§ LORD ALGERNON PERCYasked the Chairman of the Metropolitan Board 614 of Works, Whether the attention of the Metropolitan Board of Works has been directed to the operations of the Metropolitan District Railway Company at Westminster Bridge Station, with the object of covering over a portion of the Station at the eastern end, and thus diminishing the space at that Station available for the ventilation of the Railway, and if he can acquaint the House with the facts; and, whether this Company is the same Company which has recently erected ventilating shafts in the streets, and on the Victoria Embankment, and what is the distance of the nearest ventilator from Westminster Station?
§ SIR JAMES M'GAREL-HOGGIn reply to my noble Friend, I beg to say that I have observed that the District Railway Company are fixing iron girders over the opening at the eastern end of the Westminster Station, with the intention, as I am informed, of erecting heavy buildings upon them. I must confess my surprise that, after appropriating land belonging to the public for the purposes of ventilation, they should proceed to curtail the means already existing on their own property. The nearest ventilator on the Embankment is at a distance of about 220 yards from the Station, and the nearest in the direction of Westminster, opposite the Abbey, is about 200 yards distant. I may add that the framework of the girders at present covers a space of about 700 square feet, which, when closed in, will abstract a ventilating area equal to twice the area of the ventilator now being added in the Embankment roadway opposite Montague House.