The Sun.
London, England, 1862-10-27 00:00:00

ME7ROPOLITAN BOARD OF WORKS.

The usual meeting of the Board of Works was held yes-
terday; Mr. J. TUWAITES in the chair.

THE EMBANKMENT OP THE THAMES.

A report was brought up from the Main Drainage Com-
mittee, stating that, the board having on the Bth of August
referred to them the report of the royal commission on an
embankment for the south side of the river, they had con-
sidered the same and drawn up their report, and they sug-
gested that a special day should be set apart by the board to
consider it.
The motion was put and agreed to.

The chief engineer presented the following report on the
scheme of the Thames embankment referred to in the act of
last session, between Westminster and Blackfriars-bridges
" The Thames Embankment Act and the plans referred
to therein define in general terms the main features of the
work entrusted to this board for execution. But it remains
for this board to determine with what materials the em-
bankment should be constructed, what should be the depth
of its foundations, and its solidity, and strength ; also what
should be the general appearance or design, whether it
should be constructed with or without a cofferdam, and the
modes of forming the low level sewer, with its branch con-
nection and all other matters of detail. The act provides
that the powers of the Board for the compulsory purchase of
property shall not be exercised after the expiration of five
years from the passing of the act; but it does not limit
the period for the execution of the work. Having referred
to the limits of deviation, the report went on to say that
the face of the embankment is to commence at the
northern abutment of Westminster-bridge in a line with
the existing embankment in front of the Houses of Parlia-
ment, and it will extend in a slightly curved line to the
northern brick pier of Hungerford-bridge. At Richmond-
terrace it will be 220 feet in front of the present high
water line, at Scotland-yard 400 feet, and at Hungerford-
bridge 300 ft. From Hungerford-bridge it will continue to
the first pier of Waterloo-bridge, and opposite Buckingham-
street it will extend 450 ft. into the river, opposite Salisbury-
street 300 ft., and opposite Somerset-house 130 ft The solid
embankment is to terminate on the eastern side of Temple-
gardens, where it will extend 200 ft. into the river. A road-
way 100 ft. wide is to be formed upon that portion of the em-
bankment nearest the river. From the junction of this road-
way with Westminster-bridge it will fall, at an inclination
of 1 in 80 to the level of the embankment, which is to be
4ft. above Trinity high-water mark. The roadway will
pass under Hungerford and Waterloo bridges ; and at
the east end of Temple gardens it will be reduced to 70
feet in width, and be carried upon columns rising at an in-
clination of 1 in 60 to the level of Chatham-place, Black-
friars-bridge. The river Thames at London-bridge has a
clear waterway of about 700 feet. At Southwark-bridge
the waterway is about 700 feet. It then rapidly ex-
pands in width, and will, when the embankment is
formed, be 900 feet -wide above Blackfriars -bridge,
and 1,020 feet at Hungerford-bridge. . . The ap-
proaches or connecting roads between the embankment
roadway and the existing streets are to be formed in the
following manner :—A roadway not less than 40 feet in
width, and with an inclination of not less than 1 in 30, is to
be carried in the form of a crescent to the foot of Arundel,
Norfolk, and Surrey streets in the Strand. A new
street is to be formed from Wellington-street, opposite
Somerset-house, falling at an inclination of 1 in 40 under
Hungerford-bridge, near to Northumberland-wharf, and
