The Sun.
London, England, 1865-04-01 00:00:00

UTILIZATION OF THE SEWAGE OF THE METROPOLIS.

Tho Clerk read the following report of the Select Com-
mittee of the House Commons on the disposal of the Sewage
of the Metropolis :
" Your committee have, in accordance with the reference
made to them by the house, considered the most usofuland
profitable mode of applying the sewage from the northern
part of the metropolis." After referring to several reports,
they went on to say that the scheme brought before them
by Messrs. Hope and Napier, and embodied in the bill be-
fore the house, fulfils the following requisitions: "It pro-
vides, in the first place, for the complete removal from the
River Thames of the whole of the ordinary sewage of the
northern part of the metropolis, leaving only on the occasion
of heavy rains a portion of the sewage still to flow into the
river, but so small and exceptional that it may for all prac-
tical purposes be left out of consideration. It provides, in
the next place, for the irrigation by sewage, in whatever
quantities may be found useful, of a considerable area par-
ticularly well adapted for such a purpose, inasmuch as the
natural character of the soil is light and favourable. More-
aver, the low level of the district enables the sewage to be
applied with very little mechanical aid, and, in fact mainly
by gravitation. It may also be observed that an extension
of this area might be made by pumping the sewage to a
moderate elevation. Lastly, with respect to whatever
portion of the sewage may not be disposed of in its course,
the scheme proposes to apply it in the reclamation of a
barren portion of land on the coast, in a manner recom-
mended by experience. The combination of these different
modes of using the sewage is of groat consequence in in-
suring at all times and seasons the beneficial application of
the whole sewage, with the small exception above men-
tlened on the occasion of heavy rains, Upon this evidence
your committee are of opinion that the scheme which has
been submitted to them is a useful and profitable mode of
applying the sewage of the northern portion of the metro-
polis, and they have no reason to suppose that any more
useful or profitable scheme could be devised.
The report was received with great applause.

THE FIRE BRIGADE ESTABLISHMENT.

The following letter was received from the Home Secre-
tary on the establishment of a new Fire Brigade under the
supervision of the Board :

Whitehall, March 30.

" Sir,—l am directed by Secretary Sir George Grey to
acquaint you that he has had again under his consideration
the possibility of making satisfactory arrangements for the
protection of London and its vicinity from fire. lam to
enclose, for the information of the Metropolitan Board of
Works, copies of the correspondence which has taken place
upon this subject since December, 1863, from which you
will perceive that Sir George Grey has satisfied himself that
the Fire Brigade could be instituted at an annual cost of
£50,000 of sufficient strength to provide adequate protec-
tion to the district under the management of the Metropo-
litan Board. Her Majesty's Government will propose to
Parliament an annual contribution of £lO,OOO in aid of the
proposed brigade. The fire insurance companies contribut-
ing to the London Fire Engine Establishment have agreed
to transfer to the proposed brigade their plant, stock, staff, and
stations, subject to the existing liabilities of their establish-
ment, free of charge, and to contribute annually a slim equal
to £35 per £1,000,000 on their insurances. This contribu-
tion, calculated upon their business for 1865, would amount
to £10,156. There remains to be provided the sum of about
£30,000, which could be raised, as Sir Geo. Grey is informed,
by a rate of d. in the pound upon the assessment for poors'
rates of the district under the Metropolitan Board. The
Metropolitan Board of Workshaving expressed themselves
willing to undertake the responsibility of tho new brigade,
I am to request that you will be so good as to inform me
whether they concur in the general arrangements now pro-
posed, and Sir Geo. Grey will then lose no time in commu-
nicating with them in any manner which you may suggest
as most oonvenient as to the details of the measure which
will have to be submitted to Parliament upon the subject.
" I am, sir, your obedient servant,

" T. G. BARING."
This communication was ordered to bo taken into consi-
deration at the next meeting of the board.

TILE PNEUMATIC DESPATCH COMPANY.

A joint deputation of the inhabitants of High Holborn
and the Holborn District Board of Works waited upon the
board to present memorials with respect to the taking- up
or the tubes laid down by the Pneumatic Despatch Company
in Holborn. From the memorials which were read and the
speeches of the members of the deputation it appeared that
considerable loss and inconvenience had been felt by them
in their business, and if the tubes which were now placed
were to be removed those evils, of which they com-
plained would be renewed, and they prayed the board that
if it was absolutely necessary that they should be taken up
that the process should be deferred until a later period in
the season. They also urged that if any additional expense