The Sun.
London, England, 1841-07-07 00:00:00

SWEARING IN OF SHERIFFS MAGNAY AND ROGERS.

The two new Sheriffs were introduced and sworn, in
accordance to the usual forms.

VENTILATION OF THE OLD BAILEY COURTS.

Sir MATTHEW WOOD said he brought up the Report
of the Committee to whom it had been referred to con-
sider Dr. Reid's plan for improving the ventilation of
the Courts in the Old Bailey. The Committee were of
opinion that the plan ought to be adopted—he con-
sidered it a matter of great moment, and moved that the
Court should agree with the Committee in their Report,
which was as follows : _

To the Right Hon. the Lord Mayor and Court of
Aldermen.

We, whose names are hereunto subscribed, your
Committee in relation to gaols, do certify, that our at-
tention having lately been called to the complaints made
by the Judges, Magistrates, and other parties attending
at the Central Criminal Court, in the Old Bailey, of the
bad and defective state of the ventilation of the same,
and it having been represented to us that a very effectual
mode had recently been adopted for ventilating the
Houses of Parliament by Dr. Reid, we requested his
attendance, and accompanied by the clerk of the City's
works, went with him to the Sessions House, to give
him an opportunity of inspecting the same ; and to re-
port to us how far his plan might be applied with ad-
vantage there, and we directed the clerk of the works to
afford him every facility in making any further survey
he might find requisite.
That we have since been attended by Dr. Reid, who
laid before us a report of the result of his labours, with
sundry plans explanatory of the same, together with
an estimate of the expense, which we have caused to be
hereunto annexed for the information of this Hon. Court,
and we recommend the same to their serious and atten-
tive consideration. _

We beg further to certify that as the Sessions House
and their works and alterations are more immediately
under the directions of the Committee, for letting the
City's lands, we requested a conference with a depu-
tation from that Committee, to whom we exhibited
Dr. Reid's plans, and who fully explained to them the
nature and extent of the same ; and we have since re-
ceived a resolution from the deputation, stating that they
would recommend the Land Committee to await the
decision of this Honourable Court upon the subject.
Under these circumstances, and feelinc, satisfied that
it is highly desirable the. work should be done, and also
considering that at the period from the termination of
the present sitting of the Central Criminal Court to the
next sitting of that Court, would afford the best oppor-
tunity for effecting the same, we recommend this Ho-
nourable Court to direct a communication to be made to
the Committee for letting the City's lands, requesting
they will present a report to the Court of Common
Council for authority for the work to be proceeded with
under their directions accordingly. All which we sub-
mit to the judgment of this Honourable Court, this 6th
day of July, 1841.

P. LAURIE.
MATTIIEW WOOD.
MICHAEL GIBBS.

REPORT AS TO THE, VENTILATION OF THE NEW AND
OLD COURTS, OLD BAILEY.

My Lord and Gentlemen,
The defective state of the ventilation at the Courts in
the Old Bailey, which I have examined according to
your instructions, arises principally from the following
causes :---

I. The inadequate supply of fresh air.
2. The imperfect discharge of the vitiated air, a large
proportion of which is returned indefinitely upon the
person, instead of being removed with certainty and
decision.

3. The severity of thecurrents, arising from inade-
quate diffusion, and the necessary opening of doors and
windows from time to time, when the complaints are
great from the deficiency in the supply of air.
4. The imperfect nature of various parts of the appa-
ratus in use, which presents different causes that render
the air less wholesome and agreeable than it otherwise
would be.

5. The contamination of the small proportion of air
supplied to a great extent with vitiated air, more parti-
cularly from the hall and other passages. In the kitchen
there is a cesspool having no connection with any drain,
into which about thirty pails of water are introduced
daily during the sittin° of the Courts, all of which ap-
pears, so far as I have been able to ascertain, to mingle
by evaporation with the atmosphere of the iitchen, and
to find its way to the passages.
It will be obvious that defects such as these cannot be
effl?ctually remedied without introducing arrangements of
proportionate magnitude, as in the original construction
of the Courts, it could not be expected, from the period
at which they were built, that provision would be made
for meeting the views now entertained as to the nature
and importance of ventilation ; while the chambers be-
low and above both Courts, excepting on the roof of the
New Court, are so much occupied that few facilities are
presented for diffusive ventilation, by which alone any
degree of comfort can be given in places so liable to a
fluctuating attendance as these Courts must be. Under
the circumstances, and proceeding upon the assumption
that two thousand persons are as many as it would be
necessary to provide air for, according to the replies to
the various inquiries upon which I entered in
reference to this point, I have to propose the
following arrangements. It may be proper for me
to premise, however, that 2,000 persons, twelve hours a-
day in Court, require air for 28,800,000 respirations
during that period, independent of what may be neces-
sary for the surface of the body :-
1. Let a chamber be provided for the reception of
fresh air where it shall escape much of the contamina-
tion it receives at present from eating houses, chimneys;
&c., in the immediate vicinity.
2. Let the air be filtered from soot as it enters the
chamber, washed, when necessary, with 'lime-water to
remove various impurities, and finally be propelled to the
Courts by a fanner worked by a steam-engine. This;ar-
rangement appears to be the only economical plan that
will ensure the ventilation of the Courts, considering the
peculiarity of their position, and the manner in which
they are hemmed in on all sides by different apartments.
3. Let chambers be provided below each Court, that
the air may enter diffusivisly, and as imperceptibly as
possible, the diffusion being . regulated by perforated
zinc or porous cloth at every place represented by the red
dotted line in the plan of the Courts.

