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210
"(1) As regards the addition of lime and iron in the proportions
recommended.
" ('2) As regards the addition of manganate of soda to the effluent,
after precipitation, in the quantities suggested.
"(3) As regards the formation of underground settling tanks at
Harking .and Crossness.
"(4) As regards pumping the sludge into tank steamers and sending
it out to sea."
The suggestion made was that "the Main Drainage Committee
should appoint an engineer and a chemist of position, to report to
them on the whole question of the treatment and disposal of the
sewage, as a basis for future action.'' The County Council did not
renew Sir Henry Roscoe's appointment, upon their own accession to
the responsible position occupied by the Board in relation to the
sewage question, so that the investigation came to an end.
Quite recently the new precipitation works at Crossness have
been completed. Shortly before they were opened, viz., at the beginning
of June, the County Council received a letter from the Secretary
of State, transmitting an extract from a Report by the Medical
Officer of Health to the Port of London, to the effect that the river
water, in consequence of a few hot da)s, had already begun to smell
badly in the neighbourhood of the outfalls. The works have been
in operation since the second week in June, and in a report of the
Main Drainage Committee, dated 7th July, reference was made to a
report by the Chief Engineer and the Chemist to the Council, to the
effect that the river was free from smell arising from sewage, and from
the black patches ofdiscoloured water which formerly were so offensive.
It was further stated that even at low tide no black mud was stirred
up in the wake of the steamers passing up and down the river. These
results appeared to the Committee to be very satisfactory, and they
directed a copy of the report to be sent to the Secretary of State.
It may be added that over 30,000 tons of sludge per week are now
being carried to sea from the outfalls.