Report of Mr Donaldson, agricultural surveyor, on the state of Regent's Park : January, 1849.
- London (England). Metropolitan Commission of Sewers.
- Date:
- [1849]
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Report of Mr Donaldson, agricultural surveyor, on the state of Regent's Park : January, 1849. Source: Wellcome Collection.
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![FOR CONSIDERATION OF WORKS COMMITTEE.] SEWERS’ OFFICE, No. 1 GREEK STREET, SOHO, 29th December, 1848. My Lords and Gentlemen, Pursuant to the Order of the Court of the 16th November last, with reference to the Memorial of the President and Council of the Zoological Society, in which are set forth the injurious effects resulting from the excess of moisture in, and consequent lowness of temperature of, the soil and atmosphere of the Regent’s Park, as affecting the salubrity of the neighbourhood, and the conditions of flowers, plants, animals, and trees in that part of the Park in the occupation of the Society, and laid out as a Vivarium : I beg to report that upon repeated inspection, judging from surface appear¬ ances, the soil of the Park appears to be a nearly uniform clay of a tenacious, retentive quality ; requiring, as the basis of all improvement, a regular and thorough drainage throughout its whole extent, without which, any attempt at improvement will be ineffective. The driest portion of the Park is the high ground intersected by the broad walk, where the declivity of surface is favorable for the removal of surface water; yet even there, during winter, or wet weather, it is so wet and soft as to be entirely unfit for walking upon. I speak from a knowledge acquired during eight years I have lived in the immediate vicinity. The lower part of the grounds lying between the Zoological Gardens and the ornamental water is very wet, and is intersected by several large old surface drains, which disfigure the ground, without answering any good purpose. The general conformation of this part of the Park being somewhat irregular, is unfavourable to the escape of surface water, so that at times some portions of the ground become _ • completely covered with water, for which there is no escape except by evaporation. Little more can be said of the Park in its present condition, than that it is a piece of wet clay-land, capable of great improvement by proper drainage. Appended is an estimate of the probable cost of such drainage as seems requisite. A great part of the Park will drain into the ornamental water; there are, however, some portions of it for which a lowrer outfall is necessary. That part of](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b31917082_0001.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