connected with 'Whitehall-place by a prolongation thereof.
A street connecting Whitehall, opposite the Horse Guards,
with the embankment roadway is to be formed through
Whitehall -yard and Whitehall-stairs, nearly on a level.
The approaches to the embankment roadway will require
your careful consideration, inasmuch as the usefulness of
that roadway will depend mainly on the facilities which
are provided for connecting it with the existing lines of
thoroughfare. The streets, which run at right angles from
the Strand down to the embankment, Norfolk-street ex-
cepted, are so narrow and steep as to be very incon-
venient as public thoroughfares. A convenient communi-
cation between Charing-cross and the eoadway on the em-
bankment should form a prominent feature in the design,
and would probably tend to relieve the Strand and Fleet-
street more than any other, but provision has not been
made for such a line of communication. The most direct
and most convenient route that could be suggested would
unquestionably be in a direct line through the gardens
close to the back of Northumberland House ; but if that
should be regarded as too bold and costly an approach, I
submit that a very advantageous one may be obtained by
purchasing the block of houses between Northumberland
and Craven-street, and passing in a curved line from the
east corner of Northumberland House, between Northum-
berland and Craven-streets, on to the embankment road-
way. This route from Charing -cross to the east would be
400 feet nearer than by Whitehall-place, and 100 feet nearer
than along the Strand and down Norfolk-street, and its
inclination would not be less than 1 in 56, which is much
better than could be obtained by the other routes. It
would also most effectually relieve the present thorough-
fares where they are the most crowded. I submit also, that
the high level roadway, instead of starting from opposite
Somerset-house, in the narrow part of Wellington-street,
should begin in the Strand, at its junction with Welling-
ton-street, and may be otherwise advantageously modifiad, as
shown upon plans which have been prepared for the
consideration of the board. Having referred to the powers
of the conservators of the Thames, the report thus con-
cludes :—The borings along the embankment are now nearly
completed, and the result up to the present time indi-
cates that it will be necessary to carry the foundations of
the embankment down to the blue clay, which will be
about 25 feet below the present bed of the river. This will,
I believe, be found to be most economically effected by sink-
ing iron caissons filled with concrete for the foundations, and
by raising upon them from below the level of low-water marko a
a solid granite-faced embankment, without the
cofferdam. The low level sewer will be constructedbewhihniodh,
and under the protection of the embankment wall,works. The
will greatly facilitate the formation of
thaegseously divided
embankment may probably be advantoii,tes which have
into two contracts, but the numer.ouarsy preport will require
been touched upon in this prelimini
mthaetudreelibdeersaigtinons
aofndthperbepoaarred
tbheofoaroentrraeoctes
of the work. Thesebweeourkosbctaaninneodt,ohfotwheeveprr,obpeerctyaratinedd out
until possession has
the foreshore river which will be of
athned serve the notices, and
that arrangements in-
terfered with ; and I recommend.
in-
terests alonggements be forth-
withToEf
,thEengbinueseinr.ess
made to promote this object, and that the proper offi-
cers be instructed to prepare
LI It
push forward this necessarily,,tedjsiAouzAs
without delay.•
The report was received and ordered to be taken into
consideration on a future day,

