The Sun.
London, England, 1855-01-18 00:00:00

SEWERAGE OF LONDON.

though London still remains without any organised
syEtem of drainage, and though over a considerable part
of its area the common facilities of sewerage are almost,
if not altogether, wanting, we think we may nevertheless
congratulate our metropolitan readers on the point at
which this question, after years of agitation and debate,
has at length arrived. In a few words, the Commis-
sioners of Sewers are now at last upon the right track,
are apparently in earnest, and are so far advanced in the
business that action must needs soon take the place of
argtrnent. Four er five years ago all the leading prin-
ciples on this subject had yet to be established. It was
not so much as confessed even that a new organisation
of metropolitan sewerage was necessary ; on the con-
trary; it was argued in official quarters that all we wanted
was an. extension, and perhaps a little improvement, of
the r43stem, actually in use. It was not acknowledged
that the Thames ought to he included in the area to be
purifitd, Some engineers declared that such a purifica-
tion of its waters was impossible ; others roundly as-
serted that the attempt would be an entire mistake, for
that the river could never servo any better purposes than
those of a sewer, for which it was eminently and ob
viously fitted, Pending all these discussions of prin-
ciple there were endless discussions of detail, the metro-
politan public got confused and disgusted with intermi-
nable squabbles over pipes and "sumps," and, in the
end, as everybody will remember, one commission after
another was swept away without any substantial results
having been obtained.

The present aspect of affairs, if not absolutely satis-
factory, is considerably more promising. The principles
of the question are settled. All the points for which,
on behalf of the public, we so long contended are now
admitted by all parties together. There is no longer a
question about the propriety of purifying the Thames ;
every scheme recognises this condition as plainly indis-
pensable. There is no longer any dispute about the
radical reform of the whole drainage system ; every
scheme proceeds directly on this assumption, and recom-
mends itself exactly in proportion as it professes to in-
troduce some new, effectual, and comprehensive ar-
rangements. Channels of some kind or other are to be
substituted for the bed of the Thames ; into these main
tunnels the sewers of the different districts are to dis-
charge themselves, while every house, instead of stand-
ing, as many now do, over smothered cesspools, is to
have an outlet for its drainage into the sewers. These
are the great points of the question now accepted. The
sewage is not to accumulate in cesspools or "sumps,"
nor to be poured into the stream of a tidal river, to be
washed backwards and forwards at our feet ; it is to be
carried away through some artificial channels to some
spot where it will at least be innocuous, and where, as
our knowledge of these matters improves, it may some
day be converted into a marketable commodity.
Another satisfactory circumstance is, that beside these
advances in theory, considerable advance has been made
in practice. It is not only acknowledged that all this
ought to be done, but it is confessed that it can be doiie.
A. scientific and comprehensive drainage scheme, which
not so very long ago was pronounced a thing utterly
impracticable, is now admitted to be easily within the
means of our engineers, and is not expected, after all,
to cost any very formidable sum. Measurements have
been taken, plans devised, and even. formal estimates
framed and presented. The approaches, as military
engineers would say, are all complete, the parallels save
been finished one after another, and the branching bat-
teries are at the very walls of the place. We scarcely
see how there can be any further pretext for suspense or
delay. The project of draining the metropolis on a
comprehensive and effectual system, is not only known
to be practicable, but more than one set of men are
ready at this minute to set about the work. The Me-
tropolitan Commissioners of Sewers have nothing to do
but decide definitively between the proposals before
them ; and this, as our recent reports have inforsned the
reader, is what they are now about.
Without prejudging the several questions which have
already been propounded, and which will shortly come
before the public afresh, we may give our readers some
general view of the points kr discussion. There is one
question as to the level at which the main tunnel sewers
ought to be carried ; there is a second as to the scale on
which they ought to be constructed ; and there is, of
course, a third, as to the particular course which they
should take. The second of these points is that which
appears to have created the principal debate, and on its
solution will depend much not only of the character but
the cost of the scheme adopted. The smaller the main
sewer is, the more easily and cheaply it can, of course,
be made, but the difficulty here is this,—that, whereas
a comparatively small drain would perfectly suffice to
carry off all the ordinary sewage, a much greater power
of discharge is required to deal with the excessive flow
produced by heavy rainfalls, and the dimensions of the
sewer have consequently to be calculated for these extra-
ordinary occasions. The designs of Messrs. Bazalgette
and Haywood, the engineers, respectively, of the Metro-
politan and the City Commission of Sewers, adopt what
may be termed the broad gauge principle in this matter,
and their views are confirmed by!the authority of Sir
W. Cubitt and Mr. R. Stephenson, who are decidedly
of opinion that smaller dimensions than those approved
in the said designs would end in nothing but disappoint-
ment. Altogether, this seems to be the principle most
in favour in official quarters, while the proposals of pri-
vate and independent projectors point to simpler and
less expensive plans of operation.
Our readers will easily discern that, although much
interest must naturally attach to these discussions, the
points of chief importance will in any case be secured.
We shall obtain an unpolluted river and a scientific sys-
tem of sewerage ; but it is not to be forgotten that even
these advantages will lose much of their value unleSs the
drainage of particular dwellings is placed upon a better
footing. It is clearly of no use to have a good tunnel
sewer, unless the house drains of all districts are made
to avail themselves of the outfall. At present we
not only have no satisfactory outfall, but many
dwellings have no communication even with the sewers
which actually exist. At the Court of the Commission
held on Tuesday last the chairman observed that the
number of houses "drained into sewers "—that i 3,
brought for the first time into connexion with the sewers
of the district—was at the rate of about 20,000 every
year, of which cases as many as 7,000 were the result of
compulsion. Very many houses, however, including, as
Sir J. Shelley observed, "some of the best in Grosvenor-
square," have still cess-pools under them, and as long as
such a practice is maintained it will be of little avail to
provide general facilities for the escape of district sewage.
It is of no use purifying either street or river if the very
dwellings in which we reside are kept impure. Without
the main drainage scheme we cannot possibly have good
local drainage ; but unless local drainage is also reformed
the advantages of the new system will be lost. Both
warnings and examples are now before us. Pestilence
has but just departed from our doors, and we cannot tell
at what moment it may return. Amid all the mystery
attending its ravages this alone seems clear, that in pro-
portion as wretchedness and dirt are superseded by
cleanliness and comfort the plague is disarmed of its
terrors. We are now blessed with a respite and an op-
portunity, let us turn them to such account for all classes
of people as becomes reasonable beings and Christian