Obituary. Sir Joseph William Bazalgette, C.B., 1819-1891

302 SIR SOSEPH WILLIAM BAZALGETTE. [Obituary.

OBITUARY.

SIR JOSEPH WILLIAM BAZALGETTE, C.B., Past-President, was born at Enfield onthe 28th of March, 1819. The family was of French extraction, and the name figures in the fifteenth century amongthe old noblesse. Hisfather was a Commander inthe British Navy, from which, after much active service, he retired in 1815. Having been educated in private schools, Joseph was articled at the age of seventeen to Mr. (afterwards Sir John) Macneill, and wasemployed at his recommendation as ResidentEngineer on drainageand reclamation works inthe North of Ireland. He subsequentlydirected his attention more particularlyto this subject, and visited the principal worksof that nature inHolland. In 1842 he was practising on his own account in Great George Street, Westminster, and in 1845-6 was busily engaged in railway and other works of considerable magnitude, exerting himself to such an extent that his health suffered, and hewas obliged to cease work and go into the country, where a year of perfect rest restored his energy. On resumingbusiness he accepted, in 1849, an appointment under the Metropolitan Commission of Sewers, and thus began his connexion withthe twogreat municipal works by which his name has become so widely and so honourably known, namely, the MainDrainage of Londonand the Embankment of theRiver Thames.The best record of Sir Joseph’s lifeand labours will, indeed, be formed by a brief history of these works, with which hewas mostspecially identified from their inception to their successful completion.

Down to 1547 the drainage of the Metropolis ww under the charge of no less than eight separate municipal bodies, each exer- cising an independentsway over its owndistrict. With such division it wasimpossible that any advantageousprinciples of drainage could be acted on, and the evils became so apparent that in 1848 an Act was passed to consolidate the whole management

This account of the MainDrainage Works is taken from the published Report of the Royal Ccmmission on Metropolitan Sewage Discharge, 1884.

under one “ Metropolitan Comlnission of Sewers.’’ The Commis- sioners, an unpaid body of twelve gentlemen, began zealously to improve some details, butin 1849 they were superseded by a second body, which advertised for competitive designs for a com- pletesystematic drainage of London. This body also resigned before the plans were examined, and their successors, among whom wereincluded several eminent engineers, appointed an engineer of their own selection, Mr. Frank Forster, toprepare, partly incon- junction with Mr. Haywood, the Engineer of the City Commission of Sewers, a complete drainage scheme. This was done ; and the scheme was described intwo reports, dated respectivelyMarch 1850, andJanuary 1851. Thethird Commission had, however, no power to carry out suchworks, and was superseded by a fourth, and this again gave way to a fifth, appointed late in 1852. Still, however, nothing practical ensued, and the Engineer, Mr. Forster, whose health had given way under the anxieties of his position, resigned his office, and shortly afterwardsdied. At this time Mr. Bazalgette came prominently forward in the matter.He had since 1849 held office underthe successive Commissions, and on the death of his chief he was selected, out of thirty-six candidates, as the most suitable person to fill the vacant post. He was immediatelyinstructed, in conjunction with Mr. Haywood, to prepare a scheme for the main drainage, and the joint engineers, taking as abasis the proposals of Mr. Forster, presented a modified and improved plan in the early partof 1854. The progress of this scheme was, however, frustrated by the inter- ference of a public departmentcalled the GeneralBoard of Health, andafter further changes inthe Commission the Government resolved to create a new representative body, an Act to effect this object being passed on the16th August, 1855. This was the origin of the Metropolitan Board of Works, one of whose first acts was to appoint Mr. Bazalgette as their Chief Engineer, and to instructhim to report atthe earliest possible period asto the works necessary for the main drainageof the Metropolis. It might be supposed that under these circumstances the work would henceforth go on smoothly; but this was not to be. It wa8 a proviso in the Act that the designs of the Board were to be submitted for approval to the Government, and in accordance with this Mr. Bazalgette’s plans were sent to Sir Benjamin Hall, theChief Commissioner of H.M. Works, in June 1856. Questions were then raised about the outfalls and otherdetails, and after the plans had been twice modified, the Government, being still dissatisfied, determined to refer the whole question to a Committee of three

