The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1858-07-28

sold Father Thames al he has been hitherto
afectionatciy styled by the Iondoners, is quite
disgusttag the most revefentiai OF his children.
The old gentleman has become 20 filthy Ia his
habits that he has become subject Of town talk,
and 90 disioyal and impertisent, that, on the
Qoeeu's recent visit to the Leyiathan, he forced
her Msjeety to retreat behind a huge bouquet
whilst as for the Houses Of Parliament, Mr.. Quincy
declares that he can no longer be responsible
for their health. London paper says that the
Government shows no disposition to grsppIe With
the exigeney which, considering the very untidy
and mephitic state OF s.the exigency, we are
not surprised at; bat the Thames shows every
disposition to grapple with the Government The
members Of both Honses have to hold their noses
when they address the Speaker; the committee
roomsar deserted, and nob'emen and commons
are fying on 10 Swiss mountains and German
baths, leaving "rather Thames complete master
ef tho field.
The Thames, notwithstanding Its present de-
haached and miserable condition, had once
period Of youthful innocence and bri ghtness 1t
was called In former days 1.-THE Silver Thames"
aud its sarieus tributaries were clear and spark
ling IKE itself Now Il is described as 40 open
sewer, Of tie worst description, rolling along be-
tween fltsi5eand putrescent mnd ban ks. its wa
tiers charged with purifying organic matter and
evolving pestiIential gases. Not only the Thames
hat bis tributaries, are burthened With pollution
Not only London, with its two millions, but an
enormous area of country, embracing Windsor and
Gnildford, 0xfori. Hartford, Ware, &c, &c, make
the great river the receptacle Of their animal ahd
vegetable cffscourings. 1t 10 said that nearly a
hundred millions of gallons of sewage are daily
poured into the Thames, and that the bulk of I'M
Ii - sct.. H. Nm ri ia no
more than four times the bulk Of the sewage
With which It 10 mixed Worse still, 1t appears
that this filth is kept IN permauent suspension
within the boundaries Of London by counter cur
rents, 30 that the bulk is never diminished, but
constantly increases every day, every house in the
city adding it's drainage whilst gas works, distil
leries. breweries and q host Of noxieus manufac-
lies add their quotas to tho general nass Of cor
rnption. An eminent medical man of London
ssys that persons consult him daily, "who have
been seized with nausea, sickness and darrhra,
by them attributed to the effects of the efiInvia
from the river and adds his solemn conviction
that .slow aud certain poisoning 10 going on
of the population dwelling upo nthe banks, or near
to the Thames" Another eminent authority says:
'The river Thames at the present moment is in
n state of general putrid lamentations state
which can positively assert is a new state, and
cue which from observation over thirty years it
has never exhibited before" He declares it unsafe
for any one to venture the river and says that,
in August and September, when the powerful cur
rents of air which in July sweep up the valley of
he Thames, have ceased and the air becomes stag
nant, there is danger of epidemic of most de
structive character, for says he 'acs must not shut
eyes to Tie fact that causes noe e,ris than
at,he time Of Tie Plaque"
In the meantime, with this fearful doom i'm
pending the city, whilst every breeze carries
the noxious gases of the Thames far and wide, and
scsters the seeds of typhus and of cholera in the
palaces and novels of the vast metropolis there is
no agreement among the local or imperial author
titles as to the proper remedy for the evil. The
Minister Of Works declares that be has no power
IN the premises: the City authorities say they can
do nothing without the aid Of Parliament and the
Public Treasury; Parliament, holding its nose,
discusses the matter, but does nothing beyond
little lime which Mr.. Disraeii has prevailed upon
them to apply at the month of the sewers, leaving
the fllth to accumulate usual. Finally, the Me-
iropolstan Board of Works. which, it appears, was
called into existence mainly for the purpose Of
redeeming the Thames, has, it is stated, debated
over the means for three years. and has come to no
conclusion. This is u serious business not only to
London, but to all parts of the civilized world,
which baye commercial intercourse with that
great centre of trade The seeds of Pestilence may
be borne from the Thames not only TO all parts Of
the United Kingdom, but to other lands, and germi
nate in every ship and seaport that has commpni.
cation with the great capital of the trading Id.
,, s------~--~1D.--------------
GEN. Johnston and the nj OF IN ons.
L.. "A. II