The Express.
London, England, 1861-12-26 00:00:00

THE THAMES EMBANKMENT.

The following "points" for the consideration of
the Thames Embankment Commission now sitting in re-
ference to the embankment of the south side have bean
drawn up and published by Mr. Thwaites, Chairman of the
Metropolitan Board of Works :
Assuming the necessity for a southern embankment to
be mnmded, it may still to useful to consider at the outset
of our inquiry the prominent reasons for such a work, as in
some degree indicating the aourse which may most advan-
tageously be pursued.
The plan already reported on for the northern side de-
mands the removal of very large quantities of deposit from
the shoals in the river, many of which immediately adjoin
the southern shore ; this operation will have a peat ten-
dency to cause a constant settlement towards the deepened
portion of the river's bed, and consequent injury to the
piling, wharf walling, sad other defences on that side :
some of these are already old and deoiyed, or were origi-
nally but imperfectly adapted to their situation, and hence
we may conclude that it will be necessary to provide a solid
wharf wall slong all that part of the southern shore which
fronts the embankment previously recommended.
But there is another urgent reason for • Southern em-
bankment, which must exercise a considerable influence on
the framing of any scheme for that side, viz., its liability to
constant injury from flooding. The extent of this
evil, its heavy pressure on the large labouring popu-
lation of the penalise adjoining the river, the misery,
sickness, and death produced by its periodical recurrence,
with the conscquent heavy charges on the rates, can only
be thoroughly ted by those who have themselves
witnessed its effects. Obviously to carry out thoroughly
any effective remedy, the future embankment must be o(
sufficient height to be above the reach of the highest tide,
viz., 16 feet above Ordnance datum, and it should be at
least conterminous with the thickly-inhabited portion of
London beyond the Thames. Its precise limits will depend
upon the evidence hereafter to be laid before the commis.
sion, but the termination of the embankment already car-
ried out by her Majesty's Office of Works in connection with
Battersea park and bridge, might form a convenient com-
mencement on the western side. Some difference of opinion
will probably exist as to its extent eastwards, but it must
' be remembered that Loudon-bridge forms neither a moral
nor material limit of the metropolitan area : the inhabitant.
of Bermondsey and Rotherhithe suffer equally from floods
with those of Lambeth and St. Saviour's, and are equally
contributory to metropolitan burden,.
Doubtless the liability to repair, maintain, and mime the
basks and defences of all rivers and watercourses rested
originally with the owners of property, and this liability
was maintained by the MetrogohLn Sewers Act, see. A
and the Metropolis Looal Yauagemeat Acta, sect. 69.
Indeed the metropolitan commissioners of sewers con-
sidered the question with a view to serving notices on the
owners of property in Rotherhithe after the high tides of
1850-52. But from the transference of these powers to
vestries and district boards, combined action has become
impossible, and it behoves the present commission to provide
such remedy se may ooropletely supplement their defective
au
The heed of inquiry is the improvement of the
thodtaird
mesas of communication is connection with the embank.

17;I: fe•nr;;EFTwri Wel; -
fitan Board of Works, taken as a continuation of Stam.
ord-street and the York-road, will form a very complete
Wand line el traffic from east to west ; but valuable as it
is, increased facilities to the great transport trade en the
southern bank, from Nine Elms to London-bridge, are
urgently demanded. True, arm certain portions of this
beak several excellent links are found, such as that afforded
bah• Commercial and Belvedere roads, and lees corn-
by Beeludde ; but the defective sections adjoining
Tahoe, thence to Vauxhall, and between Slack-
frires-bridepe and Baekside, costly need amelioration.
What remedies it may be imealble to afford for them ac-
knowledged evils, what particular mode of construction is
may be convenient to adopt, and what line of embankment
and tboroughbue will be moat commodious and economical
to follow, ere obviously questions demanding very patient
investiption, and on which much light will probably be
thrown bythe evidence which will be offered the commission.
It Is clear that it will not be possible to assimilate the opera-
tions ea the south side in any degree to those on the north.
The displacement of the river-side trade, already recom-
mended is the commissioner's report, must increase the da-
mmed for premises on the south side, and any further inter-
ference with wharf property would be Ineilia impolitic.
Whitest prejudging the solution of the Ism by the
sonsinimion, their attention may fairly be irected to the
meted seggestioas afforded by the mode in which Mr.
Thome eolith effected a somewhat similar operation at
Molina No two engineering problems admit an identical
solution, and Mr. eolith's dispneitions would doubtless re-
quire modilkedieu ; but still his combination of the require-
ments of trade, with the advantages of convenient commu-
siciatios, appears to be • peculiarly happy one, and deserving
of attentive study.
In addition to the engineering witnesses who may be axe-
mined, the local authorities, lane manufacturers, and
hs and other commercial interests, emir afford
froryrenjerual information as to their peculiar wants and
the beet mode of satiety* them. A circular of inquiring
to the vestries sad district boards more immediately affected
would elicit many material points of evidence, and guide
the commnsieeers is their future inquiries.
Lest but net least Meads the financial %ands of the sub-
ject, which doubtless presents difficulties far greater than
surrounded the previous question. It is clear that the re-
venues ascribed by parliament to the construction of a
northern embankment will fall short of what will be re-
spired for the project @indeed forth in the preceding re-
marks, even should the pressed coal due, be extended from
tea to twenty yews. It is madly clear that so local source
of income can be looked for to supply the deficiency, and
foregone experience would poise to the inevitable conclu-
sion that, imperial as may be the character of any scheme
for improving the great highway of our commercial capital,
DO help is to be expected from the imperial exchequer.
To propound a complete plan for the amelioration of both
banks of our river, and to acknowledge our inability to de-
vise any means of paying for it, would surely be unbecom-
ing to the Swede capacity of a body of practical men, and
probably after passing in review the several elements of
the speedo°, they will consider that inasmuch as this work
is mainly required to facilitate the trade of the metropolis,
that that trade ought to defray its cost, and that a small
thump due en the goods entered inwards and outwards in
the port of Loudon, excepting coal as already taxed, would
be a burden but lightly felt by the community, readily col-
lected by the existasg machinery, and a convenient applica-
tion to metropolitan finances of that combination of direct
with indirect taxation which has been found the most
equitable mode of replenishing the national exchequer.

