The Sun.
London, England, 1848-01-24 00:00:00

TO THH COM3IISSIONERS OF SEWERS.

At a meeting of the Commissioners of Sewers, held
on the 23d December, at No. 8, Committee-room,
House of Commons, a resolution was agreed to that
the Commissioners of the Metropolitan Police should
be applied to for information in respect to the state of
the drainage of the metropolis, and of any other cir-
cumstances which might prove injurious to the health
of the inhabitants in the different divisions of the me-
tropolitan police. In compliance with that request
the following document has been drawn up
" Metropolitan Police-office, N 0.4, Whitehall-
your letter of the 27th ult., that the Commissioners of
compliance with the lB4B.
request
contained in
"Sir,—ln
l'olice would give directions to the superintendents of
police in their respective divisions to report, for the in-
formation of the Commissioners of Sewers, those lo-
calities in which there appears to be the greatest want
of drains, and where the inhabitants are suffering
from an accumulation of offensive matters, the Com-
missioners of Police, without delay, called for the re-
turn required, and now beg to forward one from each
division of police, for the information of the metropo-
litan Commissioners of Sewers.—l am, Sir, your obe-
dient servant, " C. ROWAN.
"To L. C. Hertslett, Esq."
Return of the Localities of the Divisions in which
there appears to be the greatest want of drains, and
where the inhabitants are suffering from an accu-
mulation of offensive matter, the Slat December,
1847 :

A Divisiox.^WHlTEHALL.—Gardner's-lane, near
Parliament-street, an accumulation of filth, in con-
sequence of the bad paving of the street, seldom swept
or cleansed.

B DIVISION.—WBSTMINSTER.—York-street, Great
Peter-street, Palmer's Village, and many other streets,
courts, alleys, &c., adjoining an accumulation of
filth and stagnant matter, which in hot weather is
intolerable, especially when a quantity of offensive
matter is pumped out of the cellars. In the Queen's-
road and part of Brompton, a want of drains. There
are sewers in some of the streets, but no drains froin
the houses to communicate with the sewers.
C JAaLßs's.—ln the neighbour-
hood of Little Pulteney-street and Portland-street,
offensive smells arising from the drains of the houses
running into cesspools, and not large enough to convey
away the soil. In Portland-street, no sewer. In
Bolton-street, and Maddox-street offensive smells,
from the drains being too small to carry away the
soil. In Great windmill-street, and other parts,
similar complaints.
D DIVISION.—MARYLEI&ONE.—Parish of Padding-
ton.—ln this division, adjoining the North Wharf-
road, an accumulation of offensive vegetable matter
and numerous dust holes. Kensal New Town—No
sewers, and open ditches with offensive matter in them.
MARYLERONN PARlSlL—Orchard. place, near Port-
man- square (part of Lord Portman 's estate), inha-
bited by the Irish of the lower order, in which from
1,200 to 1,400 men, women, and children reside. The
stench intolerable, more particularly in summer.
There is scarcely a dust hole in any of the houses, and
in the lower part stagnant water is allowed to accu-
mulate. The privies are seldom cleaned out, and
cases of fever occur frequently. There are other
places inhabited by the lower class of Irish, where
the same evils exist, and the inhabitants complain. In
the neighbourhood of Cato-street, llolyneux-street,
great complaints of offensive smells and want of
drainage made by the inhabitants, who, with the
clergyman of that district, presented a memorial to
the commissioners of sewers upon the subject. Lisson-
grove, similar complaints.
E DIVISION—HOLBORN.—Church• lane, St. Giles
—no sewers or drains ; inhabited by the lower class
of Irish, many of whom are costermongers, who
throw vegetables and fish into the street, causing an
infected state of the atmosphere. In Compton-place,
St. Pancras, and other localities adjoining, the privies
overflowing, and the health of the inhabitants en-
dangered.
F DIVISION—COVENT-GARDEN.—Hart-street, Bed-
fordbury, Castle-street, Holywell-street, Whetstone-
park, Lincoln's Inn-fields, &c., &c.—No sewers, and
many courts badly drained. Offensive smells in
Bear-yard, &c., caused by slaughter-houses.
G DIVISION FINSBURY. Worship-street, Leg-
alley (a crowded neighbourhood), and many other
streets, &c.—No sewers. Dust-heaps in Goswell-
street. From Ray-street to Banbury-street, Clerk-
enwell, an uncovered ditch, and a smell arising
from Fleet-ditch.

II DIVISION WHITECITArEL. - High-street,
Whitechapel and the neighbourhood—highly offen-
sive smells from an accumulation of stagnant and
putrid matter and water, emanating from numerous
slaughterhouses and other places. Many courts and
streets without drains. In Spitalfields several streets
have no sewers.

K DIVISION—STEPNEY.—In the parishes of St.
George in the East, East Wapping, and Shadwell,
large quantities of manure and nightsoil, deposited in
holes, preparatory to shipment, close to the public
thoroughfare, which generate most offensive smells,
and is injurious to the health of the inhabitants. In
the hamlet of Radcliffe there are similar complaints.
The parish of Stepney, almost universally without
sewers. In Bethnal Green, Poplar, Bromley St.
Leonard, Poplar New Town, Mill Wall, &c., and
several streets without sewers.