Downloaded by [] on [12/09/16]. Copyright © ICE Publishing, all rights reserved. 304 SIR ’WILLIAMJOSEPH BAZALGETTE. [Ohituary. engineers, Captain DouglasGalton, R.E., Mr. James Simpson, and Mr. Thos. E. Blackwell. The submission was made in December 1856, and, after a long inquiry, the referees, in July 1857, reported on several points unfavourably to the Board’s plan, and recommended a scheme of a much larger character. After some ineffectual negotiations the Board instructed Mr. Bazalgette, in conjunction with two other engineers, Mr. G. P. Bidder and Mr. Thos. Hawksley,to reconsider thematter. A reply, from these gentlemen jointly,,to the Government referees was delivered in April 1858, and led to a discussion between the parties which lasted some time. Meanwhile the state of, the River Thames was daily becoming worse, and Parliament was in despair at seeing that nothing was being done. But there had been a change of Ministry,and, on theurgent application of theMetropolitan Board, Mr. Disraeli succeeded, in August 1858, in passing an Act which relieved them from the necessity of Government sanction, on the ground that, as the Metropolis paid for the works, they had a right to con- struct them in any way theypleased, or, as the FirstCommissioner afterwards expressed it, “He who pays the fiddler has a right to callthe tune.” Thissettled this matter. Immediately after the passing of the Act the Metropolitan Board instructed Mr. Bazal- gette to complete the detailed designs, and contracts were entered into for the construction of the works. Theengineer seconded their wishesmost energetically. In 1865 thegreat drainage system was formally opened by H.R.H. the Prince of Wales; but the latter portions took considerable time, and it was not finally completed until 1875. The works of the Metropolitan Main Drainage have been fully described in a Paper given by Mr. Bazalgette to the Institution in 1865, for which he was awarded a Telford Medal and Premium.‘ It will suffice hereto say that they consisted of 83 miles of large intercepting sewers, draining more than 100 square miles of land covered with buildings, and estimated to deal 420,000,000 with gallonsper diem. Theamount expended on the works bythe Board wa.s ;E4,600,000. As a conclusion to the remarkable history of this remarkable work it is only just to Sir Joseph‘s memory to insert the following observations by a body especially competent to judge of its merits, namely, the Royal Commission on the MetropolitanSewage

“On the Main Drainage of London, and the Interception of the Sewage from the River Thames,” Minutes of Proceedings Inst. C.E., vol. xxiv. p. 280.

Downloaded by [] on [12/09/16]. Copyright © ICE Publishing, all rights reserved. Obituary.] SIR JOSEPR WILLIAN BAZALGETTE. 305 Discharge, of which Lord Bramwell was President. In their First Report of 31 January, 1886, they say :-

“The historical notice we have given will show that the drainage systemwas decided on under great difficnltics, thc differcnces of opinion as to some of the principles of the scheme bcingvcry formidable. It became, therefore, au arduous task to settle the plans tobe adopted, but the stateof the river rendered n prompt decision necessary, and it cannot be questioned that the Metropolitan Board of Works had good grounds for the course they took in the matter. The arguments in favour of a larger scheme, with more distant outfalls, were urged with much force, and by very competent. authorities, but the Board had to con- sider the important conditions of promptness of execution and economy of cost; and as they had reasonable justification for believing in the sufficiency of the scheme theyadopted, thcy cannot be blamed fordeclining to commit their constituency to what they thought an unnecessary expenditure, especially as an estension of the outfall sewers to a lower point, if necessary, could always be effected at a future time ; and, lmving once decided on their plans, the energy shown in carrJing them out with all expeditionis deserving of great credit. ‘‘ To their engineer also, who has been fortunate enough to se0 the great work carriedthrough from its inception toits successful completion, highpraise is due. “It is true that the main features had been proposed before he took charge of the n-ork, but this fact in no wise detracts from Sir Joseph Bazalgette’s pro- fessional skill in re-designing thewhole scheme, in all itscomprehensive details, and in carrying it through all the intricate difficulties of its construction, so makingthat practical which before was theoretical only. Andit must be observed that, whatever differences of opinion may exist as to disputed pointsin the design of the works, no question has ever been raised as to their excellence of construction. ‘‘ Then, further, no one can deny the great benefit that has arisen from the main drainage works. The dischargc of the sewage into the river within the heart of London had become intolerable, and its interception has exercised a powerful influence in improving the general health of the metropolis. For the system has not only removed an offensive and deleterious element from the most populous part of London, but has also promoted general salubrity by improving the drainage of the eutire metropolitan area. “And even granting that some evils may be caused, as we think is the case, by the present mode of discharge, yet these are not of a nature to be compared with those that have been removed by the main drainagescheme.’’

