140 Plans for Improving London. 



"The population of the metropolis was, in 1801, 958,863; 

 in 1861, 2,803,989 — thus having trebled itself in sixty years. 

 In 1865 the population was computed to be, in round numbers, 

 three millions; therefore, in forty years hence it may be 

 expected to be six millions ; and it is for the wants of this 

 future, as well as for those of the present community, in respect 

 of highways, that provision must now be made.'" 



Mr. Haywood introduces in his report several most useful 

 and valuable tables, showing the vehicular and pedestrian 

 traffic, the areas of various thoroughfares, the number of per- 

 sons entering into the City on certain days, and proves incon- 

 testably how enormous the amount of the to-and-fro population 

 is to the sleeping population. The following paragraph will 

 no doubt astonish some of our old, retired City tradesmen of 

 twenty-five years ago : — " As the traffic has increased since 

 1860, it may be computed that there now pass into the City of 

 London daily three quarters of a million of human beings, and 

 that the same number pass out at night, leaving but its resi- 

 dential, or sleeping population of 113,387; and this vast daily 

 influx is equal to one-fourth part of the whole metropolitan 

 'population." 



" This enormous amount of in-comers and out-goers com- 

 prises all classes of society, from the highest to the very 

 humblest in the social scale. Thus, there are 68 Members 

 of Parliament who have offices within the City, and of that 

 large class who are directors of the commercial undertakings 

 which must have a home in the commercial centre, there are 

 56 Peers of the realm, 132 Members of Parliament, and alto- 

 gether as many as 589 titled and distinguished personages, 

 whose directorial duties bring them frequently within its 

 precincts." 



Of the vehicular traffic, it would appear, that during twelve 

 hours in June, 1865, 19,405 vehicles passed over London 

 Bridge, and 11,972 through Fleet Street by Temple Bar, being 

 about fifty-one per cent, above the traffic in 1 850. 



After an able exposition of the immense and daily-increasing 

 amount of civic traffic, both pedestrian and vehicular, already 

 producing the greatest inconvenience from the crowded state 

 of the streets, Mr. Haywood boldly states, " There is but one 

 complete remedy for this, which is the formation of a new bridge, 

 or a tunnel, with suitable approaches, lower down the river than 

 London Bridge." 



This is certainly a startling 'proposition at the first view, 

 and Mr. Haywood really exceeds his rival, Mr. Gwynn, in the 

 boldness of his projects ; but a little calm consideration of the 

 following paragraph may convince us that Mr. Haywood's bold- 

 ness is the result of sound judgment. He says : — 



