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158
have been the improvements already effected, in regard to
filtration and otherwise, that there is not further room for
improvement. And it is to be presumed that the Companies,
under the guidance of their skilled advisers, will do whatever
may be proved to be necessary for removing any remaining
cause for complaint. I should particularly welcome one
improvement, which has been advocated in these reports for
many years, viz., the adoption of Clark's softening process,
which would, I believe, have a distinctly beneficial effect upon
the quality of the water, whilst removing an objection to it,
upon economical grounds, which is always referred to by Professor
Sir Edward Frankland, F.R.S., in his annual report on
the water supply of the metropolis, appended to the Annual
Summary of the Registrar-General, which, for 1898, had not
been published when the present report went to press. To
sum up, I see no reason for varying the opinion expressed in
many former reports, that the water supply of the metropolis,
from existing and projected sources, is capable of being made
everything that can be desired, so as to satisfy the reasonable
requirements of its vast population.
Dead Ends of Mains.—The solitary complaint with
respect to the water supply, above adverted to, proceeded
from the public analyst, who examines the supplies of the
several companies monthly. It was with reference to a sample
taken at a house in St. James's-square, his report thereon
being to the effect that " the sample consisted of water polluted,
and totally unfit for public supply and drinking purposes."
The Grand Junction Water Works Company, who
supply the district, upon being communicated with, took
exception, not without some reason, to the source from which
the sample was taken, being of opinion that "a sample of water
drawn from such a place, and under such conditions, would be
very unlikely to be a fair sample of the water as delivered from
the Company's main." They stated that they had received