§ MR. WARTONasked the First Commissioner of Works, Whether any contract has been entered into in respect of the contemplated alterations near Hyde Park Corner; and, if so, whether the contractor has undertaken to remove the arch near Hyde Park Corner bodily to its new position; and, if not, if he could state why?
§ MR. SHAW LEFEVRESir, I have entered into a contract for the execution of the works at Hyde Park Corner, and they are now in course of progress. With respect to the Wellington Arch, I told the House in July last that I expected it would be moved bodily. I had been advised by more than one authority that this could be done at a considerably less cost than that of pulling it down and rebuilding it. When, however, the plans for removing it were submitted to a contractor, it was found that, owing partly to the flimsy construction of the arch and partly to the slippery nature of the soil on which it would have to be moved, the cost of the removal was about the same as the cost of pulling it down and rebuilding; and consequently, by the advice of Mr. Fowler, the eminent engineer, I abandoned the project of moving it in a more adventurous manner.
§ MR. ARTHUR ARNOLDasked what course it was proposed to take with regard to the statue?
§ MR. SHAW LEFEVREThe statue will come down in consequence of the arch being pulled down. When the arch is rebuilt, the statue will not be reinstated without some previous experiments to find some better and more dignified place for it.