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11
close to the average (155). As regards humidity, it
will be noticed that the dampest month of the year
was January, when the proportion of moisture in the
atmosphere amounted to 95 per cent. of saturation
In point of fact, during the whole of the first quarter
of the year the degree of humidity was 89 per cent.
of saturation. The mean temperature of the air was
52.4° Fahrenheit, the average for the last 10 years
being 51.5°; and the range was from 28° on the 8th
of December, 1871, to 88° on the 25th of July last.
The Water Supply.
This, as usual, has been the subject of regular
inquiry, the investigation having been extended to
the quality of the water supplied by each of the
Metropolitan Water Companies, and the following
are the principal results:—
Average Chemical Composition of the Metropolitan
Waters for the Year 1872.
Names of Water
Companies, &c.
Total
Solid
Matter
per
gallon.
Common
Salt.
Oxygen
required
by
Organic
Matter,
&c.
Nitrogen.
Hardness.
As
Nitrates,
&c.
As
Ammonia.
Before
Boiling.
After
Boiling.
Thames Water
Companies.
Grains.
Grains.
Grains.
Grains
Grains.
Degrees.
Degrees.
Grand Junction
19.48
1.87
0.103
0.130
0.004
14.6
3.7
West Middlesex
18.88
1.81
0.049
0.131
0.001
14.7
3.7
Southwark & Vauxhall
19.21
1.79
0.102
0.123
0.004
14.7
3.7
Chelsea
19.63
1.86
0.101
0.133
0.004
14.9
3.8
Lambeth
19.66
1.86
0.098
0.123
0.003
15.0
3.8
Other Companies.
Kent
27.21
2.60
0.011
0.233
0.000
20.2
5.7
New River
18.97
1.77
0.039
0.134
0.001
14.7
3.6
East London
20.04
2.02
0.058
0.150
0.002
15.1
4.1