The Sun.
London, England, 1860-07-21 00:00:00

THE THAMES EMBANKMENT.

(From the liforwing Chronicle.)
The committee appointed a short time since to consider
various plans for embanking the river Thames, and the best
mode of obtaining the money to carry out such a plan, has
concluded its labours of taking evidence, and will, probably,
shortly present its report. A large nuniber of witnesses
have been examined, and the walls of the committee-room
have been almost covered with plans and designs submitted
by various individuals. The question of embanking the
Thames above London-bridge is one that has revived more
or less of public consideration ever since the great fire in
1666. Sir Christopher Wren first, and afterwards Sir John
Evelyn, prepared plans for such a work, and upon one occa-
sion it was so far adopted by the Government that they ac-
tually provided the " ways and means" for it in the coal-
tax, which the city of London was authorised to impose.
Some thirty years ago, Sir Frederick (then Colonel) Trench
agitated the question in public meeting, by pamphlets, by
engravings, and by every means in his power. The idea
was a bold one, the plans comprehensive, and the gallant
colonel urged its adoption with so much pertinacity as to
bring down upon him no small amount of ridicule from
those who could not or weuld not see the value of his pro-
posal. Sir Frederick brought the subject under the notice
of the House of Commons; and it is curious to find the late
Sir Robert Peel, then in office, refusing, on behalf of the
Government, to give his sanction to the pan, on the ground
that an embankment of the Thames would spoil the pro-
spect of the small streets leading out of the Strand. Sir

A. Peel was no doubt a great statesman, but in matters of
public improvement he was certainly somewhat crotchety,
and his notions respecting the National Gallery and Tra-
falgar-square, "the finest site in Europe," were not on a
par with his sagacity in political or commercial questions.
In 1843 the Metropolitan Commissioners were appointed,
and once more this question of embankment was consi-
dered, and with everyl prospect of success, for the commis •
sioners reported in favour of carrying cut the work. That
commission came to the conclusion that the plan then
submitted by Mr. Page, C.E., and referred by them
to Messrs. Rendell and Cubitt, ought to be adopted.
They state that. " the portion which could be most con-
veniently carried out is that which lies between Westmin-
ster and Blacitfriars bridges, whereby the great objects of
public recreation and health would be promoted, and con-
siderable relief be given to the existing insufficient
thoroughfares between the eastern and western districts of
the metropolis ; that the plan proposed would effect this
without detriment to the trade conducted on the Mid-
dlesex shore," and they further resolved that " they
would proceed to ascertain the expense and see in what
manner the funds could be provided so as to press with
the least possible weight an inconvenience upon the in-
habitants of the metropolis and its environs." In this
state the question now stands ; for two centuries it has
been considered a work cf great value and importance
to the metropolis, but a great and wealthy coun-
try has practically confessed its inability to provide
some half a million of money to construct the embankment
of the river that runs through its metropolis. So late as
1855 there was also a committee of the Reuse of Commons
to inquire into the subject of metropolitan communica-
tions. They sat for nearly four months, examined forty-
five witnesses, and of course incubated a Blue-book with
abundant illustrations of plans and drawings. This com •
mittee endorsed to a certain extent the dcision of the
commissioners, and once more there appeared a prospect of
giving to London a new route and a direct communication
by means of a road on the river from cast to west, and some
relief to the overcrowded thoroughfares of the metropolis.
Had London possessed a municipal government worthy of
the name, such as that which exists at Paris, a committee
of the House of Commons would not now be sitting to con-
sider its report upon the embankment of the Thames at
London.

