The Sun.
London, England, 1844-01-24 00:00:00

THAMES AND METROPOLIS IM-
PROVEMENT PLAN.
Our attention has been drawn to the pamphlet of
Mr. John Martin, of Allsop-terrace, embodying his
" Plan for the Improvement of the Thames and the
Metropolis," the last edition of which was pub-
lished by Ridgway in 1842. Our own impressions on
the importance of the general objects contemplated by
the arrangements about to be carried out by the Me,
tropolislmprovement Commissioners remain so strong
and decided, that we cannot but urge once more upon
the public the views we have announced in former
articles, touching the necessity of narrowly watching.
the developement of all proceedings preliminary to the
commencement of any embankment of our noble river..
Having already protested against the execution of any
mere engineering work, which shall reduce the grace-
ful flexures of the Thames between Vauxhall and
London bridges, for the mere sake of straightening the
lines of the two shores—diminishing the distance
between The extreme points we have just named—
and deepening the bed of the river, at the expense
of all the noble vistas which have been opened of
late years, and maintained at so much expense, of the
bridges, churches, towers, &c. &c., we need not re-state
the principles which we are desirous of seeing care-
fully upheld in the finals selection of any project .for
the adornment of what may be termed the " river
frontage" of the metropolis. But Mr. Martin's pam-
phlet comes recommended to us at least by these
statements—that he has devoted many years of his
life to the project of such an embankment, as that
Which is understood to be under the consideration of
the Commission in question ; that the present de-
cided steps of Government are fairly to be presumed
in a very great degree attributable to his own 'perses
rering exertions during that protracted period ; and
that the second portioa of his printed plan comprises
the design which is at this moment under the delibe-
ration of the Metropolis Improvement Commissioners.
Now the objects of Mr. Martin's plan, as set out in
his title page, were to supply the metropolis with pure
Water—to embank the river Thames, and preserve
the sewage ; to improve the navigation below
London Bridge, and to connect the port of London
With the inland railways. And we find that the
second division, of which we have spoken, compre-
hended accordingly " the embankment of both shores
of the river from Vauxhall Bridge to the Tower, the
improvement of the drainage of the metropolis, and
,preservation of the sewage, for agricultural purposes."
-these are certainly very important features in Mr.
Martin's scheme. The supply. of London with the
Pure water of the Thames," unmixed with the foul
drainage," is, in our eyes, an object of far greater
Moment than the question whether it can be accom-
-I,ished " without the aid of engines ;" and even the
uesign " to improve the health, beauty, and naviga;
tion of the river above Hammersmith," has less im-
mediate claims on our sympathy and good wishes
than, an assurance that Londoners may, on this
Move, drink water instead of contamination ! We
'ayen not yet forgotten the terrible revelations
Produced by Sir Francis Burdett's " Supply of
Water Select Committee" many years ago, touch,
nig the unheard of miscellany discharged, and the•
monsters engendered by the " Dolphin" sewer,
somewhere (if we recollect aright) in the imme-
diate vicinity of one of the great companies' re-
servoirs between Hammersmith and Chelsea. After
the publication of that " Report," and the subsequent
experiments on the magnifying powers of Lieutenant
"rammond's light applied to the monster-microscopic
discs_ of the Adelaide Gallery and. Polytechnic, we
have always wondered how a race so fatuous as
Prater drinkers" could really exist in London. Talk
of the " water cure," truly ! The best cure for a pro-
Peesity to drink water unqualified, is surely to repair
I.° the exhibitions of one of those large Microscopic
reflections, of a 500,000 magnifying power, in which
We witness the terrible monsters of our dirty pools
exaggerated into dragon-like cannibals of 14 feet in
length, who prey upon' innocent gnats as large as
sheep, snap off the gigantic heads of infant midges,
and finally eat up their fathers, mothers, or other
most convenient next of kin. Father Mathew, strong
though he be is the holiness of teniperanee,, must.
tremble at the aspect of these avenging furies, the
scourge of water-pledged takers. Seriously speak-
ing, it is scarcely possible to overstate the
nameless filth and enormities which the inhabitants
)f certain districts of London are daily absorbing, into
theirsi, ystems with their water. Sir Frederick Trench
ois interesting letter to Lord Duncannon, enforc-
ng on the attention of the Woods and Forests Der
h
the river, his own plan for such an improvement of
river, quotes, from the Report of the Thames
Embankment Committee, evidence to prove that the
removal of Old London Bridge, and the erection of
t
new one, had produced the effects anticipated
from them. " Shoals increased to impede the navia
g'ati°n ; mud banks accumulated, and a larger
surface of the bank of the river at low water 'being
efjPosed, therefore, the injurious or unpleasant effects
u'°°l a discharge of the sewers, is greater than
sore." The Emperor of Russia (Sir Frederick tells
lamented that the finest river in Europe should
be condemned to be a cloaca maxima, 'and complained
that, after a fortnight's residence in London, he had
not obtained a sight of tie Thames, of which he had
heard so much." It also appears that since the creation
of the terrace on which the New Houses of Parliament
are being built, " banks have been created on which'
the backs of barges are frequently broken." * * .*
The banks of mud have increased in size and
consistence," said one witness ; " and. where, near
Westminster, we used to have five feet water before the
enzbolikment took place, it is now all filled up with mud."
Lower down the banks are covered with vegetation,
'bleb, being manured by the sluggish filth from the
sewers, present the strange spectacle of a rich green
?,,P, and make the air absolutely pestilential."