CATTLE.—SoormALL, D. 24.—Our market was held
to-day, on account of Christmsa-day falling on the
Wednesday this year, but them were no transactions
worthy of record.

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BIRTHS, MARRIAGES, AND DEATHS.

BIRTHS.

HAVlRML—Deannber U, tM wife of Lieutenant 11. Hawke.,
ILK.. at a delyiliter.
HOLUM—December M, at Medbm.villas, hackney, Mrs. L
HoDick, of a daughter.
KELLER.—December 23, at Turi.e.road, Tollingtou-park, the
wife of 1. Keller, Esq., of a daughter.
MARTIN.—December 21, at Cambridgeterrace. Hyde.park, thug
wife of IL N. Martin, Eau., H.M.'s Bengal Civil Service, of
auttei.
KIK —December 22, at Bedford-place, Kenaington, the
wife of A. A. MierHie, Inn., E.q.. of a son.
POLEHAMPTON.—December 2t, at Dover, the wife of the Co
J. Poieluunpton, of a daughter.
RUSSELL—December 23, at White Lodge, Guildford, the e it. .4
T. Russell, Rm., of a daughter.
TRZMATISK—Deatmber 23, at Eaton-square, the lion. SIN.
Tramps, of a daughter.
UNTllANK.—December 21, the wife of A. Unthank, Kai I
Nottingham, of a daughter.
WALK EP.. —December 21, at South.bnild I n gs, Clapham-comiu.4.,
the wife of H. Walker, req., of a daughter.
WARNRFORD.—Decenther 21, at Ralterhebble, near Halltic, the
wife of the Rev. J. H. Warneford, M.A., of a daughter.
WLSTMAOOTT.—December M. at Hertford-street, Mus fair. the
wile a A. F. Westiosegt, Nag., of a daughter.

MARRIAGES.
0001111—MITCHELL—Deoesaber 21, at isleworth Charrh.ll
the Bev. T. Po more, M.A., T. C. W. Cooke, Me.l., IV,
Berkeley-street, Portman-square, to Harriet Adelaide, .Iseglthr
of the late W. H. Mitchell, Esq.
CURRY—CILAWFORD.—IIeoem.mr SO, at St. Anne's, flellast.ll
the Rev. Dr. Miller Mr. B. Curry, to Margaret Jane, daughte
of Mr. H. Crawford, of Lower Malone, Belfast.
HALLBWELL—HAWKI N. December 21 at the parWs chur,h
of St. John. Manchester, by the Bev. %V. Huntington.
Benjamin, son of Mr. B. Hallewell, to EllzabethJane,tlAnghtcr
of Mr. W. Hawn,. late of She Meld.
HAYWARD—CARTEL—December 22, at the Church of the
Saviour, Birmingham, by the Rev. H. Dawson, M.A., Sir. W.
Hayward, to Charlotte Elisabeth, daughter of Mr. T.t.hrter.
all of Birmingham.
HEY—SW*I KB—December 21, at St. Matthias', Burley, nee
Leeds, by the Rev. T. Sturgeon, Hugh, son of Mr. M. 11ey..4
Bentham, near Lancaster, to Mary Ann, daughter of kir.,
Squire, of Burley,