The Sun.
London, England, 1861-12-18 00:00:00

TILE ARMY.

Yesterday the Duke of Cambridge inspected the
Ist Battalion of the Grenadier Guards and the 2d
Battalion of Scots Fusileer Guards at the Welling-
ton Barracks, previously to their departure for
Canada to-morrow. They were in undress march-
ing order. After undergoing a minute inspection
of companies they marched past in quick time and
in quarter distance column. At the conclusion of
the proceedings the officers were called forward and
addressed by the Duke. He said that, although
overwhelmed by the irreparable loss sustained by
her Majesty and the nation, he could not allow the
Guards to leave the country without inspecting
them. When it became necessary to send troops
to Canada he was desirous of showing that the
brigade was ready for service at the shortest notice.
It was gratifying to behold two such splendid bat-
talions equipped for embarkation in so short a time.
Everything that foresight could point out had been
executed to secure their health and comfort. It
was impossible to foretell what might happen, but,
if peace should be maintained, he hoped to see them
all return as they went. If war should break out,
he knew that they would do their duty. They
would have to encounter great extremes of cold
and heat in the climate to which they were pro-
ceeding ; but ho knew they would set that
example of disregard for privations which
had distinguished them in the Crimea, and
that they would sustain, in other respects, the high
reputation their regiments had already won. Owing
to the death of the Prince Consort the band did not
attend, and the inspection was of a very private
character, about 50 spectators only being present,
mostly relatives of the officers.
Gen. Sir J. Y. Scarlett has announced to the au-
thorities of the Royal Military Academy at Wool-
wich that he has been authorised to deliver the
half-yearly prizes to be awarded to the gentlemen
cadets, in the place of his Royal Highness the Gene-
ral Commanding in Chief, who will be unable to at-
tend in consequence of the lamented death of the
Prince Consort. The company paraded in front of
the Academy at 10 this morning.

Capt. 'l'. Walton, four non-commissioned officers,
and 60 privates of the Chatham division of Royal
Marines of Light Infantry were yesterday placed
under orders to proceed from headquarters this
morning to Portsmouth, for embarkation on board
such ships at that port as may be ordered. The men
were medically inspected yesterday at Melville hos-

pital.
A detachment of the Army Hospital Corps, num-
bering 39 non-commissioned officers and men, ar-
rived at Chatham on Monday night from Ports-
mouth, where they disembarked from the Boanerges
sailing transport, which brought home the head-
quarters of the 59th Regiment from the Cape. The
men of the Army Hospital Corps have been doing
duty at the Sanitarium at the Cape, but have been
sent home to be in readiness to embark for any other
station. On the 'same evening there also arrived a

A draught of upwards of 200 officers and men
left the camp at Colchester on Monday en route for
Canada. The orders directing the departure of the
draught only arrived on Saturday evening.
The Ist battalion Military Train, together with
No. 4 battery, 10th brigade, Garrison Artillery,
under orders for Canada, will be paraded this
morning atlialf-past eight at Woolwich, and after
inspection by Gen. Sir Richard Dacres, command-
ing the garrison, will proceed to the Arsenal sta-
tion, and leave Woolwich by special train at 10
o'clock for embarkation on board the Adriatic at
Southampton. The battalion consists of Major
Hill, in command, Major Johns, Capts. Buller and
Harris, Lieuts. Lane, Williams, Clarke, Benthall,
Roberts, Ensigns Crawford and Winkworth, Lieut.
and Adjt. Cummin, Paymaster Bryson, Quarter-
master Mitchell, Surgeon Fos, 300 non-commis-
sioned officers and men and two staff clerks. The
battery of Artillery consists of Capt. R. P. Gabbett,
commanding, Capt. M. Tweedie, Lieute. W. H.
King Harmer, G. A. French, and E. Bradley, Assist.-
Surg. F. R. Hogg, 7 sergeants, 4 corporals, 2 trum-
peters, and 100 gunners. The whole of the men are
in the most healthy and robust condition, and are
highly pleased with their selection for the expedi •
tion.

THE .EMBANKMENT OF THE SOUTH
SIDE OF THE THAMES.

