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branching from those where the principal mains are placed.

The greatest distance to which the supply from the works extends, is about three miles, measuring by the course of the pipes; and although the pressure at the engines is estimated at 120 feet, yet the resistance from friction usually prevents the water from rising higher than about sixty or seventy feet; and at the extremity of the district, some difficulty attends the supplying of cisterns, that are placed twenty feet above the level of the ground. The usual service, however, averages from six to eight feet above the pavement, though some houses are served as high as thirty; but as the company neither profess to give high service, nor make any charge for it, the difference in the height cannot reasonably be a source of dissatisfaction to their tenants, to whom about 170,000 barrels of water are daily conveyed, constituting, in the whole, about 60,000,000 barrels in the year.

CHAPTER VII.

Water Works for supplying the Southern Division of the Metropolis. Origin of those in Southwark. Quantity of Water and number of Houses supplied. Company incorporated for constructing Works at Lambeth: Number of Shares and amount of Capital. Situation: Mains and District. Quantity of Water furnished projected improvements. South London Water Works. Act of Parliament for their formation, &c. First Operations. Site of Works: Steam-engines, Mains, and source of Supply. Reservoirs. Improvements. District, number of Houses: quantity of Water supplied, &c. Scheme for conveying Water to Southwark from the river Wandle.

THE supply of water to the great population residing in that part of the metropolis, which is situate on the southern side of the Thames, has given rise to different establishments for the purpose; and it has already been stated that Southwark was formerly supplied from a pond at St. Mary Overies, as well as by two wheels belonging to the London Bridge works, erected in the fifth arch from the north and second from the south, under a lease granted by the city, in 1767. However, at the period when the building of a new bridge was contemplated, and therefore the removal of the water-wheels would necessarily take place, both establishments were in a very inefficient state, besides having their pipes running in the same streets, so as to interfere much with each other. In fact, such was the inconvenience attending their dilapidated condition, as to require a considerable expenditure for making those improvements that time and circumstances had rendered indispensable.

The Borough Works, at St. Mary Overies, having in

1820, become the property of J. Edwards, Esq.; in 1822, he purchased, from the New River Company, the works on the south side of London Bridge, and combined both concerns by the designation of the Southwark Water Works. The whole being thus possessed by an opulent individual, two steam-engines were erected, one of thirtysix horses' power, and another of eighteen. Prior to this period the supply of water had always been conveyed through wooden pipes, but these were gradually taken up and iron pipes of larger dimensions substituted, varying in their diameter, from three to sixteen inches. Another important alteration consisted in the mode of taking the water from the Thames; and instead of obtaining it near to the shore, a large iron main was carried along the bottom to the middle of the river, where it is gravelly-the mouth of the conduit for conveying it to the wells of the steamengines being also covered with an iron semi-sphere, perforated with a great number of small holes. This contrivance is placed eight feet below the low-water mark, and the interior end of the conduit, adjoining the well, has a vessel constructed with wire for intercepting any substances that may pass through the holes of the semisphere: the water also runs through another similar contrivance in its passage to the pipes for supplying the inhabitants. The establishment has not any reservoir, but in order to obtain a height of pressure, the water is pumped into a cistern constructed at the top of a tower, nearly sixty feet high, and adapted to contain from 300 to 400 barrels of water, whence it flows to the houses below its level, some receiving it as high as fo ty-two feet. The two engines are competent to raise 4,000,000 imperial gallons in the course of every twenty-four hours. In the original construction and subsequent improvement of these works, more than 70,000l. have been expended

at different times, and they supply about 7000 houses daily with about 1,500,000 gallons of water. The high service extends only to about 800 houses in the district, which comprises a space, in various directions, two miles from the engines; and the great Hospitals are supplied from this source.

Various, ample, and effective as were the water-works on the north side of the Thames, nevertheless, the inhabitants of Southwark and its environs, principally depended upon the above two establishments for a very long period. Defective as were the means, and incommensurate with the wants of the great and continually increasing population, the object of supplying them with water seems to have afforded but little temptation to the speculative part of the community. Eventually, however, a number of individuals associated for the purpose of forming the Lambeth Water Works. They commenced their operations with a small capital; but by careful management, and avoiding a large expenditure at the commencement, a remarkable degree of success attended their enterprise. At first each proprietor gave his services gratuitously: one acted as secretary, another as engineer, others as managers, collectors, &c. This practice continued for many years, during which, instead of dividing the profits, they were devoted to the improvement of the works; and the pecuniary result affords the amplest evidence of their economical proceedings. But although this may be one cause of their prosperity, it must be acknowledged that others also concurred, and among the principal perhaps may be named, the extensive and populous district of which they have long had the almost exclusive supply, at an inconsiderable cost, inasmuch their works occupied only a small space on the bank of the Thames. Besides, they avoided to incur any expense in constructing large

reservoirs, but conveyed the water directly from the river, so that their disbursements were small, in a comparison with most of the other Water Companies. Hence, they derived a greater pecuniary benefit from their operations, in proportion to their extent, because the rates were nearly the same.

The proprietors of the Lambeth works were incorporated as a company in the year 1785, by an "Act of Parliament for Supplying the Parish of Lambeth and parts adjacent, in the county of Surrey with Water;" but the Act restrained them from laying down pipes for conveying water into any of the streets which at that time were paved, and situate in the parishes of Saint George and Saint Saviour's, Southwark. Their property is divided into thirty-two shares, on each of which 1857. was originally paid; but though the Act for their incorporation defined the number of shares, it did not fix the precise sum to be advanced upon each, and therefore the subscription was extended as necessity or convenience required. However, the nominal amount of a share was understood to be 3007.; and if this sum had been actually paid upon the whole number, the capital would then have amounted to 96007.; but of this only 59207. was really advanced by the original shareholders.

Though the latter constituted the total amount of the first outlay upon the works, yet their progressive extension has since required the expenditure of large sums, which have been provided by the occasional application of the whole of the nett income to the purpose, instead of paying dividends to the proprietors, or calling upon them for additional subscriptions to augment the capital. Consequently, during sixteen years of the time that has elapsed, from the commencement of the undertaking, no dividends have been paid; and the

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