§ MR. WILBRAHAM EGERTONsaid, he wished to ask the First Commissioner of Works, Whether it is contemplated to have a depth of 7 feet of water or upwards in any part of the Serpentine which is still unfinished; and, if so, whether he would state the cost of filling up the bed so as to have an uniform depth of 5 feet of water when finished, in order to prevent any accidents from bathing or breaking of the ice?
§ MR. AYRTONsaid, in reply, that the contract entered into for the improvement of the bed of the Serpentine provided that the slopes at the sides should be in the proportion of six feet to one foot in depth, and that the central depth should be eight feet from the bridge, sloping to 14 feet towards the other end. The cost of filling up the Serpentine to a depth of five feet would probably be £18,000.