Yesterday afternoon the Royal Commissioners,
appointed to take into consideration the question of
the southern embankment of the Thames, held their
first public meeting at the office of the Commis-
sioners, in Victoria-street, Westminster. The Lord
Mayor occupied the chair, and the other commis-
sioners present were—Sir Joshua Jebb, Capt. Gal-
ton, Capt. Burstal, Mr. J. Thwaites, and Mr. Hunt.

The meeting was held to hear from certain inha-
bitants of Lambeth the evils to which the inhabi-
tants on the south side of the river are periodically
subject, in consequence of floods, by the overflow of
the Thames.

Mr. Robert Taybr, a member of the Metropoli-
tan Board of Works for the borough of Lambeth,
was called and examined by the Lord Mayor. He
said the inhabitants on the banks of the river being
in the parish of Lambeth suffered the greatest evils
by the overflow of the river, and often there were
several feet of water in their houses, causing the
greatest damage to their property, and rendering
them almost destitute. There was a fund esta-
blished, called " The Flooding Fund," for the pur•
pose of assisting the poor people from the mishaps
they suffered from the overflowing of the Thames.
He had himself frequently seen boats rowed in
Fore-street, Lambeth. It was his impression, and
it agreed with common sense, that if the north side
was to be embanked, the south side should be pro-
tected, as he believed if there was an embankment
on the north side, there would be a greater pressure
on the south side. The erection of coffer dams at
Westminster-bridge had had a most disastrous effect
on the part of the parish of Lambeth lying between
Lambeth church and Vauxhall-bridge. At ordinary
tides the water came up ;,he sewers, but at extraor•
dinary tides it came over the public ways. He had
seen the tide flow over the stun° well iu Bishar's-
walk, running by the side of Lambeth Palace.
The Lord Mayor asked if the addition of two or
three tiers of brickwork would not keep out the tide?

Mr. Taylor said Mr. Stiff, a potter in the neigh-
bourhood, had raised his wharf wall six inches, and
yet the tide came over it.

The Lord Mayor remarked that it was obvious,
if the wharf walls were raised high enough, that
they would prevent the tide from flowing over
them:

Mr. Taylor said there were certain ancient dock-
ways in Lambeth from which persons landed their
goods, and these docks at one time were the only
moans they had of getting water from the river.
As that was an,ancient right, how to alter it they
did not know.

The Lord Mayor—Could not the wall be raised
so as to keep out the tide, starting from low water
and rising up to the street ?

Mr. Taylor thought they could hardly do that,
as in High-street materials were landed from barges
for the purpose of repairing the roads. The idea
had been for some years to make a street from
Palace road through Lambeth, and the plan had
been laid before the Metropolitan Board of Works.
Had that been done means might have been taken
to prevent flooding. It was his opinion that any
embankment on the north side would materially
increase the flooding on the south side. The first
indication of an overflow was by the water bub-
bling up through the gullies and gratings.
Captain Galton—Do these floodings take place
at every spring tide ?

Mr. Taylor—Yes, and they overflow the banks
about every two months ; but persons living near
the banks can give you better information upon
that point than I can. As an officer of the parish I
have been called up at four o'clock in the morning ;
and after women have fetched their children out of
the houses and put them into the street, the parish
engine has been fetched to pump out the water from
those floors which were flooded. There is a balance
of 175 in the flooding fund, raised entirely from
the subscriptions of those who chose to contribute,
and the Archbishop of Canterbury had been
a liberal donor to it from the notice he
had seen in the newspapers. What these
poor people suffered did not meet the public
eye, but it was patent to those who lived
in the district. The floods covered Fore-street, and
extended up to the burial ground in High-street.
Tho overflow extended for upwards of 100 yards
from the river. There aro a great many houses
near the river in which poor people reside, and the
consequence was that when these overflows took
place, we are obliged to take them and their families
into the workhouse, as they have no other place to
go to. The medical officers have frequently called
my attention to the damp state of the walls of the
houses in which these poor people are obliged to
live, and the walls become so saturated with the
water that they never become dry, although we
give them money to enable them to purchase fuel.
In consequence of these floodings many persons
have removed away from the parish. lam glad to
see wharf walls raised, as they keep the water out,
but I am not sure that the evil is not made worse
ehowhere in consequence.

