplate the zeal with which every plan that can add to the welfare, the splendor, and the honor of the nation, is received and adopted.

In these measures, the numerous and extensive improvements of the great Metropolis of these kingdoms stand amongst the most conspicuous, and are of the utmost importance to the health, the prosperity and the accommodation of its inhabitants individually, whilst every thing connected with the national taste, the rank and station of the country, the magnitude of its public edifices, the extent and the regularity of its communications both by land and by water, and all those advantages which can be secured to a wealthy, a polished, and a great commercial empire, peculiarly require the vigilant attention and the fostering care of an enlightened adminis

tration.

All public works should be regarded, as they combine in their respective natures the grand requisites of health, utility, national splendor and durability.

They may be divided into two classes-those which unite public benefit with local or commercial advantages, and promising to produce pecuniary returns to a considerable amount, become immediate objects of a laudable and spirited speculation. In general, these are best accomplished under the direction of the several enterprising associations for which this country is conspicuous.

It is however obvious, that there ought to be some salutary restraint to prevent the love of gain alone, or the want of taste in the projectors, from executing even the most useful measures in such

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a manner as to disfigure the Metropolis, or by some unfortunate adaptation to mere local circumstances, materially to interfere with the general advantage of the capital on a more extended scale.

The next class of public works consists of those, the great and desirable objects of which can only be attained by the expenditure of large sums on measures, which, though essentially beneficial, are not of a nature to become lucrative; such as the opening new streets through places already crowded by buildings, or widening and improving the great thoroughfares of large towns, or principal roads. Improvements of the latter description, necessarily becoming public objects, are perhaps less likely to be executed on a partial scale, or in a bad style, than when left to the judgment of individuals alone, often of a class who have not before turned their attention to these subjects.

But hitherto the object of the moment, and the mere locality of the work undertaken, have too much engrossed the attention of those who executed it, to the exclusion of those more enlarged views which ought to have governed their operations, in the combination of what they were about to erect, or to alter, with what had already been done, and what it was desirable subsequently to execute. Unless due and steady attention to such considerations be given in every step we take, a perfect whole can never be attained.

With the most extended application of these principles, the inviolability of private property, justly held as one of the most sacred privileges of the British subject, will too often be found materially to interfere: yet this very right, valuable as it is, must necessarily, in civilised society, give way to a still more important consideration-the good of the whole: but this right to invade private interests, in cases where the public good is concerned, rests with the legislature alone, and requires the solemn sanction of an act of Parliament before it can be exercised.

Acts thus obtained, conveying the power to occupy the property of individuals for a general good, are passed on condition of apportioning a fair compensation for the benefit which the public at large derive from this necessary invasion of private rights; which compensation generally consists as well in the payment for the property of which the party is thus involuntarily deprived, as by an indemnity for any other actual injury which he may sustain from its loss.

But it unfortunately too often happens, that this legislative power is not exercised until some public evil has arisen, which a little foresight might have averted: when at last it is resorted to, the remedy only takes place on a limited scale, and thus streets are laid out, buildings erected, or plaus adopted by inexperienced or interested

individuals; and remedy for the evil after it has taken place, and not prevention, has hitherto been the course pursued.

When we contemplate the rapidity with which this already enor mous Capital is yearly extending in every direction; when we take into consideration also the vast sums which are thus expended, and the great increase of skill and talent which are called into action, it is much to be lamented that these means and these efforts should not be brought into some well-regulated channel, by which the separate works of thousands might be made to constitute one great whole; and that whole, whilst not interfering with the rights of individuals, excepting only where the public good was paramount, tending gradually, but materially, to open, improve, and ornament those parts of London already built, and becoming the certain means of future additions being made on a plan in all respects worthy of this great capital of the British Empire. Edinburgh presents a brilliant specimen of what in a few years may be accomplished, by a happy combination of grandeur of design and steadiness of purpose.

To effect these important objects, a superintending power must somewhere be placed, to take cognizance of the various parts of which this great whole should be constituted. This could only be effected by the establishment of a permanent Board under the sanction of Parliament, which Board should comprise persons the most generally qualified by talent, skill, station, office or otherwise, so as best to insure the objects contemplated; amongst whom should be several of his Majesty's Ministers, noblemen and gentleinen known to possess experience and good taste, eminent architect and engineers, the Lord Mayor, with a certain number of the first authorities of the City of London, and other official characters.

The powers with which such Board should be invested, would best be regulated by Committees of the two Houses of Parliament, and by a legislative act.

The first object requiring their attention, would be a careful examination of all the improvements which have recently taken place in and near the metropolis, their connexion with those further contemplated, and as far as possible from such data, and a consideration of the facilities which the lapse of crown, and other leases and various local circumstances might afford, to form one general plan of those further improvements which, on the most extended scale, and in the course of many years, it might be desirable to effect, in order that every single step henceforward taken might constitute a part of one great and well-organized whole.

Such general plan should contemplate the great probability of the Capital extending itself still considerably further on every side: it should take within the range of its views, the approaches from

every part of the country, that they may come in the best directions, fall into the most spacious and desirable streets, and be of a width suited to their important purposes. Their admensuration, all to commence from some one grand central object in the Metropolis, perhaps from the General-Post Office now building.

The reservation of numerous and eligible sites for public buildings, churches, museums, libraries, galleries for works of art, market-places, &c., the formation of public walks, squares, and other open places, to insure a free circulation of air, to give splendor of appearance, and space for exercise and amusement to the inhabitants, as the Capital may extend, can alone be effected by forethought and previous arrangement, and would be well worthy the taste and munificence of the present reign.

Foreigners, who have visited this country, have constantly remarked, and we ourselves must feel, that the Capital of these kingdoms does not contain a residence for its Sovereign, in any respect adequate to the dignity of his high station, or conformable either in splendor or accommodation to the greatness and opulence of the British Empire, whilst large sums are annually expended in keeping up palaces scarcely worthy of the name.

The design of restoring Windsor Castle, the most magnificent of the ancient residences of our Sovereigns, to all its former splendor, which is now in progress, and intended to be executed in a style perfectly accordant with its original character and grandeur, has, I believe, given universal satisfaction to the nation.

Whether the erection of a royal residence for the Kings of England in the Metropolis, may now be in contemplation, I do not presume to surmise. It certainly appears desirable, that in the extended plans which would have to come under the consideration of this Board, they should not lose sight of the importance of such a measure, but take into their contemplation the most desirable site for that purpose, and act in conformity thereto, in laying out the vicinity of that situation, and in all the approaches which can by any means be connected with such a great national object. I am indeed convinced that the period is not distant, when the liberality and high feelings of the British Nation will induce them to offer such a tribute of their loyalty and attachment to their Sovereign.

To these prominent objects should be added, those well-considered plans which would in succession afford the best means for widening all great thoroughfares, and for forming the best approaches to the bridges and great public edifices, and from one important part of the Capital to the other.

In ancient cities, where the most valuable public and private buildings are often crowded irregularly together, the most frequented streets are commonly so narrow as to occasion not merely