In the latter years of Sir Joseph‘s engagement under the Board of Works, he designed and carried out extensive works to supple- ment the original main drainage scheme. These consisted chiefly in the enlargement of the existing sewage reservoirs at the main outlets at Crossness andBarking, and the construction of pre- cipitatingtanks, whereby the sewage sludgewhich had previously been accumulatingin the bed of the Thames could be deposited in the tanks and pumped out into suitably constructed steam-vessels for rapid conveyance out to sea, where it would be discharged into deep water. In these large precipitating tanks [THE INST. C.E. VOL. CV.] X Downloaded by [] on [12/09/16]. Copyright © ICE Publishing, all rights reserved. 306 SIR JOSEPH WILLIAM BAZALGETTE. [Obituary. the effluent sewage was also treatedwith chemicaldeodorants before it was permitted to be discharged into the river.

Theother great work which has contributed tc Sir Joseph Bazalgette’s fame is the Embankmentof the River Thames. The idea of this had longbeen an object of contemplation with persons interested in the improvement and embellishnlent of the Metropolis. It wasfirst propounded bySir Christopher Wren after the greatfire, and towards the middle of the present century, John Martin, the well-known painter, with remarkable foresight, devised a scheme for combining an embankment with t,he interception of the sewage from the river. In 1860 theidea first assumed practicalshape ; an embankment was recommended by a committee of the House of Commons, and in the following year a Royal Commission concurred in the recommendation, but suggested that, in viewof the magnitude and importance of the work, the undertaking should be entrusted to a body of special commissioners. The Metropolitan Board pointed out to the Government the inexpediency of ca,lling into existence a new body for the purpose, particularly a,s the low-level sewer was to be formed in the embankment under their responsibility; the Government agreed with this view, and in 1862 passed an Act which empowered the Metropolitan Board to execute the work. This was followed by other Acts, the designs were prepared by Mr. Bazalgette and the work proceeded. Some delay was caused by the arrangement for constructing a large portion of the Metro- politan District Railwayin connection with the embankment; and a portion of the eastern end near Blackfriars had to be modified accordingly, but by energy and good management the work was completed from Westminsterto Blackfriars in 1870, andwas opened in state by the Prince of Wales on the 13th of July in that year. In 1866-9 another portion of the embankment was constructed on the Surrey side, between Westminster and Vauxhall, and in 1871-4 a further portion at Chelsea. In 1876 was formed the fine approach to the Embankment from Charing Cross, called North- umberland Avenue. These admirable works, which cost S2,150,000,have been fully described in a Papergiven to the Institution in 1878 bySir Joseph’s third son, Mr. Edward Baza1gette.l

‘‘ The Victoria, Albert, and Chelsea Embankments of the River Thames,” Minutes of Proceedings Inst. C.E., vol. liv. p. 1.

Downloaded by [] on [12/09/16]. Copyright © ICE Publishing, all rights reserved. Obituary.] SIFC JOSEPH WILLIAN BAZALGETTE. 307 On the completion of this work the Queen was graciously pleased to confer the honour of knighthood on the Engineer who had previously (in 1871) been made a Companion of the Bath. The following was the letterconveying to theBoard Her Majesty’s command :- 10, DOWNINGSTREET, WHITEHALL, 11th May, 1874. DEAR COLONELHoGG,-I have much gratification in informing you that, to commemorate the completion of the Thsmes Embankment, the Queen has been graciously pleased to confer on you the high distinction of a Knight Commander of theBath (Civil Division), and on theeminent Engineer of the Works, already a C.B., the honour of Knighthood. I remain, dear Colonel Hogg, Yours sincerely, (Signed) B. DISRAELI. Colonel Hogg, M.P., Chairman of Metropolitan Board.

