Polynesian. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu], Hawaii) 1844-1864, 1850-06-15
mo-. s

therefore, still form a considerable propor-
tion (one-eighth, Of the whole discharge
even in times of food Ii it be asked " heth-
er, if the above Improvement, by taking down
Teddington lock, was made, and the whole
Of the river water at the same time preserv-
ed, matters would be still better, our answer
would be in the affirmative; but j, is not to
be lost sight of that the object of an ample
supply OF good water ID very important one,
and that II It can be shown that London is
not 20 supplied at present, but that it would
be by either of the two plans under consid-
Grafton, the damage which the navigation
would suffer would be but small If the means
for lessening j: which we have referred to,
were adopted; and we cannot suppose that
the parties who are promoting the water sup
ply would be unwilling to carry into effect
the measures that may appear reasonable for
preventing injury to the navigation through
these operations. 10
The engineers of the two plans agree that
the season Of drought will be prolonged by
these works, aud that the evil of such
drought will be increased Messrs. Gordon
and Liddell propose remedy by means of
moveable weirs. We think that a more SIM
pie one may be applied in your district; but
as the evil is agreed, we do not apprehend
there can be much difference of opinion as
to the remedy. i, must also be admitted,
that by the substitution Of tidal for river wa
ter in part Of the river, the quality of the
water will be less pure than at present,
We have not at all referred to the numer-
Gus other new plans for supplying London
from other rivers and sources although we
understand that notices have been given for
some of them, which were not, until very re-
ce.tly, aware Of our Instructions not having
specified them. Our present impression,
however, is that none of them would furnish
that abundant supply which we are disposed
to consider indispensable. if general reform
or rather revolution, is to take place in the
present system of water supply. As to the
effect of these plans upon the navigation, if
the water be taken from the Colne or any
other river that falls into the Thames, which
is the great drain and recipient Of all the
springs in the strata that incline towards ID.
the effect is injurious in a greater or less de-
gree, according to the quantity and the dis
tance up the river at which the abstraction
may take place. z,l .a.H -.r
We beg to conclude by stating that the
Grand Junction, the Chelsea, the West Mid
dlesex and the Lambeth water works. all take
their water from the Thames, so that the
new plans would be partly a substitution and
partly an addition, but the present compa-
nies' supply is from places so low down the
river as to be comparatively harmless. This
character however, would not apply so fully
to the Lambeth company, when the power to
take %, ,OOO, 900 gallons per day from Thames
Ditton, which is above Teddington, shall be
carried into operations; and it is natural to
suppose that although the present companies
take the water from the river so low down as
to be less injurious to navigation than either
of the present schemes, the tendency will be
to follow the example Of the Lambeth in GO
ing higher in order to silence the complaints
of their customers as to the quality of the
water now furnished. ...I. -- srer