1844.] 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



165 



Middlesex Side. 



From Westminster Bridge 

 to Blackfriars Bridge - ' 



From Blackfriars to Trig! 

 Stairs J 



Surrey Side. 



1,300 



From Lambeth to West- 

 minster Bridge . . . 



From Westminster Bridge _ 

 to Blackfriars Bridge 



From Blackfriars to Bank- 

 side 



160 



1,000 140 



600 160 



800 170 



300 230 



350 180 



1,250 210 



1,910 220 



1,900 230 



1,000 170 



600 120 



The entrance to the side channels would he by openings as conveniently 

 situated for the admission of barges on the flood tide as circumstances will 

 admit. They may be increased in number for greater facility of entrance, 

 but, from observation at other entrances, are concluded to be fully equal to 

 the wants of the wharfingers. The openings are 40ft. in width, capable of 

 admitting two barges abreast, and are provided with gates for the purpose of 

 enabling the wharfingers, of course under proper regulations, and subject to 

 the supervision and control of properly appointed persons, to retain the 

 water after high water if requisite ; secondly, for preventing the overflow 

 of the river at high runs of tide ; and, thirdly, for providing for the cleansing 

 of the side channels by means of sluices in the cross walls of communication 

 with the streets. 



These communications are proposed to be solid and provided with sluices 

 for the sole object of retaining the water in any one division of the side 

 channels, and cleansing the adjoining division by an easy flow of water 

 through them, say once a week, probably at wider intervals, but the period 

 would necessarily be very much subject for after regulation. 



As the object is to enable the wharfingers to carry on their business in the 

 same manner as they do now, these side channels are not provided with locks, 

 it being assumed that with these, although additional facilities for sending 

 away barges at all times of tide might be gained, there would be an increase 

 of trouble and expense ; and they are to be regarded, therefore, merely as 

 side channels, and the gates are not to be closed except for the purposes 

 above mentioned. The retention of the water for two hours after high water, 

 for the purpose of expediting the unloading of the barges and giving this 

 a--^diiional quantity of water for the scour of the river is only provided for, 

 but is not an essential part of the plan. 



The height of the terrace generally, although first proposed to be four feet 

 above Trinity high mark, is, for the more easy entrance of craft, and for pre- 

 serving uniformity of transit on the terrace, proposed to be 10 ft. ahove that 

 line, except in front of Whitehall Gardens and tlie Temple Gardens. The 

 height of 10ft., however, is not to be considered as any essential portion of 

 this plan, but as having been suggested since the plan was first brought before 

 the Commission, and to meet a difficulty applying only to a particular de- 

 scription of craft, not very numerous, it is believed, on the river. 



The width of the side channels is considered amply sufficient for the ac- 

 commodation of the barges in front of the respective wharfs. From Black- 

 friars to the Grand Junction Wharf, a distance of 600ft., some of the whar- 

 fingers state that they require 200ft. in front of their wharfs, and the distance 

 from the v\barfs to the terrace allowed by the plan at this particular spot is 

 not more than 180 ft. ; this is considered to be as large a waterway as could 

 be strictly insisted upon, and more than would probably be asked for if the 

 plan proposed were properly carried out. 



It is not an object of the design that wLdth for the general passage of 

 barges should be provided in the side channels, the main stream of the river 

 being the proper and more desirable channel for their transit ; but sufficient 

 space is attainable for ingress and egress without inconvenience to the harges 

 unloading, and two harges abreast might be moored outside the terrace to 

 the mooring-rings and piles provided for their accommodation. 



This provision, and the space in other parts of the side channels forming 

 receptacles for barges, would, it is believed, amply accommodate the various 

 craft, on the spot they now occupy. 



For the etficient action of the water from the sluices on the shores at the 

 wharfs which may require cleansing, it is proposed to bring the shore of the 

 side channels to a regular inclination as per diagram, disposing it in three 

 planes : the first, with a slight inclination of say three inches in sixty feet 

 towards the wharfs ; the second, an inclined plane sloping towards the ter- 

 race ; the third, horizontal. When the shores are to be cleansed, the barges 

 would be removed to the sloping bed A C, and the upper sluices being opened, 

 the mud on the first bed, the accumulation whatever it might be, would be 

 washed away by the flow of water, the excess of water above the point A 



flowing down the sloping bed to the lower level, the sluice of which being 

 afterwards open would clear away all the remainder into the main steam. 



