The Express.
London, England, 1859-07-05 00:00:00

THE THAMES.

On the motion of Sir M. Pero an adhere was agreed to
for returns from the Metropolitan Board of Works, and from
all district boards established under the Metropolis Local
Menagerneet Act, sat from the City of London Commie-
stoners of Sewers, of sty snd ell operations performed by
them between the 25th day of Merck last and the 18th day
of June instant, with the object of preventing the occur-
rence of noisome effluvia from the River Thames, sad par-
ticalarly of the quantities of lime sr other deodceleing spots
day by day used for that purpose ; from the medical and
other officers of her Majesty's hospital ship Brea Inought,
moored in the Themes, of any end all observations and
uperimente made by them, or nadir their direction, with
reference to the condition of the river in the years 1858 and
1859. And returns from her Majority's Office of Works, sad
from the Metropolitan Board of Woks, of any commuice-
Was, resolutions, and measures of the years 1858 and
1859, fa reference to the suggested Improvement of the
river Thames by embanking the sates, sad by forming leo-
tard sewers within the embanked spaces, and various other
returns on the subject of the state of the river.
Sir M. PETO then moved for leave ts bring ins bill to
provide for the prevention of noisome effluvia from the river
Thames within the metropolis. Hs said be would reserve
his statement for the second reading, u he understood the

introductionof the bid would not be opposed. But he would
observe that he did not wish in any way to reflect on the
metropolitan commission, but he thought the house hat •
right to demand that they should have periodical returns of
what the commission wee doing.
Mr. SOTIIERON ESTCOULIT said as the bill wee of
general interest, it would Le very satiafectory to the house
if the hon. member would give them a sketch of the bill.
Sir kf. VETO said the bill required at the hands of the
001:111121/91011 a monthly return of all they had done with re.
card to the cleansing of the mowers and putting the river in
a state in which they all desired it. It might be slid that
the returns might be made without their being compelled to
make them; but he felt the matter was so important, and
the interest of the metropolis was so largely affected by the
state of the Thames, that he thought they were not doing
their ditty without their having every month a return giving
,the details. He believed that the board at present
were doing all they could to mitigate the evil.
He also proposed to insert previsions for the purpose of re-
moving any doubts there might be as to the rating powers of
the hosed ; and for the purpose of giving the Secretary of
State for the Home Department power to dispense with any
wttekapsit might be found unnecessary.
.

lOW ciiii;7;riailoil oppose the introduc-
tion of the measure, but he thought its tine was a misnomer.
The hon. baronet ought robe, to have called it " A Bill to
make the Metropolitan Board of Works prepare a large
number of returns." (Hear, hear.)

