The Express.
London, England, 1865-11-18 00:00:00

METROPOLITAN 13041 W OF WORKS.

The weekly meeting of the board was held yea-
st the °Mose is Spriag-gardens, Sir J. THWAI2IS
preebliog.
INN UTILISATION OF MI SEWAGE ON THE BOOTH BIDS 07
THE BIVIII THANNS.
A report WY brought up from the Maio Drainage Com-
mittee on the different tenders sent in for taking and uti-
lising the sewage on the south side of the Themes. The
tenders ware five in number—from Mr, Rigby Wagon,
The
Mr.
Shepherd, Mr. Kirkland, Mr. Smith, arid Mr. Ellis.
sties had strictly nom-
report stated that none of these pa
plied with the terms of the advertisement issued by the
‘oard. Mr. Rigby Wagon moused to draw off the
°swage from the main sewer at various points along
the line by means of sleben', and he estimated the
cost of the works at 163 000/., and proposed to rates a capi-
tal of 500,000.'. Mr. George Shepherd proposed. to pomp
the sewage to various elevation', the highest being abut
400 feet, eo as to irrigate the high lands, and he also proposed
a system of district reservoirs, about '2O in numbff, into
which the sewage after being pumped would Bow by gravi-
tates through pipes laid aloog the public roads. He fur-
ther proposed to collect on the road the sewage of every
town sear London, and to make it available for lm.
gating 45,000 to 50.000 acres of land. Mr. Kirkland
proposed to adopt the solid or dry system to ta
the sewage from the soothers outfall at Crossness, to
deodorise it ami separate the solid from the liquid, dis-
charging the latter in an inoffensive form into the river.
Mr. Richard Smith proposed to force the sewage by steam
power, to have pumping stations at Deptford and Eritli,
wheaos to faros the sewage through pipes to reservoirs
situated eupeetively st West-wood, Hayesummon, Bag-
shottheath, and Leatherheed-common, and the coat of this
scheme Mr. Smith estimated at 4000001. Mr. Ellis pro-
posed to °Deduct the sewage by a brick culvert 11 feet 6
incises is diameter from the Crooner reservoir to an outlet
into the river at Higham-creek, about two miles
below Gravesend, and about thirty miles below
London-bridge. This culvert would have a dis-
charge into the river at the outfall at low
water by gm
water and take the drainage from
Erith, Dartford. and Gravesend on its way. New the
proposed crittfall a pumping station is to be erected, and the
sewage forced through a culvert two miles in length to an
elevation of about 280 fest, whence Ai' to flow by gravita-
tion through pipes to the area proposed to be irrigated,
which is stated to comprise about 196,000 scree. At con-
venient points along the line of pipes the sewage is to
be distributed by hose and jet or by open channel'. Mr.
Ellis also proposed that they should take on lease about
4,000 acres of loud for the purpose of cultivation, and on
which to use any *NOW of the sewage. The quiuktitylot
sewage wee assumed to be about e jmafiosi cubic feet
r
diem, equal to about 98 million toes per annum, which would
give 500 WO' per acre is the area over whirls it was pro-
posed to °Olin it. Mr. Ellie estimated the cost of this I
scheme at about 1,600,0001., and the working expenses at
115,4421. After mature deliberation, end consultation with
the parties making the tendon, the committee arrived at I
the oonclusion that the plan of Ellis, imperfect as it was,
°Detained the most favourable features, sod was most caps-
bid of being so improved and developed se te meet the
ends la view. One most important modification on.
quired was is the particular of the outfall
High= Creek. Mr. Ellis proposed to construct iv
culvert 14 mane long, with • fall of one foot per mile
from the Cromer reservoir to Higham, to discharge into the
river then, at low water by gravitation. The meow,
however, was of opinion that the discharge of such els
tOCNI4OOISIIIO of sewage at low water would seriously pol-
lute the river, and, at a point only two miles below Graves-
end, would affect that town. It would therefore IA 110005.
eery, in the *vent of the conceesion being granted to Mr.
Ellis, that he should construct a reservoir at Highest, with
pumping power, so that the discharge_ might take place, as
at Cromomm, soon after high water. The committee thought
Mr. Ellis a scheme the best as regarded the general scheme,
and recommended the matter to be referred back to the
committee, to negotiate the precise terms upon which a
concession Amid be granted to him.
Mr. FRUICAN moved that the recommendation of the
committee be adopted, and said it was quite time they
should geapple with this question.
Mr. ROCHI seconded the notion.
Mr. Nzwrovi moved, as an amendment, "That none of
the plane and tenders for the utilisation of the sewage of
the south side of the Thames conforms with the terms of
the advertisement, or are sufficiently explanatory or practi-
cable to justify adoption."
Mr. CA11711.471E. seconded the amendment.
After a &museum in which Mr. Dutton. M., Mr.
Healy, Mr. Richardson, Mr. Tits, M.P., and Mr. Freeman
took put.
The CHAIRMLN pet the question, and the original motion
wee carried by a majority of 26 to G.
A report was brought up from the Streets Committee
in reference to the improvement of the Poultry and MAD.
@Modicum strut. The report stated that the committee
bad carefully considered the subject, and from eistemente
made to them it appeared that the Commissiocersof Sewers
are desirous of securing the cooperation of the board
in widening and improving Mansioo-house-street on the
northern side, by setting back the premises now belonging
to the Union Bank to a fine shown upon a pima, submitted
to the committee by the commissioners, and by that means
continuing the width of Mnosion -house-street to within two
houses of Prieeustrest. The committee were not prepared
to recommend the board to contribute towards the improve-
merit outempleted. Without, however, supreme' soy
opinion as to the desirability of the some, they think it is
oue which ought to form part of a general scheme for the
improvement of the Poultry, and to be carried out by
means of the 4d. coal does.
Mr. Femurs moved the adoption of the report, which
after some diacomion, was 'greed to by a large majority.
The other business was then disposed of, and the board
aijonrsed.

