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35
difficulty, I venture to say that, so far as the Eastern
part of London is concerned, the Hackney Marshes will
(owing to their level) provide a site which requires to
be raised in order to fit the land for building purposes,
and that the acquisition of such land will be found to
be a profitable speculation. An acre of low lying marsh
unfit for building purposes, is worth as much rent per
year for a shoot as it would be were it a level twelve
feet above its present surface, and when raised to the
proper level it is of the value of other building land in
the neighbourhood.
It has been suggested that the gases produced in the
decomposition of animal and vegetable matter would be
likely to escape into the houses erected upon street
refuse, but any one who has to remove the material
which has laid for a year will know how exceedingly
hard it is. and that all gases of decomposition are
absorbed by the earth which form part of the material.
Foundations such as these I am now speaking of are
sure to be well drained, and three inches of good
concrete will make an impermeable slab between the
earth and the interior of a dwelling, which, in the case
of six-roomed houses, would only cost £2 per house.
So long as this field is open the annual cost of removing
street refuse will steadily increase, but when this fails
the cost will be more than doubled. The reed beds on
the Essex shores will be the next place available for
East London, if the North, South, or West do not take
possession of them first. In this case a fleet of
barges specially constructed, and towed by steam-tugs,
will have to be used; but again, in this case, the conversion
of comparatively valueless land into useful
wharves is the advantage gained.