The Sun.
London, England, 1854-01-20 00:00:00

INSTITUTION OF CIVIL ENGINEERS. 1 NA VA LIN T ELLIGENC E.
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JANUARY 17.— JAMES SIMPSON, ESQ., PRESIDENT,
IN THE CHAIR.— The discussion was renewed on Mr.
Harrison's paper " On the Drainage of the District South
of the Thames." After reviewing the objections to the
proposed main sewer of eight feet diameter, and its tri-
butaries, or feeders, it was explained that the general
dimensions had not been assumed as fixed, but only as
data to argue upon ; the practical area, as well as the
ultimate direction, remaining to be settled by more care-
ful investigation. It might be preferable to construct
two paralll sewers, to be used and cleansed by flushing,
or otherwise, alternately, or used for fecal matter, or
for rain water alternately. As to cleansing, it waq ob-
jested that the velocity of 11 miles per hour would be
insufficient, and a scouring power of three miles per
hour was demanded by one authority, whilst another

stated that a sewer constructed on a-dead level, on ac-
count of the difficulty of obtaining outfall, was effectually
flushed by having gates at intervals of 1,600 feet. At
Eton, the main sower was stated to be horizontal, but
having a good supply of water constantly running through
it, no deposit occurred. The quantity •f water that
could be brought to bear on the Lambeth main sewer
being unlimited, and used at each tide, it was argued
that the velocity of 1i miles per hour would suffice to
keep it clear.
The plan of the double reservoirs for the discharge of
the sewage into the Thames would obviate any objec-

tions. One reservoir would be filled at low water to
that level, from the river, ready to receive the sewage ;
the other would be filled with the sewage to a height of
two feet to six feet above that level ; into this latter, as
the tide rose, the water would be admitted, the gates
at the upper end being closed ; at the turn of the tide,
the lower gates being opened, the contents of the reser-
voir Would be permitted to flow freely out, carrying away
the whole of the sewage matter accumulated during the
past 121- hours, and commencing its exit at the turn of
the top of the tide, the matter would never return with-
in half a mile of the spot whence it started. The capacity
of the reservoirs being regulated accordingly, there would
be no objection to discharging at low water, in cases of
heavy rain, as then both reservoirs would be used simul-
taneously for receiving the well-diluted sewage. Even
admitting certain valid objections to a flushing system,
it was agreed to be more simple, and quite as effect-
tual as the pumping system, whilst it was decidedly
more economical and less liable to derangement. Allu-
sion was made to the present comparative levels of the
river Thames and the Lambeth district, and it was sug-
gested whether the bed of the Thames, like that of the
Mississippi, the Po, the Arno, and other streams, had
not been artificially raised by alluvial deposit ; and if so,
whether a certain extent of embanking of the shores, so
as to restrict the channel, without too much reducing
the area for flood waters, would not deepen the centre,
and afford a better outfall for the sewers at any given
point. Instances of the employment of the liquid sewage
for agricultural purposes were mentioned, and it was
urged that the introduction of water supply for habita-
tions should always be folio wed by utilising sewage
from them, and that thus a valuable interchange
might be established. To this it was replied that
the comparative value of the rental of agricultural
land, and of that of the same area covered with
buildings, would show that no parallel existed betwe •n
the water supply to houses and that of pumping
liquid manure for agricultural purposes, and that the
schemes for that purpose were, with few exceptions,
fallacious. As to the general question of the drainage
of London, it was argued that, with a good system of
intercepting sewers, the gravitation plan could be
adopted, for the upper districts, on both sides of the
river, and on the north side the whole sewage might be
so disposed of ; but on the south sicle, on account of the
deficiency of fall, it would probably be necessary to re-
sort to a system of pumping the low sewerage, at some
point, say at Deptford Creek, and there lifting it to such
a height as to give the requisite fall from thence, by a
sewer, into reservoirs, as proposed by Mr. Harrison,
whence the matter should be delivered into the river,
without any deodorising, at a point low down, at the
first turn of the tide from high water, so as to preclude the
possibility of any pollution of the stream above the point
of the admission of the sewage. It was contended, that
the same skill by which steam power was enabled to be
continuously used for long sea voyages, could preclude
any but very remote chance of casualty from a derange-
ment of the pumping apparatus, and that in the cases of
excessive rainfall, flooding might he prevented by per-
mitting th, present outfalls into the river to be used. As
to the general question of deodorising, it was argued
that, like the employment of the diluted sewage for
agricultural purposes, the schemes might be feasible for
small towns, but that the immense quarftity proceeding
from such an area of houses as in London, appeared to
preclude the general adoption of the system. Up to
the present time it appeared that all the plans proposed
for the drainage of the southern district were defective
in providing capacity of main sewers, for conveying
away the excessive rainfall, the amount of which were
quoted to the meeting from returns supplied from re-
turns supplied from the Royal Observatory at Green-
wich. It was shown that at present, when a heavy
rainfall occurred simultaneously with a high tide, the
districts by the York-road and along the river side
down to Bermondsey and lower down, were flooded
from the river which flowed over the surface and

