1.-264 specimens from wells and springs had an average hardness of . 2.-111 specimens from rivers and brooks 25.86 13.05 4.94 age. Professor Clark, in his evidence before the Commissioners of Inquiry into the state of large Towns, in June, 1843, stated several things of practical importance: he explained that degrees of hardness means the hardness which would be produced by the presence of so many grains of chalk per gallon of water; for instance, water of 10 degrees of hardness means the hardness which would be produced by the presence of 10 grains of chalk per gallon. He stated that the water from pipes he was accustomed to use at Aberdeen was of 1 degree of hardness; that of the water companies of London he found ranged between 11 and 16 degrees of hardness; the pipe water of Edinburgh about 5 degrees; that of Newcastle-onTyne about the same; that of Glasgow 4 degrees. The waters of Paris are, he had found, very hard; that of the New River Company from 12 to 13 degrees; that of the Vauxhall Water Company's water 13.5; of the Thames, at Mortlake (May, 1841), 14.4 degrees. He thought, by lengthened exposure to the air water was softened two or three degrees, and that this would account for slight differences, in this respect, in water from the same source at different seasons-thus, the East London Company's water was 16.1 degrees in May, 1841, but when taken from their pipes in the following August, it was 14.1 degrees of hardness. He found by boiling that the hardness of water was reduced in about the same ratio as in his patent process of softening water by the addition of lime; but then he found, as Professor Way did, afterwards, that water, whose hardness is owing to the presence of bi-carbonate of lime, required two or three hours boiling to soften it. This may perhaps account for the different effect of boiling observed by the Professor in the case of different specimens of New River water. He found, in 1841, May.-Water boiled at the Tavistock Hotel, Covent Garden, possessed degrees of hard Aug. 16.-Bedford Hotel, Covent Garden . Private Family, ditto ditto Private family, Charlotte Street, Bed ford Square 2.9 6.8 3 4 The annual consumption of soap throughout England, Wales, and Scotland, he found, per each individual of the population, 71⁄2 lbs. or 3s. 4d. in value. In London the average he found to be double this, or about 6s. 4d. per each person. The average yearly charge per head of the water companies for water is about 3s. 4d. The waters of the wells of London are much harder than the Thames water. Professor Clark found some of these to possess the following degrees of hardness: Torrington Square well Well at University College Well in Charlotte Street, Bedford Square, at a private house Red Lion Square pump 80 32. 43.5 61.5 The Artesian well water of London, however, he found much softer; those of Apothecaries' Hall, at Combe's brewery, and at Truman's brewery, each gave about the same degrees of hardness, viz. 5.5 degrees. Water Supply from Wells.-Croydon is supplied from a well 9 feet in diameter, 25 feet deep, and then a bore about 2 feet in diameter, 50 feet deep-the soil chalk. The water flows into the well at the rate of 1000 gallons per minute. The ordinary well water of Croydon possesses . 18.5 Professor Way's analysis After boiling Artesian wells of London Brighton Water Company's water Sheerness Water Company's water Harwich 4.2 5.5 15 5.5 12.75 15 16.5 15.6 17.7 Professor Broad. Report of General Board of Health, 1850, Appendix No. 2, p. 93. London.-Paddington Waterworks. Thames, at Teddington Ditto, West Middlesex Waterworks Ditto, Chelsea Waterworks Ditto, at Windsor Ditto, Thames Ditton 22.4 16 17.9 17.9 13.3 13.1 R. Phillips. Report, Supply of Water by General Board of Health, 1851, Appendix No. 3, p. 193. From Springs :— Barnard Castle Southampton Ranger's Report. Farnham Napier's Report. 4.5 8.5 1 Power of Local Boards to lay down Water Mains.It would have been well if the Act had been more clear as to the right of a local board to lay down water mains through private lands. This will doubtless be made more explicit in future Acts. In the meantime there is, I take it, a sufficient power implied in the Act for this purpose. By s. 75, the local board are empowered, for "their district" and "for private use, 66 to construct, lay down," &c., waterworks-" and do and execute all such works, matters, and things as shall be necessary and proper." By s. 11, waterworks includes " cuts, sluices, mains, pipes, lands, and things for supplying or used for supplying water." Sec. 76 provides, that if any house is reported by the surveyor to be without a proper supply of water, &c., that notice shall be given to the occupier "to obtain such supply," and if such notice shall not be complied with, the local board may "do such works and obtain such supply accordingly." Sec. 46 directs, with regard to sewers, that "for the purpose of clearing, cleansing, and emptying the same, they may construct and place, either above or under ground, such reservoirs, sluices, engines, and other works, as may be necessary." By s. 45, these sewers may be carried through any lands whatever. Average Expense per House for Waterworks and Main Sewage. Average House for On the following page is contained a TABLE showing the equal ANNUAL AMOUNT of PRINCIPAL combined with INTEREST which is requisite for the REPAYMENT of LOANS at the under-mentioned rates of Interest, viz. from 3 to 6 per cent. per annum, in any period of from one to thirty years: |