The Sun.
London, England, 1858-07-13 00:00:00

STATE OF THE RIVER THAMES.

PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE.
[The fallowjr&-- appeared iu part of our impression of yes-
terday] :
This committee met this morning, at No. 11 Room,
to pursue the inquiry into the state of the Thames.
Amongst the members present were Mr. Kendall
(chairman), Mr. Roupell, Mr. Ankroyd, Sir J. Shelley,
Lord John Manners, Mr. Locke, Sir J. Y. Buller, Mr.
Titer, Sir B. Hall, the Hon. Jocelyn Percy, and Mr.
Alderman °tibia.
The first witness called was
Mr. Hawkesley, civil engineer, examined by the
Chairman—l have paid special attention to the state of
the river Thames. I have made frequent experiments
on Thames water—the last took place yesterday,
Daring the hot weather I made experiments
in company with Dr. Letheby. The general result of
the observation is that in consequence of the high degree
of temperature, and the small quantity of water corning
down—being only six or seven times as much as the
sewage falling into the river—l attribute the present im-
pure state of the river. I found that during the time
of the hot weather the temperature of the water
was 72, the highest I ever recollect. The water was
very much discoloured, and the mud was of a black
colour ; the odour was very bad. Having found that
the sewage extended from below Woolwich to Chiswick,
I made certain experiments to test the state of the
Thames at given points. On Saturday fortnight, off
Woolwich—coming up from Gravesend—about nine at
night, I found the stench greatest in the centre.
At Blackwell the smell was distinguishable. Off
Greenwich, it was perfectly nauseous. At the Tunnel-
pier it was less offensive ; at Londonbridge it was
scarcely perceptible ; and at Waterloo-bridge there was
was no smell at all. This was at low water. On the
contrary, at high water I found a very strong stench in
the vicinity of the Houses of Parliament. It appeared
to me to begin at Blackfrtars-bridge, and to extend
to Chelsea ; but its greatest intensity was at
Waterloo-bridge. It diminished at Chelsea, and at
Chiswick it entirely ceased, Dr. Letheby, in company
with myself and Mr. Bidder, during the latter part of
June, the 21st, 23d, and 26th, made certain experiments.
Mid stream at low water was generally selected. We
found the water to be in a most impure state—in a gal-
lon of the water taken off Greenwich we found 67 grains
of impurity. Those 67 grains contained 24 grains of
alkaline chlorides. At London-bridge there were 29
grains of impurity, at Blackfriars 27, at Hungerford
281, at Westminster 26, at Chelsea 29, but there it con-
tained only 1 grain of alkaline chloride.

Tha Chairman—From your numerous experiments,
can you tell us how soon the sewage is del;vered from
the Thames after it has been allowed to enter ?
Mr. HawkeJey—About a quarter of a mile in each
tide.

The CLairn3an—At what point down the river could
the sewage be introduced into the river without any
danger of its coming back ?
Mr. Elawkesley—Below Woolwich.

The Chairman—Are ycu satisfied of that?
Mr. Hawkesley—Were the sewage put into the river
below Woolwich some of it would come back, but not in
the same state as it formerly was. On its return it
would be no longer sewage.
The Chairman—Then when the sewage once passes
Woolwich it never returns ?

Mr. Hawkesley—lt never comes back as sewage,
When it does return it is c9mparatively deodorised.
The Chairman—That is your decided opinion ?
Mr. Hawkesley—That Is the result of my observa-
tions.

The Chairman—ln the numerous experiments you
have been engaged in did you find the evil on the in-
crease or decrease ?

Mr. Haiwkesley—On the increase.
Tno Chairman— What means should you raconmand
to avert the present nuisance ?

Mr. ITawkesley—l know of no other means of pre-
venting the nuisance except by removing the cause,
of not allowing the sewage to enter it except at a point
at which it could not return.
The Chairman—Then your remedy is by intercepting
the sewage.

Mr. Hawkesley—Yir.
Mr. Roupell—Then if the Thames was not embanked,
and even the sewage had been diverted, mud banks
would still form and give off the offensive exhalations?
Mr. Hawkesley—yes.
Mr. Roupell—Not only offensive, but injurious ?
Mr. Hawkesley—Yes, certainly.
Mr. Roupell—Fever in certain parts is mainly to be
attributed to organic matter mixed with the water ?
Mr. Hawkesley—Yes.
Mr. Roupell—Can the water, after being deodorised,
safely be introduced into the river ?
Mr. Hawkesley—yes.
Mr. Roupell—And the inhabitants of the metropolis
need not be under fear of bad results following the erect•