AN ARCHITECT'S DREAM.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 56, 7 March 1914, Page 4

AN ARCHITECT'S DREAM.

Sir Aston Webb, at a dinner of the London Society at tlio Waldorf Hotel; a few weeks ago, gave an incredible i vision of London’s future. He picturedi himself as a sleeper awakened a him-; dred years from now. The main things | in hisj vision were that men were fish-: ing from the Embankment lor salmon, and that the bridges had shops on both ’ sales by which the public were lured! from the north to the south side,! which thus became prosperous. AIL London was bright and clean, for oniyl smokeless material was used. AI statue to Sir William -Richmond had! been put in Southwark by the (Jovermueut. The Southwark houses had; roof gardens, and here the people satin the summer evenings looking at the city twinkling in the evening sun. Cannon Street, Ludgate, and Charing Cross railway bridges had all been taken down, as well as the railway sta-! tioms. (treat arterial roads 1,20 yards! wide stretched out in all directions. 1 These were in two divisions, one for j slow-moving traffic and one for swift j traffic, iho people had wireless tele-'j I graphy, wireless telephones, and wire-, j loss electric light. There was a belt' of green around London. Then camel the chief point. There was a 31 inis try I of Art. There was a Central Govern-j ment ol London, and yet old London | was better protected than ever. Sir! William Ramsay had suggestions in-1 stead of visions. He thought that the! | perfect gas lire had yet to be invented, | I but ho could imagine a carpet per- i i moated by wires through which was j j sent a current of electricity. Ic would j | not get hot enough to burn itself, and | j there would radiate from it a quiet, ■ : gentle heat. ,it might not nrevent I I People using coal fires, but they could' tax thorn if tney did so. Sir Bovortmi I : Redwood thought that the time might j come when we should have hot air in 1 winter and cold air in summer laid on 1 to London’s houses by a municipal on-j tern: : -e.