The Sun.
London, England, 1848-11-09 00:00:00

THE SERPENTINE.

The Lancet suggests a very practicable plan for
converting the Serpentine water in Hyde-park from
a nuisance into a really ornamental and useful basin :
—" How is this Augean ditch to be cleansed of its
accumulated abominations ? Either by carting
them away, or by covering them over. if the fifty
acres of putrescent mud were at once exposed to the
contact of the air and the influence of the sun, and if
all these latent seeds of infection were stirred up
by the carting of it away, no doubt the neigh-
bourhood would be decimated by fever, if not by
cholera. We, therefore, reject this plan, and propose
that forthwith the water should gradually be drained
off, to allow the mass of mud to subside in the deepest
portions of the bed of the Serpentine. This mass of
mud should then be covered over with gravel or con-
crete, or both; so that, instead of being 40 feet deep,
as it is now in certain portions, the Serpentine should be
but 12 feet deep in its centre, and so levelled as to be-
come less and less deep towards the shores. This should
be done during the following months; and in the
early spring it would be necessary to cover two-thirds
of this levelled surface with a coat of concrete six
inches thick. We say two-thirds, because many parts
have a good gravel bottom, and need not be meddled
with. The time thus employed would neutralise
all noxious gases, and this coat of concrete
would also prevent the growth of those masses
of weeds which corrupt the water by their decay,
and have often proved fatal to the bather. At
any future period the cleaning of the Serpentine
would be merely sweeping its bed of concrete.
These improvements might be made at no great cost,
for gravel is to be found on either side of the Ser-
pentiae, and the excavation thus made could be soon
filled up with rubbish. On the whole southern bank
the depth of water should not exceed four feet, even
at fifty feet from the shore, so that in future parents
may there at least allow their children to bathe or
state without anxiety ; and numerous watermarks
announcing the depth of water should be con-
spicuously planted on the banks. If something
similar were done to a portion of the Bayswater
extremity of the Serpentine, it would afford to the
inhabitants a convenient bathing spot, and to
the Commissioners of the Woods and Forests an
opportunity of atoning for having so long unmerci-
fully inflicted disgusting odours upon the vicinity. Is
it necessary to state that the Bayswater sewer should
no longer, on any pretence, be allowed to discharge
its filthy and corrupt current into our great metro-
politan bath ? Either the Serpentine must be sup-
plied with more water, or less must be taken from it,
and, as the parks must be watered, and St. James's
Canal and the barracks supplied, there is no reason
why they should not receive their supply from the
Serpentine, provided a sufficiency of wholesome water
be conveyed into this reservoir."

COURT CU(CULAR.
WINDSOR, WEDNESDAY.
The Queen and Prince Albert walked this morn-

ing on the Eastern Terrace and Slopes.
The Royal Family took their usual airings.
Her Majesty the Queen Dowager arrived to-day at
half-past one o'clock on a visit to the Queen and Prince
Albert, from the Priory, Stanmore.
The Queen Dowager was accompanied by her Se-
rene Highness the Princess Eliza of Hohenlohe
Schillingsfurst. and was attended by her Majesty's
Lady in Waiting and Vice-Chamberlain.
Captain W. B. and Lady Harriet Hamilton are
expected to arrive at the Castle this evening on a
visit to her Majesty.
The Queen's private band performed yesterday
evening the following pieces in the Castle :
Overture—''Philtre"
Selection—" Huguen0t5".....
Pas Redoubles ... Klose.