1828.] British Sub-ways. 609 
opened.” And this observation the author and patentee finishes with 
the following quotation :— 
** Thine was the work, Almighty Father, 
The thought, the gift, was thine.” 
This is almost equivalent to making the Supreme Being chief com- 
missioner of sewers. 
After this description, Mr. Williams has favoured us with plans and 
sections of his proposed constructions, all formed upon the most scien- 
tific principles, and all of which shew the minute attention he has given 
to his subject. 
By the variety of matter, and of evidence which he has collected 
together, the impurity of the present supply of water to the metropolis is 
fully proved ; and, as far as human conjecture can go, it certainly 
appears that the construction of these sub-ways, by affording passages 
for the pipes, without their being bedded in the earth, would greatly 
remedy this defect ; since, by the investigation of our supply of water 
in 1826, when it seemed satisfactorily proved (such are the words of the 
report), that we cooked our victuals, mixed our wine, and made our 
punch with water, that was little better than poison, it was stated in 
the Parliamentary Water Report, that the iron pipes separate themselves 
by contraction, in 300 yards, and a considerable leakage of water takes 
place during its passage under the streets, after it leaves the reservoirs, 
as appears from the evidence of Mr. Milne, and others, in that report. 
If, then, the pipes let the water out on an average at every 300 yards, 
this escape, being multiplied by the number of miles the pipes extend 
to in London, the purest water going into the pipes, at the fountain 
head, will become foul, from the entrance of the soil and mud in which 
the pipes lay, at the apertures where the water goes out. It, therefore, 
becomes necessary to place the whole of the pipes in clear, dry, sub- 
ways, to prevent the fine water being contaminated in its flow from the 
fountain to the table. 
All this appears reasonable, and that the plan would, likewise, tend 
to the preservation of pipes—the prevention of the escape of gas, and 
afford a hundred other advantages, which are denied by the present sys- 
tem, is certain. The arches might, likewise, be made to afford a more 
solid bed to the pavement, and much greater facilities might be given to 
the obtaining of water in cases of fire. 
Such are the manifold advantages which the plan for sub-ways pre- 
sent, and we regret that we think we see far more imposing obstacles 
to their construction than the mere failure of an attempt to form a com- 
pany. We allude to the interference with private property—to the vast 
number of vaults with which every street in London is intersected, in 
many instances, meeting each other ; and also, to the evident danger 
that must result to the foundations of a multitude of houses in the metro-~ 
polis—for the arguments of Mr. Williams, on this point, are unfortu- 
nately more than met by the fact, that even in the repairs, and construc- 
tions of the present sewers, buildings are very frequently endangered. 
As instances of this, look to the two houses lately shored up opposite 
the Green Park, and two or three in one of the streets leading out of 
Oxford Street, in each of which instances, the Commissioners had nearly 
to rebuild the premises which their excavations had injured. We are 
afraid, therefore, that, as far as the interior of the Cities of London and 
Westrainster are concerned, they must be left to the present authorities 
M.M. New Series —Vou. VI. No.36. 41 
