No.1, Greek Street, Soho, September 19th, 1849 : to the Metropolitan Commissioners of Sewers, &c. &c.

  • Gotto, Edward.
Date:
[1849]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: No.1, Greek Street, Soho, September 19th, 1849 : to the Metropolitan Commissioners of Sewers, &c. &c. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    September 19th, 1849. To the Metropolitan Commissioners of Sewers, Sfc. Sfc. My Lords and Gentlemen, I address you in the fullest confidence, that any officer, however humble his position in this Honorable Commission, will receive justice at your hands, when, in obedience to the order of Court, he has faithfully and honourably discharged the duty which your order imposed upon him. For, in honourable conduct, in the integrity of purpose, and in the soundness of the professional views on which I based my Report on the Sewerage of the New Street in Westminster, I am convinced that my foundation is on a rock. My conduct, integrity, and the soundness of my professional recommendations, have been attacked in open Court by Mr. Austin, your Consulting Engineer. My conduct and integrity are in your hands ; my professional reputation I desire to put in issue with Mr. Austin's attack upon it; either I am incompetent for the office of your Assistant Surveyor, or Mr. Austin is incompetent to the duties of the Consulting Engineer to the Metropolitan Commission of Sewers; and, as he has raised this important issue, I do not shrink from the inquiry, nor do I intend to degrade myself, or waste the time of the Court in personal altercation. Nearly twenty months ago, on the 9th of February, 1848, Mr. Austin, youi Consulting Engineer, reported on the drainage of Westminster, including the subject of the Memorial of the Westminster Improvement Commission. I refer the Court to that document propounding the sumpt scheme : nothing has been done on that report. The next document I refer to, is the “ Report of Mr. Austin, the Consulting Engineer, upon application of the Westminster Improvement Commissioneis, foi improved drainage of the City of Westminster.” This report is dated nearly six months ago, 31st March, 1849. He states that certain “ information may very safely be granted to the Westminster Improvement Commissioners; and as it would