The Sun.
London, England, 1847-09-10 00:00:00

SANITARY CONDITION OF THE

METROPOLIS.
(From the Chronicle.)
The Government has just appointed the Special
Commissioners for inquiring into the means of im-
proving the sanitary condition of the metropolis. The
names of the Commissioners are—
Lord Robert Grosvenor,
E. Chadwick,
Dr. Southwood Smith,
Professor Owen,
R. Lambert Jones.
Lord Robert Grosvenor has taken very great inte-
rest in the subject of sanitary improvement, and few
names could be more appropriately or advantageously
placed at the head of a Commission the object of
whose labours is to improve the sanitary condition of
this metropolis.
The appointment which will inspire the public
with the greatest confidence is that of Mr. Chadwick.
This selection may be regarded as a recognition of
Mr. Chadwick's past services in the cause of social
improvement, and as a security for the efficient
carrying out of the important and laborious under-
taking upon which he now enters.
On the appointment of Dr. Southwood Smith and
Professor Owen the same remark may be made with
not less justice. To no one cause can the interest
which the public has been at length induced to take
in the subject of sanitary improvement be more
fairly ascribed than to the unremitting exertions of
Dr. Southwood Smith ; while a great deal of the
valuable information possessed upon the subject is
due to the scientific investigations of Professor Owen.
Upon the whole, the constitution of the Commis-
sion is calculated to give general satisfaction. Even
the great filth interest of the City will, we
presume,
be satisfied that the claims of the Premier's consti-
tuents have not been overlooked. But perhaps it is
rather the public who ought to be thankful that
the Corporation has been so considerate towards
Mi-
nisters as to consent to the appointment of only one
Commissioner—Mr. Richard Lambert Jones.
(From the Times.)

Much disappointment was felt and expressed during
the last session of Parliament at the omission of the
provisions with relation to the metropolis from the
Bill for the improvement of the health of towns, in-
troduced by Lord ➢iorpeth.
It is to be observed, however, that those provisions
were necessarily general; arid it was felt that others
a more special character were required. had the
contemplated Board of Health and Public 11 orks
been authorised by the passing of the Act, it is pro•
bable, and indeed certain, that the duties of the Com-
missioners in relation to the metropolis must, in the
first instance, and for a long time, have been duties
of further inspection as to the practical means of
dealing satisfactorily with the complexities of juris-
dictions and interests, ending in applications for other
and more special measures of legislation.
Even the late Act authorising the guardians to in-
terfere, and, on the report of medical officers, to order
nuisances to be removed, appears from such cases as
have recently been presented to coroners' juries, to
have fallen a dead letter. The report on the sanitary
condition of the population, and the subsequent re-
ports of the Commissioners for Inquiring into the
Health of Towns, were occupied in making manifest
the evils, and the general principles of measures of
amendment applicable to the whole kingdom, with
special references to the metropolis, wholly incom-
mensurate to its magnitude. Even now, we believe,
it is not known to some of the Commissioners of
Sewers what extent of sewers exist within their dis •
tricts ; still less is it known what proportion of houses
are drained into the sewers which exist. Nor is
it known what proportion of houses are properly
supplied with water ; to what extent the existing
sources of water supply are sufficient or eligible ; in
short, we believe there are no fair approximations
even to a knowledge of the magnitude of new works
which may be required ; and, consequently, propor-
tionately vague notions of the sort and extent of the
administrative machinery which may be needed to
execute and maintain them. Seeing the pressure of
the evils, we understand it has been determined to
anticipate the close inquiries which were looked for
from the Board of Health and Public Works, and, if
possible, expedite the preparation of the special mea-
sures of practical legislation for the metropolis, by
the appointment of a special commission, which shall
proceed with investigations during the vacation, and,
if it can be done, submit results to Parliament when
it meets. We believe that the commission will be
announced in this night's Gazette. Mr. Chadwick
will, of course, be one of the commissioners, as well as
Dr. Southwood Smith,—names identified with these
inquiries from their origin, end affording the public a
sure guarantee that the subject will be thoroughly
investigated. Mr. Richard L. Jones will represent
the Corporation.—Times.

