The Express.
London, England, 1855-08-01 00:00:00

STATE OP THBSERPENTINE. AND THE LANE

IN ST. Si*

Yesterday, at a special court of the Metropolitan
Commission of Sewers, a communication was read from
the Board of Works, on the subject of improving the state
of then winos. It appears that two branches of the
Bsnelsgh sewer, 'uniting respectively from Frognall, near
Hampstead, and from Hensel New Town, suite in one
stream a little north of the snow-re di, and pan through
a sewer of 16 IL 6 in. by 13 ft. 8 in., from Oloeciester- 1
terrace to the head of the Serpentine, near the Baysentar-
road. Milne point the sewer decreases to 6 It. by 4 ft.,
and when the sewage rises four feet above the bottom of
the drain the overflow is discharged into the Serpentine,
causing the pollution of the water. limy thousand houses
empty their filth into the sewer, and the great cemetery at
K. nsal-green has it+ discharge into it. A new cemetery,
also, is about to be opened at Hilburn, the outlet for which
will be the sewer in question, so that in addition to ate
filth discharged into the Serpentine from thousands of
bonus, the water impregnated with the decomposition of
hundreds or thousands of human bodies must find its way
to the ornamental waters of Kensington-gardens and
Hyde-park. The communication to the commission
stated that Sir Benjamin Hall was desirous to
cleanse these waters during the autumn, sad to pre-
vent a recurrence of the pollution, by turning the sewage
Into a main sewer, :.ad he wished to be informed in what
manner and in what length of time the whole elfin drainage
whisk at protest comes down to the Bayawater-road mold
be pulsed into some of the peat sewers having their dis-
charge at a lower level; also whether there were any
engineering difficulties% the way of each an object. With
regent to the ornamental water In St. James's-park, Sir
Beejansin believed that, heroes the lake could be drained
off, a aew seam most be made at a lower level than the
emstieg drainorbieh rune under the parade on the west front
of the Hone Guards. On the motion of Sir John Shelley it
was resolved that Mr. Bsaalgette, the chief engineer to the
commission be instructed to attend the Board of Works on
the subjest; adverted to.

GAME AND BeLMON.—The prospects of sport in
this district—so lar as reprds grouse—are the reverse of
proisisiug. The eold, usgenial sprigs was usfavourable for
Wellies, and even the birds which emerged is safety from
the shell bane, in mane oases, succumbed, under the scarcity
of food, arising from the destruction or partial injury of the
plants on which they feed by the severity of the winter.
Black game have sot suffered nearly to the same extent,
and the probability is that they will be hued tolerably
abundant sight days after the 12th. Hem, partridges, and
pheassats are plentiful on all well preserved ground, and
the late shooting bids fair this year to be the best. Up to
the present month the swoon hem told severely upon the
prods.* of the sea and the rivers, as well as the land, bat
better time* have come with this glorious month of
Deretfries Courier.
TRIBUTE TO THE MEMORY OP ROBERT NICOLL.—
The Perthshire Advertiser gives an account of a festival is
honour of the memory of Robert Nicoll, held on his native
Orris braes. The party, amounting to about a hundred,
assembled in a beautiful sequestered dell on Ordie braes,
and within two hundred yards of the spot when the poet
Hest saw the Wit of day. Mr. T. Richardson, bookseller,
Perth, an old friend of the poet's, discharged the office of
chairmen. After the usual loyal and patriotic toasts, the
chairman calling for a full bumper to the toast of the day,
proposed, is a few appropriate remarks, the health of the
poet's parents, Rebut and Ocoee Nicoll, sad concluded by
presenting them with 1 lurnaesaidy hosed copy of their
son's poems, with the following inscription :—" This oopy
of Nicoll's poems was presented to the parents of the poet
by a few of the admirers of the author's geeisa—Daly 6,
11866." " Thou bast left so son, bat the song will erve
thy autio." The poet's father briefly acknowledged the
toast sad presentation. Other toasts followed. " The
living poets of (lowland," coupled with the name ref Alex-
ander Braith, by Mr. Sisseton, Perth; "The memory of
Barns," rte.