The Metropolitan Board of Works (Loans) Bill, empowering the Metropolitan Board of Works to raise money to construct the Chelsea Embankment, and to effect other improvements, having received the Royal assent, there is now no doubt that the Chelsea Embankment works will be very shortly commenced.
The Bills for the “Belgrave Market,” which will remove the unsightly block of buildings between Turk’s Row and Jew’s Row, and the “Belgravia and South Kensington New Road,” which will open a direct communication from Eaton Square to the South Kensington Museum, have also become law.
The works of the Albert Bridge are still suspended, but there is reason to hope that they will shortly be recommenced, and rapidly completed.
FIRST ELECTION OF MEMBERS FOR THE BOROUGH OF CHELSEA.
I will now endeavour to record a few impartial particulars respecting the proceedings on the day of election, with the ultimate state of the poll, when the two first members for the Borough of Chelsea were elected. The nomination took place on Tuesday, the 17th of November, 1868, and the election on the following day.
The hustings were erected in an open and central place near the South Kensington Museum, and was capable of holding about 200 or 300 persons. C. A. Bannister, Esq., of Chelsea, was the Returning Officer, and he performed his duty with the utmost courtesy and fairness.
The candidates originally were C. Wentworth Dilke, Esq., [223] Sir Henry Hoare, Dr. Russell, and C. J. Freake, Esq. Mr. Odger, a working man, who was warmly supported by a large number of the constituency, retired previous to the nomination from what may be fairly considered the most honourable motives.
R. Freeman, Esq., of Kensington, proposed Mr. C. W. Dilke, and John Boyd, Esq., of Argyll House, King’s Road, seconded the nomination.
Wingfield Baker, Esq., proposed Sir H. A. Hoare, and James Heywood, Esq., seconded.
The Hon. E. C. Curzon proposed Mr. Freake, and the Hon. Capt. Maude seconded the nomination.