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do not mix with the soil from the houses, so that
the tendency to silt up, which gives so much trouble in
the combined system, is obviated. Great objections have
been raised on the score of the liability to choke up by the
accidental entrance of sticks, brushes, &c., but such impedimenta
may be dealt with by administration of bye-laws, and
by the interposition of sufficient inspection chambers. Mr.
Adams, City Engineer of Brooklyn, has estimated that a
9 inch drain in order to be self cleansing requires a fall of
1 in 248 for the separate system, and of 1 in 90 for the
combined system—for the reason that in the separate
system the flow would be constant, whereas in the combined
system it varies, being to a great extent dependent upon the
rainfall. I am not greatly in favour of ventilating sewers,
as I think it much more satisfactory to disconnect every
house from the main sewer by properly arranged, and
ventilated, inspection chambers and disconnecting traps.
The Council is to be congratulated upon the installation of
the Electric Light in the Borough, and I hope it will not be
long before every part of the town is supplied with this
cleanly and sanatory method of illumination.
My predecessor has called your attention to the want of
provision of public conveniences. This is an urgent need in
the central portions of the town, both for men and women.
I rejoice that his repeated insistance upon the provision of
accommodation for isolation of infectious diseases has at
length borne fruit, and I hope that it will not be many
months before the Borough is provided with a suitable
Sanatorium.
Deaths.
There have been 509 deaths in the Borough, including 6
in Surbiton Cottage Hospital, 1 in the Cambridge Asylum,
and 7 in the Barracks. Of these, 259 were males and 248
females. In addition there were 49 deaths in the Workhouse
of persons not belonging to Kingston. This gives a
death-rate of 17 9 for the Borough. The Zymotic death-rate
is 3.29, or including 2 deaths from Small Pox of persons
resident in the Workhouse, but not belonging to Kingston,
3.36.
Although the returns of deaths show a low mortality in
those parts of the town which from situation, or condition
of property, would be considered more unhealthy, it must be