The following is the engineer's report on the southern
embankment :

,i Gentlemen,--I beg to report that_the Thames Nua-

bankment Commission have divided this district into three
sections; the first extending from Deptfoi A to Westmins-
ter-bridge ; the second from Westmin, stet, bridge to
Vauxhall-bridge ; an d the third from Vauxl. tall-bridge to
Battersea-park. With reference to the first section, the
commission have regarded the existing thor,lughfares,
coupled with the new stre+et now being formed by yo u, suffi-
cient for the accommodaWon of the traffic; and they believe
that the flooding of those districts may be obviated by a more
efficient system of drainage, and consider that no public ne-
cessity exists for an embankment for this section. They,
however, admit that sk.ich art embankment would improTe
the navigation of the river, izicrease the wharfage accom-
modation, and ensure uniform ity of design, and that every
facility should be afforded to th e wharfowners and occupiers
to el; able them to do this work, s.hould they desire it. With
respect to their 2d and 3d sect,'ons, they recommend the
formation of an embanked road way from Westminster-
bridge to Batters ea-park, about 4ft. 6in. above Trinity high
water mark, and 70n, wide, and two Ludes in length. To be
on an ornamental viaduct opposite the Houses of Parlia-
ment to Bishop's-walk, then on a solid embankment, with
the exception of a further length of arching from the Lon-
don Gas Works to Nine Elms. They further recommend
the dredging of this portion of the bG'ttotrt of the river to a
level sft. below low water, and estimato th ese works, with
the requisite approaches, at £1,100,000. submit for your
consideration, that a more convenient subdivision of this
district will be to regard the distance from Deptford to
London-bridge as the first section, from London• bridge to
Westminster-bridge as the second section, and from West-
minster-bridge to Battersea-park as the third section. The
first section, then, according to this subdivision, has not
been referred to me by you, and indeed does not require
your immediate consideration, inasmuch as no works are at,
present contemplated for this section on the north side which.
would affect the south. With respect to the second section
—viz., from London to Westminster bridjes—l am unable
to concur in the views arrived at by the Royal Commission,
excepting so far as regards there being no necessity for the
formation of a roadway along the fore-shore of the river.
Indeed, the commissioners, in admitting that an embank-
ment would improve the navigation of the river :And ensure
uniformity of design, have themselves made out a case of
public necessity for such an embankment ; which, ht,,wever,
they do not admit. But there are other and still more
cogent reasons why such an embankment should be, and
must eventually be constructed. It has been stated in
evidence before the commissioners that the existing em'
baukments are defective, and that the low lying:
districts behind them are consequently flooded at high.
tides; and my own personal observation confirms these
statements. The foundations of many of these embankments
are very shallow and defective, some of them not being more
than three feet in depth ; so that when the embankment on
the north side is completed, and the mud banks and shoals
in the river dredged away, and the strength of the tideway
brought over nearer to the south side, the safety of these
wharves will be endangered ; and they will assuredly, if
they are not attended to, be undermined and come down.
For these reasons, I am of opinion that this section of the
south side of the river must be embanked to an uniform line ;
and it cannot be left to the option of the different owners and.
occupiers of the property to deal with this embankment in
detached sections as they think best. I recommend that
powers should be given to this board to construct such an
embankment, the cost of which I have estimated at about
£250,000, and that the property reclaimed should be given
to the adjoining owners, and the board should have power
to charge such property with a portion of the cost of the
formation of the embankment, proportionate to the value
and extent of the property so reclaimed and added to their
premises. In this way the property reclaimed would pay
the owners for the cost of reclaiming it, and the board
would receive back the greater portion of the outlay ; so
that the public would thus derive a great public improve-
ment at a very small cost, As to the particular mode of
raising the money, and adjusting its repayment by the
owners of the property improved the members of the board,
should they adopt this view, are more competent to judge
than myself. The commissioners have recommended works
for the it:tprovement of section No. 3, the main features of
which this beard would doubtless desire to see carried out,
and the details connected with which will probably be
carefully reconsidered before committees of the houses of
parliament during the coming session. I have the
honour, &c.

(Signed) "J. W..BAZALGETTE, Engineer."
This report was received, and ordered to be considered on
a future day.

The rest of the business having been disposed of, the
board adjourned. .

COUNTRY MARX.LiAS.

NORWICH-SATURDAY.

Wheat was in fair supply to-day, and the prices of this
day se'nnight advanced is per quarter on all descriptions.
There was a good quantity of barley, but the high prices
asked by farmers checked business; the sales made, how-
ever, were effected at an advance of is per qr for malting
and distilling sorts. In oats, beans, and peas not much.
doing. Flour in favour of the seller.
(
White wheat. 4tis to 51e Red wheat 42s to 500
Malting barley ...34s to 378 Chevalier barley 33s to 358
Distilling d 0..... 28s io 30s Oats.. 25f, to 30s
Flour, 30s 6d to —s Od per sack from the miller.

LE ICE STER--SATunnAT.
Old white wheat, 60s to 62s ; new, Ms to 58s per 36
stone. Old red, 648 to 678 per 36 stone. Barley, malting,
new, 34s to 388 per qr. ; grinding, 30s to 325; o!d oats,
29s to 31s ; new oats, 22s to 24s per 24 stone. Beans,
new, —s to —s; old, 4ls to 43s per 38 stone.