Mr. Knyvett, secretary to the Archbishop of
Canterbury, was the next witness—Ile said, I wish
to state the nature of the evil, and the extent of it
that is suffered in reference to the flooding of pro-
perty in and about Lambeth Palace gardens. We
are troubled about 20 times in the year on an ave-
rage. The porter has to watch 20 times in the year
for the water, and when he finds it coming he puts
boards and sand to prevent it coming in the Palace
gardens, and also into the lodge in which he lives.
It happens at spring tides, and when the wind is
in a quarter to blow the water up the river. It is
indicated in its approach by the water bubbling up
the sewer gratings. I have seen boats in front of
the Palace, and there is a reprekentation of it in the
Illustrated London .News, which is not exaggerated.
deep
ebpo aorfd s iasn
dputb ethoi
nt
dh e
it.i a 1
Aa ese gt
ha
et ec,
have seen in Pedlar's-acre all the houses with
awsuiathl oblBserivneerh, els
waterproof boards to keep the water out of their

cellars. A much greater evil than the water is the
mud•banks in front of the Palace. They are pes-
tilential, and truly awful. That is a continual evil,
in consequence of the decomposition of animal mat-
ter. Two persons have died in Lambeth Palace
from fever arising, it is believed, from the malaria
produced by the mud-banks. The Conservators of
the Thames have relieved it by bringing a quantity
of materials and throwing them upon the mud, but
it is now as bad as ever. I believe that an embank-
ment of the Thames would clear away those dread-
ful nuisances of bone-boilers which at present exist
between Lambeth Palace and Vauahall•bridge.
The embankment would sweep them away, as the
ground on which their premises stand would be
wanted. The water has been increasing at Lam-
beth Palace for the last two years, but why it has
increased I cannot say. It has increased in depth
at Lambeth Palace, and I conclude it must have
increased over the whole area. Any water that
covers the mud banks must be very impure. Still,
if the mud banks were continually covered with
water it would be a great improvement. The smell
in the houses was very foul after the floodings.
When the floods are out I have been carried from
my office on a man's back, so deep was it. I con-
sider these mud banks are highly dangerous to
human life.

Mr. Snook, an architect and engineer, living
close to the river, strongly urged the necessity of
extending an embankment on the south side of the
river. He had been engaged in building wharf
warehouses on the south side of the Thames, and he
hoped to obtain the assent of the Corporation of
London to raise the wharf walls a foot higher.
Under the Metropolis Local Management Act a
rower was given to distinct boards to order pro-
prietors of wharves to raise their wharf walls so as
to keep out the water, but they had refused to ex-
ercise that power. He suggested that such matters
should not be left in the hands of district boards,
but should be vested either in the Thames Con-
servancy Commissioners or the Metropolitan Board
of Works, but if they were to be with the district
boards, then they should be compelled to exercise
the powers entrusted to them.
The Commissioners then adjourned.

CITY COMMISSION OF SEWERS.