4. Let a mild ha water apparatus be procured, and let
it be arranged in such a manner that by the mere opening or
shutting of a valve, it may be made to afford any propor-
tion of warmth, such as the circumstances of the moment
may require. I must here remark, that though ventila-
tion may be induced without warming the air before it
enters the Court, still the two questions are inseparably
connected, more especially as in an apartment not venti-
lated, the vitiated air stagnated around the person pro-
duces part of that warmth which ought to be procured
from other sources, and which is required to a greater
and greater extent, the more freely the air is supplied.
To some constitutions, the absence of offensive current?,
and the supply of air at a prOyer temperature, is as im-
portant as a supply of pure air.
5. Let the entrance of the air to the Court be regulated
by a single valve, so that the amount may be pro-
portioned to the state of the external atmosphere,
and the fluctuating attendance, so that the effect pro-
duced upon the person may in all cases be as nearly as
possible the same, whatever changes may ensue, either
in the attendance at the Court or in the external atmo-
sphere.
6. Let the foul air also be discharged through a single
aperture, a valve being provided there, also to be used
under particular circumstances.
7. One external discharge from each Court may be
provided, but one alone for both would be preferable,
but also more cosily, from 04 cuttings required in the
roof.

8. The external discharge should be protected from
the action of currents of air by a cowl, or any equivalent
modification of the cowl.

9. The galleries should be supplied with pure air from
the fresh air chamber,

10. A communication should be established between
the cess-pool in the kitchen and the adjoining drains.
All the above points are essentially connected with the
ventilation of the Courts alone, and would cost, as nearly
as I can estimate, about 1,9251. In stating this sum it
may be proper for me to mention that a precise estimate
cannot be formed, as the precise facilities or difficulties
that may be met with in following out the underground
cuttings must necessarily modify the result. But Ido
not consider that there would be a difference of
100/., which might be either left or more
than the sum mentioned according to details that could
only be ascertained as the works proceed. I
ought also to observe, that my estimate is founded prin-
cipally upon the cost of similar works executed in the
Queen's Bench and Bail Courts, Westminster, in the In-
solvent Debtors' Court, and in various other buildings
in London. _ _ _

I should not consider this Report complete did I not
submit for your consideration, that it would be advisable
that some minor arrangements should be made for the
ventilation of the hall, staircases, and some of the
principal apartments in connection with the Courts,
In places where the principal room has been venti-
lated without some attention being paid to lobbies
and contiguous apartments, the contrast between the
air where ventilation has been introduced, and where it
has not, often leads to complaints that would not other-
wise be made, and to the introduction of ventilation in
these minor apartments at a future period at a consider-
able increase of cost. An additional sum of 1501. or
2001. would enable the ventilation to be greatly improved
in all tke places now referred to.
Again, in all buildings constructed•in the usual man-
ner, there is a defect observed in the movement of air
near windows in cold weather, which can be remedied
entirely only by double windows, this not being essen-
tially connected with the general arrangements for ven-
tilation, though most important in preventing local dis-
comfort in the seats next the windows, is brought before
your notice as a separate question that can be considered
either at present or at a future period.
Lastly, in making the above report, I have to men-
tion that I have had the advantage of communicating
with Mr. Montague, who has assisted me in obtaining.
the information required as to the present state of the
buildings ; and I have the satisfaction to state that
he is of opinion that the several works may be executed
without interfering with the character or stability of the
building.

I have the honour to remain, My Lord and Gentlemen,
Your very obedient servant,
(Signed) D. B. REID.
Sir PETER LAURIE seconded the motion. He tru3ted
t'le Court would be unanimous in recommending the
adoption of Dr. Reid's plans. It was universally admitted
that he had successfully applied them in the ventilation
of both Houses 'of Parliament, an object of paramount
iml ortance, which had often been attempted, and a 3