The Express.
London, England, 1862-06-21 00:00:00

rag ACCIDENT TO THE METROPOLITAN
RAILWAY AND THE IPLEET SEWER.

Razalgette, engineer to the Metropolitan
of Works, accomp mild by Mr. E. Cooper, resident en-
gineer, Mr. Lorick. resident engineer, Mr. Hemmens, C.E.,
41,.1 Mr. I:eternal;yesterday mae an inpection f the
the
portions of tho Metropolitand Railwas y works,o and of
the Fleet Sewer adjacent
That portion of the latter which has fallen In extends for ,
didaoce of about 130 feet, and it was of course impossible
more with regard to this than to make a close Omer- ,
ration of the present state of things in connexion with the
~pect of the wreck of the railway wall from the surface
hut preparatious hail been made with a view to a minute
0,10.01.0 of the sewer running southward from tch:iszt,
where the fall terminates. Double rows of lighted
Lad teen affixed to the sides of the vaulte, and lamps had
Iwo placed at regular intervals along the door where there
now no How of sewage, owing to the stoppage arising
from the fall. This gave to the otherwise dark interior a
light and even biilliant appearance, and made the work of
impectiou via of twmparative ease.
It has Iwo, already stated that since Wednesday evening
a temporal y channel has been in course of construction nom.
nieucing :-ome seventy feet above the northern end of the
rAI, sod terminating some fifty feet below its southern end,
.„,j it was through the opening which had been broken into
the side of the sewer at the latter to connect it with the new
channel that the party entered. It was at once perceived
that a crack about an inch in width ran along the crown
of the sewer from this point right and left. Proceeding
rortbeard this crack at first widened a little and then
but just where it ended two similar cracks
com-
nancod running also along the crown of the arch, and
with an interval of about a foot between them. After
miming parallel to each other for some little &damn
time is tura came to an end, and were succeeded
Ls a single crack varying in width from one to three hackie,
;int on:smiting • threatening aspect, which makes it by no
mews desirable to linger beneath it, at the risk of being
cried under the ruins of another fall. Further progress
is this direction being stopped by the piled-up rubbish, Mr.
I;andatte and his party returned to the point at which
they tad entered, rued proceeded southward. The cracks
rationed in this direction for about 20 yards, and in feet
tie roof of the sewer was shored up here as far as the ex-
MOM point of illumination, beyond which it was 004
teemed necessary to proceed, as the water from the over-
flow fell a short distance beyond this into • branch sewer
which had been tapped for the purpose of carrying it off.
It was, however, stated that the injury was exhibited in •
form more or less decided along the whole course of the
railway excavatioo—a distance of some three furlongs or so.
It will be observed that all the crack' here referred to
mist in the crown of the sewer, which is circular in form.
sal too foot .in diameter. The cracks could be discerned
in the aides ; but since there could have bean no escape of
water through these cracks, except in the event of the vault
being completely filled, it is considered probable that
there may be other cracks in the bottom of the dam,
which was covered with ooze. and that through these the
water made its way, which it is presumed first sapped the
foundation of the railway wall and then lifted it bodily.from
its place, forcing its base from 10 to 12 feet out of its orremd
position. In the opinion of the officers of the Metropolitan
bard of Work. the yielding of the sewer was owing to the
disturbance of the adjacent and supporting soil by the pro.
VW of the railway works ; and, indeed, the fresh appear-
ance of the cracks, which are clean and unstained by dirt, as
well as the white appearance of the cement, or mortar, all
along the course of the different fractures, seem to justify
this conclusion.
With regard to that portion of the sewer immediately to
the north of the fall, it is in so dangerous estate that it was
thought unsafe for inspection, and no doubt is entertained
that for some 80 or 100 feet, at all events, it will have to be
reconstructed. This will also be the case with the southern
portion. but to what extent it is not yet possible to say.
It should be known that while the officers of the Board
of Works trace the injury to their sewer to the operations
connected with the construction of the railway, the com-
pany sad the contractors retort that the damage done to
their works arose from the original faulty construction of
the sewer itself ; and there is consequently talk of actions
and cross actions on both sides. With an eye to legal pro-
ceedings, photographic artiste have beers engaged taking a
series of views for the respective Forties, so as to show to
a jury or juries the exact position of the wreck, and per-
haps aid them in arriving at • conclusion upon which to
found a verdict. The damage to the railway itself may be
repaired for 5,000/. or 60001., but if the cost of repairing
the sewer be added, the amount must at the least be
doubled.