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11
of London, the soil is formed of gravel and sand, excepting
a small patch in the south eastern division of brick-earth
loam. Where there are sewers with "dry bricks" at the
sides to admit subsoil drainage, this loose porous mould
carries off the fluid, and relieves the surcharged strata above.
In the cellars of the house in which I reside, the water rose
at times, more than a foot, but when a sewer was made, the
ground became dry, and the water was drawn away from a
well in the yard.
Wells.
With some few exceptions, our wells are not deep, nor is
their water wholesome from the number of cesspools and easy
infiltration of the soil. Most of the superficial ones are fraught
with impurities derived in this way, and are, "practically,
reservoirs into which all soluble surface nuisances drain."
Some, however, do good by relieving the sodden subsoil; as,
for instance, the well in the slaughter houses of Messrs.
Stevens and Long, where, nearly a hundred cattle are
slaughtered each week, and thousands of gallons are pumped
up from below. To the deep well-waters, more particularly
if softened by the elegant liming process of Dr. Clark, such
objections do not apply. The Plumstead Company, by this
plan, reduce the hardness 12 84 degrees, or from 309 grains
to 18.06, (Thomson) and free it besides, according to Drs.
Hofmann and Hassall from all traces of confervœ and
infusorial life.
Meteorology.
On our meteorological history—beyond the influence of
the low day and high night temperatures, and the less daily
range which Mr. Glaisher tells us, distinguish the London
from a country climate; coupled with the fact that the emanations,
from the undrained places render our air less salubrious—I
regret that I possess no information. But as