L DIVISION—LAMISETIL—Boundary-row, Christ
Church, an uncovered ditch, containing every descrip-
tion of filth, with decomposed vegetable matter. The
returns from this division show that a large portion
of this district is in want of sewers.

M DivisioN—SOIITHWARK.—In the neighbour-
hood of Lant-street, and other parts of Southwark,
no drains, though there are many sewers, and some
in progress of construction.
N DIVISIox. Tottenham-road, Kingsland—no
sewers. Other main roads in the same condition. In
the neighbourhood of Hackney no drains, and some
open ditches containing offensive matter. In Hoxton
several iuncovered ditches, and no drainage. The
seine in many parts of Kingsland-road, and about
Holloway.
P DIVISION— CAMBERWELL.—Lock's Fields, a
want of sewers, and in various parts of Camberwell
and Peckham. Lock's Fields in many parts covered
with stagnant water, containing putrid matter and
decomposed vegetable matter. Two yards used as
depositories for manure. A crowded neighbourhood.
R DIVISION—GHEENWICH.—The report states,
" that nearly the whole of Greenwich and Deptford
might be included as being greatly in want of proper
drainage, and that there is an accumulation of offen-
sive matter from the want of drains to carry it off."
S DIVISION—HAMPSTEAD.—The whole of Agar
Town in want of sewers and drainage., In Kentish-
town many uncovered ditches containing noxious
matter.

T DIVISION—KENSINGTON.—The "Potteries, Not-
ting-hill, and Jeffrey's-buildings adjoining ; the report
says, " that nothing can equal the, filth of these
places." The same complaint of some parts of Ful-
ham and Hammersmith."

V DIVISION—WANDsworru.--Many localities
about Battersea-fields no drainage, rind pigsties and
privies by the sides of the houses, causing most offen-
sive smells ; dung-heaps. In Manor- street, Chelsea,
no drainage, causing most offensive smells • many
other parts of Chelsea have no sewers. In Parson's-
green and Walham-green there are similar complaints.
Privies are in front of the houses, and n umerous pig-
sties. Many ponds of stagnant wade r, containing
quantities of putrid and decomposed i a atter, highly
irjurious to the health of the inhabitant s and causing
fevers. In Fulham-fields in this dist r ict, the same
evils are complained of.—Observer.

CAUTION TO INNREEPERS.—At the public-office,
at Birmingham, on Friday, a respectably- attired 'young
man, who gave his name and address ail John Henry
Wilkins, of 22, Horsemonger-laae, Lond, , was brought
before the Magistrates on the charge of.s to aling a quan-
tity of plate from Dee's Royal Hotel, sand from the
White Hart Inn, Digbeth, upwards of :lOW. in bank-
notes and cheques—this last being the• property of a
Mr. Higgs, a commercial traveller, fro 1:c i Gloucester.
From the evidence it appeared that tb e prisoner, on
taking up his abode at these hotels, represented himself
to be " a commercial man." At "th e Royal " he
seized and made off with a quantity of silver spoons,
mustard pots, and other articles of pie e and plated
goods. A short time after he had enscon ed himself at
the White Hart, he happened to see Mr.. Higgs receive
at considerable sum of money from a tra 4 esman of the
town, and availing himself of that gentle 7 man's absence
Three Teduno
sff with the writing-desk in ihich the cash
had been deposited. He next took up hit abode at the
in Snow-hill, doubtless wit .h the view to
carry on the same nefarious' game • but I sere his career
WaS cut short by the police,who apples headed him on
Whole
Thursday evening, the-
i.e-ing found in his possession. He was, ully
of the a tolen property
for trial for these offences.
arrived from "Manchester direct,"an committed
Wilkins is
d. w ippon(' to have
s ix silver spoons
bablye the result R." f
of aoud in his portrcat teau, are pro-
robbery in that to wtn
CORONER'S INQUEST.—On Frid a
lnh.
IPriumcsleajd.
Carttar held an inquest at the Green
on the body of Mr. James Fri), who tor emitted suieide
n the bank of the river Thames, -new , the practice
range of the Royal Arsenal. It apps ared from the
evidence that early on Thursday morally g a labouring
man, who was passing along the baY,k of the river at a
spot known as Tripeock Trees, discos ret ed the body of
the deceased. By his left hand was a pi stol loaded with
powder and two bullets, and in his otht ilhand was another
pistol, which had been recently disc barged. The ball
had passed through his skull, and must have caused
instantaneous death. The deceased 1 fad evidently con-
templated his body falling into the river as soon as he
committed the act. Evidence was ad .dn ced to show that
the deceased was the son of a gentler aat t of independent
property, residing at Ramsgate, T, he only motive
which could be assigned for the ccanea: ittal of the rash
act was that the deceased appeared 'io be •• labouring under
an idea that ho should never succeed in his profession
as a
porary soli
incitor.sanity." The jury returned a ye; dict of "Tam-