DRAINAGE OF WOOLWICH.
About three years ago the commissioners of the
town and parish of Woolwich, in consequence of the
numerous complaints sent to them of the nuisances
arising from the want of drains, caused plans and
specifications to be made for the purpose of effectually
draining the town by the construction of suitable
sewers. The estimate for the construction of the
sewers amounted to 15,0001., and in order to effec-
tually clean them and render them as pure• as pos-
sible it was recommended by Mr. Roe, who furnished
the plans, that sluices should be made to allow of an
ample supply of water passing through the sewers
for the purpose of thoroughly cleansing them, at an
expense of 5,0001. additional. About the time the
plans were completed the sanitary measure of Go-
vernment for large towns was anticipated to be
.a
e
a legislative measure, and, to save the expense of
parishioners decided on waiting until the Government
measure was passed, to take advantage of the rules
separate Act of Parliament for Woolwich, the
laid down in it. The Government measure was with-
drawn at a late period of the session, and the period
being now near at hand for
giving notices of ap-
plication for new Acts of Parliament or increasing the
efficiency of former Acts, the Commissioners requested
thrt a vestry might be held to take the sense of the
parishioners as to the propriety of still applying for
local powers to make the necessary sewers, without
waiting for the Government measure, which may be
again postponed, the want of drainage belig the
cause of more numerous complants than ever, owing
to the increasing population of the town and number
of new buildings recently erected. A vestry meeting
was accordingly held yesterday,
and adjourned by
consent to the Town-hall, for the purpose of taking
the measure into consideration, the Rev. W.
Greenlaw, M.A., Rector, in the chair, supported by
Mr. Morgan, churchwarden, and several of the com-
missioners of the parish. A resolution was proposed
by Mr. Chubb, seconded by Mr. Bally, that it would
be advisable f
to apply or a Bill to extend the powers
of the commissioners for the purpose of constructing
sewers, and levy a rate to defray the expenses of
same. The motion was met by an amendment by Mr.
Hudson, seconded by Mr. Jones, that it was not ne-
cessary to discuss the subject until after the Govern-
, men measure was brought forward, and the amend-
, ment was carried by 23 to 12 for the orignal motion.

---- -
CHILI AND THE PActitc. —Letters from Valpa-
raiso to the 28th June state that on the Ist of that
month the President delivered his address to the Chilian
Congress. Alluding to the expedition of General
Florez, he attributed its overthrow to the active and
powerful application of the English constitutional law,
and to the prompt measures taken by Spain to suppress
it. He likewise announced that a provision had been
made for the payment of the interest on the national
debt. The President concluded by recommending the
establishment of a National Bank. Exchftng.—From
the scarcity of silver, both bullion and bar, partly
caused by the limited amounts lately received from Bo-

livia, and from the heavy remittances that are due in
England, the exchange continues much against England,
as the following quotations of the transactions in ex-
change just made will show, viz., Bills at 90 days, 43d. ;
bar silver, 10 dolls. sc. per mark ; hard dollars 12 per
cent. premium. Freights—Nitrate, from Iquique to
London or Liverpool, 41. ss. and 5 per cent. Copper
ores to Liverpool, 4/. 10s. and 5 per cent. ; ditto to
Swansea, 51. and 5 per cent. Light freight, from Islay
and Arica, 61. to 6/. 10s., and 5 per cent. to London or
Liverpool. Two English vessels have been chartered
this month here to take wheat from the coast round to
Monte Video at 31. and 5 per cent. Those rates could
not now be obtained ; freights are declining ; and there
are no charters offering for Iluano. Wheat to Rio
fetches a freight of 31. 12s. 6ii., and 5 per cent.—The
differences between Bolivia and Peru had not yet been
settled.
Last night, at 6 o'clock, a meeting of the " De
Beauvoir Town Improvement Association' was held at
the Jolly Farmers, Church-road, Kingsland; J. R. Ives,
Esq., of Doctors Commons, in the chair. The meeting
was attended by a great number of house proprietors and
tenants of the district, and amongst other subjects
brought under their notice was the sanitary condition of
a portion of the district, relative to which a very lung
correspondence had taken place on the subject with Mr.
Pulley, clerk to the Board of Guardians of the district of
St. John's, Hackney, of which the Beauvoir town forms
a portion, was read to the meeting, and as no benefit had
arisen therefrom, it was unanimously resolved that a
memorial be laid before Lord Itorpetli, and that he
may be pleased after a perusal of the corn s pondence,
surgeons certificates, &c., to give such directions as will
cause the matter to be taken up by the properly consti
tuted authorities. No doubt is entertained of his Lord-
ship giving the subj, ct his attention. The effectual
drainage and ventilation of such localities where the
poor are huddled together, by which fever is engendered,
one are equally interested
and the health of a populous neighbourhood may be en-
dangered, is a matter of the most vital importance ;
tahnedlaenvdelroyrds can get their rents, the
erhaicltehenants becomes, in their estimation, a
andhtheearl
therein,
although,of
stillthewi
matter of minor importance, and nothing but the most
rigid and compulsory measures can extort from them a
quota towards the expense of the removal of nuisances
by which the lives of many are endangered, and their
own property depreciated in value. The meeting broke
up at an early hour, after the usual vote of thanks to
the Chairman,