These monumental structures hare not, however, been the only useful and importantworks designed and carried out by Sir Joseph in his capacityas Chief Municipal Engineer of the Metropolis. Under the provision of the Metropolitan Toll Bridges Act 1887, Waterloo, Charing Cross, Lambeth,Vauxhall, Chelsea, Albert, Battersea, Wandsworth, Putney and Hammersmith bridges over the Thames, andthe bridge at Deptfordover the Creek, were purchased at a cost of nearly a million and a half, and opened to the public free of toll. Pending the enquiries to determine their value, Sir Joseph gaveevidence as to their strength and condition, and, when they had passed into the hands of the Metropolitan Board, made important repairs andimprovements in their structure. He also designed the new bridges at Putney and Battersea, and designed and constructed a steam ferry across the Thamesbetween Xorth and SouthWoolwich, which has been found of great public utility. He also raised the levels of all wharves along the banks of the Thames within the metropolis and of over 40 miles of river bank, so as to prevent the damage to property in the low-level districts which had been caused by the frequent overflowing at high tides. Among the worksdesigned by him butnot yet carried out may be mentioneda largetunnel under the Thamesbetween Greenwich andBlackwall, and a high-level bridge, consisting of a trussed steel arch of 850 feet span proposed to be erected over the river near the Tower. He remained with the Metropolitan Board till its dissolution in 1889, andhis last (thirty-third) annual report of the 31st of X2 Downloaded by [] on [12/09/16]. Copyright © ICE Publishing, all rights reserved. 308 SIR JOSEPH WILLIAM BAZALGETTE. [Obituary. December, 1888, published in the final Official Report of the Board, givesan idea of the workhe hadto do. It occupies fourteen closely printed folio pages and refers to no less than nine hundred and fifty detailed reports he had made in the course of the year. Sir Joseph was on many occasions consulted by foreign govern- ments with reference to schemes for the draina.ge and improvement of large continental cities, and in his own country he frequently gave advice and assistance to the authorities of provincial towns. Sir Joseph Bazalgette was connected with the Institution for more than fifty-three years, and at thetime of his death only four members survived of older standing than himself. Entering as a Graduate on the 6th of March, 1838, he was transferred to theclass of Member on the17th of February, 1846. Hewas elected a Member ofaouncil inDecember, 1867, a, Vice-President in December, 1879, and filled the officeof President in 1884. His Presidential Address wasmainly devoted to considerationsaffecting public health and welfare in all the large citiesof the world. Sir Joseph married, in 1845, Maria, fourth daughter of the late Mr. Edward Kough, J.P., of New Cross, County Wexford, by whom he had a familyof six sons and four daughters. Although ofsmall stature and of somewhat delicate health, he possessed great energy and strength of will, which enabled him to combat and surmount the difficulties, often considerable, of his responsible public post. He had in later yearsoften suffered seriously from asthma. He died, much regretted, at his residence at Wimbledon on the 15th of March, 1891.

JOHN MARLEY, youngest surviving son of Mr. Thomas Marley, of Middridge Grange, near Shildon, in the County of Durham, was born there on the 11th of November, 1823. He received his early education from the Rev. J. Birkbeck, of Denton, near Dar- lington. In March, 1840, he was articled to Mr. John A. Forster, of Bishop Auckland, a brother of the late Nr. Thomas E. Forster, M. Inst. C.E., passed subsequently under Messrs. George Hunter and WilliamLongstaff at theMarquess of Londonderry’s collieries, and finally completed his pupilage with Mr. Edward F. Boyd on the 30th April, 1844. He was soon afterwards appointed Lessor’s Agent for some mineral estates in the Countyof Durham, and in October of that year was engaged under Mr. John Bourne in rail- waysurveys betweenNewcastle and Berwick. Laterin the same year he was employed at Whitehaven in getting up plans