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but also between this Board and the Bromley Guardians, on the
subject, as well prior to the introduction of the Bill, as, during
its passage through the Houses; and they feel that the present
report would be incomplete unlaw it contained a recognition of
such services.
It was contended by the opponents of this Bill, that the
Penge and Bell Green sewer was faulty in its contraction, and
insufficient for the drainage of the additional area proposed to be
connected with it; but the sewer had, in fact, for three years,
received all the sewage of the area included under the Bill, and,
as regarded any insufficiency in construction, this Board consented
to introduce a clause in the Bill, binding them to put the
sewer into an efficient state of repair before the 25th of March,
1874, and so to maintain it.
Lewisham Bridge.
A great improvement has also been accomplished in the
present year in tho re-building of Lewisham bridge, and the
Hoard do not the less regard this as practically their work,
because it is a County-bridge, and has been re-built under the
order of the General Sessions of the County of Kent.
So long ago as 1864, drawings for a new bridge were prepared
under the direction and at the expense of the Board, and
submitted by them to the General Sessions of the County, but,
although they approved the proposed work, they offered only
£100 towards an estimated outlay of £2,400, and the proposal
to re-build the bridge was for a time abandoned.
In order in some measure to mitigate the danger and inconvenience
of the old bridge, the Board shortly afterwards
removed the raised footpath which was on one side only, making
the whole width of the bridge available for carriages, and constructed
a temporary wooden footpath outside the southern wall
of the old bridge.
The danger and inconvenience of the old bridge increasing
year by year, the Board, at the close of 1870, recurred to the
subject, and having prepared plans for a modified improvement
of the bridge, estimated to cost £800, again memorialized the
Sessions on the subject, and an order was made by the Court in
June, 1871, authorising the Board to widen and improve the