The Press.
London, England, 1853-12-24 00:00:00

THE KENT MAI:SHFX

THE drainage of the Thames marshes was proposed
for examination at a meeting held on the Ist of No
vetnber last, when a eotalliitteo was appointed to con-
sider plans for that purpose and draw up u report upon
them. This report having been prepared, a second
meeting was convened lust Wednesday at the Bridge-
house Hotel, under the presidency of Sir C. Earilley,
to receive and discuss it. The following are the prin-
cipal clauses of this paper, which refers to a subject
of great interest, not merely as regards the value of
property, but the health and comfort of the dwellers
to a large and populous district :

" 'l'he eouousittee appointed to inquire into the ►:unitary
ant sgriessitotnd state of the untroshes on the hides of the
'Mouses, the nivoutos fur their improvewe•nt, the existing
I gal jtuw•ers fur this purpose, and the propriety of applying
t ► l'arlianient for All CAIIIII4OII of such powers, le•g to
►tate :

" That, the marshes oil both sides of the Thames cun-
t/Ito about. :11,i11111 acres of lan.).

" That the portion of this extensive tract, of which the
fullest information has been ohtaiusd, iN the flinttill loc.
tweet& Woolaieh and Eriilt, mid whisk nisi hi fairly taken
MS representing the whole. in' thig district, about woe•
eighteenth part of the marsh consists of open dile Iles,
which, its Mall). caw", have out been cleaned out for a
great length of time, and they are sink with rotten Ind
decaying vegetatiws.
"Ague mail allied disorders lot...vigil tloroongloont to
Gravesend and Southend, and occasionally extend to the
adjoining high groonnols.
" Attenti )))) has been specially directed to the sanitary
state of the district between IVosohilieh 110141 felt h, soul,
taking into account the tioitotral advantages of its situut•
and that its joopulation includes tine piortiou of
loobliem—iliekViMelt in the 11.• • of life—the note of
mortality an Woolwich is high and this, amount of sickness
excessive ; the pmportioota of raises of sickness to deaths
being calculated m nearly dontlole the ordinary rate. The
crews of remelt* detained Mb/We two or three weeks near
Plumstead invariably ststl'er ague and allied olisonlenb: and
last year, when, owing to the (amines% of the previous%
ointment, the malaria watt confesm.ally less illtellNe LIMO
lone•sixtli of the population of the hamlet offiecurtly
was affected with ague.
" In the opinion of l'osofessor Airey, soopporto.ol in some
degree by that of Professor Italolotoge, the tolando lands are
in a great tnesimure the 1•411/61. of ti.e I Mad. ilk 1:4,4 I 411111 in
the opinion of mousy Of the 11104 eminent 1511,SiehtlIS sof floc
metropolis, they e•O•tritie tO111114•1141. on Its
health of its inlonloitatits.

" With uralM rl. Up the I.4liellit lit' the •sla laisols as
alleeting agriculture. :11r. Russell 141141 ,%1 I'. I nelso,nii, Iwo
large iocto Nolen., of loud in i ho• I'l stead 1 Eritls
marshes, have in evidence. that they 1114' hisser. 10 a
large amount iiiiii tastily in euhheopteisec of the present sys-
tem of pet iii il sg up private dito:hes ; while yl r. Williaan
Cottons, a gentleman oaseing large property in Essex, lass
proved that Ow isirarairo”; which helm; adopteol in lowering
hi 4 11114.11.• •, and for imps iirt their oaitColl, I' i;Illy
iIIIIIIIIVI.II 111 S aloe. oor hi 1.410.
" kSI In the norms> or insioroo olraiosocto. oot Itor
111.4141*,, Sill. a v is' to 1ia111141.. lha ci
tee havt, to ill 5.11 :- •
" Thal. ill 1144a1111 io the Ee hi,h• II th,.
luta eels %1 iCli ll.:i.ith. the 54 Ssiiiiiit W.. luxe
beau in commis 11l i l •atiosti with the e • out engineers, M wool+.
Walker and Iturgess, and Messrs. Easton awl linos, oho
relkitt I.llill iii 110111 is it 11111111141 drainage. With regard
to the Jinni:44lml ails' Erith uullrhrp, Nlessrs. Easton moil
Anions atitle 1111111111. 111161111 W eats be itivoomiolialied ley lira
slitierm ( through the hank, 1, and loy sinking the whole of
the hi one Cu 14.V41. or nearly so; and that the
fr.!soli drinking-places requin.4l in some of the lands wool(
be furnipolsed
" With resiseet tip the legal 'warns far suds purposes
C41111111i114.41 11111• not yet ill 11 etaliillli4/11 141 ally INOsili%Cli
whether it will be neeetiyatry lii Parliament for
111441.4.%14.1114i4111. It 111 l abet her an hasps on sal sp.
tutu Of 1111. M. Cllll'll4l slit under I Ise
provishass of the present law or SODS! new ISt Vitiel'
the 1111144', %hi n attention has been once discoed to this
nuttier, will esissolenni the conti 111 l ing existence Of 1114•
iorvaeist state of things. The eouttnittee hare reesivs.ol
very general assunineeps of suppoit to any allhoorgiusiscsl
stvstesit of better divining the marshes son both silks of the
'litanies train highly influential oloiartovo, besides a general

ILsslllllllee from her Majesty's
in the oisieet.
" The qtlestion in a large one It seellls to the committee
to he proved that the health of thu itiliabilantn of the
tutetropolis in di infected by the state of the marshes.
and the connuittec venture to reeommend that Meal's In
krovided and titeiroiren takento ensure a noire elielitleti
nowledge of the &et-, ill the hope that the interests of
the owner.' and lll.esapier. of the het will thereby
promoted, and that hot is title to the pni•lic aelfure will
be seciired."

Os 14.11441111.111. e

The report w. unit' t i iiii oi%ly adopted by the meet-
ing. and ordered to be printed for general circulation.

AUSTRALIAN 1:011TI'N

THI Sydney correspondent of a daily journal relates
some eorions anecdotes of the prose as and the ra-
pidity of moncy.making in Australia. We give• home
extracts from his letter:—
F•ortime•ulakiu> the principal !sushi. ..4 Of
people in Sydney and Nlelhotirtie. 1-:Ner thing rhr i.
merely itecer,sor. 11'e thissk. indee•ll, till oW Mud th, II xltilal
other ; hat cent. per cent. 1.4 mu
cogitations. Not cent. iwr cent. tier MIII•IIUI. bid Vela. per
cent. per mouth. and someti iiii .s per week The ay siu
wlaie•ll moues i. made are vatic 1". I W ot t.
l
ull 011 C e 111•foic
that the towns were the trine buld•helds. lit Victoria it