The Sun.
London, England, 1853-07-20 00:00:00

THE RIVER THAMES.

(From the Timee.)

The Thames seems to be attracting just now almost
as much notice as the Danube. Sir William Molesworth
has brought in a bill for constructing, not only a new
bridge, but a considerable embankment. Mr. Oliveira
wants a select committee to incplire into the state and
condition of all the bridges, and of all the points where
there are no bridges, and " generally to report upon
any measures for improving and facilitating the inter-
course between the two sides of the stream."
the Committee on the Great. London Drainage Bill have
published the minutes of evidence received, and given us
the opinions of a dozen engineers on the capacities of
the river generally. We anticipated most of the present
agitation on behalf of our metropolitan stream. When
the plans for the Great Drainage scheme were sent in
to the Commissioners of Sewers for inspection, there
was one project amongst them which attracted con-
siderable admiration. It proposed, if our memory
does not deceive us, to embank. the Thames on both
sides throughout the whole length of the metropolis,
by means of structures which would comprise a pro-
digious system of sewers internally, and furnish
many miles of spacious and airy quays beside. No-
thing could exceed the splendour of the plan. It
had one fault, and one only, which was, that it
would cost about 50 millions of money and 100 years of
labour. Sir William Molesworth's proposition is insig-
nificant in comparison with this, but it has at least the
advantage of being practicable. There is to be a new
public park at Battersea. This park will, of course, re-
quire a bridge, and the bridge a roadway. Moreover,
the Thames is to be " embanked " at this spot—that is
to say, its banks are to be made sound, straight, and
solid, like the quays at Paris, or like the terrace by the
Houses of Parliament, except that there will be no need
of quite so much expenditure. We feel perfectly sure,
however, that when this has been done the sight of the
thing will create an irresistible desire to continue the'
process. It will be just like laying down a piece of
pavement in a town for the first time—all the streets
will be clamorous for the same luxury. There can be
no doubt that this plan should have been put in practice
long ago, and, if each successive generation had em-
banked its own portion of the river as the metropolis
extended, we should now have little difficulty in accom-
plishing our share. As it is, the expense looks serious.
Sir William's specimen is to cost, with the roadway and
the street, 146,0001. ; but we do not see it stated how
much of this is to go to the embankment itself, or what
is to be the precise extent of the operation.
In one of the arguments used on Monday evening we
entirely concur. The funds for the proposed works at
Battersea were to be provided by advances from the
Exchequer Loan Commissioners. Then came the ques-
tion of repayment; and Sir William Molesworth could
only suggest that what was not forthcoming in the form
of contributions from those whose property would be
benefitted by the undertaking should be raised by tolls
on the bridge. This drew down remarks, not only from
Sir De Lacy Evans, but from Mr. Henley, who very
properly objected that such an arrangement would go
far to neutralise the whole advantages of the project.
To establish a park of recreation for the working
classes, and then put a tollgate on the road to it, is
little less than an absurdity ; for the tendency of such a
proceeding could only be to exclude those very classes
for whom the park was designed. It is of no use to say
that the toll would only be a penny, or even a half-
penny. This may seem no unreasonable contribution
to ask from those availing themselves of the benefits
proposed ; but, not to mention that twopence or
threepence may be a serious consideration to a
labourer wishing to take his half-dozen children
out for an airing, it is perfectly notorious that
small charges levied in this manner are always dis-
tasteful to the public, and always tend to defeat
their own object. We believe this sentiment is a feature
of the national character. An Englishman is more an-
noyed at being stopped on his way and asked for a
penny than he would be by an impost of ten times that
amount collected after the fashion to which we have be-
come resigned. We must pay our rates and taxes, and
thewe aotn't ei
eg
iru4ddrorthem m
inu
tchhempooruen odr.
Buteh
lessto b we h ethe
pulled
r
up short for a penny or twopence, when we are talking
or thinking, or have forgotten the circumstance, or have
got no change, or in a great hurry, is a nuisance which
puts most of us out of temper, and, leads to very unde-
sirable reflections on the Commissioners of Public Works.
The operation of the sentiment is manifest on all the
toll-paying bridges. Very likely the tolls may be low
and the conveniencee offered in return very great, but it
is perfectly notorious that such bridges, where passen-
gers have any option left them, are next to useless.
They do not divert the traffic or relieve the other bridges
in the least. If there is a free bridge within reach people
will go to it, and the new bridge is left deserted, while
the other is thronged as inconveniently as ever. We
suppose it is upon some such convictions as these
that Mr. Oliveira wishes his committee to inquire
" whether it would be desirable to throw open to the
public the present toll-paying bridges"—a question which
can only receive one reply. §ir,.4l. ,Villoughby asked,
" how the ways and'ineans were to be'pievided for with-
out a toll ?" But how are all other metropolitan im-
provements provided for ? Nobody, we are sure, can
say that our pavements are not taken up often enough,
and yet we have no tolibars in Cheapside.
In all these discussions about the river, it will not be
forgotten, we trust, that the arguments employed are
perfectly worthless if applied to a ditch. There is every
reason in the world for embanking the Thames and im-
proving it in a thousand ways if it is to flow in its natural
character, but none whatever for expending money upon
the adornment of a common sewer. We possess a noble
river—a river which might be made to give infinite addi-
tion to the health, convenience, and ornament of the
metropolis. We are bound to take all care of this pos-
session, and, indeed, there are certain officers, we be-
lieve, entrusted with authority and revenues for so
doing. At present, however, the real conservators
of the Thames—that is to say, those who keep it
what it is, appear to be the Commissioners of Sewers.
Though they have made the most energetic pro-
fessions of enlightenment in this particular, and even
published plans of their own for accomplishing the puri-
fication of the river, it appears that they have coolly
thrown over their owa declarations, and reverted to the
original doctrine of the Commission, that no better main
sewer could be found than the Thames. But this doc-
trine can never be maintained again. It has not only
been convicted, but, what is more, it has been publicly
given up, and it must be perfectly understood that we
are not going to build new embankments for the pleasure
of promenading more leisurely by the margin of a mon-
ster drain.

