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One application for the establishment anew of the business of a slaughterer of cattle in St.
Pancraswas granted but the premises were subsequently demolished.
During the year the following authorised offensive businesses were discontinued: The business
of a bone boiler, tallow melter and manure manufacturer in Poplar, the business of a soap boiler in
Deptford, the business of a fat melter in Wandsworth, and the business of a gut scraper and cat-gut maker
in Southwark.
The number of authorised offensive businesses other than that of slaughterer of cattle in London,
except those in the markets under the jurisdiction of the City Corporation, was at the end of the year
as follows:—
Fat melters 21
Tripe boilers 22
' Glue and size manufacturers 5
Knackers 5
Fellmongers 6
Bone boilers 4
Manure manufacturer 2
Soap boilers 12
Tallow melters 9
Gut manufacturers 3
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In several instances more than one offensive business is carried on at the same premises, hence
the number of premises used for the purpose of these businesses is smaller than the number of such
businesses.
The districts in which these premises are situated, the number of premises, and, for some districts,
the number of inspections, are shown in the following table:—

In 1907 the Council made new by-laws for the following offensive businesses (1): bone boiler,
manure manufacturer and tallow melter, (2) soap boiler, (3) tripe boiler, (4) gut scraper and cat-gut
maker or cat-gut manufacturer, (5) fat melter or fat extractor, (6) glue and size manufacturer, (7)
knacker, (8) fellmonger, (9) dresser of fish skins; and, with the exception of the by-laws as to tripe boilers,
these by-laws were confirmed by the Local Government Board on November 25th, 1907. A material
point in which these by-laws differ from those which they supersede is the extension of the principle
of the use of a "closed chamber" to all offensive processes and improvement in the method of ventilation
of these chambers.
Nuisances.
Smoke nuisance.
Some of the annual reports contain a list of the premises which came under observation through
the discharge of black smoke from their chimneys, and among them electricity generating stations
and laundries are frequently mentioned. Subsequent to the institution of proceedings in 1907
against the Underground Electric Railways of London Company, Limited, by the Chelsea Borough
Council, marked improvement was observed in the amount of smoke discharged, although these proceedings
were unsuccessful so far as the decision of the Court was concerned. Dr. Parkes reports that
this improvement may be attributed "(1) to the new revolving wire-mesh screen inserted, at a cost of
£2,500, into the adit conveying water of the Thames to the condenser pumps, which separates
out the leaves and debris which formerly so often occasioned choking of the pumps and a consequent
loss of vacuum; (2) to the more thorough regulation of the draught to the furnaces through the fire
doors, which has now been carried out on improved principles; and (3) to the use of coal of suitable
quality, owing to favourable prices to the consumers being now current for such qualities of coal.
These results, Dr. Parkes states, appear to be for the present satisfactory. Reduction in the amount
of nuisance arising from black smoke is especially commented on by the medical officer of health of
Paddington, who shows that in successive years since 1904 the amount has yearly decreased in that
district.
During the year the sanitary authorities had under consideration proposals of the Public Control
Committee of the Council for amendment of the law relating to smoke nuisance. The need for extension
of the powers of the sanitary authorities to enable them to deal with other than "black" smoke appears
to be generally recognised.