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16
Works also affect Paving matters, especially the
substratum of such Streets as have been made new,
such as Regent Street, where the complication of
vaults, old foundations, drains, gas and water pipes
is almost incredible, but has to a certain extent to
he borne in mind in forming the contour of the
the surface, in fact in some instances almost
dictating the way in which the work can be done
at all.
This circumstance also causes the necessity for a
great number of openings to be made, and of course
eventually to be made good; the apparently useless
nature of these openings causes much speculation
in the Public mind, but the actual solution is to be
found in the complications just mentioned, and
partly from the natural decay of the Mains and
Services, which are probably the oldest in London.
There is literally nothing to be said with respect
to Public conveniences, the trifling work required to
cleanse and repair the by no means perfect ones in
use is scarcely worth mentioning.
The Improvements in some of the Public Lamps
are no doubt a gain to the Parish, but as they were
executed by private individuals at their own cost
can hardly come under the head of Vestry work,
although as they are now Vestry or Parish property
it would be a great improvement if more gas could
be supplied to them, the present quantity being
manifestly inadequate and actually below the average,
especially for such situations.
Of course a great deal more has been done, or