The Crystal Palace at Sydenham begins to cast be-
fore it a very distinct shadow of the magnificence to
come. Those who have availed themselves of the pri-
vilege, now open to all, of inspecting the works on pay-
ment of a ss. fee, must have been sufficiently impressed
with the thoroughness with which the business is being
done. They must have felt, if not said to themselves,
"This promises to be, not only the finest exhibition in
the world, but the finest exhibition possible, at the
world's present stage of progress." In magnitude and
variety, the display will certainly extend to the extreme
verge of the practically comprehensible. To have seen
the old Exhibition thoroughly, would have required no
small fraction of the leisure of a lifetime ; but the Sy-
denham display will be one which, if numerically more
finite, will yet demand far more,time for its entire com-
prehension, on account of the vastly greater average in-
terest of the objects displayed. The objects will be:precisely
those which are fitted to be of the best and deep est interest to
the greatest possible number of persons. Those of the fine
arts which are capable of being put under contribution
for exhibition will be represented with an extent and
completeness hitherto unknown. Fac similes of all the
noblest sculptures which ancient and modern times have
produced, will be assembled in one spot. Architectures
—Egyptian, Greek, Arabic, and Gothic—will not only
be represented, but re-produced, "life-size," in all their
___ more notable forms, and with practical illustrations of
the popular mysteries of polychromy, hypcethral roofs,
(Rota the Morning Chronicle.) honey-comb vaulting, ancient frescoes and arabesques,
A bill to continue the Metropolitan Sewers Commis- &c. ; and, furthermore, the main building itself will be
sion, which, under the existing Act, would expire on the the first and most glorious specimen of an entirely new
7th of August, is now before the House of Commons, style of architecture of singular beauty, and of great,
and was read a second time on Monday night. There though, as yet, very imperfectly foreseen powers of adap-
can be no doubt that, under the circumstances, some tation to our peculiar modern wants. Mr. Ruskin, who
temporary measure of this kind is necessary, as it is im- said of the architecture of the old Crystal Palace, that
therehic h
i s its
importance
great
possible, at this period of the session, to give the subject
demands.
The earth has bubbles as the water bath,
that
Yet carefulit
must consideration
owned
that
which
will be found to have committed a memorable blunder ;
in passing, session after session, "An Act to con- and he will doubtlessly be not slow to retract it when he
tinue an Act and we are glad to infer, from what beholds, from the lovely western valley, the terraced hill
Lord Palmerston said on Monday, that this- is the blazing with millions of flowers and jets d'eau, and
last occasion on which such an expedient will be crowned with the lofty transepts, vaulted naves, and
resorted to, and that the measure of next year will be soaring towers of the new cathedral of the arts and
based on a more permanent and satisfactory principle. sciences. If, in the presence of so poetical a subject,
Mr. Peto stated last year, in the house, the circum- we may be permitted to express ourselves by a poetical
stances which led himself and several of his most dis- figure, our old stone and brick architecture may be said
tinguished colleagues to resign their places at the board , •
. to have died, like Goethe, calling for " more light," and
and he drew attention to the internal differences which to have arisen, in the present form, with the full enjoy-
had impeded their efficiency, as well as to the difficulties ment of the desiderated brilliance.
which they had experienced from their inability, under The art of nature will be represented side by side and
the terms of the existing act, to give satisfactory security hand in hand with the art of man, and in the same order
for moneys advanced. On the other hand, strong corn- —that is, historically. The marvels of Karnak and Nine-
plaints have been made of the enormous sums expended veh, with their sphinxes and bulls as big as the Trojan
by the Commissioners on particular undertakings, and horse, will be matched with the productions of the
of the very heavy charge for superintendence, which has "heroic ages "of nature—the vast mud lake, the dreary
amounted, en the average, to 40 per cent. on the cost shore of the prie-Adamite isle, with its rank cover of
of the works executed. On these and other points the ferns, and its mighty denizens, the Ichthyosaurus, the
public are entitled to fuller and more satisfactory ex- Mastodon, the Plesiosaurus, and the Megatherium, as
