The Sun.
London, England, 1856-10-02 00:00:00

METROPOLITAN BOARD OF WORKS.

PURIFICATION OF THE THAMES.
Mr. Nicholay, pursuant to notice, brought under the
notice of the board the following memorial of Mr. J. B.
M'Clean, on the means proposed by him for the purifi-
cation of the Thames.
The memorial was read by Mr. Woolrycb, the clerk,
and was as under :

" 17, Great George-street, Westminster,
Aug. 8, 1856.
" TO Tllll CHAIRMAN OF THE METROPOLITAN BOARD OF
WORKS.

" Mr. Chairman,—lt is understood that at your next
meeting the position of the outfalls for the sewage of the
metropolis is to be finally decided, and it has occurred
to me that the present is a proper time for directing
your attention to another system of outfalls, by means
of which the two great conditions demanded by the pub-
lic will be complied with, namely, the purification of the
Thames, and the utilisation of the sewage as manure.
" I therefore take the liberty of submitting for your
consideration the accompanying plan, showing the direc-
tion of the new outfall sewer.
"My proposition is to do away with the main
drainagese wers and reservoirs on both sides of the Thames,
and to construct a conduit capable ofconveying the whole
sewage of the metropolis from the pumping station at
West Ham, passing through the rich agricultural dis-
tricts of Esser, to a point on the sea shorn between
the estuaries of the Crouch and the Blackwater Rivers.
This conduit to be made available for the purposes of
sewage irrigation throughout the entire length, until it
reaches the German Ocean.

"From West Ham to a place called Battle Bridge,
over the River Crouch, the conduit would pass through
the uplands of Essex, and would be constructed as
tunnel or covered canal. From this place to its mouth
it would run through the marshes adjoining the River
Crouch, a district almost devoid of population, but ex-
tremely rich in agricultural produce, and where upwards
of half a million acres of land may receive the benefit
of the sewage of the metropolis. For this latter portion
of its length it would be sufficient to construct the con-
duit generally as an open canal, following the course
of the river until it arrives within two miles of Burn-
ham, from whence it would be diverted in a north-
easterly direction to the sea.
"The sewage of the whole of the southern district
may be collected at a pumping station near Southwark
Bridge, and be carried, by means of pipes, over the
river to the Aldgate sewer, through which it would
flow to the proposed main conduit.
"The expenditure for this work would not exceed
1,600,0001., a sum not greater than the cost of the works
required for discharging the sewage into the Thames,
even at the distance already contemplated, together with
an amount representing the increased annual expendi-
ture fcr pumping to the outfalls, and for the deodorisa-
riot' of the sewage, but which would be unnecessary if
the proposed scheme is adopted.
"In order to prove their confidence in the system now
proposed, responsible parties are prepared to execute the
new outfall sewer to receive the whole sewage of Lon-
don,, within a period of four years from the commence-
ment of the work, either for the sum of 1,600,0001.,
to be certified by your engineer as the work proceeds, or
for an. annual rent equal to 4 per cent. of that amount,
to commence after the work is ready for use.—l have
the honour to be, Sir, your obedient servant,
(Signed) "J. R. M'CLEAN."
Mr. NIIIHOLAY moved that the memorial be received,
and said he believed that a resolution would be carried
which should say that it was the wish of this board that
the outfall for the sewage should be at sea. (No, no.)
At any rate public opinion was aroused, and they would
no longer permit the Thames to be polluted. As to the
plan of their engineer for carrying the sewage from the
south side of the river to the north, by means of a
tunnel under the Thames, below Greenwich, even by the
report of the engineer himself it appeared that the bor-
ings which had been made along the line of the river on
the south side were more or less favourable ; and with
the experiment of the Thames Tunnel before them they
should be careful how they engaged in such costly
works, for they might bring disgrace on themselves, and
they would be wanting in their duty to the ratepayers,
who would have to pay for them. Still, although the
cost might be great, he thought the ratepayers ought
not to bear it all, but being a great metropolitan scheme,
that it ought to he met by the Government, and the
him the report o
country should payf
the plans sent into them for the drainage of
i
sewers on itthseshmareetrtoopwoal metropolitan commissioners t.coneHmeisbsaician beforeers ef
London n 1850, and that report was signed by Sir J.
Burgoyne, Captain Walsh, Mr. Rendel, and Mr. R.
Stephenson, and in that report they spoke of the plan of
Mr. M'Clean as c intaining in it the principles of a sound
system of drainage. He would detain the board no
longer, but would at once introduce Mr. M'Clean to the
board.

- The CHAIRMAN inquired if Mr. M'Clean had any ob-
servations to offer beyond those contained in his memo.
rial.

Mr. MTLEAN said' he had, but to save the time of the
board he had reduced them to writing.
Mr. WOOLRYOII then read the following document :
The proposed outfall sewer will commence by a
junction with the one proposed by your engineer, near the
pumping station at West Ham, at a point where the high
level intercepting sewage and the high level sewage
pumped up flow through the same channel.
"The level of the top water at the junction will be 16
feet above Trinity datum, as shown on the plan of your
engineer. The conduit will pass over the North Woolwich
Railway by means of an iron aqueduct, and under the Til-
bury Railway near its junction with the Eastern Counties
Railway. The railway will be raised two feet, for the
purpose of allowing the water to be maintained at a level
of 14 feet 6 inches above Trinity datum in the conduit at
the time of its maximum discharge. After passing under
the Tilbury line, it will proceed to Ilford, crossing Bark-
ing-creek above the navigable part of the river, and thence,
without interfering with the level of any road, to the
marsh land near Battle-bridge, in the valley of the Crowd;
to which place the tide at present flows. The conduit
will be a covered sewer, 24 feet diameter, as far as the
Marshes, from whence, with the exception of a length of
about,two miles covered near Burnham, it will be an open
sewer until it reached the German Ocean. The fall will
vary between 5 and 6 inches per mile, and the velocity
between 2 and 3 feet per second, or between 1i and 1i
miles per hour, and there will be an uninterrupted dis-
charge at all times of the tide. 4
"No pumping will be required between West Ham and
the German Ocean. The conduit will be capable of dis-
charging 52,000 cubic feet per minute, which is the maxi-
mum sewage and rain-fall estimated by your engineer to
flow through the sewers of the northern, southern and
western districts of the metropolis." ,
Several members put questions to Mr. M'Clean, as to
various parts of his plan, which he explained, hut stated
that he had proposed it, not in opposition to the plan of
the engineer, but as a means of completely carrying
away the sewage through the agricultural districts, with
an ultimate outfall into the German Ocean.
Thanks were voted to Mr. M'Clean for his sugges-
tions, and the board adjourned soon after four o'clock.

DARTMOUTH PACKET STAT,ON.-It is reported that
Capt. Craigie, the present chairman of the Transport
Board, is to have the appoitatment of Superintendent of
packets at Dartmouth.
An edition of the Dispatch, will henceforth be pub-
lished every Friday, containing particulars of important
events, and price of the markets, funds, &c., up to the
moment of going to press, and may be received at the
most distant parts of Scotland and Ireland on the Satur-
day. The pages of the Dispatch will be so extended as
to allow the introduction of nearly six additional columns
in quantity, and the principal articles will be set in a new
clear type that will not fatigue the eyesight. Adver-
tisers, to insure the insertion of their advertisements
in each of the four editions, should forward them on
Thursday, or at latest before 10 o'clock on Friday
morning.—D4pata Office, 139, Fleet•street.