42 
MAGAZINE OF SCIENCE AND ART. 
longevity, as well as protection from actual dis¬ 
ease.” __ .... 
. The day cannot be far distant, we would fain 
hope, when the first consideration in the selection 
of tho site of any futuro town or city, will bo its 
probable “healthiness” or “unhealthiness,” in¬ 
cluding, of course, its “fitness” or “unfitness" for 
sanitary improvement. Tho primary survey of such 
ground-plot, including that of its more or less proxi¬ 
mate vicinities, would then not be confined to 
mere size, but it would embrace also its surface 
configuration, its heights and ridges, hollows or 
depressions, with memoranda as to any manage¬ 
ment which, with dbo regard to sanitary principles, 
would oitherimmediatoly, or by degrees be required. 
Simultaneously would como into consideration 
the means of ensuring unlimited supplies of the best 
water, tho mean3 of securing the freest obtainable 
ventilation, throughout the future city, and that 
with the purest air-arrangement, for constructing a 
well devised system of drainage, the planning of 
future streets, squares, parks, gardens, markets, 
with ample “ neoropolitan” reserves, in full ac¬ 
cordance with the above sanitary principles, with the 
carrying out of which no minor consideration should 
be allowed to interfere. 
In addition, would be made arrangements which 
will be mentioned by and by, lor the providing of 
an ample extent of constitution walks, or pro¬ 
menades, in every direction, together with an 
abundance of tho best baths the locality could afford. 
In the above outline I have confined myself to 
sanitary objects solely. I must, however, observe, 
if only in more justice to the subject, that other 
objects have in no instance been lost sight of, much 
less sacrificed ; but on tho contrary, as it is hoped, 
it will appear as we prooeed, many other highly 
important objects will bo more or less fully attained 
or promoted by tho self same means, by which the 
objects immediately under consideration will bavo 
to be achieved. 
Presuming that all that has been above proposed 
had been fully realizod, or at least planned, 
and determined upon, we might then begin 
to think of building, and not till then. This is, of 
course, the converse of our present system, or 
rather practice, and want of system ; at” least, as 
far as I am aware; tho practice or usage hitherto 
having been to build first, and then survey. In the 
sense now spoken of, it so happens, that we do not 
survey at all. Whence it has arisen that for tho 
most part, after a time, as we proceed, step by step 
we beeomo immersed,—" steeped to the very lips," 
in an accumulation of “ difficulties," or, as far as re¬ 
form is concerned, “impraotibilitics,” entirely, in 
almost every instance of our own creation. If 
proof is desired, I would only say, to such inhabi- 
tants of this young city, as recollect its progress 
from its earlier years, “ circumspice;”—and yet, 
who is to be blamed? Doubtless “no one.*’ Tho 
blame is inherent in the usage, as to this matter, and 
which I believe, I may designate not only as “ im¬ 
memorial,” but “universal,” and that throughout 
all ages, and, as far as we know, throughout all 
countries. 
But in order to illustrate, as clearly as possible, 
the objects of this essay, I bog to select the very 
site on which this ctiy itself, as far as it at present 
extends, is erected; not that the reforms I am 
about to propose for it, are for tho most part, any 
longer practicable, or at least likely to be adopted ; 
but rather because the site of this city seems to 
offer the largest amount of material for the illus¬ 
tration of this subject, of any with which I am 
acquainted. 
Sydney stands, as universally admitted, on a 
pot, in every respect, unsurpassed, if not un¬ 
rivalled. The most interesting portion of which 
consists of a series of ranges of moderate elevation, 
though, in some instances, somewhat steep. These 
minor ranges or spurs slightly radiate from a maid 
range—a broad, continuous height, tendu,g X. K. 
towards the south head, and 3. \Y. toward! 
Liverpool. The several valleys situate between the 
spurs or branch ridges form inclined planes, until 
eventually they descend to a level with the general 
bed of tho harbour, constituting coves and bays, 
of which a large portion of the harbour 
itself consists. 
These valleys at their upper terminations are 
closed by their junction with the main chain or 
ridge, constituting a succession of “ valles clans" 
whilo below in that part of their course, where the; 
join the waters of the harbour, they form portions 
of a damp or even Bwampy surface The margins 
of those numerous coves and bays on the south 
side of tho harbour, which indent the X. E. end of 
the city; while the heads eftheso coves and bajs 
arc in every instance shallow and present, 
except about high water, more or less ex¬ 
tensive flats of mere mud or silt, offensive, particu¬ 
larly during the morning and evening, and yearly 
becoming more so. 
A sito such as the above in a sanitary point of 
view, while in its natural state, would be highly 
objectionable. Tho sides of the valleys, particularly 
duririf the summer, forming a species of reverbera¬ 
tory furnnoo, tend to concentrate heat, and thusag- 
gravate the temperature of that season at the same 
time that their closed upper terminations, arren 
tho fres escape of tho heated and impure air, anJ 
thus create a closo oppressive atmosphere, while the 
exhalations from the low bogey, or at least damp 
portions of tho valleys, and from the Contiguous 
fiats, generate incessantly—summer and winter- 
day and night—an amount of “ miasma," or 
“malaria,” which, if not, under ordinary circum- 
stances, of sufficient intensity to create disease of 
any given type, is still injuroUs to the health, and 
that not merely on the spot and within its imme¬ 
diate vicinities, but not unfrequently throughout 
the city, together with its environs, "nils, 
I am strongly impressed that this very self-same 
morbific agent has already on various occasions 
added much to the intensity which has been <x- 
casionally observed in some of our epiuetmcs 
during the last thirty or forty years. What, then 
if my impression be correct, may not be expected 
from this cause by and by, acting on »u 
infinitely more dense population, aBd during the in¬ 
vasion of epidemics of uu infinitely more destructive 
character than any that has appeared amongst ns 
hitherto, when neither elevation of site, or position 
in other respects, or distance itself, within certain 
limits, and those of no narrow oxtent, could be ex¬ 
pected to.afford anything beyond a most precarious 
amount of protection. But, if the above be correct, 
how can the Bite on which this city is built he other¬ 
wise, in a sanitary point of view, than most objec¬ 
tionable ? My reply would be, that notwithstan¬ 
ding the above objectionable qualities, the site m 
question is one of the most desirable with which 1 
nm acquainted ; inasmuch, as fully the same 
amount of objectionablo qualities attaches toalmost 
every other town dr city, whether in its improved or 
unimproved state, as far as I am cognisant oft the 
subject, while the spot in question offers facilities 
of the most rare occurrence elsewhere, for their re¬ 
moval, at tho same time that it presents to us in¬ 
numerable sanitary, as well as other, advantages o. 
the highest order. 
Tho main objections to the site of this _city, 
together with tho principal means for their re. 
moval having been pointed out in general term*. 
I now proceed to thoso details without waic 
it would be impossible to render a subject to 
intricate, as well as extensive as the present, 
clearly intelligible, or at least readily and muuis- 
talieably so, let us then suppose that a plan, bsss- 
on the comprehensive sanitary principles aoo» 