Sir J. SHELLEY should certainly not have expected hie
hon. friend's bill would turn out to be merely a measure to
compel the Board of Works to make a large number of ex-
pensive remits; and be hoped that he would induces the
house—if it adopted it—to take the cost of those returns
upon themselves. (Hear, hear.) As for the rate-mem
clause, he should assure his hon. friend that there was no
doubt as to the Rowers of the board at all, and any legisla-
tMn on that en' jut was, therefore, quite unhoceseety. He
(Sir J. Shelley) should altogether protest against the inter-
ference of the Secretary of State with the board. The in-
habitants of the metropolis being burdened with the entire
expense of purifying the Thames, bad a right to decide for
Limnos/elves bow the teak should be performed. (Hear, heir.)
Mr. TITE assured the bowie that the board had ample
powers, and they had also the strong, st draire to take rte•
cleat steps to remedy the gigantic evil with which they bad
to contend. Is order to chow the feeling with which they
were animated, it • ould only be necessary for him to state
that lent year, although they had not the powers which the
' legislature subsequently conferred upon them, they spent no
lams than 5,0001. to lime far deodorising the sewers. A per-
manent cure could only be found in a greet system of main
drainage; and from the progress which bad already been
mode be thought it probable that that syetem would be com-
Owed in throe year, 'nowise of five. (Hear, hear.) One
large sewer was contracted for in February last, end one-
fifth of it was already made. Teat sewer, welch would be
finished in Jute next, would drain the Hackney Brook dis-
trict, a source of enormous acnoyanee. Another very large
sewer on the other aide of the river bad just been con-
tracted for. With regard to the present state of the
Themes, he most remind the house that there were now
discharged into It 80,000,000 callus of sewage water, which
contained 600 tons ot mud, or 200 tons of solid matter. This
sewage wee not only in • state of putrefaction iteelf, but it was
a muss of putrefaction to the metes into which it was poured.
The board had appointed two of the most eminent chemists
of the day to experiment on the beet mode of dee:kneeing the
contents of the drains and they had atso appointed, eine.
May last, Dr. Miller (Professor of Chemistry in the tioi-
venity of London), to report to them daily on the state of
the river and of the great sewers. At the present moment
the board had no fewer than 30 stations at which they could
pour in lime water, which was all that in the present state of
their knowledge they could do. But Dr. Miller was engaged
in a series of eventuate, in order to see it a berer disin-
Potent than lime could not be found for this temporary use.
Lent week Dr. Miller eueguted some other deodorising
agent., and the board were prepared to adopt those other
sg Me, even if they threw on additional expense upon the
ratepaysea. (Hear, h-or.) The board were sincerely anxieits
to discharge the duty imposed upon them, and any inter-
ference by the legislature would tend rather to embarrass
than assist therm (Hear, hear.)
Mr. ANOERSTEIN said a report wee current that the
high level sewer wee intended to discharge its contents into
Deptford Creek. He trusted that it was not intended to
sacrifice a considerable portion of the metropolitan district in
the way suggested.
Mr. M'CANN complained of the abominable stench
which on Sunday lest was emitted from the opening at
Chering-arose through which lime was pat into the sewer.
The smell rendered the r.otne at Morley's Hotel almost un-
bearable. (A laugh.)
Mr. RID LEY said that a few hours after the rise of the
tide the effluvium from the river was so bat that the wirdowe
bed to be clewed, and than we, regime to spent:axed that
public business would be formerly interrupted. If it opt:-
Pellet, i must main endanger the health of hon. member.,
se to his keowledge it had done lest year.
Mr. CONING HAM considered that the aystem which had
been adopted in the drains ge of the metropolis was not
founded on right principles. He bad no doubt that the use
of lime would prove a Herne! failure.
Mr. LOCKE (Southwatk) was the only member who last
year objected loth' niseaure proposed in a groat hurry by her
Majesty's then advisers for the purpose of handing over ell
?responsibility connected with the river to the Board of Works.
He was tolerated that the plan the Booed of WOlks had
adopted was to divert the wares of ail ?drums that were not
particularly offensive, and to make them run into the Tit sums
below bridge. It was, therefore, extremely likely that these
operations would only Increase the evil.
Mr. GRIFFITH said be had made inquiries as to the
smell cowl/tined of by the hon. member for Nosh. da (Mr.
M'Casen) ; and he found from the nem employed in superin-
tending the lime operations that it enigma very well eu long
as it was kept at work ; but on Saturday they kit off pouring
in the lime water, It appeared to him that no plan of main
drainage would answer unless the river was also embanked.
It was f tuna that the smell was worst when the tide began to
disturb the mud beaks • a circumstance which showed that
the removal of those batiks was even more required then new
drains. (Hear, hear.)

Alterman C 1.7 HITT said the Board of Works bad been
proceeding with all possible deepatch ever macs they had re-
ceived their new powers; tut it must be remembered that
those powers were not conferred upon them till late teat
Moe, and that time wen needed to prepare their plans. All
that was now required was a little patience; for it was im-
possible that great works like three could be cogried out in •
ley mouths. (Hear, hear.) He hoped, however, that in
three or four years the scheme would be completed, and that
the notions effluvia of which they had now to complain
would be remove'. He begged to state with reference to
the high level sewer chit It was never Intended that it
should empty itaelf into Deptford Creek. The hoard bad
merely taken Deptford Creek as a point to which it should
be constructed until proper machinery could be consttucted
to convey the sewage lower. (Hear, bear.) As to the
smell at Charing-crees on &today, that had arisen front the
sew. r having born accidentally left uncovered.
The SPEAKER then put the motion that leave should be
given to bring in the bill, and the noes appeared to prepon-
&rate. The right hoe. gentleman having put the question
• second time, and with the s.ms result. declared that the
nose had it. Some amusement wee caused by Sir U. Peto
rising to challenge hie decision a few seconds afterwards,
when it was too late. The bon. gentleman had evidently let
the moment for demanding • division pass truss pare inad-
vertence.