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in dense volumes, has been emitted from the Lots-road works, it seems
probable that with increasing experience, both as to the quality of coal
best suited for the work, and as to the best methods of working the
furnaces, that a fairly satisfactory result, qua smoke, will in time be
attained, and that immense consumers of fuel, such as these generating
stations, will not materially add to the general smokiness of the air of
London. By rendering unnecessary individual steam installations for
generating power, they will of course diminish the amount of smoke
from the chimneys of works of all kinds, that is now an appreciable factor
in the pollution of the atmosphere, not to mention the purification of the
atmosphere of the underground Metropolitan and District Railways,
which has already been effected.
Deposit of Unconsumed Cinder Ash.
As complaints continued to be received from the inhabitants of
Redburn-street and other streets in the neighbourhood of the works of
the Chelsea Electricity Supply Company, Ltd., the Borough Council on
the recommendation of the Public Health Committee decided to take
the opinion of counsel as to the powers possessed by the Borough
Council for dealing with this class of nuisance. The opinion of counsel
being favourable to action by the Borough Council, if a sufficiently
strong case of injury and nuisance to the inhabitants by the deposit of
unconsumed cinder ash could be presented, the Public Health Committee
caused the distribution amongst the complainants of sheets for recording
the dates and other circumstances attending upon the deposits of ash on
their premises, which would guide the Committee in deciding upon the
action to be taken in the matter.
Since this course was adopted with a view to the gathering of
evidence, very few complaints have been received from the former
complainants in the neighbourhood of the Chelsea Electricity Supply
Company's works in Manor Street; but during the latter portion of the
year, complaints of a similar character have been received from inhabitants
of Gertrude-street and its neighbourhood as to the nuisance caused
by deposits of unconsumed cinders given off by the chimneys of the
St. George's Union Workhouse and Laundry. Similar action has been
taken with a view to the collection of evidence in this case as in that of
the Chelsea Electricity Supply Company, and the matter is still
receiving the attention of the Public Health Committee.
Frozen Australian Rabbits.
In October, 1905, two boxes of frozen Australian rabbits, which had
been purchased by a Chelsea costermonger in the Smithfield Market,
were brought to the Town Hall, as being in a "spotted" condition, and
were condemned as unfit for food.
These rabbits formed part of a consignment that arrived in London
from Australia in May, and had been placed in cold storage during the
months intervening between arrival at the docks and sale in the
market. As the white spotted condition of the organs of these rabbits
was new to me, I sent some to the Lister Institute for examination.
The report from the Institute stated that there was no evidence of
coccidiosis or of tuberculosis, but that although the bacteriological