planations than any which have yet been furnished, and large as life, and larger than credible to the modern eye.
there is no subject more imperatively demanding the The race even of man will be called upon to render a full
close and vigilant attention of the metropolitan mem- account of itself, and the halls of the Sydenham Palace
bers in particular. We believe we are correct in saying will present to our astonished senses every variety of
that the act which constituted the present Commission the posterity of Shem, Ham, and Japhet from the "pure
passed both houses without an hour's discussion. One Caucasian" to-the osjesman, and from the giants of
member, indeed, announced hisintention of opposing it in Patagonia to the Aztec Lilliputians, together with the
its earliest stage, but the house was forthwith counted physiology of these personages, we shall be enabled to
out, and no subsequent attempt was made to arrest its contemplate their main attainments or shortcomings in
of progress or to amend its details. Similar apathy will the useful arts; especially the useful art of war, which
not, we feel assured, be exhibited on future occasions. the implements will no doubt appear to have constituted
Since the period to which we refer the cholera has again the chief staple products of nine varieties out of ten.
visited our shores, and we know not how soon it may After the men among their war-tools, will come the
once more appear among us ; and science, moreover, beasts, birds, and fishes of modern times—jec, the last
has taught us that, while we are directly sacrificing six thousand years or so—with their favourite botany ;
human life by neglecting to make proper provision for monkeys in their real skins climbing up their parasite
the removal of substances prejudicial to the public bound columns—of the palace; bats and vampires
health, we are guilty of the most wanton extravagance clinging to its leafy roof ; lions and their prey coursing
in wasting fertilising materials which would be of in- through the shadowy and everlasting summer of the aisles;
estimable value to our agriculturists. The facts of the
dodos and penguins squatting in appropriate recesses ;
case are simply these :—The metropolitan district corn- marvellous moluses taking their tranquil pleasure in
prises more than 100 square miles, and requires 2,000 crystal tanks ; and fishes distorting themselves, secure
miles of drainage ;it possesses only 1,000 in good work- from every danger. unless, perhaps, that which was con-
ing order ; and the number of deaths annually occasioned templated in the famous rhyme which describes them as
by diseases which efficient sewerage would prevent, was sweating and swearing under " the sun's perpendicular
estimated, by the noble lord who recently presided over heat."
the Commission, at no less than 12,000. Full advantage of the opportunity is to be taken for
While the public have been content to leave this mat- giving a system of. illustrations. of geology upon the
1 and, in connection with this de
partment,
idle, in so unsatisfactory a state, individuals have not been natural scale ; .
idle, as is sufficiently proved by the minutes of evidence we are .. to have complete exemplifications of the pro-
taken before the select committee on the Great London ceases of mining, quarrying, well-sinking, and tunnelling.
Drainage Bill, and recently printed by order of the Although there is every reason to suppose, from the House of Commons. In 1832, the subject attracted present appearance of the works, that the Palace will be
the attention of Mr. Morewood, who has devoted eight sufficiently advanced by next May to be thrown quite
years to the consideration of bis plan, and incurred very open to the public, it is not to be supposed that the
heavy expenses in making the requisite experiments. Exhibition can be perfected by that time. The Winter-
The history of the impediments which have from time garden and the Departments of Manufactures and
to time obstrusted his progress, is not without interest. Zbology will require a long time for their completion,
In 1845, the necessary deposits were made, but the but whatever may be the incompleteness of the Palace
matter was referred to a Select Committee, whose re- next May, the public may rest assured that, in general
port was, however, deferred till after` the change of Ad- effect, the display will almost surpass our present con-
ministration in 1846. In the autumn of that year, the ception, and that, in matter of detail, there will be far
deposits were again made, but "the Government inti- more than can be inspected in one season by any person,
mated to the Lord Mayor their intention of bringing in I with only a reasonable amount of sight-seeing time on
f a bill." A third attempt was foiled by a resolution of his bands.