At present the sewers discharge at the line of the wharfs, leaving a deposit 

 of filthy mud, and discharging noxious effluvia at every outlet. In the plan 

 it is proposed to continue the sewers under the bed of the side channels and 

 under the terrace into the main stream, so that the sewage would be dis- 

 charged below low water mark. As the wharf property would be relieved 

 from any deposit of sewage, the mud which might collect would consist of 

 the general sediment of the river water, and although provision is made for 

 clearing away any deposit, it is anticipated that very little would take place, 

 as there would be a stream in the side channels at both flood and ebb tide. 



By this arrangement the wharfs and warehouses are left undisturbed ; the 

 same facilities the wharfingers now possess for carrying on their business 

 they would retain ; their craft would be better protected from damage and 

 depredation, and from the losses occurring during drifts of ice ; and thesi 

 advantages it is considered would far outweigh any difficulty in passing the 

 openings to the side channels. As there are several slips and docks on the 

 wharf property, these, it is assumed, might be increased in number and area 

 as occasion might require. The general tendency to encroach on the river 

 would give way to a general tendency to set back, and every alteration on 

 this principle would he beneficial to the port of London by increasing the 

 reservoir of tidal water for its scour. 



By the proposed plan, it is intended that communications for the public 

 should be opened from Blackfriars Bridge to Whitehall on the Middlesex 

 side, without purchase of any property, except a small gaiden and one 

 house ; and that the crowded thoroughfare of Fleet Street and the Strand 

 should be cleared of much of the lighter class of traffic which at present 

 obstructs it. 



On the Surrey side the same communication from Blackfriars to Nine 

 Elms would he attained without the purchase of any property, and below 

 Blackfriars a foot communication, as shown on the plan. 



Embankments for pleasure ground, with capacious culverts running through 

 them, are proposed in front of Whitehall Gardens (Crown property), and in 

 front of the Temple Gardens, leaving to the former a private river front, and 

 opening to the latter a desirable communication to the western part of 

 London ; but inasmuch as these embankments would form expensive portions 

 of the plan, and to a certain, though not important extent, abridge the space 

 for water between the terrace and the shore, the tide might, in the first in- 

 stance, be allowed to continue its present course past both of these localities, 

 and the conversion of them into pleasure grounds might, if necessary, be 

 efl'ected hereafter. 



Note. — Although these observations are intended to apply principally to 

 the terrace as an embankment, including a carriage way and promenade, it is 

 not out of place to state, that instead of filling up its contents with solid 

 matter, it is proposed to construct a continued reservoir within it, equal to a 

 circle of 28ft. in diameter (Fig. 3), into which the pure waters of the river 

 Wandle may be conducted, for the supply of those four water companies which 

 now provide their respective districts with water from the Thames (mixed with 

 the sewage), and for the gener.al use of such establishments as may wish to 

 avail themselves of it. But into the particulars of this proposition it is not 

 considered necessary to enter at the present time, as the plans are quite 

 independent of each other. 



(Signed) Thomas Page. 



[We have not given Mr. Page's plan (B), but we have given the modified 

 plan of the Commissioners, founded upon plan B, which will sufficiently 

 illustrate Mr. Page's description. — Editor.] 



Reference to Engraving, Plate VI. 



The plan exhibits the river wall or terrace on the Middlesex side of the 

 river between Westminster Bridge and Blackfriars Bridge. The dotted line, 

 L. W., is low water mark, and the dotted line nearly parallel with the bank 

 on the Surrey side is the extent of Mr. Walker's proposed embankment and 

 Mr. Page's proposed docks. 



Fig. 1, one of Mr. Page's transverse terraces of communication with the 

 streets, with culverts for sluicing and openings for the passage of barges. 

 A, terrace wi:h proposed reservoir for pure water; B, gates with sluices, the 

 gates to be closed and sluices worked when the side channels lequiie clean- 

 sing; C, culvert for iluices; D. section of present wall : E, continuation of 

 sewer; F, present sewer; H. W., Trinity high water mark, and L. W., low- 

 water mark. 



Fig. 2, a transverse section of the river with Mr. Walker's embankment 

 wall A, to te filled in behind, B present wharf, h. w. high water , I. w. low 

 water; the irregular line c. the present bed of river, d bottom of river of the 

 proposed deepening. Fig. 3 shows a transverse section of the river with one 

 of the recesses, e; bed for barges as at present;/, guard piles; g, duarf 

 piling the top to be driven down to the level of the bed of the river; c. I., cen- 

 tral line of river. 



