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93
In the second, third and fourth quarters the sulphur impurity did
not on any occasion exceed the Parliamentary limit, and the averages
were well within it. In the first quarter, moreover, the average was
below the maximum, but the maximum was exceeded on seventeen
occasions in January, in gas manufactured at Kensal Green. The
Company, however, lodged appeals against the returns, as the excess
had been caused by the defective state of certain valves which gave
rise to a serious leakage whereby much of the gas escaped proper
purification. The Company was compelled to continue working with
defective valves until the season arrived at which the smaller quantity
of gas required could be supplied from other stations, when the defective
valves were re-placed by valves of a better construction. The
appeal was allowed, the Chief Gas Examiner certifying that the excess
of sulphur had been due to an unavoidable cause.
No complaint was received from any private consumer in respect of
the illuminating power of the gas in 1879, and I understand that
Mr. Philip Monson, your Vestry's Superintendent of Street Lighting,
is satisfied with the quality of gas as supplied to the public lamps.
The burners now in use are calculated to consume gas at the rate
of 4.5 cubic feet per hour, whereas the burners formerly in use,
originally provided when Cannel gas was employed, consumed only
three feet per hour; but notwithstanding the increased consumption
of gas (=50 per cent.) and the consequent improvement in the
lighting of the public thoroughfares, the cost is not greater than
under the old system of a fixed annual payment per lamp.
I cannot conclude this report without expressing my cordial thanks
to various parochial officials for the assistance so freely afforded to my
Department on all occasions.
It would be difficult to over-rate the value of the sympathetic cooperation
of the Board of Guardians, and their officers, in all
measures for preventing the spread of infectious diseases.
The sub-district Registrars (Messrs. Barnes and Hume), and the
Vaccination Officer (Mr. Shattock), have always readily supplied whatinformation
I may have required.
The members of the Sanitary staff, never lacking in zeal, have