[I)R10E SD.

RAILWAY _INTELLIGENCE.

EASTERN COUNTIES.

Yesterday afternoon a special general meeting of the
proprietors in this undertaking was held at the London
Tavern, "to consider, and, if approved, to authorise the
directors to carry into full effect an agreement proposed
to be made between the Eastern Counties Railway Com-
pany of the one part, and the Newmarket Railway Com-
pany of the other part, for the purchase of the Cam-
bridge and Chesterfield lines of the latter company, and
for working their Bury Extension line, and also to sanc-
tion such applications to Parliament, if any, as may be
necessary to carry the proposed agreement into effect."
The chairman, Mr. Waddington, M.P., presided.
The SECRETARY having read the advertisement con-
vening the meeting,
The CHAIRMAN stated that the shareholders of the
Newmarket Company and those of the Newmarket and
Bury Company had held their meeting, and confirmed
the arrangement entered into with this company. It
would be remembered, he stated, that in 1851 a com-
mittee was formed for the purpose of considering the
arrangements which were proposed to be entered into by
the Eastern Counties, the Newmarket, and the Eastern
Union Companies, for the amalgamation of the three
companies. That committee recommended that the
arrangements should not be carried into effect. The New-
market Company shortly after applied to Parliament for
leave to amend their line between Newmarket and Bury,
and Parliament sanctioned a deviation of their line.
Matters remained in that position until about two months
ago, when the directors received a proposition from
the Newmarket Company, and an interview having
taken place, terms which will be found in the resolutions
below were agreed to. He then entered into a variety
of statistics showing the good which would result to the
Eastern Counties Company by the adoption of the pro-
posed agreement, and stated that the manager had esti-
mated the probable receipts over the thirty miles of
railway at 5451. per week, or 28,3401. per annum,
against a liability of 27,7961. That calculation was
made by the manager without his knowing anything
about the proposed arrangements, and was not made for
the purpose of meeting the case. By the adoption of
this proposition the Eastern Counties Company would
be placed in a position to meet the aggressive warfare of
the Eastern Union, and to compete with them on equal
terms. After stating that the increase of traffic this year
over that of 1851 amounted to no less than 110,0001.,
he concluded by proposing the following resolutions—
" That the directors be and are hereby authorised to
complete the purchase of the railway from Newmarket
to Cambridge and Chesterfield, for the sum of 151. per
share. That the directors be authorised either to apply
out of any capital or funds which may be in their
possession or under their control, or to raise by
mortgage or bonds for the purposes of such pur-
chase, a sum not to exceed 210,0001. That the
directors be authorised to conclude an agreement
with the Newmarket Railway Company for working
their extension line from Newmarket to Bury St.
Edmunds, from the time the said extension line shall be
opened for public traffic, upon terms of accounting to
the shareholders in that line for an annual sum equal to
5 per cent. per annum upon an outlay not exceeding
45,000/. ; and that the directors be authorised to make
the necessary applications for powers to carry the above
into effect."

The DEPUTY-CHAIRMAN seconded the resolutions,
which, after a short conversation, were carried unani-
mously. _ _

A vote of thanks to the chairman concluded the busi-
ness of the meeting.

SOUTH YORKSHIRE.

