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48
from chalk springs and wells 87,000,000 gallons; total,
439,500,000 gallons, or (say) 440 million gallons per day.
The report next deals with the objections which have been
raised to the proposals of the Companies in regard to increasing
the draught upon the Thames, the Lea and the chalk formation
for the purpose of meeting further demands; and the
conclusions arrived at by the Commission are stated as
follows :
"From the River Thames."—In estimating the quantity
of water which may be obtained from the Thames, we have
given full consideration to the topographical, meteorological,
geological, statistical, and engineering evidence which has been
laid before us by the representatives of all the parties, although
we shall now quote figures only from a few of the proofs. The
area within the Thames watershed down to Kingston was
assumed by the Duke of Richmond's Commission (on evidence
then received) to be 3,676 square miles; and this figure has
been adopted by Mr. Hawksley, Mr. Baldwin Latham and
others in the present enquiry as to the area down to Teddington
Weir. Both Mr. More and Mr. Binnie have made new and
independent admeasurements, and compute this area respectively
at 3,766 and 3,789 square miles; and Mr. More (being
Engineer of the Thames Conservancy) may be assumed to
possess the fullest acquaintance with the watershed, we propose
to adopt his figures. From Mr. Topley we accept 3,548
square miles as being approximately the area above the intakes
of the Water Companies. Mr. More has put in gaugings of
the discharge of the Thames at Teddington for the years 1883
to 1891 with an added column showing the rainfalls.
"In the third column of the table the average yearly
discharge of the nine years at Teddington is given as
435,931,000,000 gallons. But this quantity is subject to some
correction, for we found on investigating the details of the
gauging arrangements at Teddington that it was desirable to
check the results by simultaneous measurements at Molesey and