The Sun.
London, England, 1869-02-15 00:00:00

UNDER THE CITY OF LONDON.

The Daily News has a very interesting article entitled
' Under the City." The writer describes a visit to the
sewers of London. " Before visiting these places (he
says) you must dress for the part. Long thick woollen
stockings, drawn up over the trousers to the hips, are
covered by equally long greased boots, with heavy turn-
over flaps, like those worn by the bold smugglers of the
stage. To a stout guernsey shirt is added a smock or
pinafore of blue flannel, fastened at the waist by a leathern
belt. A fan-tail hat, like that favoured by the dustman
of the period, together with a pair of thick woollen gloves,
completed the costume of the two strangers, who, with a
select party of professionals, came out of the Guildhall,
and drew themselves up by the trap-door in Gresham-
street, to the intense delight of the loungers at the
public-house opposite. A descent of twelve or
fourteen feet, hand over hand, by and oe the
iron rings already mentioned, and we are at what looks
like the entrance to a wine-cellar. Candles stuck into the
ends of rong, sticks, and flaring and spluttering untidily
while carried in the hand, much as they are in tasting
vaults, strengthened the vinous analogy; and we pro-
ceeded down some steps and through a narrow passage
with a vague impression that we should shortly come
upon bins and vats, and be called upon to express an
opinion critically upon vintages. A few steps further,
and the use of the stout strong boots is apparent ; for we
are ankle deep in a black stream, and are, in fact, in the
middle of the Gresham-street main sewer. A bricked
tunnel, with ample side-space for one person to walk
in, and in which you can stand nearly erect ; a tunnel
which is well-ventilated, and where the bottom
current is sufficiently strong to carry all before
it. Such is the sewer. We walk up it in Indian file
as far as the General Post Office, first exploring a black
hole at the side which necessitated stooping almost double.
Similar holes to the right and left, each contributing their
subsidiary streams, represent the various side thorough-
fares. `That's Aldermanbury ;" There's Wood-street,'
remarks our guide, as we pass the entrances to the various
tunnelg representing those places ; while at intervals, and
when we are near openings, light and sounds come down
to us from above, fragments of conversation, the hoarse
rumble of wheels, and the busy tramp of footsteps, all
telling of the active city life beneath which we were
burrowing. It is dark and damplibut not more unpleasant
than might fairly be expected. Walls and roofs and sides
are moist and slimy, and your footing is often soft and
slippery—that is all. Our•chief guide has a strong faith in
the wholesomeness of sewers, That there is nothing
unhealthy in their smell, and nothing disagreeable in their
interior, that the people employed in them enjoy good health,
and that any objection strangers may raise must be put down
to fastidiousness or inexperience, is with him a strong
article of faith." The writer assures us that they saw no
rats. They went under Farringdon-street West. " Here
the Fleet Ditch was running in two swift black streams,
almost below the footway on each side, some three feet six
inches deep, and with so strong a current that we were
assured it would be impossible to save the life of anyone
who stepped or slipped into them. These foul streams
recalled the ancient Styx, and made one hold back with
something like a shudder. So far as an unprofessional
eye could judge, this great sewer—it was converted into a
canal after the great fire, but the speculation was
unprofitable, and it sank into a common sewer again
—was performing its work very completely,
and
this remark applies t o all the elaborate subways we
visited."