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up by the Surveyor, who, I have reason to believe, is at one with
me in approval of such use of asphalte. This subject of the paving
of carriage-ways,has been ably dealt with in a paper* read before
the Society of Arts by an "expert" member of your Vestry.
In this paper the comparative merits and demerits of the several
materials used for paving purpose—granite, wood, asphalte
—were passed in review. To asphalte, the second place was
assigned in respect of noiselessness, safety for horses, and
durability; the third place with respect to "economy," and
the first with respect to the points which most concern me, viz.,
public hygiene and cleansing. "On the score of hygiene,"
the author of the paper asserts that "Asphalte holds preeminently
the first place, owing to its impermeability, and the
consequent impossibility of absorption on its part; and in
addition to this it may be stated, in its favour, that it is more
easily cleansed,and dries more readily than any other pavement."
From time to time, your Vestry's Surveyor has recommended
asphalte paving for appropriate situations in this parish, e.g.,
Chelsea Grove, Silchester Mews, &c. No one who has visited
these places can be insensible to the great improvement thereby
effected; and on sanitary grounds I should be glad to see
the use of this material extended to many other like places in
the poorer portions of the parish.
* Carriage-way Pavements for Large Cities," by Lewis H. Isaacs, F.R.I.B.A.,
Assoc Inst., C.E., Surveyor to the Board of Works for the Holborn District.