CORN MEYLGE.

A meeting of corn merchants and factors was
bold yesterday at the Sulacription.roorn, Corn Exchange,
to take into cossiderstion the claim for compulsory metags
of grain and seeds made by the corporation of London, and
the beet means of resisting it. It appeared that formerly,
when there was • high duty on foreign grain, and when
that dut was assessed by measure. the right of motege was
vetcised by the corporation. On the alteration of the
corn laws, an arrangement was come to with the Chancel-
lor of the Exchequer by which the nominal duty was levied
by weight ; and since then the merchants shipped by
weight, the consignees received it by weight, and metage
was not required by any person whatever. The corpora-
tion, however, still insisted en their right, and levied
60,000/. a year for corn metage; of which 20,0004 was
deer profit, and from this outlay the trade derived so blew
fit whatever. Thechair wee taken by Mr. Millis, of Coventry,
who brteti, stated thecause of complaint as above, and also
what had been done by the trade to remove It. Commu-
nications had been opened with the corporation, who had
met the trade in the most amicable spirit. A bill was pre-
pared and introduced into parliament last session with the
consent of both parties, which would have settled the ques-
tion for ever, hut unfortunately it had fallen through, and
since then the City of London had commenced legal poised-
logs against a brin (Messrs. Smith) who had resisted the
claim. They were all liable to similar proceedings, sod the
question was what was to bedone? Were they to pay a
compulsory rootage which nobody required ; Or I
if they refused, to expose themselves to pre-
ceediogs in Chancery by tte City of London
Mr. T. Ralli moved the first resolution, to the following
effect :—.• Tbat the charge for compulsory metrige of grin
sad seed in the city of Loodon when not required is unjust
and oppressive, and that it is desirable to teas measures to
resist the claim made by the city of Loudon to enforce pay- i
ment of the same." He said that the bill of last session
would have completely settled the question, but it bad un-
happily been lost iu committee, chiefly through the opposi-
tion, not of the corporst'ou but of the dock companies.
(Hear, hear.) Having sketched the history of the impost,
which was first levied about two hundred years since for the
protection of the public, but which had been rendered
obsolete by modern legislation, Mr. Ralli again reverted to
the bill of last session, and the proceedings taken by the
corporation to enforce their privileges in the law courts.
These privileges were most unjust, and he felt sure that,
even if the corporation succeeded in the law courts, the
press, which over-ruled not only the law courts but paella-
meat, would see that the corn trade did sot suffer from the
levy of au unjust impost. His belief was, moreover, that the
matter would be settled by • cunpromise. es the corporation
did not court an investigation of their claims is open 0001 t
A. royal commission bad in 1854 recommended the total
abolition of compulsory metage. Mr. Peck unanimously
seconded the resolution, and added that the compulsory
metage was in fact a chorea of 2a. per acre on all the corn
land in Rent and Essex. The resolution was carried unani-
mously. A resolution organising a subscription fund, and
another for • committee to administer it, were then put and
carried. One of thespeakers, Mr. Tiarks (Schwedu and Co.),
stated that in consequence of the oompubsory metage,
Bristol was able to compete with London in suburban dis-
tricts, and he knew it to do so successfully in Heading,
which was 36 miles from London, whilst it was 118 from
Biistol. After • short conversation on matters of detail
the proosediep terminated with a vote of thanks to the
chairman.