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13
It will be seen from this list that the Board have done a
great deal during the year in ventilating the Sewers in the
district. Home of the older Sewers were quite sealed, so far as
ventilation was concerned. In many cases I have been disappointed
in not being in able to fix ventilators against houses. In
several instances I here met with great opposition; but I hope to
see the prejudice against having a ventilator fixed to the wall of a
house soon die out. I have placed several of Banner's cowls on
the top Of the pipe Ventilators, and also a cowl brought out by
Messrs. Scott, Dunn, and co.: but, from experiments I have made
with the cowls I do not think them of much service unless a
steady wind be blowing, moving at the rate of, say, three miles
nn hour. The action of all cowls depends upon a partial vacuum
being created. As a practical man, I know that, in a long length
of pipe, this vacuum will lose its power, hence it takes a considerable
force of wind to keep the vacuum up, to be of any service
in extracting foul air. Irrespective of these ventilators, the
Board's regulations as to the ventilation of house drains are being
carried out Hare, again, I have met with great opposition, and
have had to summon many builders. In all cases I have been
able to enforce the regulations, but in no case have I ever sought
a penalty.
SURFACE WATER DRAINAGE.
During the war I completed the survey of the watercourses
in the Parish of Lewisham. Upon the 12th of April I reported
to the Sydenham and Forest Hill Committee upon the surface
water drain. of that district, and suggested carrying out some
works. A copy of this report is printed upon the minutes of the
Board. 23rd January, 1877, page 29. I also made a large scale
plan and section, from special survey, of the River Ravensbourne,
and submitted a report upon the flooding, &c., of this River o
the Lewisham and Blackheath Committee upon the 7th of May.
In this Report 1 described the levels of the various mill-heads,
and pointed out that the bed of the River was silted up in places
to a large extent. I made several suggestions for improving the
water-way; but in a Report of this nature I cannot go into the
matter in detail. The following is a list of the New Streets