The Sun.
London, England, 1862-06-26 00:00:00

THE DISASTER AT THE UNDERGROUND

_RAILWAY.

The district surveyor of the Board of Works,
with Mr. Fryer, clerk of the works, made two ex-
aminations of the southern portion of the Fleet
Sewer yesterday—the first at 2 a.m., and the second
at 12 at noon. The portion examined was that part
lying between Vine-street and West-street, at which
point the large bell mouth of the sewer is situated.
The report made by those gentlemen is that a most
extensive fracture has taken place in the crown of
the sewer arch, and extending for about 300 yards
in length, with every symptom of a still further
extension. Should this occur, it is considered
probable that the railway works now going
on in that part will have to be suspended,
pending the repair or reconstruction of the sewer.
Mr. Cooper having consulted with Mr. Dethick, the
contractor for the sewer work, it was pronounced
unsafe to allow any sewage water to pass along the
fractured portion, and Mr. Dethick at once opened
the dam, which diverted the water from the railway
cutting into the new trench, along which it had
been flowing freely since Tuesday, and the water
is now again pouring with great force into the rail
way cutting. The timber bed of that portion of the
trench or " grip" completed on Saturday was then
taken up for the purpose of sinking the bed of the
trench at least six feet lower, to be on a level with
the invert of the old sewer. The new " grip" is
also being rapidly pushed forward, and will now
have to be carried under Castle-street, as the re-
admission of the water into the sewer after its in-
tended diversion at Coppice-row cannot, owing to
the fracture, be permitted at any nearer point. It
is now feared that the entire reconstruction of the
whole length of sewer between Coppice-row and
West-street, where the railway terminates, will
become necessary to ensure its safety. Should this
unfortunately be the case several months' daesltahye
will take place in the opening of the railway,
works at this point must remain suspended until the
sewer is completed.
immediate the
The ground surrounding
neigh-
bourhood of the late accident is gettingtienefinto awvateerry
dangerous state, through the ac ,
the New River Company to remove their main pipe
railway,utimbers, were
and several labourers were yesterday employed by
the
fallen
labour
a bo
the
lying across the ruinisngof
employed in removing
ordered to desist from their atondp
accident.
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THE GREAT MONT CENIS TUNNEL.—By the
terms
letohnrcavength justl‘ioniontC cnoniscliusdteo b© dthedeefxrpa3,evneaseproofptehre
great .
iionately by the French and Italian Governments and the
tunnel
of
nn a e
Victor Emmanuel Railway Company. Tho French Go-
vernment is to contribute a sum not exceeding £760,000,
and the Victor Emmanuel a sum of £BOO,OOO, interest being
guaranteed on the latter at the rate of 41 per cent. Tho
Italian Government is to undertake the execution of the
works and find the remainder of the requisite capital. If
the works are concluded in less than 15 years from January
last the French Government is to give an additional sub-
vention of £24,000 upon every year saved out of the 15.
The works are to be measured up periodically, and interest
at the rate of 5 per cent, paid by the French Govern-
ment to the Italian Government on the expenditure in-
curred ao far.