HC Deb 10 June 1841 vol 58 cc1442-6
Sir F. Trench

rose pursuant to notice, to move the re-appointment of the Select Committee on Thames Embankment, for the purpose of considering evidence in support of a plan to form upon the embankment a quay of communication from Blackfriars-bridge to Hunger-ford-market; the whole expense of which can be provided for by a railroad between the same termini, without any demand for the public money, or any reference to the value of the land recovered from the river. The hon. Member said, that from the report of the committee appointed last year, it appeared, that in conse- quence of the works connected with the erection of the new London-bridge, the terrace on which the Houses of Parliament were building, and other extensive alterations in the river, a quantity of mud and rubbish had accumulated, which, besides causing inconvenient and irregular deeps and shallows, had, from vegetation springing up on the accumulated material, caused an unwholesome and polluted atmosphere along the banks of the river. The gentlemen of the city, it appeared, were afraid of the expense requisite to carry the desired improvement into effect. The hon. Member observed, that, in the committee of last year, evidence had been given of this fact, that the mud in the river had accumulated on each side to a very great extent, that in some places vegetation had actually commenced, and which was well manured from the filthy sewers, and that, in short, the atmosphere in the immediate neighbourhood of the banks was polluted almost to infection. The navigation of the river had been also very much impeded by the removal of the old London-bridge. Where the river was narrow the depth had increased, but where it was wide, shoals had been formed, upon which the backs of barges were very frequently broken; this circumstance also had the effect of keeping barges waiting the tide for two or three hours, the result of which was, that often a whole day was lost, and great expense incurred. By the plan proposed, no injury would be done to any persons engaged on the river, such as boatmen or bargemen; on the contrary, they would be enabled to navigate the river at periods when they could not do so at present, for a number of shoals would be removed, and the whole bed of the river deepened. No existing accommodation would be interfered with, the merchant would go to his wharf as at present, and the coal-barges, if they chose it, would lie as before, upon their soft mud. The adoption of a plan for such a quay would be a great improvement to the metropolis, and it would greatly facilitate the communication between one part of the town and another. He was aware that the Chancellor of the Exchequer had refused to make any advance of the public money for this purpose, but he was not surprised at this, as the right hon. Gentleman had so little at his disposal. He (Sir F. Trench), having regarded the subject as a most important one, and finding that the Chancellor of the Exchequer was not disposed to aid in carrying out the plan which had been suggested for removing these obstructions, finding also, that the committee had not been re-appointed, and being apprehensive that the land which he proposed to be redeemed from the river might pass into the hands of private companies —laid the plan before Lord Duncannon, as the head of the Woods and Forests, and his Lordship, after two or three days' consideration, had come to the opinion, that it was not only a practicable, but a desirable one. That noble Lord said, he thought he could not originate it himself, but that it should be submitted for discussion to Parliament. He (Sir F. Trench), at the desire of that noble Lord, had obtained the opinion of those eminent engineers, Sir F. Smith and Mr. Walker, who both concurred, that the plan was not only practicable, but might be executed with profit, and put into the hands of Government a large sum of money for the further improvement and embellishment of the metropolis on the southern side of the river Thames. He did not wish to carry the subject further at present than to obtain the evidence of those two gentlemen upon the plan, which he had suggested, in order, that it might be submitted to the Government in a proper and complete form, for it was by the Government, and not by a public company, he wished to see this project carried into effect. The railroad could be readily carried along the embankment, and the profits arising from it would be enormous; while the expense would be comparatively trifling. He had made some calculations on the subject, and he found if the charge was made at 6d. for railroad conveyance, from Hungerford to Blackfriars, four carriages going each way, and carrying each trip 48 passengers, the gross receipt in one year would be 104,832l., which at 20 years purchase, represents a capital of 2,096,640l., leaving a million at the disposal of the Government to be applied to the improvement of the banks of the river, and the embellishment of the metropolis. If the charge were but 3d., still there would be 500,000l at the disposal of the Government, and the works all completed and paid for; and he was satisfied, that if the railway were extended to London Bridge, the profits would be doubled. By such a plan, a gentleman might be carried from London Bridge to Hungerford Market, in less than four minutes, and the railway would work in fog and frost, when the steamers could not, and the omnibuses could not, and when the Brighton and Kentish railways were brought to London Bridge, Gentlemen might imagine what an accession of passengers there would be; and what an accommodation lo the railroad travellers, instead of struggling slowly through crowded streets for half an hour or an hour, to be carried from London Bridge to Charing-cross in four minutes. In addition to the favourable opinion of the two engineers he had mentioned, Mr. Bidder, once known as the celebrated calculating boy, had gone over the figures with him, and had no doubt of their accuracy. When he explained to the noble Lord, at the head of the Woods and Forests, the great beauty and utility of his plan, that noble Lord said, he heartily wished it was in operation, for Mr. Barry, the architect of the new Houses, was constantly complaining of the inconvenience and expense of carrying off the rubbish by barges. The hon. Gentleman concluded by saying, that he hoped the House would accede to his motion, as he intended to go no further at present than obtain information on the subject.

Oh the question being put.

Mr. Harves

said, that at this period of the Session it was utterly impossible for the House to go into an inquiry of this soft, involving as it did the interests of owners of property in the neighbourhood to an enormous amount, whilst the parties so interested had received no notice whatever upon the subject. The lion. Gentleman (Sir. F. Trench), proposed that the committee should sit one day to examine two Gentlemen on one side of the question, and on the evidence of these Gentlemen he was to found some plan for the Government to carry out. Why, he knew of twenty-two witnesses to be examined against it. In the last Session of Parliament, when the chairman of the navigation committee of the City of London, was examined before the committee relative to the proposed embankment, he was asked—" Suppose that a solid embankment is made and a carriage way along it, do you believe, that property would not be injured by it?" To which he replied—" I have no doubt of it." Then he was asked—" You do not consider that having that thoroughfare would compensate for the injury done by the removal of their premises from the banks of the river." And he answered—" I do not." He believed it to be utterly impracticable, and should the measure be carried out, utterly ruinous to property. However the House might be disposed to sympathise with the hon. and gallant Member, he deemed it impossible at this late period of the Session to have a fair inquiry entered into, because it must necessarily be an ex parte inquiry. He begged to say, that if driven to it he would divide the House upon the question.

Mr. Kemble

doubted very much, even though a committee were granted, that the hon. and gallant Member would be able to get a sufficient number together to form a quorum. He, therefore, trusted that he would not persevere in his motion.

Mr. Pryme

said, he never saw a scheme that appeared to him prima facie to be more desirable. He hoped if the hon. and gallant Member was not able to obtain his committee this Session, he would in a future Parliament persevere in bringing forward his motion.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer

said, that he hoped the hon. and gallant Member would, in justice to his own project, and in justice to the various interests that would be affected by it, consent to withdraw his motion, and bring it forward at some future period. At this late period of the Session, he trusted, that the hon. and gallant Member, would not press the House to come to a decision upon this question.

Sir F. Trench withdrew his motion.

Adjourned.