The work presents no extraordinary difficulty, requires
no enormous outlay, and might be made self-sustaining.
If one tithe of the time and attention bestowed in Parlia-
ment upon subjects of useless party contest, and given to
futile attempts at legislation upon the hobbies of inividual
members, were directed to this really practical question, all
apparent difficulties would soon be got over. The plan ap-
proved by the commissioners of 1813, sanctioned by the
committee of 1855, which has been examined by the present
committee, and which formed the basis of some score of
designs, was, as we have already intimated, prepared
by Mr. Page. The proposal was to commence a solid em-
bankment at a point a little above Queenhithe on the Mid-
dlesex side, and to terminate at Milbank, opposite Lam-
beth Palace; and on the Surrey side the work would
commence opposite Queenhithe Dock, and terminate at a
point between Lambeth Palace and Vauxhall-bridge. Be-
tween Westminster-bridge and half-way from Lambeth
Palace to Vauxhall upon the Surrey side, and from Queen-
hithe Dock, upon each side of the river, up to Black-
friars, it was to be a promenade for foot passengers
only. From Blackfriars-bridge to "Whitehall -place, on
the Middlesex side, there was to be a carriage-way
50 feet in width, combined with a footpath for pedes-
trians • and between Blackfriars and Westminster bridges,
on the Surrey side, the roadway would also be adapted for
vehicles and foot passengers. The embankment at first
proposed was four feet above Trinity datum high water,
but, at the suggestion of the late Sir Robt. Harry Inglis, it
was raised in parts to 12 feet above high water. At West-
minster-bridge the embankment would be on a level, and
12 feet high, but in front of Temple-gardens it would
fall to four feet above high water, so as not to in' erfere
with the view of the river from these gardens • would
rise to ten feet between Temple-gardens and Black-
friars-bridge. The principle upon which the embankment
was designed was that of encroaching as little as possible
upon the river, and of affording the greatest amount of pub-
lic accommodation on each side. The causeway was to be
detached from the wharves on each side of the river, leav-
in as much water as possible between the embankment and
the wharves for the accommodation of barges. As designed,
this " roadway in the river" would give a considerable ex-
tent of acreage of dock on each side of the river. The space
between Richmond-terrace and the grounds of the Board of
Control and the embankment would be not less than 130
feet, which might be available for a garden, and in front of
Somerset House there would also be a large area, which
could be made available for advancing some portion of the
present buildings into the river. Along the embankment
would be placed tidal gates, at various distances, to admit
the entrance of barges into the wharf docks. If the em-
bankment were carried to the height of twelve feet, it
would admit of the passage of barges through these open-
ings without the necessity of swing bridges, the only ex-
ception being what were called straw barges, nearly the
whole of which now go to Hungerford-market ; but as it was
shown that the market will shortly become a railway station,
and that the barges would cease to go there, this difficulty
was removed. The work could be made self-sustaining by
various plans which were suggested, among others the lay •
ing down of an omnibus tramway along the embankment,
and letting it out at an annual rental to persons who might
be disposed to run omnibuses upon it in a manner similar
to that of Paris and Versailles, or which las just been
sanctioned at Birkenhead, and which is so ably and ener-
getically advocated by Mr. G. F. Train. Railway com-
panies, too, might also be disposed to run trains upon the
line ; or a rental might be received for wharfage, to be
constructed upon the outside of the causeway. One very,
important point which the committee has been appointed
to consider is, how far it may be practicable to make such
a work useful in the carrying out of the system
ofconstruct the
drainage. The Board of Works propose to main
Ludgate-hill,
sewer along the Strand, Fleet-street,
andquired to and it is anticipated that two 3
com-
plete this section of the obstructionwork.:eTaihsehwi.cllbere to business
h such a work would
and to these great thoroughfares
cause, has led to the opinion thatwit' would be desirable to
combine this portion of the
idira" ame with an embankment,
givenn to show that it will not
and ample evidence has
only be perfectly practicableb. to do so, but that it will be
very much more economical, and avoid that risk to housee
property which will
g
attend the deep cutting or tunnelin s
required for the sewer metropolis
It through this part of the
t is too much, perhaps, to hope that the House oftorn-.
mons will take any action on the report of the committee
during
the present
i session; but there are many subjects
which will occupy its attention, which are of a far less
practical and important character than this long-pending
question of the Thames embankment,