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184
the introduction of enormous volumes of crude sewage. I
mentioned also that the Board, in order to prevent nuisance
within the metropolis, arising from the discharge of offensive
gases from the sewer ventilators, were adding disinfectants
at numerous stations to the sewage as it flowed through the
main sewers. It was hoped that this plan would ensure the
arrival of the sewage at the outfalls in a deodorized condition,
and thus assist in the production of a satisfactory effluent;
the object of the Board being to avoid the necessity for costly
land filtration of the effluent, as recommended by the Royal
Commission on Metropolitan Sewage Discharge, with a view
to ensure the removal of all odour and the possibility of
"secondary fermentation." The Board, in giving effect to the
views of their scientific advisers, incurred a large expenditure,
for works of construction, and in carrying out the system
adopted, which involves the transport of the sludge, resulting
from precipitation, in specially constructed vessels, out to sea.
The works at Barking, on the north side of the river, were
completed some years ago ; those at Crossness, on the south
side, last year only. Shortly before these were opened, 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 for the Port of London, to
the effect that the river water, in consequence of a few hot
days, had already begun to smell badly in the neighbourhood
of the outfalls. The Main Drainage Committee informed the
Council, (7th July), on the strength of a report by the Chief
Engineer and the Chemist to the Council, that the river was
then, already, free from smell arising from sewage, and from the
black patches of discoloured 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. Some 30,000 tons of