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33
was found in this sewer, in the very
centre of Limehouse, hard by that
part of the district where the pestilence
told with its deadliest effect,
near the junction of the Lea Cut
and the Canal, and within a stone's
throw of North Street, and others
adjacent, where were committed the
ravages of Limehouse Fields. This
unfinished sewer, choking with
filth, from whatever source it came,
probably from Poplar, took its
course in this condition, right
through the centre of the Limehouse
District, on either side teeming
with pestilence, into Ratcliff
Highway.
The Lea Cut, the crowning nuisance
of all, runs through Limehouse,
its south-western termination
emptying itself, by locks, into the
Thames; the north-eastern communicating
with the Lea or Bow
Creek, also by locks, but frequently,
that is, as often as the tide will
permit, the locks are thrown open,
thus Creek and Cut, forming one
continuous Canal. Midway between
the Thames, into which the Lea
runs, and Old Ford, on the east
bank, are placed the \V est Ham
pumping works.* Here are two
• Strange misconceptions prevail with regard to the disposal of the sewage from the pumping works
of West Ham. Sonic suppose it passes at once into the Thames; others again that it actually is
conveyed by the main outtall to Harking. But the truth is, that little comparatively finds its way
into the Thames before it has well scoured the Lea Cut and River Lea. In the first place, lor 14 days
out of every 28, or in the spring tides, and tor 4 hours during the 24 the lock at Bromley is thrown
wide open, so that the Lea Cut and polluted River Lea form one piece of water. 1 hat is for thespaco
of 6 months, yearly there is this locking in succcssion going on, and for 30 complete days and nights