The Sun.
London, England, 1862-04-21 00:00:00

UETROPOLITAN BOARD OF JP ORKS.

By the terms of the Metropolitan Local Manage-
ment Act, once in every year the Metropolitan
Board have to present to Parliament a report of
their proceedings. For the first two or three
years of their existence the board, if they acted
strictly in accordance with the truth, would have
recorded nothing but bickerings, tedious debates,
and wearisome speeches without meaning; now,
however, the case is very different. They can
and do report works of great magnitude
not only determined on, but in some cases
actually completed. We will not here advert to the
difference of opinion that still exists on the subject
of the gigantic system of the proposed main drain-
age, as to whether it is or is not the best plan that
could be adopted, but will simply refer to what has
been accomplished. It is but common justice to the
engineer and contractor generally to state that the
work seems to be admirably done, especially the
work for the high-level sewer, which is being
rapidly
finished. Some of the works are stupendous,
and have been constructed of great strength, and in
the face of no ordinary difficulties. The structure of
the northern outfall is a work of which any en-
gineer or board may justly be proud. It is intended
io divert the water descending from the high lands
of Highgate, ,Hampstead, and the Fleet ditch or
river, and has abolished that greatest of pests, the
notorious Hackney brook. The difficulties in an
engineering point of view were very great, especially
when the sewer had to be carried through the
marsh lands of Bow and Plaistow. The subsoil was
found to be of peat, saturated with water, so that an
artificial foundation of concrete had to be made
before the sewer could be constructed. This portion
of the work has been universally praised by all the
engineers who have inspected it. The middle level
sewer is also a great undertaking. It will be more
than 12 miles in length, and more than half of the
distance will have to be tunnelled. The sewer will
be constructed at depths varying from 10 to 60 feet.
The low level sewer, which would have been the
most difficult work of all, from the nature of the
subsoil through which it would have had to pass,
is for the present in abeyance, and will not be com-
menced until the new Thames embankment is being
made, when it will be proceeded with simulta-
neously. On the southern side of the Thames the
works have made great progress. But the engi-
neer has had much to contend with. The subsoil at
Deptford has turned out to be little better than a
running sand filled with an unprecedented volume
of water. To meet this unlooked-for difficulty it
was found necessary to construct 132 feet of double
sewer of seven feet of internal diameter. The
engineer of the hoard is sanguine in the belief
that he has conquered this natural obstruction
to his work ; but we cannot forget that the unfor-
tunate Victoria sewer was constructed under similar
circumstances, and that it has cost an enormous
sum in keeping in repair, and will, as long as it
is there, be a heavy burden on the ratepayers. It
is to be hoped that this portion of Mr. Bazalgette's
scheme will not turn out:equally unfortunate. The
contracts in hand amount to very nearly two mil-
lions of money, which is only aportion of the large
sum that will eventually be required. The report
further calls attention to the fact that at length the
Legislature has provided means for forming the
Thames embankment. and there is every reason to
anticipate that by this time next year the works
will be in course of construction. But almost all
must agree with the Metropolitan Board that,
unless the mud banks of the Thames are removed
or covered over, it is hopeless to expect that the
river will be purified or that the effluvia which
arises from it, and which are such exciting
causes of disease and sickness, will be obviated.
The board are of course adverse to the pro-
posed constitution of the committee to whom
this heavy work is to be entrusted, but the public
generally will be of opinion that it would not do to
give the absolute control of such a national under-
taking to a body who would practically he irrespon-
sible. The board refer with great satisfaction to
the formation of the new street from Covent-garden
to St. Martin's-lane, and especially to the subway
under the road, by which all the gas, water-pipes,
and sewers pass, and which can be repaired without
its being necessary to break up the roadway. If the
board had done nothing else they would have de-
served great commendation for having brought to a
successful termination this experiment. The same
system is proposed to be adopted in the new street
now in course of construction between Southwark and
Westminster; and we trust that in every possible
manner the board will extend this very simple and
effective plan. The cost at first is large, but it is soon
more than repaid by the great saving from not having
the roads broken up again and again when a water-
pipe bursts, a gas-main leaks, or a sewer becomes ob-
structed. We cannot compliment the board on the ra-
pidity with which they have carried on the forma-
tion of the latter thoroughfare, They have had the
money in hand now for some years, and it is idle to
attempt to account for the delay by stating that
difficulties have arisen in obtaining possession of the
houses and land, and in awarding compensation.
The works of the London, Chatham, and Dover
Railway Company, which for some distance run
parallel with the new al eet, show what may be
done by men of energy and determination. If the
new street is confided to the architect of the board,
he would do well to imitate his colleague, the eugi_
neer, in energy and perseverance. With reference
to the future utilisation of the sewage the board
have not come to any positive determination, but
await the report of the select committee of the House
of Commons now taking evidence on the subject.
That they eventually hope to make it available
is evident from the general tenor of the report ;
but the "public would be better pleased if the
board were to resolve to adopt some one of the
many plans submitted to them, so that by the
time the main drainage works are completed,
into the Thames, polluting that noble river, it might
instead of the sewage being allowed to run to waste
be made available for agricultural purposes, and
become a source of great wealth and advantage.