Yesterday the Commissioners of Sewers held
their weekly meeting at Guildhall—Deputy Harri-
son acting as chairman. A special committee of the
Commission, appointed in September, on business
relating to the Metropolis Gas Act, reported that
they had had under consideration the draught of a
bill to be introduced into Parliament, as directed by
the Court of Common Council on Thursday last, to
exempt the City from the provisions of the Metro-
polis Gas Act of 1860. That bill the committee now
submitted for approval to the Court, and asked to
have it referred back to them, with power to con-
duct it in Parliament in such a manner as they
might be advised. The report, which was signed by
Deputy Christie (the chairman of the Commission),
Deputy Harrison, Mr. George Walter, and Mr. L.
Houghton, was agreed to without a dissentient. A
petition was presented by Mr. G. Walter of inhabi-
tants of the ward of Farringdon Without, agreed
to at a large public meeting, at which Alderman
Sir James Duke was chairman, complaining of
bad faith in the Great Central Gas Company in
raising the price of their gas, and in favour of the
bill for exempting the City from the operation of the
Metropolis Gas Act. It led to some discussion,
in which Dr. Ross defended the Great Central Com-
pany, and Dr. Abraham took part with the peti-
tioners, and it was eventually referred to the select
committee on the gas question. The Commissioners
then passed to the consideration of the tenders they
had invited for lighting the public lamps in the
oity, 2,825 in number, with gas, for one year from
the Ist of February next.. The City of London Gas
Company offered to supply gas for bat's-wing
burners, consuming sft of gas an hour, at .£5 5s each
a-year ; or, consuming 3ft an hour, qt £3 1 le. The
Chartered Gas Company tendered to supply for
£4 8s per annum each bat's-wing burners consuming
sft an hour, and the Great Central Company for
£4 10s. For some time past the Great Central and
the Chartered Companies have, between them, con-
tracted with the Commission for lighting the public
lamps in the respective proportions of 1,700 and
1,100. None of the three companies separately can
supply the public lighting, but any two of them
can together. On the motion of Dr. Ross, seconded
by Dr. Abraham, it was resolved, substantially,that
the tender of the City of London Gas Company for
supplying the public lamps within their present
district be accepted, on condition that, in the event
of the Commissioners requiring the adoption of the
carburating process to all or any of their lamps
lighted by the company, the annual charge for each
bat's wing burner, consuming 3ft of gas per hour,
should be £3 lls ; and that the carburating process,
if adopted, should be at the risk and cost of the
Commissioners. Mr. Millar, the secretary of that
company, was called in and apprised of the decision
of the Court, and he undertook, on the part of the
directors, to enter into the contract on these condi-
tions. The tender of the Chartered Gas Company,
as stated above, was also accepted by the Commis-
sion. The effect of this new arrangement is to
exclude the Great Central Company from the public
lighting, and to substitute for it the City of London
Gas Company. The area assigned for some time
past until now to the Great Central, and hence-
forth to the City Company, is lighted at a cost
of nearly £B,OOO a year. On the conclusion of
this part of the proceedings, Deputy Lott com-
plained that much of the important business of the
commission had of late been deferred or slurred
over during the gas agitation, and he suggested, in
a facetious spirit, that they might do well to set
apart special days for those explosions. Dr. Letheby,
the medical officer of health, reported on the state of
196 houses inspected during the week, and he sub-
mitted a list of 43 places for sanitary improvement,
some of which places were in the locality of Golden-
lane, where fever has prevailed. He reported that
he had visited the district, and inspected every
house where fever had occurred. Many of the houses
are in a dilapidated state, and require the immediate
attention of the district surveyor. The medical
officer again submitted to the notice of the Court the
dangerous and unwholesome condition of the vacant
ground in Brackley-street, Golden-lane. He stated
that it was the depository of the filth and refuse
matter of the neighbourhood, and that a large por-
tion of the fever which had lately prevailed in that
district was immmediately in the vicinity of the
ground. Ho remarked, however, that, with a few
exceptions like this where fever is bred, the city has
for a long time past been remarkably free from
zymotic disease. Five years ago the annual mor-
tality from fever in the city was about 160, whereas
last year the number of deaths from the disease was
only 70. The sickness returns of the disease
among the poor have also been reduced in like
proportion ; for, while the general average of such
cases was about 800 in the year, last year there
were but 154. Even in the present quarter, not-
withstanding that elsewhere the disease has been
unusually prevalent, the sickness returns of fever
among the poor in the city have been less than half
their usual number. It is true that the mortality
returns of the disease have been rather excessive;
but they have been furnished by the better
classes of the community, and it would seem as if
we had driven the disease from the homes of the
poor into the dwellings of the rich. It is more
than probable, indeed, that the poor are better cared
for in this respect than the rich ; for, while the
houses of the one are open to systematic inspection,
and to every kind of sanitary improvement,
the houses of the latter are beyond the supervision
of the sanitary officer. The markets and slaughter-
houses have been duly inspected in the course of
the week, and the officers have seized 1,3421 b: of
meat and 821 head of poultry as unfit for human