down the gullies into the rivers, whence it flooded the
houses. Therefore, a greater pumping power would
be required than had been mentioned, if the habi-
tations were to be guaranteed from casualty, as they
should be under a new and expensive system. It was
contended that the outfall should be extended even below
Greenwich, as any system of sewerage for the southern
districts should he permanent, and allow for any amount
of extension of buildings to the eastward. It was hoped
that the facts elicited by the discussion would be found
serviceable in determining the ultimate system to be
adopted, and that special care would be taken to avoid
the fallacies which, it was contended, had been promul-
gated in some of the documents emanating, " by au-
thority," from the General Board of Health ; paracu-
larly in the " Minutes of information, collected with
reference to works fit for the removal of soil water, or
drainage of dwelling-houses, public edifices, &c." (1852).
Numerous errors, both of theory and practice, contained
in these documents, were pointed out ; and it was con-
tended that they set at nought all the received laws of
hydraulics, the formulae of De Boat and other experi-
menters of acknowledged scientific skill, and even the
" Principia" of Newton, and only substituted fallacies
for those rules which had hitherto formed the basis of the
best practice. The tendency of such publications was
contended to be very mischievous, and it was incumbent
on practiCal engineers to furnish an antidote, by a
careful examination of the published statements and an
exposition of the errors ; this was undertaken to be done,
and was promised to be laid before an early meeting of
the institution. Specimens were exhibited of Mr. Aus-
tin's perforated bricks and blocks, with dovetailed joints,
for straight work and for circular oval culverts ; their
merit was stated to consist in imparting great strength
and solidity to the work, with the parallel joints, using
less mortar or cement, and enabling great speed to be
employed in laying the blocks. The larger perforations
were stated to be intended for ventilation, for channels
for warmed air, or for passing holding-down belts, where
the bricks were used instead of stone, for masses to re-
sist, impact, or strain. A simple and effective trough,
with a cover, for containing the underground wires of
the electric telegraph, was also on the table, and in the
ante-room there were several ingenious sewer-grate traps,
and other accessories for sewerage works, the invention
of Mr. Austin and of Mr. Jennings.

LIVERPOOL POULTRY SHOW.—The first annual ex-
hibition of poultry opened at Lucas's Carriage Re-
pository, Liverpool, on Tuesday. Although as regards
numbers, the Birmingham show was greater than
the Liverpool, the opinion is generally expressed
that the present excels it in quality. The birds were
placed in double tiers, securing an avenue for pro-
menade. There were 1,300 fowls entered for show, contri-
buted from all parts of the country, amongst which may
be mentioned Captain Hornby's black Spanish fowls, Mr.
Gilbert W. Moss's bantams, Mr. Worra's celebrated
Rouen ducks (which have obtained seven first-class
medals), and the equally celebrated Cochin fowls of
Messrs. Stowe and C. Ransom. The judges of the fowls
were Mr. Bailey, of Mount-street, London, and Mr.
Hewitt, of Birmingham, who are stated to be the first
judges in England of this peculiar branch.
A PLEASANT LOOK OUT !—After two or three months
in the Black Sea, and two or three days of warm weather,
our fleets will be functi officio by having blown the Rus-
sian armaments out of water, and her seaports into the
mud ; at which Russia will laugh, as she has no com-
merce of her own. And with such a small body of
troops as we shall be able to spare—we only had fifty thou-
sand in the Peninsular campaign—in order to keep up
our part of war we shall have to recur to the old plan
of subsidising other nations Turkey, Austria, and
Prussia. And, as before, every year their armies will
wait the arrival of the subsidy from England before they
take the field to fight in what will substantially be their
own quarrel. And having once got into the war, we shall
have to go through with it at all costs, lest what has
been done already may have been in vain, or that the
Turks should say we have deserted them.—Russia in
the Right ; Or, The Other Side of the Turkish Question—
by J.Moseley.
[ADVERTISEMENT.]_DARK DAYS AND LONG
NIGHTS.—The necessity of having the most perfect eye-
sight and hearing.—Messrs. S. and B. Solomons, opticians
and oculists, 39, Albemarle-street, Piccadilly. Observe—
opposite the York Hotel. Newly-invented preserving
Spectacle Lenses. Immediately they are placed before
extremely imperfect vision, every object appears clear and
distinct ; the most aged, defective sight becames bright
and brilliant, is brought to its youthful, natural, and ori-
ginal state.—Royal Exhibitions, 1851. —A valuable, newly-
invented, very small powerful waistcoat-pocket glass,
the size of a walnut, by which a person can be
seen and known one mile and a half distant ; they
answer every purpose on the race-course, at the opera
houses, country scenery, and ships are clearly seen
at 12 to 14 miles. They are invaluable for shooting, deer-
stalking, yachting, to sportsmen, gentlemen, gamekeepers,
and tourists. Telescopes—A new and most important
invention in telescopes, possessing such extraordinary
powers that some, 31; inches, with an extra eye-piece, will
show distinctly Jupiter's moons, Saturn's ring, and the
double stars ; with the same telescope, weighing only 3
ounces, can be seen a person's countenance three miles
and a half distant, and an object from 16 to 20 miles.
They supersede every other kind for the waistcoat-pocket.
and aro of larger and all sizes, with increasing powers
accordingly. Opera and race-course glasses, with wonderful
power ; an object can be clearly seen, from 14 to 16 miles
distant. Deafness—New Discovery—The Organic Vi-
brator, an extraordinary powerful and newly-invented
instrument, for Deafness, entirely different from all
others, to surpass anything of the kind that has been,
or probably ever can be, produced. Being of the
same colour as the skin, it is not perceptible ; it enables
deaf persons to hear distinctly at church and at public as-
semblies ; the unpleasant sensation of singing noises in
the ears is entirely removed ; and it affords all the assist-
ance that possibly could be desired.-39, Albemarle-street,
Piccadilly. Observe, opposite the York Hotel.

