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��NOTES BY THE WAY.

��tage over others ; at the same time that the reflected state of the tideS, both of ebb and flood, throws the face of the stream upon the Surrey shore opposite to Blackfriars, and of consequence slackens the current on the London side. This, together with the large sewers that empty themselves in the neighbourhood, occasions a constant accumulation of sand, mud, and rubbish, which not only destroys great part of the navigation at low water, but renders the wharfs inacessible by the loaded craft even at high water, unless at spring tides. The mud and fifth thus accumulating, notwithstanding the frequent expense the wharfingers are at to clear it away, is, when not covered with water, extremely offensive, and in summer time often dangerous to the health of the neighbouring inhabitants.

" This alteration, therefore, is recommended as not only advan- tageous for the trade of London and Westminster and navigation of the river, but greatly conducive to the health of those two populous cities. To this end it is proposed that the landowners on the north side of the said river between the west corner of Mr. Powel's Wharf near Puddle Dock and the east corner of Mr. Roberts' s Wharf near Milford Lane be at liberty to embank, in the line and manner to be prescribed, and that the ground thereby acquired be vested to the use and trusts of the original property, subject to the quit-rent of one farthing per foot superficial, redeemable at 20 years' purchase ; and that where any of the said owners shall desire the City to embank for them, the said acquired ground shall be subject to a quit-rent of one penny per foot superficial, redeemable as aforesaid, the said quit- rents or purchase monies to be part of a fund for lighting, watching, cleansing, and repairing the new bridge, in lieu of the toll proposed to be taken away."

John Paterson took great interest in both London and Black- friars bridges, and in June, 1767, the Common Council voted 200 guineas for a piece of plate to be presented to him in recog- nition of his services generally to the City, and in particular his plan to raise 282,000?. to pay off the debt remaining on London Bridge. As the result of Deputy Paterson's Report, the Corpora- tion embanked a mile.

Among suggestions of more recent date was one made in 1825, when a ' Lithographic Sketch of the North Bank of the Thames, from Westminster Bridge to London Bridge,' was published. This was by Lieut.-Col. Trench, and showed the proposed quay and some other improvements, a survey of the river being given ; but it was not until the 7th of August, 1862, that an Act for embanking the north side of the Thames was passed. Londoners now enjoy a walk by the side of the Thames, but previous to its purification it was a place to be avoided. Tom Hood in 1826 most irreverently styled the Lord Mayor of London

Conservator of Thames from mud to mud.

The bad odours emanating from it culminated in 1858, and during ^ e summer f that vear I had a bowl of chloride of lime on my the House of desk at the Athenceum office in Wellington Street as a disinfectant. Commons. Fortunately the stench reached the House of Commons, and an Act

��Lieut.-Col. Trench.

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