The Sun.
London, England, 1853-12-10 00:00:00

INSTITUTION OF CIVIL ENGINEERS.

At the last meeting of this society, Mr. James Nies'
dows Rendel, president, in the chair.
The paper read was "On the Drainage of the District
south of the Thames," by Mr. J. T. Harrison, M. Inst.
C.E. The district south of the Thames, comprised in
the "Surrey and Kent division of the sewerage of the
metropolis," was briefly described as extending between
Battersea and Greenwich, over an area of upwards of 9
miles in length, and widths varying from half a mile to
2/ miles, bounded by the river Thames on the north,
east, and west sides, and by the rising ground on the
south. Its chief peculiarities were, that the surface was
almost entirely below the level of high-water mark—that

it was to a considerable extent formed of alluvial deposit,
permeable to and surcharged with water—and that it
was, moreover, subject to frequent flooding from the
adjoining high land. For such a district, the points de-
manding attention were shown to be—thorough drainage
of the land—means of preventing the inflow of water from
the neighbouring high land—the rapid discharge of the
rain water falling on the area—and the regular convey-
ance away of the sewage matter, not only from the
houses, but from the main sewers. The present system
of drainage was shown to be very defective, but the
author expressed his conviction of the possibility of reme-
dying the existing defects, and of taking advantage of the
assistance of the rise and fall of the tide, and of other
local circumstances, for thoroughly effecting both the
cleansing of the sewers and the drainage of the district,
by means inexpensive in themselves, and independent of
the casualties of steam pumping machinery or of the
caprice of ratepayers. It was shown that the existing
sewers acted partly as drains for the land water, but
they only extended over a portion of the area, whilst,
from their being so frequently full, and even being under
pressure, the sewage matter escaped from them and
saturated the ground ; it was, therefore, contended that
a system similar to ordinary agricultural drainage should
be carried out. The question was incidentally raised
for discussion, whether advantage might not be taken
of the known rapid filtration of the chalk formation
to facilitate this operation by sinking several wells, into
which the land drains might converge. The intercep-
tion of the up-land water by catch-water drains was
insisted on, and the necessity for it pointed ont. The
rain water was proposed to be conveyed away by
the existing sewers, which would require some addi-
tion. The conveyance of the sewage matter from the
houses of the district was next discussed. This was
divided into two stages—the first, from the houses to
the public streets ; and the second, from the streets
to its destination. The means of obtaining the first
point was simple, and the stone-ware pipes were recom-
mended as sufficiently good, if of large diameter, and
laid properly, on a system of separate rather than of
combined drainage. For the second point, Greenwich
Marshes being fixed upon for the temporary reservoirs,
or recipients of the sewage matter, and the Thames as
the ultimate distributor of it, it was proposed to take
advantage of the fall of the Thames between Battersea
and the Greenwich Marshes—which was stated to be 3
feet at the lowest neaps, 5 feet 6 inches as a mean, and
7 feet 6 inches at the highest spring tides--ard by a
copious use of Thames water to flush out the main
sewer daily. This could be accomplished by forming a
main sewer 8 feet in diameter, from Battersea to Green-
wich Marshes, having the same fall as the Thames at
low water neap tides, its invert being one foot below
low water, and having a communication with the Themes
at each end, so that water from the river might flow
through at low water ; forming also reservoirs for ar-
resting and collecting the sewage, and a canal for
receiving the liquid after the filtration or precipita-
tion of the solid matter, this canal, excavated 6 feet be-
low low water spring tides, extending across the
marshes, and being connected with the Thames at each
end, with proper gates, &c., so that water from the river
might flow through it, towards and at low water, leaving
it full of pure water, when the gates were shut, on the
rising of the tide. The overflow from the reservoir into
the canal might be 2 feet above the highest low-water
mark, so as under the most unfavourable circumstances
to give that depth for the filtered sewage water and that
used for flushing, to accumulate during high water. It
was contended that, by having the mouths of all the
cross sewers communicating with this main duct fitted
with flaps, the head of water derived from the Thames,
which would be 15 feet at spring and 10 feet 8
inches at neap tides, would give a velocity through
the main sewer of about 2 feet 6 inches and 2 feet
per second respectively, which would be sufficient to
clear away any deposit. This canal might also be used
for loading barges to carry away the sewage, either for
agricultural purposes, or for discharging lower down the
river, or out at sea. It was further proposed to form cross
drains, at convenient distances apart, from the Thames
to the main sewer, which should' be flushed by a head of
water from the riverat high water, all the collateral drains
into these being fitted with flaps. These, it was con-
tended,
might be kept nearly level, the head of water ,
being abundant for thoroughly flushing them. The col-
lateral
drains, being constructed with a good fall, and
communicating, at each end, with the cross drains, could be
thoroughly flushed at stated periods. The question of
the applicability of the existing sewers was then exa-
mined, and from data afforded by Captain Veitch's sec-
tions, it was considered that they might be made avail I
able ; the large proportion of 41 miles of open ditches
(in 1848) to 30 miles of closed sewers was urged as a
strong argument for the introduction of an entirely new
system. It was urged that the chief point to aim at,
was the adoption, if possible, of a system that would

The receipts include the traffic on the Orleans and Central, Or-
„eans and Bordeaux, and Tour, and Nantes.

OPIUM. —The quantity of opium imported in the first
ten' months of the present year was 146,626 lbs., and
the quantity exported was 73,670 lbs.
[ADVEUTISENENT.] - -The Earl of Aldborough and Hol-
loway's Pills.—An astounding cure by this miraculous
medicine after every other means had failed. See ex-
tract from his lordship's letter, dated " Villa Messina,
Leghorn, Feb. 21, 1845. To Professor Holloway.
Sir,—l beg to acquaint you that your pills have effected
a cure of a disorder in my liver and stomach, which all
the most eminent of the faculty at home and all over the
Continent had not been able to effect—nay, not even the
waters of Carlsbad or Marienbad. (Signed) ALDBO-
RouGH." These wonderful pills will cure any disorders
of the liver or stomach.—Sold also Holloway's ointment,
at Professor Holloway's Establishment, 244, Strand,
London and by all medicine venders throughout the
kingdom