PORTSMOUTH, JAN. 18.
The Colossus, 80. Gangs of convicts have been em-
ployed to-day in getting out her iron pig ballast, and
preparing her for docking.
The Serpent, 12, Commander Lambert, was paid off
this afternoon. The Custom-house officers made a
seizure of some 1,000 cigars and a little tobacco on
board, in the possession of the officers' steward, who is
in custody on the charge.

PLYMOUTH, JAN. 18.
His Sardinian Majesty's frigate Eurydice sailed yes-
terday morning.
Her Majesty's screw steam-ship James Watt, 90,
having been fitted with her engines and boilers, will get
them tested preparatory to her being commissioned.
At 10 o'clock last evening, a barque-rigged man-of-
war, paddle-wheel steamer, all black, was observed about
three leagues off the Bolt, going down Channel under
steam only. She was followed, at 11 o'clock, by a screw
steamer, with a single row of ports, under topsails and
topgallant sails ; fore, main, and rnizen courses hauled
up. When near the Bolt she steered away seaward.
This morning, at 6, a screw steam-vessel under steam
and canvas, came right in from the southward, with a
fine breeze, and went up Channel.
Letters have been received from her Majesty's pad-
dle-wheel steam-sloop Vixen, 6, Commander Frederick
L. Barnard, dated Valparaiso, December 2, stating that
she Was expected to leave for England on the 17th of
December. Officers and crew all well.

THURSDAY EVENING.

Her Majesty's frigate Thetis, 38, Captain Kuper,
from the Pacific, which left Valparaiso on the 10th of
October, and Rio Janeiro on the 26th of November,
arrived here to-day. She brings on freight $700,000
from the coast of Mexico, and among her passengers
Senor Don Ramoro Freire, from Valparaiso, attached
to the Chilian embassy in Paris. The Thetis will pro-
bably leave to-morrow morning for Portsmouth to dis-
charge freight.

WOOLWICH, JAN. 19.
APPOINTMENTS.

Rear-Admiral Sir James Stirling, Knight, to be Com-
mander-in-Chief on the East Indies station, in the room
of Vice-Admiral the Hon. Sir Fleetwood Broughton
Reynolds Pellew, C. 8., K..C.H., at present in the com-
mand of that station, ,and serving in the China seas in
the flagship Winchester, 50.
Captain John Charles Dalrymple Hay (1850), who was
promoted for his efficient services against the pirates
whilst serving in the China seas, is appointed flaa•cap-
tain to Vice-Admiral Sir Thomas J. Cochrane,
Commander-in-Chief at Portsmouth, for service in the
Victory, flagship, at that post, vice Captain Sir Thomas
Maitland, C. 8., appointed to the command of the Ex-
cellent gunnery-ship.
There are only two officers in the Royal Navy having
the surname of Annesley, and both serving as mates
until yesterday, when one of them was promoted to the
rank of lieutenant—the Christian name of the one being
William G., and the other William H. Annesley (1850).
It is the latter, who is at present serving as first mate
in the Hydra steam-sloop at the Cape of Good Hope,
who has been promoted, and not the former, as was in-
advertently stated in the promotions announced to-day.
Commodore John Shepherd, the Rev. J. C. Connolly,
Chaplain of the Fisgard, Mr. Taplin, Assistant.lnspec-
tor of Steam Machinery, and Mr. M'Avoy, teacher of
the dockyard apprentices, assembled in the schoolroom
of the south-west gate of the dockyard yesterday, for
the purpose of examining 26 boys, several of them from
the naval schools at Greenwich, others from Weymouth,
and several of those instructed at the dpkyard school
here, for the purpose of ascertaining their qualifications
and eligibility to be entered as engineer apprentices at
the factory at Woolwich dockyard. The result of the
examination will not be known until the names of th e
successful candidates are approved by their lordships.

SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE.

NOTICE TO MARINERS.

LIGHTS AT SOUTIISEA CASTLE.—The Hydrographic
Office has given notice that on Tuesday some experiments
were commenced with the Light on Southsea Castle, and
that, therefore, the Southsea Light is not to be considered
as any guide until further notice be given.