Are reserve, until after the general question shall
`'w.e been brought under discussion in Parliament, a
e tailed examination of the magnificent_ plans, and,
ewue, venture to say, the somewhat doubtful
letl.ations of Sir Frederick Trench, as set out in the
se iters we have just cited. They do not, however,
purifying touch upon the all-important Means of
posl'Ying the water, regulating the sewers, and dis-'
't,lng of the sewage, as the little pamphlet before us,
e details and the indications of the proposed ntodu.e
magi folds for the attainment of these purposes are too
tr,ni,f°ld and connected together to admit of our ex-
theetmg them. Nevertheless we can give Mr. Martin
I,„bi°,PPortunity of speaking for himself in the passages
el° follow. And first as to purifying the water-
-4,4 Propose to separate the tide waters and filthy drainage of
to eon from the stream,—to give an abundant supply of water
ta, 'Li house, from the lowest to the highest level, at the dis-
til:: (If only four miles from London and its suburbs, without
shall ssistance of engines; that eves in time of flood the water
it enter the pipes in as bright and pure a state .as when
lire,e "es from its native springs, instead of entering from. the
tat,. tit stagnant and fermenting reservoirs,—to afford public
1V
,',---running fountains for Kensington and Buckingham
Dacre gardens, to Hyde, Green, St. James's, and the Regent's
toilet, leaving no stagnant waters in the metropolis; and lastly,
:rove the health, beauty, and navigation of the River.
tiO4
ul') effect these great objects, I recommend the construe-
-1442, a weir across the Thames, about a mile above tiara-
pq4Culth bridge, from the proximity of this point to the
ie road, and to the Dolphins of the
Th Grand Junction and
hig Middlesex Water Companies. is weir should be as
tql,a,sllean high water mark, with a moveable fkod-gate totide
'lse the height of the water in extraordinary tides. The
abo„a" foul drainage being thus separated from the pure waters
walk! the Weir, the property and bealty of the residencei and
the Olong its banks would be proportionately' improved, and
heap v" would be secured as a never-failing reservoir of
vi Y running water, sufficiently deep to be at all times na-
gable
variabi op to Teddington, affording the advantage of an in-
owd ,° high tide ; for such is the fall that the whole space
ue filled in the course of one tide, as much water being
ti,t,:bto run down with the stream, as flows up with the
Plas, eliiles being free from the objections 'which 'attach to
inNi:,,deriving the supply at a higher level, or at the Colne,
Nits :',t the most important of which are compensation for
sopph( 100,0004 according to Mr. Telford's plan, taking the
Natint Bushey Mill,—and my own from Denham) ; and the
'INA urY to the river between Staines and London, cause-
the_en abstracting so much water, as would be required for
417,,P1)1Y of the Metropolis."
• Martin's plan includes, through. the adoption of
we tiad other accessory measures, the formation of
l'o,grand walk extending from Twickenham to the-
-cr.
sewer,. In the next place, as to the regulation of
10.' and the disposal of the sewage :
to prey proposition, in the first instance, as formerly, is
n'lrve the whole sewage of the western extremity
abQ rn, by diverting it from the river into receptacles
th aushall-bridge, forming one at, the termination
disettljt:nelagh sewer. The great sewer which now
iiraleti'u,ues below Westminster-bridge, should be con-
ilba„,along Parliament-street, Abingdon-street, and
'ask ", all the minor drainage above the Houses of
Ito i'hineernet being turned into it,. and. be finally discharged
.ceptacle at the termination of King Scholars'
emta,irierer, effecting great benefit to this inadequately
,istinn, Part of the town, without entrenching upon
ariou,, interests. The ground should be recovered at
the Ptah \ Points above the Houses of Parliament (see
pro) and a public walk and drive formed, uniting with.
„ltOlieoP°sed weir, and making a beautiful drive from
15 ci4"ng the banks of the river. For:the body.of
in(l to kr propose to continue the uniform embankment,
aj,rord.l an intercepting sewer, commencing at Hun-
! .narket, passing behind the different docks, &c.,
ev4th Tying all the minor drainaev in their course,
"lve mall receptacle near Hungerford-market to re-
ttitre,ett;ile_e,ontents of the sewer as far below as Essex-
sle ree_wnere the fluid should be pumped up a pipe to
v4tio 'Mole at , h. the nearest railway, or convenient ele-
(-1 dovr_ H.e general line of the intercepting sewer being
,artor "! It should be divided into portions of from a
vh.°livers °I a mile to a mile or more, according to the
e neeo fthe localities, and the works always corn-
ower end, as by these means each divi-
re. could be
ef.,litti,stly4edwiroerisnilete;deceuxtleidense; independently of the rest, at
the requisite fall and size
tio sary
in being • small compared to what would be
continued line. The end. of each per-
4luld the
kyesy_pbolis
iencfn_plet!d, having pipes which would act
cove revoivino.
I,3ouve)ing the sewage, previously stirred
igtohnwe;it_ndriclutbiettarsev.bosr,:assrintgo
athe elevated receptacles, or into
pump when it should be very
wh,., ince to let off super. abundant flood drainage,
be anu_. .. being e.ffectually covered to prevent
aot !Ist Inn of the air. Srikall floatini.tpiers sho ld
to ttru,--v . y
ent ban k ment,lbrming floc • s for bargeg;
"e
tile unimpeded flow of the water, and the full