i °9 
THE LONDON SEWAGE COMPANY. 
turbing the foundation, showing that the esti- 
mates of power, of cost, and of difficulties, 
are all wrong. But there is one point on 
which failure must take place. If the quan- 
tity required be correct, and it must be so to 
bear out one part of the estimate, the liquid 
must be accumulating until there is enough to 
answer the demand ; and as the demand for 
the land for a whole year must be applied at 
the proper season, during six weeks, the reser- 
voir must be of no small dimensions. Mr. 
Wicksteed gives us an idea. He says :— 
"As the sewage water is constantly flowing 
every day throughout the year, while the 
period for delivering it upon the lands is but 
six weeks— i.e. 504 hours in 8,760, it is 
evident that the reservoir must be capable of 
holding the supply afforded during 8,256 
hours, or 5,020,278 tons ; consequently, the 
capacity of the reservoir will be 6,663,917 
cubic yards, and at a depth of twelve feet, or 
four yards, its area at the mean water line will 
be equal to 344 acres — if a square, the length 
of each side will be 1,290 yards, or nearly 
three-quarters of a mile." — P. 22. 
But the most astounding part of the scheme 
is the quantity of water, 236 tons, for each 
ton of solid manure contained in it. Where 
is the water to run to in valleys and level 
grounds when it has deposited its solid 
manure ? Mr. Wicksteed says : — 
" It is stated that sewer water would be 
very useful for tillage lands, and that a shower 
of it upon the young growing crops would be 
very advantageous ; but what would the farmer 
think of a 2\ inch hose, 312 yards, or a fur- 
long and a half long, weighing, with the 
water contained in it, nearly \\ tons, being 
drawn over the crops, to distribute such a jet 
of water, as before described ? And, even 
supposing the crops would bear this, how 
could the water be distributed equally like a 
shower of rain ? and, if it were not so, is it 
not a fact, that in some parts of the field, large 
quantities of the sewer water would be depo- 
sited,, and in other parts scarcely any ; in some 
places too much, and in others too little ? and 
what kind of crop must the farmer look for 
from such a distribution ? It would be very 
similar to neglected pasture land, where, if the 
manure that falls from the cattle is not dis- 
tributed, it causes the grass to become coarse 
and rank on those spots where the dung has 
fallen. I have now, I think, stated enough in 
my examination of the authorities quoted in 
support of the plan for distributing sewer 
water, whose testimony is, of course, open to 
remark and consideration by all, to show- that, 
in my opinion, no reliance is to be placed upon 
them."— Pp. 28, 29. 
. This condemnation is requisite, is sweeping 
and conclusive. Let us now look at Mr. 
AVicksteed's plan for applying the manure of 
London. He proposes to carry off all the 
sewage by a tunnel-drain considerably below 
the common sewer on the north side of the 
river, down the streets and roads nearest to 
the river, and so not interfere with the present, 
sewers, nor with the wharfs and banks of the 
river, nor the private property attached to 
them, from the Ranelagh sewer to Barking, 
and there to form a reservoir, where the solid 
manure shall subside, and, if there be any 
deficiency of amount, be precipitated with 
lime, which would throw down a good deal 
more held in solution. Here the process of 
drying and preparing for transit to take place. 
Similar proceedings on the south side of the. 
river will make a second depot. He guards 
against moving the mere mud by turning the 
drainage water that comes after rains into the 
river. The estimates and calculations are 
vast, but the summary is as under. 
ESTIMATES. 
" The cost of the proposed sewers, reser- 
voirs, buildings, wharfs, machinery, and land, 
on both sides of the river, including all en- 
gineering charges and expenses, from the 
commencement to the termination of the 
work, except the expenses of parliamentary 
opposition, will not exceed 1,300,000Z., which 
will leave 200,000?. for law and parliamentary 
expenses, and for real or imaginary cases of 
compensation, the total being 1,500,000?. — 
the capital proposed to be raised. 
ANNUAL EXPENDITURE AND REVENUE. 
EXPENDITURE. 
" The total annual expenses of carrying on 
the works, including labour, coals for 
engines, and for drying the manure, 
lime, offices, officers, rent, taxes, re- 
pairs of works and machinery, will not 
exceed £300,000 
" Reserved fund for renewal of works, im- 
provement of the existing sewers, if 
beneficial to the Company, &c. &c. 
5 per cent, on capital 75,000 
" Profit at 15 per cent 225,000 
£600,000 
REVENUE. 
" 206,590 tons of manure, in a highly dried 
state, compressed and packed, at £3 
per ton £619,770 
" The necessary works might be so far 
completed in two years from their commence- 
ment, as to be in partial operation, and ready 
to produce a revenue. 
" The price per ton, in the above estimate 
of revenue, is low, and may be still further 
reduced, if the manure be taken from the 
works in a moist state, or before drying, 
