Review of the report by the General Board of Health on the supply of water to the Metropolis : contained in a report to the directors of the London (Watford) Spring Water Company / by Samuel Collet Homersham.

  • Homersham, Samuel Collett.
Date:
1850
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Review of the report by the General Board of Health on the supply of water to the Metropolis : contained in a report to the directors of the London (Watford) Spring Water Company / by Samuel Collet Homersham. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.

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    Honourable House, which show the cost of the Survey of Ireland to be 10(i. per acre; that of the six Northern Counties of England, Is. per acre, and of part of Scotland (surveyed in 1847), Is. 6d. per acre, for maps drawn upon the small scale of 13 chains to an inch, neither showing minute details, nor furnishing quantities and references of the separate inclosures. Whereas the first-class maps of Parishes surveyed by your Petitioners, for the purpose of Tithe Commutation and Poor Rate assess- ment, have not exceeded an average cost of lid. per acre, although drawn upon the larger and more useful scale of 3 chains to an inch, showing every detail. With reference to the second, as to time, it appears almost unnecessary to direct the attention of your Honourable House to the case of the Metropolitan Survey, subsequently alluded to. And as to accuracy, it w'ill be, it is hoped, sufficient to refer to the number of first-class maps executed by your Petitioners, and tested and verified by the Tithe Com- missioners. “ That the inhabitants of the north of England and Scotland (whose numerous memorials testify the necessity for the national surveys being completed) are seriously complaining of the injury they suffer by the abstraction of the Ordnance Force from those surveys, which, having been authorized by Parliament, and made chargeable upon the national funds, ought to be completed at once. “ That in the spring of the year 1848, the Ordnance Department having furnished to the Metrojrolitan Commissioners of Sewers an estimate for a block-plan and levels of London, amounting to 19,945L, exclusive of 4,270Z. for the triangulation, and the large additional cost of the military pay of the parties employed, received instrtt^ns to proceed with the work, upon the understanding that they could complet^t within six months, as the Commissioners of Sewers had previously passed a resolution in the same year, stating that even one week’s delay in the sanitary improvements would involve a loss to the public equal to that large sum. “ That the estimates of the Ordnance Department hitherto doubled in every case, and often nearly trebled, by their actual expenditure, as stated in their own returns, were equally erroneous in this instance, as Avas predicted by your petitioners—the survey being now incomplete, although a period of two years has elapsed, and the drainage of London has been delayed in consequence. “ That your petitioners acting in concert, and upon an uniform system, under the title of ‘ The Surveyors’ Association,’ were very desirous to perform this work, and submitted to the Commissioners of Sewers a memorial and estimate, undertaking to complete it correctly in six months, or suffer heavy penalties, and to give approved security that they would do 80 for the sum of 18,2007 {being many thousand pounds less than the expenses incurred by the Ordnance), and that, previous to payment, their maps leerc to receive the approval of examiners properly qualified to test the same; and your Petitioners humbly assure your Honourable House,