The Sun.
London, England, 1863-04-02 00:00:00

Mr. J. W. Bazalgette, engineer :
" The first point to which my attention has been
directed in preparing the designs for the Thames
Embankment is the depth and character of the
requisite foundations, and the mode of constructing
them and the embankment wall. In order to deter-
mine these points borings were made in the bed of
the river, along the line of the face of the embank-
ment, down to the London clay; the result of which
I herewith submit for the cansideration of the Board,
and from these a longitudinal section of the silt-
stratum of the river under the proposed embenk-
meat wall has been formed. From this section it
appears, with some exceptions, indicated upon the
section, the river mud and sand averages about
7 feet in depth, and that below it is a bed of
gravel, varying in c e:irseness and character, over-
laying the London clay, and avcraging from about
sft. to loft. in thickness; and that the London clay
is reached at a depth of about 42fr. below Trinity
high-water mark. lam of opinion that a sufficient
and solid foundation for the embankment can be
obtained upon the lower portion of this bed of gravel
at a depth of about 14tt, below low-water mark, and
10ft, above the London clay, or about the depth of
the bottom of the deep-water channel of the river
in the mid-stream. In order to get in the founda-
tions to this depth I propose, by excavating within
them, to sink a connected line of iron cams nig,. and
to fill them with Portland cement concrete to within
Oft. of low water; at this depth, and upon within
Oft.
will be built the brick granite faced embank-
ment wall. The caissons will be so constructed as
to form a full tide dam, and the work will be carried
on in short lengths, so that the upper portion of the
dam above low water can be removed, as each sec-
tion is completed, and employed in the formation of
the adjoining length. Thus the ironwork used as a
dam between high and low water will not be
wasted, but will become available for other purposes
after the whole work is completed. This, therefore,
will be a safe, rapid, and economical mode of ope-
ration. Behind the embankment wall, and under-
neath the roadway, it is proposed to construct the
subway and sewers, an arrangement which will add
much to the stability of the embankment wall.
" The total length of the embankment is about
7,000 ft., but it is completely divided by the bridges
into three sections, each of which will be viewed by
itself, and the line of vision will not ordinarily be
continned from one section to the other. The first
section is from Westminster to Hungerford-bridge,
the second from Hungerford-bridge to Waterloo, and
the third from Waterloo to Btackfriars-bridge.
"A continuous line of embankment wall would
not in itself be productive of ranch architectural
effect, the present landing places for steamboats are
exceedingly ugly, and there would be much diffi-
culty in connecting the river wall with the exist-
ing bridges, so as to produce an effective and con-
sistent design.
" At each of the bridges there are, and must be,
landing-places for steamers, and midway between
the bridges there are landing-places of some descrip-
tion, which will have to be maintained.
" To meet these requirements it is proposed to treat
each length of embankment from bridge to bridge
as a complete design, and to make the steamboat-
piers and landing-places prominent and effective, as
well as useful and necessary features.
"At Westminster-bridge the roadway, which rises
at an inclination of 1 in 80 to the level of the bridge,
is set back some 30 or 40 from the face of the em-
bankment wall, and the intervening space would be
reserved as a promenade and steamboat pies, having
access from the bridge by a wide and imposing
flight of steps opposite the Houses of Parlia-
ment. This will terminate without abruptness the
varying styles of architecture at this point. Be-
tween 'Westminster and Hungerford bridges would
be landing-stairs for smaller craft, and here it is
proposed to introduce the beautiful water-gate now
situate at the end of Buckingham-street, and erected
after a design by Inigo Jones. On either side of
Hungerford and Waterloo bridges would be steam-
boat landing-places, the dummies for which would
be partly concealed within recesses formed by pro-
jeeting into the river, in front of the general line of
embankment, massive granite piers with moulded
pedestals rising about 30ft. above the roadway, and
hereafter to be enriched with bas reliefs and sur-
mounted with groups of statuary.
" Half-way between Hungerford and 'Waterloo
bridges it is proposed to construct a flight of land-
ing steps 60ft. wide, projecting into the river, and
flanked:at each end with massive piers, rising to the
level of' a few feet above the roadway, and here-
after to be surmounted with colossal figures of river
deities, or other appropriate groups. It is proposed
to form an approach for foot passengers from the
high level roadway to the river by a second flight
of steps, descending to the level of the lower or em-
bankment roadway, which would add much to the
effect of this central feature as viewed from the
river. On the other side of this approach a lino
of shops could be erected on the land side of the em-
bankment roadway, the backs of which would form
a retaining wall to the ornamental crescent and
promenade above them.
" Between 'Waterloo and Blackfriars bridges, and
in front of Arundel-street, a steamboat pier would
be constructed, in lieu of the present Essex-street
pier, designed upon the same principle as those ad-
joining the bridges.
" The embankment wall itself has been enriched
with mouldings of a simple character down to the
level of h'gh-water mark, the continuous line of
moalding being broken by the introduction, at in-
tervals, of massive blocks of granite to carry orna-
mental lamps, and by occasional recesses for pro-
menade seats.
" It is proposed in the first instance to construct
the embankment wall and fill in behind it to the
level of 4ft. above Trinity high-water mark, and
afterwards to arrange for the laying out of the area
reclaimed. I propose to divide the work into two
contracts, the first, from Westminster to Waterloo-
bridge, which may be let about the end of May or
early in June; and the second from Waterloo to
Blackfriars-bridge, which may be let before August
next.
" I have now submitted the drawings to the Board
in a less finished state than I could have desired
(nest Friday being Good Friday), and in order to
obtain the sanction of the Board thereto, so as to
enable me to complete them for contract, and to sub-
mit one or two for exhibition at the Royal Academy
for the information of those of the public who take
an interest in this subject.
" J. W. BAZALGETTE, Engineer."

A PROBLEM FOR NATURALISTS.—James Watt,
labourer, was the other day digging a pump well
for Mr. Harvey, farmer, in one of his parks at Backburn,
(tartly, and when about 12 feet down, a live frog came out
from a crevice in the rock. How came the frog to be there?
and how did it manage to live ?—Ban Phire Journal.

HINTS FOR BATHERS.—The venomous c 5 anon,
though a harmless-looking creature, is, in truth,
one of the few inhabitants of the sea that are to be feared
by bathers on our favoured shores ; but its presence is so
much to be dreaded that no one who has once suffered from
the lash of its envenomed filaments will venture to bathe
without keeping a careful watch on the surrounding water.
At its first infliction, the pain is not unlike that caused by
the common stinging nettle, but rather sharper, and with
more of a tingling sensation. Presently, however, it in-
creases in violence, and then seems to attack the whole
nervous system, occasionally causing a severe pain to dash
through tho body as if a rifle bullet had passed in at one
side and out at the other. Both the heart and lungs suffer
spasmodically, and the victim occasionally feels as if he
could not survive another minute. These symptoms last
for 10 or 12 hours before they fah ly abate, and. evelntoatiee
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