The Sun.
London, England, 1853-10-21 00:00:00

CEPTING SEWER.

REPORT OF UR. RAZILLGE-rm.
"The `Hackney Brook or northern high level intercept-
ing sewer' is one of those urgent works, for the immediate
execution of which you have recently applied to Parlia-
ment for powers to borrow money; nor can the importance
of this sower, in considering the drainage of the metropo-
lis, be over-estimated. It will divert the whole of the
sewage and flood-waters of 14 square miles of the upper
districts from the low districts, and from the river Thames,
thereby reducing the sizes and cost of construction of the
sewers in the low districts, and preventing the destruction
of property by floods as at present.
" For instance the Fleet sewer is now overcharged by the
amount of drainage falling into it ; it is uncovered for a
great part of its length, through a dense population ; and,
in other places, it has fallen in, and has been temporarily
repaired; but the commissioners have never been able to
apply an effectual remedy to it, on account of its present
defective route, and the enormous cost of rebuilding so large
a sewer in a more direct line through a crowded popub,,
ticn ; and as it has always been intended ultimately to
divert its contents from the Thames, such a volt could
only have been of a temporary character ; whereas n 0,,,
by the diversion of the upland drainage, these diffir:laties
will all be removed, and it and many similar sewer'', reduced
to economical and permanent works.
" The amount of drainage received by th!,d upper line ,
will govern. the sizes of the lower lines of intercepting
sewers.; and as Parliament has now 'ianctioned the con-
struction of a tunnel railway alon^,6 the New-road, which
lines intercept our present mail, of sewers, and neces-
sitate the immediate const
; action of an intercepting sewer
along its route, this r.:
,per line is rendered the more imme-
diately imperat‘ive.
" Tipper sewer will be in itself a complete and per-
work, and independent of any other intercepting sewer;
it will afford an advantageous means of flushing and cleans-
ing the sewers in all the lower districts above which it
passes, and thus improve their drainage ; and it will re-
lieve the neighbourhoods of Stoke Newington, Kingsland,
Clapton, and Hackney, from the nuisance of an offensive
open sewer known as the ' Hackney Brook,' and the latter
places from frequent inundations.
" The route of this work, which I have now to submit
for your oonsideration, commences with a sewer 4' 6" in
diameter, by a junction with the 4 feet circular sewer now
constructing by Messrs. Rigby as the outfall for the Hamp-
stead drainage, in the line of the open Fleet sewer ; its
inclination being lin 72. It passes along Gordon House-
lane, crosses the Highgate-road at an inclination of 1 in
134, and intercepts the second branch of the Fleet sewer,
being at this point 6 feet 9 inches in diameter. It then
passes across the fields into the Tufnel Park-road, turns
down the Holloway-road to its junction with the Tolling-
, ton-road; at this point its sine is increased to IC' 6" in
diameter, and it is laid at such a level as to enable it to
receive a branch from the Edgware-road and Regent's-park,
diverting the waters of the upper portion of the Ranelagh
and Kings' Scholars' Pond sewers, and again intercepting
the Fleet sewer at Kentish Town. From the Hollo-

way-road, it passes under the Great Northern Railway,
and New River cut, taking nearly the same direction as
the present open Hackney Brook sewer, for which it will
act as a substitute, and falling at an inclination of 1 in 476
to the High-street, Stoke Newington, where its size is
increased to 11' 6" in diameter. It then passes along the
Rectory and Amherst Roads to Church-street, Hackney ;
and from this point it is increased to 12' 6" in diameter,
and its inclination is one in 1,320. Thence it crosses under
the East and West India Dock Railway, along Albion-
road, West-street, and through the Victoria Park, and
under Sir George Duckett's Canal, up to which point it is
kept to such a level that it may be carried over or under
the River Lea navigation; or the sewage may be diverted
from the point at Sir George Duckett's Canal down below
the Lea navigation, at Four Mills, retaining the present as
a flood outlet ; or the point selected would afford an ad-
vantageous position for the erection of sewage manure
works. With all these alternatives held in view, it is
proposed for the present to terminate this work with two
parallel culverts, each 7 foot 6 inches in height by 8 feet
in width, discharging into the River Lea at the present
Hackney Brook outfall. This sewer is kept at such a level
(for the purpose of being carried over or under the River
Lea, and discharging at high water by g-avitation) that a
portion of the drainage of the Hackney Marshes cannot be
turned into it ; this must either drain into the Lea, as pro-
posed by Mr. Forster, or eventually be carried into the
low level sewer, to be raised by pumping.
" It is further proposed to fix tide-gates at the mouth of
the present Hackney Marsh open sewer, to prevent the in-
gress of the tide, and by this means, and the diversion of
the upland sewage from it, to prevent the floods to which
the Hackney Marshes are now subjected.
"The estimated cost of the whole of this work, from
Kilburn and Hampstead to the River Lea, and a branch
to Four Mills, will be about 271,2901., and the probable
cost of that part of it which it is now proposed to execute
will be about 181,2901.
" I submit herewith a section of the proposed sewer, a
map showing its direction by the red lino marked upon it,
and the branch from the Ranelagh sewer, and the alter-
native outlets proposed to be added to it hereafter, by
dotted lines ; the areas which would drain into this sewer
being coloured yellow upon the map, and amounting to
about 8,913 acres, or 14 square miles."

