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

PURIFICATION OF THE THAMES.

Mr. Nicholay, pursuant to notice, brought under the
notice of the board the following memorial of Mr. J. R.
M'Clean, on the means proposed by him for the purifi-
cation of the Thames.

The memorial was read by Mr. Woolrych, the clerk,
and was as under :

" 17, Great George-street, Westminster,
Aug. 8, 1856.
" TO TIM CHAIRMAN OF THE METROPOLITAN MARI) OF

WORKS.

" Mr. Chairman,—lt is understood that at your peat
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 whioh the two great conditions demanded by the pub-
lic wilt 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, Elbowing the direc•
tion of the new outfall sewer.

"My proposition is to do away with the main
drainage sewers and reservoirs on both aides of the Thames,
and to construct a conduit capable of conveying the whole
sewage of the metropolis from the pumping station at
West Ham, passing through the rich agricultural dis-
tricts of Essex, to a point on the sea shore 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 Wed 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 a
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 for pumping to the outfalls, and for the deodorise-
tion 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 it ready for use.—l have
the honour to be, Sir, your obedient servant,
(Signed) "J. R. M'CLEAN."
Mr. NIIIIOLAY 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-
, iugs which bad 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 metropolitant andscbemthe
that it ought to he met by the Government,
country should pay its share to wards it. Hee 13%
,1 before
him the report of the metropolitan commissioners of
sewers on the plans sent into them for the drainage of
London in 1850, and that re4rortwassgned by Sir J.
Burgoyne, Captain
tWhaatirsehiort th Mendel, anal
Mr. R.
Stephenson, and in
they spoke of the plan of
Mr. M'Clean as c ,retaining 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. M'CLEAN said' he bad, but to save the time of the
board he had reduced them to writing.
Mr. WOOLRYCH 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 passiog 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 Crouch,
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 :tn 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 1 and 1i
miles per hour, and there will be an uninterrupted die-
charge at all times of the tide.

"ice pumping will be required between West Ham and
the German Ocean. The,conduit will be capable •f die-
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, but stated
that he had proposed it, not in opposition to the plan of
the engineer, but as a means of couspletely carrying
away the sewage through the agricultural districts, with
an ultimate outfall into the German Ocea n.
Thanks were voted to Mr. M'Clean for his sugges-
tions, and the board adjourned soon after four o'clock.

DARTMOUTH PACKET STATION.—it is reported that
Capt. Craigie, the present chairman of the Transport
Board, is to have the appointment of Superintendent of
packets at Dartmouth.
An edition of the Dispatch will henceforth be pub-
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events, and price of the markets, funds, &c., up to the
moment of going to press, and may be received at the
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day. The pages of the Dispatch, will be so extended as
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in quantity, and the principal articles will be set in a new
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in each of the four editions, should forward them on
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morning. Dispata Office, 139, Floetitreet.