First report of the commissioners appointed to inquire whether any and what special means may be requisite for the improvement of the health of the metropolis : with minutes of evidence.

Great Britain. Metropolitan Sanitary Commission

Date:: 1848

Credit: First report of the commissioners appointed to inquire whether any and what special means may be requisite for the improvement of the health of the metropolis : with minutes of evidence. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by King’s College London. The original may be consulted at King’s College London.

439/460 page 415

$Not in the basement story?—The lower part may be to the extent No.;«.' of tlie basement story, but the top part will be level with the street. c. a^. Smitii, The river overflows tliere ?—Yes, at liigh tide. ■ j!i That is the reason the cesspools are not carried to a greater depth ? —Yes; that is tlie difficulty in the way of carrying them to a greater depth. What is the amount of rental in your district u])on which you have power to make a rate ?—The present rental is 6965/. Does that include Greenwich ?—Only the part I have referred to, there is no rate wlmtever upon the town. Where is the expenditure of \s. 2d. in the pound made ?—Upon the 500 acres, for the surface drainage, to keep the common sewers of that part clear, and also to maintain the banks of the river. A large portion must be expended upon the banks of the river ?— Yes; it is principally expended upon the banks of the river. No system of town sewerage, as you have already stated, has been laid down ?—None whatever. Are the inhabitants in the habit of pumping matter from their cess- pools into the streets ?—They are. Where does it go to ?—It goes into the street-kennels, and then into the river; it runs on the surface. Do you know anything of the state of those parts of Lee and Lewisham which are comprised in your district ; have they any sewerage ?—None whatever ; nothing but surface drainage. Where does the Ravensbourne run into the river ?—At Deptford Creek. That is employed as the principal sewer for Lee and Lewisham ? —Yes. Have any complaints been made to you of the state of the sewerage in Lewisham ?—There have been recently complaints made. Have any steps been taken to remedy it ?—There is a Special Court convened for the 30th of this month, for the purpose of examining into the complaint, and seeing what can be done to remedy it. What assessment do you make upon Greenwich ?—None whatever, except upon that portion of Greenwich to which I have referred. The east part of Greenwich ?—Yes. I may perhaps be allowed to say, that the Commission exists under an old Act of Henry VHL, and the rate that has been made has always been employed for the purpose of keeping up the banks of the river, preventing the irruption of the tidal waters, and providing for the surface drainage of this part of Greenwich, and no local Act having been obtained by the Com- missioners, they have no adequate powers to carry out a system of house-drainage. Have you ever made an application to Parliament for powers to carry out a system of house-drainage in Greenwich ?—No, the matter has been under the consideration of the Commissioners from time to time, but it has not reached the point of their carrying out a system of drainage ; the expense is the serious difficulty. Was not the town of Greenwich seriously visited with cholera?—It was ; the lower part principally. The cholera was remarkably prevalent there ?—Yes. And chiefly confined to that part?—Yes.$