REPORT OF SIR WILLIAM CUBITT.

" In submitting to you this report on a most importan
section of the metropolitan drainage, I have to express my
regret at the absence of my friend and coadjutor, Mr.
Robert Stephenson, who has formerly given so much at-
tention to the subject, but the advantage of whose assist-
ance and co-operation I hope to have in tho further consi-
deration of the southern district, which now engages my
attention, and also in the investigation of the remaining
portion of the north of Thames drainage, whenever that
portion of the general scheme may come under our con-
sideration.
" Relative to the drainage of the district now under
consideration, I have at various times been consulted by
your engineer during the progress of his investigations,
and have much satisfaction in referring to his repori,
which you have heard read, for the details of the measure.
" I beg to state that I entirely concur in that report,
the clear statement in which, of the general advantages of
the plan, and of the particular means of carrying it into
effect, renders my drawing this report a very easy task.
" The scheme, although a portion only of the north of
Thames drainage, is a perfect measure of itself; and hav-
ing most important objects to effect, it cannot, in my
opinion, be set about too soon, particularly as its execu-
tion will in no way affect or be affected by any other of
the districts to be drained subsequently (except as it may
render them easier to execute and less is cost) ; and I
most strongly recommend that the matter be not carried
out piecemeal, but that the whole district comprised in
Mr. Bazalgette's report extending from the Ranolagh
sewer in the Kilburn-road on the welt to the Old Ford on
the River Lea at the east, should be considered as one
measure, and, so far as is practicable, carried out at one
time.
" Having thus far approved the plan, the next consi-
deration is the cost.
" I have most carefully gone over the estimates prepared
by the engineer, the prices of which are guided in a great
degree iv works of the same kind recently executed, and
at this time in progress for the commissioners, to which
ready per centages are added for contingencies and com-
pensations, for which no exact estimate can be made. The
total amount, as shown by the estimate, is 271,290/. ; but
reasoning feom analogy in similar cases, I strongly recom-
mend that the probable total cost of this measure should
not be stated, or at least I do not think myself safe in
stating it, at less than 300,0001.
" It has been urged, and that by an authority entitled
to the highest respect, that the drainage works on the
south side of the Thames are deserving of the first con-
sideration ; but at the time that opinion was expressed,
the surveys for the district forming the subject of this
report were in a much more forward state than those for
the south of the Thames ; and, moreover, as this (the
Hackney Brook district) forms an integral work of itself,
it was deemed best to complete and submit the report
thereon.
" The surveys and levels sufficient for determining the
plan and estimate for the drainage south of the Thames,
both on the high and low level, are now ready, and a re-
port and estimate for the whole of that district can be
ready within a fortnight from this time ; and then a safe
and correct judgment may be formed as to the best mode
of proceeding to carry any poi ;;ion of works into effect.
" The peculiarities of the works on the north and south
sides of the Thames, respectively, are as follows—that
whereas the works on the north side of the Thames, com-
prised in this report, although for a portion only of the
metropolis on that side, form a scheme complete in itself,
and will immediately answer their full purpose when
finished, on the south side, no one section can be made to
answer its full purpose till the whole be completed, as will
appear when the plans, showing the nature, extent, and
cost of the works, are ready to be submitted to the com-
missioners.
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REPORT OP ROBERT STEPHENSON, M.P.
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both these documents.
"I am glad that the Commissioners of Sewers are at
last placed in a position to commence an improved system
of sewerage for the metropolis ; but I cannot help feeling
that the limited powers which have been obtained for bor-
rowing money are totally inadequate for the purpose of
producing such an improvement as is really called for. The
work proposed by your engineer, and sanctioned by Sir
William Cubitt, is undoubtdly a step in the right direc-
tion ; but its effect will scarcely be felt if not followed up
by similar designs, of much greater magnitude, both on the
north and south sides of the Thames. The latter demands
immediate attention, for the drainage through Bermond-
sey, Lambeth, and Southwark, is deplorably bad, and such
as could not fail to aggravate the consequences of any epi-
demic with which it may be visited. Knowing, as I do,
how completely the efforts of the commissioners have been
hitherto crippled, and how unjustly they have been
odno
to public obloquy by the clamour of parties whoer
take
thte
understand the difficulties of the question,
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would suggest to the commissioners the
eo Pp
rehensive scale,
trouble of making themselves acquaitnht:dweptrisietthyeeffactthse,ilr
preparing plans and estimates,
amount absolutely required for rendering
to be laid before Parliament noenxtsesiotnce
the metropolis what it should be. showing
et the
de f i np
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awma
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your obtaining powers dui
1,200,030 i., show clearly that
for even so moderate ar
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"The difficulties which
public understood the mo.gni.
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t naos I aui within the mark when I say