like an "inclined plane," the particles of water "similar to globes of shot," "excavations," "feculence," and "putrescence," &c. were necessary to the perfection of his "picture," so as to render every part of it (to use the painters' phrase) in perfect keeping!

When the truly scientific observers of nature contemplate the varying appearances which result from the processes constantly going on in the great material laboratory on which they reside, they perceive that the most potent causes are incessantly, though gradually, operating to effect those changes which produce the "

pure air," pure water," as well as all the other substances that contribute to the "health," "comfort," and enjoyments of mankind. But the more sagacious surveyor of the Thames professes to have discovered serious evils in some of those operations, as well as in several of others by which art affords her aid to adapt them for very important" domestic purposes." By a peculiar combination of knowledge and ingenuity, having contrived and matured a plan far surpassing all others, which if executed would infallibly accomplish their removal, hence a desire to promote the public benefit induced him to lay it before the Commissioners. The author of the "Memoir" averred that "the inhabitants of the metropolis are not safe in the hands of the monopoly;" and "that the establishment of a new Company would be an essential benefit!"*-he also professed to have "no object in view but a public one;" but in his "statement" the engineer developed the disinterested views of both by affirming," he had not hesitated to explain the more extensive view which he had taken of the subject, in contradistinction to the desire of Mr. Wright, of merely establishing another rival Company to the Grand Junction."†

Minutes of Evidence, p. 157.

+ Ibid. p. 65.

Besides he modestly affirmed that there is no wher practical remedy than that he has urged!" though professing to have at the time a "slender portion of common sense. Perfectly assured of the incomparacie superiority of his own matchiess capabilities, with rapture he exclaims, "How simple! how practicable! Hence he strenuously and confidently recommended the speedy adoption of his progeny-his precious infalible nostrum, doubtless with the benevolent view of obviating “the direst calamity that can befal a populous city. That the object of both was the establishing another Water Company, the circumstances afterwards disclosed in the evidence given to the Select Committee of the House of Commons, of which Sir Francis Burdett was the chairman, proved beyond all doubt. Though their schemes "would require the outlay of a million, the overthrow of a grinding monopoly of an element of life," and "the establishment of the supply of pure and wholesome water on a sure and lasting foundation, would be cheaply purchased at any price." And "if the government of the country would but become the dispensers of the blessing, so god-like an object would soon be accomplished." "Simple," "practicable," and "disinterested!" say its ingenious and skilful projectors; and who will venture to question their capabilities to accomplish "so god-like an object," or indulge the slightest doubt of their qualifications to remove all "difficulties" and obstacles, even should they happen to be mountains ?*

One reason urged for the adoption of such a "plan"

By a reference to the "Statement" of this extraordinary genius it will be perceived that his calculations of the effective power of steam-engines, are equally correct with his philosophy, chemistry, &c. A fifty-horse power is represented to pump several more thousand hogsheads than a seventy, and in less time!

was, that it would be reckoned among "the splendid and useful improvements" so desirable to be "effected in the richest, largest, and most populous city in the world," tending not only to "fix its character and elevate it in the scale of nations," but also "to remove a national disgrace.” * Hence, agreeably to the hint given by the author of the Dolphin, "Why have not the Grand Junction Company walked off with their pipes and their engines, and abandoned the wretched speculation," that such an union of rare talents, "pure" disinterestedness, and scientific knowledge might at once be displayed, to promote the "health and comfort," as well as to add to the magnificence of the superb capital of the British empire? But would their device to supply the metropolis with pure and wholesome water," afford a supply of purer or more salubrious water than is at present supplied to the inhabitants? Would not its only effect probably be to double, if not treble the price which they now pay for their supply? And if such an addition to the cost were not a "blessing" to them, it might be a "benefit" to "eminent engineers," and "worthy authors," who formerly professed that they had "no object in view but a public one!"

66

Having noticed the principal "allegations," as they are denominated in the "Memoir," respecting the water supplied to the metropolis, let us advert to the evidence of those persons, whose practical skill united to scientific acquirements enabled them to ascertain correctly its real qualities by actual experiments, and who consequently may be presumed capable of affording the most satisfactory information. From documents appended to the Report of the Commissioners, it appears, that, by an ap

• Minutes of Evidence, p. 154.

† Ibid. p. 134.

BB

propriate contrivance, seventy-eight specimens of the Thames and New River water were collected in bottles for the purpose of being chemically analysed. The water thus obtained from the Thames was taken not only from different parts of the river, but at various depths and states of the tide, as well as at different temperatures. Three specimens were also taken from what was designated the "poisonous" water of the London Docks; and in order that no mistake might occur, and that the properties of each specimen might be correctly noted, every one of the bottles was regularly numbered, and the place also registered whence the water it contained was procured. Hence, it must be evident, that every precaution tending to ensure accuracy and to prevent mistake was carefully adopted, so that nothing might be left to supposition and conjecture.

The Commissioners state in their Report, that "in order to ensure the subjecting of all these various specimens to the most careful and rigid examination, upon one uniform system, we put them for that purpose into the hands of Dr. Bostock, a gentleman eminently qualified for the task, by his extensive knowledge of chemistry, and his practical experience in this department of analysis." The Commissioners probably would have found it difficult to select any man, whose scientific attainments and other qualifications were better calculated to assist them in the discharge of the important duties of the office which they had undertaken; and the doctor proceeded to examine all the different specimens with the most scrupulous exactness. From the horrifying representations which had been given by the strenuous advocates of "pure water," it is not unlikely that many persons would naturally expect, as the effect of Dr. Bostock's analysis, the discovery of deadly poisons and other

noxious substances in great abundance. But on the contrary, after the most careful, attentive, and scientific scrutiny of all the various specimens of this "horrible mixture" and "mass of impurity," which had been depicted as "deleterious to health and unfit for domestic purposes," he was not able to discover more on "the average than three grains of solid contents, either dissolved or suspended in ten thousand grains of the Thames' water, taking the average of the different specimens.* This statement by Dr. Bostock of the quality of the water supplied to the metropolis, presents a strikingly different "picture" from that painted with so much art, and in such glaring colours, by the veracious author of the "Dolphin," and his medical and other assistants. But greatly as Dr. Bostock's portraiture differs from the assailants of the water and the Water Companies, his representation was corroborated by the analyses of Dr. Pearson, Mr. R. Phillips, Dr. Lambe, and Mr. Gardner, whose experiments to ascertain the state of the Thames' water produced almost precisely the same results; and it is a circumstance deserving of notice, that the very worst specimens of the water-even those collected near to the "polluted," terrific, and hateful Dolphin, and the "poisonous" London Docks-were found to contain not so much as four grains of extraneous matter in the ten thousand employed in the experiments; and not one particle of this small quantity of matter was stated by him to be deleterious to health!"

Some other very striking circumstances will likewise show that the faint picture" in the "Memoir" was incorrect. Though so many assisted the artist with their colours and shading, the subsequent statements may

* Minutes of Evidence, p. 81.