View report page

118
The next step taken by the Committee was to make a
personal inspection of the Baths at Forest Hill and Lady well,
and the Baths and Wash-houses at Rotherhithe, Bermondsey,
St. James's, Westminster, St. Pancras and Paddington. By
this means the various establishments were seen at work, and a
mass of additional information was placed at the service of the
Committee by the courtesy of the Commissioners and the Managers,
which has been found most useful in the preparation of
this Report.
The Committee having carefully and anxiously considered
the matter in all its bearings, were of opinion that to provide
adequate Bathing and Washing accommodation for the whole of
the Parish, it is advisable to erect three bathing establishments,,
to be placed in the parliamentary divisions of North Camberwell,
Peckham, and Dulwich ; with the addition of Wash-houses for
North Camberwell and Peckham.
The Committee having seen to what extent Bathing and
Washing accomodation had been provided at the establishments
visited, and the cost thereof, were of opinion that their recommendation
could be carried into effect for a sum not exceeding
£05,000, to be obtained on loan, to be repayable by
instalments spread over 30 years.
Having regard to the experience of other parishes which
proves that the profits on the trading accounts are in proportion
to the accommodation afforded, and taking into consideration
the tact that in the majority of cases the profits partly pay the
interest and repayment of loans (notably in St. Marylebone,.
where the profits have relieved the rates to the extent of £54,085,
and in St. 1 ancras, where in ten years £15,883 were paid out
of profits toward loans and interest), the Committee confidently
anticipated that by a judicious selection of the sites for the