The Sun.
London, England, 1859-07-13 00:00:00

THE STATE OF THE THAMES.

At the meeting of the Commissioners of Sewers
yesterday, Dr. Letheby reported as follows respect-
ing the present state of the Thames :—" The foul
condition of the river continues to increase, and is
exciting attention both here and on the continent.
I received a number of communications relating
to the subject and to the measures which are thought
necessary for abating the evil. Some of these
are before you ; but as I have no authority from
you to entertain them, or to examine into their
merits, I would recommend that they be forwarded
to the Metropolitan Boar?. of Works. One of these
communicutious is from M. Bourbp,. "Professor of
Geology at Paris. It has reueh,:d me through the
Lord Mayor. Another is from M. tloethaler, of
Antwerp ; and there are several which have been
directed to this commission. M. Bourbee is of
opinion that the whole of the present mischief is
due to the quality of the soil through which the
river flows, and he recommends that the whole of
the infected bed of the river should be covered with
hydraulic lime and pebbles. He thinks that the
efficacy of the concrete thus formed will depend, not
merely upon its producing a solid channel for the
flow of the river, but also on the causticity of the
lime, which will destroy the putrid organisms, and
therefore he suggests that the whole course of 'the
river should be concreted at one time. He is, he says,
aware of the magnitude of the undertaking, and
he trusts to English wealth and English skill for
accomplishing it. The other schemes are of less
pretension, and you may perhaps be of opinion that
they ought to be forwarded to the Metropolitan
Board, who are now inquiring into the subject. I
wish however to make this remark—that the state
of the river is fast becoming worse and worse. The
organic impurities are increasing from day to day ;
and are now just four times as abundant as they
were on the 11th of June."
Mr. DAw (chief clerk) said he .had been desired
to make a return to the Secretary of State of all
that had been done by the commission in connection
with the river. Of course he could only return
nil, as the Court had nothing to do with the river.
Dr. Letheby was requested to forward. the com-
munications referred to in his report, to the i'tlctro-
politan Board of Works.

DINNER TO THE EARL OF Dr-11271 AND MR.
DisrAl:LT.—The dinner to the late PrLno Minister and
Chancellor of the Exchequer, which -will take pL,':'= on
Saturday in the Merchant Taylors' Company's Ilall, is rroL,
given by that hon. company (as by some mistake stated by
us yesterday), but by the supporters of the late Govern-
ment, in token of their admiration of the great talents and
successful conduct of affairs of their celebrated chiefs.—
Morning Herald.
MANCHESTER TRADE REPORT.—MANCHESTER,
Tuesday.—This market has been very excited today. A
very fair d
busines3 has been one at an advance of a half-
penny per lb. in yarns since last Friday. Cloths are in the
same proportion dearer, and there is a good demand for
India and also for the Continental markets. Th© pro-
posed treaty of peace, just to hand, has very much added
' to the excitement,