The Press.
London, England, 1858-07-17 00:00:00

"That, with reference to the alarm felt, as to the possible nuisance
which may be created at Frith, the Board will undertake to deodorize
the sewage, if such a measure shall be found necessary."

These anticipations rested mainly upon our knowledge of the ne.
cessities of the case. We knew that the Government and the Metro?).
litan Board had come to an agreement, and we felt satisfied that only
in the above way could any practical result be arrived at. No other scheme
or plan was at all feasible. For instance :-
1. Many persons have eagerly called for the suppression of the
Metropolitan Board of Works, and the handing over the Main-Drainage
question to a body of Commissioners appointed by the Government. But
these persons must have forgotten that, before the Metropolitan Board
was created, the Main-Drainage question had been in the hands of two
different Commissions appointed by the Government, neither of which
Commissions could succeed in doing anything.

The Metropolitan Board, on the other hand, had not been in ex-
istence six months before it had framed a plan, which plan will now
be carried into effect, and the execution of which plan has only been
delayed for nearly two years past by the obstacles interposed by Sir
BENJAMIN HALL.

2. The second difficulty, next only to Sir Bitx.rAltres veto, has
been the raising so large a sum as 3,000,0001. by a new Corporation,
possessing no other security for the payment of the interest but what arc
called "rating powers." In 1856 the Metropolitan Board intimated to
the then Chancellor of the Exchequer that it must ask for the guarantee
of the Government before it could hope to raise any money. Sir G. C.
LEwis made this application the subject of a jocose remark in the
House of Commons, whereat the House laughed. Now, however, the
river stinks, and it is found to be "no laughing matter." A proper
drainage cannot be accomplished without money, and money cannot be
had except upon good security. Therefore the CHANCELLOR of the
EXCHEQUER, like a reasonable man, consents to give the guarantee, and
thus the money will be raised, and the work will be accomplished.

3. Then, as to the plan to be adopted. It will be remembered by
some that Sir BENJAMLN HALL first rejected plan A, and then plan
B, and finally sent plan B• to a committee of three engineers, who drew
up a long report upon it. Now, of these three plans, the first, marked
A, was the best. And that, it appears, is likely to be the one adopted.
We have no doubt that a sound conclusion has here been arrived at ; but
let it be borne in mind that plan A, the earliest of the three, was presented
to Sir B. HALL more than two years ago.

4. Lastly, the alarm felt by the people of Erith is met by the
two provisos :-1. that the point of outfall shall be removed two miles
higher up the river, and therefore two miles further from Erith ; and
2, that if needful, deodorizing works shall be established, so as to pour
into the river nothing worse than filtrated water.

The late Chief Commissioner of her Majesty's Works and Buildings
was an active man, made a great stir in the world, and had his own trumpet
always at his lips. But a very large improvement is discernable, already,
in the actual business done, under his successor, with the CHANCELLOR of
the E XCHEQUER at his back. Already we learn, that the Wellington
Monument is decided upon. Next, that the Nelson Column is to be
finished. And, still more important, the CHANCELLOR of the ExcitEcturs
himself announces, that " with reference to the National Gallery, and the
" kindred institutions, the Government is prepared to take the responsi-
" bility upon itself, and at the proper time to submit to Parliament arrange-
"' ments which it is hoped will remedy the deficiencies generally com-
" plained of."

Certainly, to be able to move forward, in so short a time after taking
office, with all these three public works, proves a degree of energy and
efficiency in one department which deserves and will secure very general
praise.

Sir BENJAMIN HALL has brought in his " little bill," and has got it
passed by the House of Commons, for " examining a plan for the main
"drainage of the metropolis." The amount was 8,8361., which is smaller
than we anticipated. But, such as it is, it is 8,0001. more than it ought to
have been.

The case is simply this. Sir BENJAMIN HALL, when constituting the
METROPOLITAN BOARD OF WORKS, took care to reserve to himself a veto
on all the most important plans or measures of that Board. In December,
1856, the Board presented to him its revised plan for the Main Drainage
As Sir BENJAMIN HALL'S assent was needed, it was right and proper that
he should call in a competent engineer, to advise him whether the plan
was one which he could safely assent to. Such a course as this need not
have occupied so much as a month, and need not have cost 5001.
But Sir BENJAMIN took a very different course, and one for which the
Act gave him no authority whatever. He created a new Commission of
three engineers. He instructed them, not merely to look at the plan pro-
posed, and to say whether it was a feasible one, but to inquire for, and
look into, all other plans, which had been, or which might be, propounded.
It was this extraordinary and unwarrantable course which created a delay
of a year and a half, and has given the country a bill of 8,8361. to pay.
This " examination of a plan," be it remembered, created delay, but