The Sun.
London, England, 1860-01-16 00:00:00

1117,11,271 OF PARIe.

The _Revue 3lunicipale this week devotes a large
proportion of its space to the question : " Whether
the Paris of 1760 was more or less salubrious than
the Paris of 1860 ?" and comes to the conclusion
that in a sanitary point of view the former was
greatly superior to the latter. Many of our rea-
ders will no doubt be startled at such an opinion
deliberately expressed after thorough examination
of the subject ; but a perusal of the chief arguments
adduced will lead to a conviction that the I?crue
Nunict'pale is not far from the truth. No doubt,
large thoroughfares have been cut throngh Paris,
its police regulations are infinitely superior to those
of the capital in 1760, and much better executed;
the sewerage has been immensely improved ; the
houses which were built on the bridges in 1760,
obstructing the passage of air and light, ere now
gone ; and the crowded churchyards, close to
every church in the heart of the metropolis, no
longer exist ; there are no more private slaughter-
houses, the streets are swept much better, the mud
and filth removed both speedily and regularly; the
supply of water is infinitely superior, and within
the last few years 193 narrow and dirty streets and.
lanes have been erased from the map of Paris. These
are certainly most valuable improvements, but let
us examine the other side of the picture. The
present surface of the capital comprises 78,020,060
metres, which in 1760 did not contain more than
600,000 souls; while in 1860 its population is nearly
1,800,000, that is, three times more. In 176, Paris
had outgrown the space enclosed by the boulevards,
and the last straggling houses touched the line of
the octroi-wall, now pulled down. Beyond these were
nothing but villas, gardens, and orchards, with here
and there princely mansions surrounded with vast
parks, 78 in number, within the present fortifica-
tions. Thus, in 1760, Bercy only consisted of 17
houses, St. Mande had, 22, Charonne 19, Menilmon-
taut 17, Belleville 24, La Villette 15, La Chapelle
11, Montmartre was scarcely worth mentioning,
and Batignolles did not exist at all. Hence, in 1760,
Paris was constantly swept by a pure country
breeze. Again, of the 33,703,307 square metres,
which Paris contained at that time, up wards of seven
millions were occupied by gardens belonging either
to convents or princely palaces, and forming so many
lungs of the metropolis. At that time there was no
gas; now, every time a gas-pipe has to be mended,
a quantity of black earth has to be thrown up, ex-
haling a suffocating stench, which generally makes
you cough in passing. The water which is con-
tained in the wells of Paris is not fit to drink,
both on account of the geological condition of the
soil and because, proceeding from subterranean
flakes, it has filtered through the cemeteries and
sewers of the city. And yet it is with such dele-
terious waters that bread is made in Paris. and rich
wines are weakened for the market. In 1760,
there wes not a single manufactory in Paris; now,
there is nothing to be seen from the heights that
overlook the city but a forest of high chimneys, all
emitting volumes of a thick pungent smoke, which
ultimately descends under the form of an impal-
pable soot, and is inhaled by the inhabitants within
tahceownsiindderabblolewrsadiniusthferiormdtihreeestpioon a short t
causing,ort w hen
cough
which is certainly not conducive to longevity. The
conclusion in favour of the salubrity of Paris in
1760, compared with that of the present day, need
therefore excite no surprise.