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metals. To a certain extent, success has attended these endeavours, but the
business is frequently so carelessly conducted that the greater part of the
acid vapour escapes into the neighbourhood. Not only is this vapour injurious
to the health of the neighbourhood, but it is likewise destructive to
property, and complaints of many persons who have had their clothes
destroyed have been made. The nuisance, I believe, may be entirely abated;
it is merely a question of cost. After the numerous complaints which have
been made, and of which Sir Anthony has had notice, it is most earnestly
hoped that the cost of suppressing this injurious nuisance will not be considered,
but that Sir Anthony will adopt means whereby the inhabitants
may breathe an atmosphere uncontaminated by the deleterous gases
that are given off from his premises. If Sir Anthony Rothschild cannot
obtain the additional space by the side of the Royal Mint which he thinks
would tend to mitigate the nuisance, he can certainly procure almost any
amount of space on the East-side of the existing premises. I may hero
express a feeling of regret that the proposal I made personally to Sir
Anthony to allow me to obtain the assistance of a skilled and practical
chemist to inspect the premises with myself and his surveyor to ascertain
what means might be adopted to prevent the escape of the acid vapour into
the neighbourhood, was not agreed to.
I have also to record the fact of another nuisance arising from the mode
in which a Malleable Iron Foundry, situated in Back Church Lane, is conducted.
A short time ago, a memorial signed by 63 inhabitants, was sent
to your Board, complaining of the offensive black smoke and the quantity
of black and white dust which are emitted from the factory. The black and
white "dust is stated to get into the rooms of the memorialists and to be
injurious to their eyes. It is further stated, that the said dust is often to be
found lying in the ground to the depth of the thickness of a half-penny.
Not only do the memorialists [complain of the smoke and dust, but they
state that the noise from the machinery is so loud that they cannot hear
each other speak distinctly, and this noise is accompanied with rumbling
and shaking of the houses. On visiting the premises complained of, I
ascertained that the dust spoken of arose from the escape of portions of
oyster-shells which are used in the process of melting the iron, to free it
from slugs or rubbish. The smoke is occasioned by the chimney being too
low, and the want of a proper smoke-consuming apparatus in the furnace.
The noise is caused by the use of a fan to produce a blast in the upright
cylinders in which the iron is melted. A notice has been served upon the
proprietor to abate the nuisance complained of, which I have no doubt
will be promptly attended to.
In addition to your powers under the Nuisances Removal Act, and the
Metropolis Local Management Acts, you have recently been entrusted with