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of the poorer class who seem desirous of living in the metropolis ?
The population of this city is already too large, and is increasing
annually. In the census of 1871 the population of London was
3,254,260, and that of 1881 was 3,829,751, showing an increase in
ten years of 575,491, and during the same period the density of
the population has increased from 42 persons to an acre to
50.8. Unless more effectual means are adopted to prevent the
building of houses so close together as is the custom at present,
the health of the people will materially suffer. In my opinion,
it would be in every respect much better if houses of a moderate
size were built, capable of accommodating only three families in
each, and so built that every house should have a certain open space
exclusively belonging to it, where the water-closet, wash-house, and
dust-bin should be placed. These conveniences should be detached
from the house, but should be within the curtilage of the same, and
should be used only by the tenants of each house.
As privies in courts, which are built only for the use of the
tenants in the court, are, for the most part, open to the public, they
are at all times a nuisance, and the further erection of them should
be prohibited.
Unless stringent provisions are made in a New Building Act to
prevent the erection of houses in localities where there is not sufficient
space for the health of the tenants, the same class of unwholesome
dwellings will be built as those which have been recently demolished
at great expense, under the provisions of the Act now under consideration
; and the money which has been expended in clearing certain
ill-ventilated sites will have been wasted; for after a time a similar
process of demolition, as regards the newly constructed houses, will have
to be repeated. At present, every piece of vacant ground large enough
to erect a small house is speedily purchased and built upon without
any efficient control; the Local Authorities having very little power
to insist on proper provision being made for sanitary arrangements—in
fact, houses can still be built back to back, there being no law in
existence to prevent the creation of such a nuisance.
A Bill for the amendment of the existing faulty Building Act
should be introduced by the Government, and the Government only
could successfully carry such a Bill, which shall contain efficient
sanitary clauses, through the Houses of Parliament
Owing to the formation of new streets, the clearance of several
crowded sites, the increase of the population and the number of