Yesterday an adjourned general meeting was held at
the London Tavern, Bishopsgate-street, for the purpose
of receiving a report containing the decision of the
Court of Exchequer in a case pending between this
company and the Great Northern Railway Company,
Lord Wharncliffe in the chair. It appeared that the
question at issue was whether, in the contract between
the two companies, the parties contracting had acted
ultra vires, and a report was nowpresented which stated
that the case was heard in the Court of Exchequer on
the 24th and 27th May, when the question was fully
argued by Sir Fitzroy Kelly on the part of the com-
pany, and by Mr. Bramwell on behalf of the Great
Northern Company. The Court delivered its judge-
ment on the 6th July in favour of the South
Yorkshire Company, Mr. Baron Martin alone dis-
senting. Mr. Baron Parke, in stating his opi-
nion said that in this matter the law coincided
with justice; but, nevertheless, the Great Northern
Company, encouraged by the dissent of Mr. Baron
Martin, had given notice of appeal. Since the deci-
sion had been given application had been made to the
directors of the Great Northern Company for payment
of the tolls without prejudice, to January, 1853, as ex-
pressed in the contract, but that company had offered
to pay only 10d. (instead of one shilling) per ton, which
would not be sufficient to enable the directors to declare
a dividend. Since the decision of Vice-Chancellor Stuart,
however, that tonapany had been paying them is. 6d.
per ton toll.

The CHAIIMAN, in moving that the report be adopted,
said he regretted the company should be involved in liti-
gation, and for his own part he could have wished that
the question at issue had been at once settled rather
than any further proceedings should be instituted. It
was understood, he said, that the appeal to be made by
the Great Northern Company would not, in the first in-
stance, be to the House of Lords, but to the Exchequer
Chamber.

The report was then adopted, and the meeting sepa•
rated.

THE WEST END AND CRYSTAL PALACE.
Yesterday the committee on the merits of this mea-
sure went into the case of the South-Western Railway
against it.

Mr. TITE, the architect, was examined, and expressed
an opinion that it was desirable a development of the
promised attractions of the Crystal Palace should take
place, before a railway which would take, he thought,
nearly two years to make, was specially constructed for
the purpose. Apart from this, he was of opinion that
the existing means of communication by road and rail to
Sydenham would be sufficient to accommodate the traffic.
Mr. ITAWKSHAW, C.E., considered that the line was
not well laid out for its objects. A better one, two miles
shorter, and costing 70,0001. less, might be constructed.
A growing desideratum in connection with the metropo-
lis, on both sides of the river, was a well-organised su-
burban railway, so as not only to accommodate the inha-
bitants of the populous outskirts, but to relieve London
of the excess of traffic in its principal streets, and the
Crystal Palace line, if constructed independently, would
interfere with the adopticn of such a plan, and, if adopt-
ed, would be so far a waste of capital. The proposed
junction with the South-Western woulJ, in his judgment,
be dangerous, and prevent the widening of their lines as
the traffic increased.

Mr. J. E. ERRINGTON, consulting engineer to the
South-Western Railway Company, deposed that no ad-
vantage would arise to the public from the construction
of the Crystal Palace line, equivalent to the extent to
which it was calculated to cripple the South-Western
Railway traffic at its junction.
After some further evidence, the committee declared
the preamble of the bill proved, inserting certain clauses
protecting the space that may be required by the South-
Western Company for the expansion of their line against
inconvenience or encroachment.

MADRAS.
The first half-yearly meeting of this company was held
yesterday, at the offices, New Broad-street—Colonel D.
Sim in the chair.
The report, an abstract of which has appeared in The
Sun, was read.
The CHAIRMAN, in moving the adoption of the report,
said he believed it contained every important point re-
lating to the undertaking..
In reply to a question, it was stated that the 9th of
June last was the day appointed for cutting the first sod
on the line, at a place situate about one mile and a half
from the powder mills at Madras, and they had no
doubt the event had taken place.
The report was unanimously adopted, and the pro-
ceedings concluded by a vote of thanks to the chairman.

LONDONDERRY AND COLERAINE.
The remaining section of this company's line from
Newtownlimivady to Coleraine was inspected on Thurs-
day last, and approved by Capt. Wynne, the Govern-
ment inspector. On Friday the directors made a trial
trip over the line, which proved to be in a satisfactory
state from Londonderry to Coleraine. The inhabitants
of the latter place unanimously resolved to celebrate the
event by giving a public entertainment in the Town-hall
to the directors, engineers, contractors, solicitors, secre-
tary, and other officers of the company. The town
Was decorated with flags and banners, and every,
means was adopted to testify the universal gratifica-
tion felt by the people at the event of having the
facilities of railway communication. An excursion
train was placed at the disposal of the town committee,
and about 300 of the inhabitants were conveyed to
Downhill and Magilligan and back to Coleraine. On
the arrival of the train a sumptuous entertainment was
prepared at the Town-hall, to which about 150 persons
sat down. Several loyal and appropriate toasts were
drunk and responded to, and everything passed off in
the most cordial and harmonious manner.