The Sun.
London, England, 1861-05-15 00:00:00

THAMES EMBARKMENT AND

_RAILWAY.

On Monday the Commissioners appointed by the
Crown to inquire into and report upon this question
had several important plans placed before them.
Mr. J. SEWELL, C.E., proposed an embankment
6ft. above low-water mark, to be constructed slop-
ing up to the existing wharves, so as to form a bed
for barges to lie on. Under this is to be a sewer, and a
Thames Railway is to be carried on piles over it,
leaving access to the existing wharves under-
neath. He also proposes a bed for barges and a
sewer on the south side. The railway is to consist of
four lines of railway running from the Victoria and
Pimlico Railway to London-bridge, in front of the
Houses of Parliament, with a goods and coal station
at Hungerford, and stations at all the bridges at a
total estimate cost of £1,000,000. The railway
would be four miles long, uniting all the southern
and western railways, and, being self-supporting,
its revenues would pay the cost of construction, and
also yield a dividend.

Sir W. WORSLEY explained his plan for the puri-
fication of the Thames, in conjunction with a Thames
embankment with intercepting sewer and rain-fall
culverts down each side of the river, communicating
with the existing metropolitan sewers, built in ter-
race embankments faced by quay walls from a suit-
able distance above the river down to London-bridge.
These terrace embankments on the high-water dock
principle, it was stated, would be comparatively
inexpensive, commercially advantageous, and very
ornamental.

Mr. T. PAGE, C.E., delineated on diagrams and
drawings an embankment from Westminster-bridge
to Blackfriars, with side channels entered through
openings in the embankment, provided with single
gates. There would be a low level sewer under-
neath, a road on the e nbankment running from
Whitehall-place to Blackfriars-bridge, communi-
cating with Norfolk-street, Strand, and passing
under Hungerford and Waterloo-bridges. There
woull also be a railway between the embank-
ment and the shore, communicating with the
London, Chatham, and Dover, and other rail-
ways, and a new street from east end of Temple•
gardens to Tudor-street, Blackfriars, so as to
open up communication with Fleet-street and
Bridge-street, Blackfriars, at a total estimated
cost of £450,000. The principle of his plan was
based on the requirements of the wharfingers and
the public, and for this purpose he gave a preference
to a detached over a solid embankment. The sewer
would be on the foreshore, between the wharves and
the embankment.

Mr. BAZALGETTE proposed an embankment on
both sides of the river, that on the north side ex-
tending from Westminster-bridge to Queenhithe,
and that on the south to Bankside, with docks
giving access to the existing wharves, the level of
the embankment being 4 ft. above Trinity high-
water marli for the wharves, with a roadway over
and a headway. The roadway wonld be 100 feet
wide, and the low level sewer, commencing at the
outlet of the Victoria-street sewer, would be carried
along the whole length of the embankment to Can-
non-street in the city, and thence onward by the
system of sewerage he was now carrying out for
the Metropolitan Board of Works. The estimated
cost of an embankment with docks, sewer, &c., to
Queenhithe, and a new street to the Bank, would
be £1,260,000.
Mr. BURGE suggested a roadway 150 feet from
the Nvharves on columns, with a barge-bed below
with a low level sewer in it, and the Commissioners
adjourned.
The Commissionersebb resumed their inquiry yes-
terday ; Col. in the chair.
on eaChat
Walker, con adopting the lines laid down by
faces of the embankment sideed the construction of an em-
bankmentof the Thames, the river
or four feet above Trinitye walls being raised three
ter-
race road on iron columns highl water, with a 0
ft. wide, and a ~pace
of 10 ft. between it and the
lanrcilve r for landing quays,
uniting with the leading thoroughfares. The
cost of it, he contended, would be comparatively
small as contrasted with plans where docks or
floating basins were required.
Mr. S. SPROUL designed to cut off from the river
as far down as Deptford, a belt of 130 feet
wide, and front it with a solid wall of stone, 60 feet
to be devoted to ranges of public buildings, and 60
feet for public promenades. He 'nlso contemplated
quays, bathing-grounds, and a Towel-level sewer
under the embankment.
Mr. LEACH, engineer to the Thames conservancy,
gave evidence as to the desirableness of construct-
itg a Thames embankment, and with reference to
dredging the river and improving the navigation.
Mr. HAGGET'S idea of an embankment was that
of allowing easy access to the existing wharves by
means of main docks, together with a sewer and an
arcade railway.
Mr. R.
TURNER C.E , su
with open wharves, C.E.
under a capacious roadway for
the through traffic, and ggeste4 an embankment
, streets, and wla a low level street to com-
municate with the
low-level sewer, alsoproposed a
lie
cost of £560,000. a railway,, At a total
The Commissioners then tadjourued,