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164
mately an inverse ratio. It certainly would seem that the presence ot
sulphur in quantity is not favourable to a high illuminating power of
gas and that there is a more or less definite relation between these
results. If this is so the relationship may act as a useful factor in
preventing too large an excess of sulphur which so many scientific
authorities consider injurious from a hygienic point of view. During
the last three months the Wandsworth and Putney Gas Company have
taken advantage of the temporary removal of sulphur restrictions which
they are now expecting to confirm in Parliament to abolish lime
purification and the sulphur has therefore during this period considerably
increased, the average however has not much exceeded 25
grains, and it has been fairly uniform. If this condition is maintained
in the future I think the Council will have no cause to regret their
decision to meet the Company half-way in procuring the relief of
sulphur restrictions afforded to the Metropolitan Companies.
Sulphuretted
Hydrogen.
No sulphuretted hydrogen has up to the present time been found
in the gas although daily testings are made, showing a
high purification as regards this impurity.
Pressure.
I have not made a special return of the Pressure in this Report as
from daily observations duly reported it is clear that it
has not as anytime varied greatly and that it has seldom
been less than equal to a column of two inches of water or in other
words one inch in excess of the limit insisted on by the law.
Mitcham and Wimbledon Gas Company.
This Company like the Wandsworth and Putney Gas Company
and the Brentford Gas Company was excluded from jurisdiction under
the Act of 1868 by whicli the Metropolitan Gas Referees were
appointed. As Gas Examiner to the Wandsworth Borough Council I
have for many years past tested at the Works of the Company at
Mitcham the gas supplied by them. By their Act of 1892 the
illuminating power is fixed at 15 candles, sulphuretted hydrogen is
tested for and I have noted of late years the pressure, but the sulphur
is not estimated.
During the last two and a half years I have made fortnightly
testings and have presented Reports for 1904 and for 1905. On the
whole the tests have shown a satisfactory condition and only on one