The Sun.
London, England, 1864-01-02 00:00:00

THE CHIEF ENGINEER AND THE ODESSA CONTRACT.

Communications were received from St. George's Vestry,
Southwark, and the Westminster District Board of Works,
enclosing resolutioxs approving the report of the Main
Drainage Committee of the Board with relation to the en-
gineer's connection with the works at Odessa.

THE NEW MARYLEBONE. ROAD,
A communication was received from the Marylebone
Vestry praying that the numerous places and terraces abo-
lished by calling the thoroughfare throughout by the single
name of the New Marylebone-road might be restored.
The sutject was referred to the Streets Committee.
THE PROGRESS OP THE MAIN DRAINAGE WORKS.

The Chief Engineer laid before the Board the following
report on the progress of the main drainage works :--
"Making due allowance for the shortness of the days in
the present month, and for the stoppage of the works in the
Christmas week, fair progress has been made in the execu-
tion of the several sections of the main drainage works. In
connection with the Middle Level line and its branches,
Messrs.Brassey and Co. have now completed nearly 11 miles
of sewers, varying from 4ft to 12ft, at an estimated cost of
£293,000 or £4,000 more than was reported last month.
Messrs. Moxon and Co. have completed above 2! miles of
the Western sewers, ranging in size from 4ft Gin circular
to 3ft 9in. to 2ft bin, at a probable cost of about £40,500,
being £2,500 in excess of my last monthly report. These
works are still being carried on in confined localities, and
great precautions are necessary to avoid damage to adjoin-
ing properties. ' The apron piece in the river, at theoutlet
of the Northern Outfall Sewer, is not yet quite completed,
owing to the very short tidal periods in which it can be pro-
ceeded with. Some other minor works also remain to be
done to complete this contract, under which, to the present
time, Mr. Furness has executed work to the value of about
£614,000, of which £9,000 is due to the progress made in the
past month. The amount of work done by Mr. Furness un-
der his contract for the Northern Outfall Reservoir is esti-
mated at about £140,000, £15,000 representing the propor-
tion of the work done last month. At the Southern Outfall
Works, Crossness, about 142,000 cubic yards of ground
have been excavated and removed, and about 70,000 )ards
of concrete filled in. About 4,000 rods of brickwork, 28,000
cubic feet of masonry, and 67,000 superficial feet of paving
have also been executed, and 85 penstocks fixed. To the
present time the total cost of the work executed by Mr.
Webster under this contract amounts to about £175,000, or
£6,300 in excess of the sum reported last month. Mr.
Webster, under his contract for the Main Southern Low
Level Sewer, has now completed nearly 21 miles of this line,
which, with other works, amount in value to abount £86,000,
an excess of £12,000 over my last monthly report. Messrs.
Aird and Son have satisfactorily completed within the time
allowed by the contract the entire line of the Bermondsey
branch of the Southern Low Level Sewer. Its total length
is nearly three miles, and its cost, as far as can be ascer-
tained till the account is finally adjusted, is about £94,000.
Notwithstanding very many difficulties with the paviors
and others, some of whom struck on Tuesday last, the new
Southwark-street will this day be opened by the Board for
public traffic throughout its entire length from the Borough
to the Blackfriars-road. The total value of the work done
by Mr. Pearson under his contract for the completion of
this street amounts to about £24,500, or £5,000 more than
reported last month.

" J. W. BAZALGETTE, Engineer,"
The report was received and ordered to be printed and
circulated.
PROPOSED STREET IMPROVEMENT IN THE CITY OF LONDON.

Mr. H. L. TAYLOR rose to move the resolution of which
he had given notice :--“That, on account of the great im-
portance of the widening of Mansion-house- street, as a
means of facilitating the public traffic, and its connection
with the formation of the new street from Blackfriars to the
Mansion-house, the Board do contribute one-half of the ac-
tual cost of effecting the improvement, and that,the resolu-
tion of the Board of 30th October last (No. 3), limiting the
amount to be contributed by the Board to £2,600, be varied
accordingly ; that the Commissioners of Sewers of the City
of Londcn be requested to proceed forthwith to acquire the
property proposed to be taken, and that the amount of the
contribution by the Board be paid to the commissioners, on
a certificate by the architect of this Board of the cost and
completion of the work." In support of this motion he said
that since this matter had been before the Board it had
been found that the owners of the property required had set
a much higher value upon it than had been contemplated,
and from inquiries he had no hesitation in saying that this
improvement could not be effected for less than £50,000, but
the maximum might be £60,000, That -sum would include
the setting back of St. Mildred's Church about 14 or 15i t,
and the whole line of Mansion- hou-e-st reet would he thrown
back to the Britannic Assurance Office. Be suggested that
the Board should contribute £25,000 towards the cost, the
Commissioners of Sewers contributing the other half. Now
the contribution on the part of the Board would only in-
volve a rate of Ich in the pound, but the City of London
would have to contribute 51d. in the pound, in addition, so
anxious were they to see improvements in that particular
locality in connection with tho new street from Blackfriars