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wells, sunk close to the National Gallery. These wells once served not
only the fountains, but also most of the public buildings in Whitehall,
Millbank Prison, and the Houses of Parliament. They were completed
in 1847, when the water-level had fallen to 78 ft. below sea-level, but
the yield still amounted to 580,000 gallons a day. The water-level
steadily fell. First the supply to the Government offices ceased.
Millbank was demolished. Later the supply to the Houses of Parliament
stopped, and now only one of the fountains carries a supply, yielding
8,000 gallons an hour, and the water-level has fallen to 195 ft. below
sea-level, or more than 115 ft. in 64 years.
The fountains at the head of the Serpentine are also supplied from
a deep well, which was sunk in 1864. The water-level then was 45 ft.
below sea-level. It has now diminished to 138 ft., and the yield is
only 1,480 gallons an hour.
A deep well near Piccadilly Circus, in contrast with one at Oxford
Circus, indicates that at the former site the top of the chalk is 193 ft.
below sea-level; at the latter 84 ft. below sea-level. There is, however,
very little difference in the water-level, though there is more than
100 ft. difference in the level of the top of the chalk.
Revenue Act.
Certificates under this Act relieve the recipient from the payment
of Inhabited House Duty. Applications were received by me in 7
instances comprising 23 tenements. Certificates were refused for twelve
tenements. The premises in which are situated the tenements for
which certificates were granted are:—
Chertsey Chambers, Mercer Street.
Park Mansions, Knightsbridge.
3 and 4, King Street, Covent Garden.
26, Orange Street.
Smoke Prevention.
The following is a summary of the work done in connection with
smoke prevention:—
1912. Total.
Complaints received 43
Observations taken 1.722
Notices issued—
Preliminary 142
Statutory 8
Summonses —
There was more occasion to complain of smoke in 1912 than has
been the case in the last five years due probably in some measure to