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 I

 
 \ 
 
 ON THE 
 
 POLLUTION OF THE KIVEES 
 
 OF THE 
 
 KINGDOM; 
 
 THE ENORMOUS 
 
 MAGNITUDE OF THE EVIL, 
 
 AND THE URGENT NECESSITY 
 
 IN THE INTEREST OF 
 
 THE PUBLIC HEALTH & THE FISHERIES 
 
 FOR ITS 
 
 SUPPKESSION 
 
 BY IMMEDIATE 
 
 LEGISLATIVE ENACTMENT. 
 
 Evidenced by Extracts from the Reports of successive Royal Commissions, 
 Committees of both Houses of Parliament, Inspectors of Salmon 
 Fisheries, Medical Officers of the Privy- Council, Registrar General, 
 ^c. ^c, presented or returned to Parliament between 1855 and 1868. 
 
 CIRCULATED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE 
 
 FISHERIES PRESERVATION ASSOCIATION, 
 
 23, LOWER SEYMOUR STREET, PORTMAN SQUARE, W. 
 
 President— HIS GRACE THE DUKE OF NORTHUMBERLAND. 
 Vice-President— LORD DE BLAaUIERE. 
 
 1868.
 
 INTEODUCTION. 
 
 The Council of the Fisheries Preservation Association, 
 in bringing under public notice the subject of the pollution 
 of rivers, deem it unnecessary to use many words of their 
 own in order to secure due attention to an evil which in 
 its wide-spread extent and baneful effects has become one 
 of the deepest 7iational importance. 
 
 The facts adduced in these pages, taken from the most 
 authentic sources, sufficiently prove its colossal and neces- 
 sarily ever increasing proportions, and trumpet-tongued 
 proclaim the necessity of some prompt and comprehensive 
 remedial measure, to protect from further injury and de- 
 struction the health and lives of the people, and save from 
 further annihilation what, but for these pollutions and 
 other grievous injuries to the river fisheries, would form 
 a very valuable addition to their food. 
 
 The Council therefore in the few observations they pro- 
 pose to make, need do little more than point out (but to 
 the important fact they invite special attention), that 
 while the Royal Commissioners and the other authorities 
 quoted have all in the strongest terms denounced the pol- 
 lution of our rivers by sewage, and mine, and manufactur- 
 ing refuse, as a most intolerable and dangerous nuisance 
 that must be abated, they one and all at the same time 
 concur in declaring that it can be abated and in a manner 
 satisfactory to all parties ; that sewage can easily and pro- 
 fitably, and without danger to the public health be got 
 rid of by application to the land, and that the noxious 
 
 A 2
 
 IV PREFACE. 
 
 refuse of mines and manufactures can without any serious 
 interference with the industrial pursuits of the country, 
 within reasonable limits of expenditure, and even in many 
 cases with actual profit to the mine owner or manufac- 
 turer, be disposed of in other ways than by sending it 
 into the rivers, and thereby poisoning with it, the public, 
 the fish, the air, and the running waters of the kingdom. 
 
 In an Appendix will be found a short statement of the 
 efforts, commencing in 1855, which have been made to 
 free our rivers from their dreadful state of pollution. 
 
 Though those efforts have, it will be seen, been strenu- 
 ous and continuous, the Council regret to state that with 
 the single exception of the main drainage of the metropolis 
 nothing, absolutely nothing, has yet been accomplished in 
 the shape of effective practical legislation towards putting 
 down this gigantic and dangerous nuisance, consequently 
 that nuisance now overspreads the land in all directions, 
 it being a lamentable truth that (with the one exception 
 just noted of the Thames at London) there is scarcely a 
 river, a rivulet, or a brook, contiguous to a population, 
 or to a manufactory, or a mine, that is free from its per- 
 nicious influence. 
 
 From the remarks addressed in August last by the 
 Home Secretary to the deputation which waited on the 
 E-ight Honorable gentleman upon this subject from the 
 Fisheries' Preservation Association, namely, that "he 
 " did not intend to continue the investigations, as he he- 
 " lieved that the experience gained by the inquiries into a 
 '' feio rivers woidd govern the ichole" the Council were 
 led confidently to hope that Government would be pre- 
 pared to introduce this Session a measure adequate to 
 meet the evil. 
 
 In that expectation they have been grievously disap- 
 pointed, for on the 24th Feb. last, Mr. Hardy informed
 
 PREFACE. V 
 
 the member for Sunderland Mr. Candlish, that " he was 
 " not prepared to legislate on the subject this Session,'* 
 (see Appendix, page 52) and the Home Secretary fol- 
 lowed up that declaration by appointing during last month 
 a fresh Commission to continue the inquiries which in the 
 preceding August he then considered had gone far enough, 
 so that it seems but too manifest, that as far as the Govern- 
 ment is concerned all legislation in the matter is indefi- 
 nitely postponed. 
 
 Be that however as it may, and be the action or inaction 
 of the Government what it may, the Council on their part 
 will continue their best and most energetic efforts in the 
 cause, until a law has been obtained potent enough to 
 grapple with and put an end to this monster evil, but in 
 doing battle for an object which so vitally concerns the 
 health and interests of the public, the Council feel them- 
 selves entitled to look for the active aid and co-operation 
 of the puhlic, without which they fear they can do but 
 little, and they would here impress it on all Towns and 
 Constituencies suffering from these pollutions that besides 
 holding public meetings on the subject, in no way can 
 that aid and co-operation be so effectively rendered as by 
 \ki&\x petitioning the Legislature for relief and instructing 
 their representatives in Parliament to support such peti- 
 tions hy every means in their power. 
 
 In order to make the fearful state of the rivers of the 
 country more generally known, without the necessity (to 
 acquire that knowledge) of toiling through the volumin- 
 ous Blue Books, &c., the Council have extracted from 
 those unimpeachable testimonies all the necessary facts of 
 the case, and have embodied them in the compendious 
 form of the pamphlet which they now issue. 
 
 This pamphlet is circulated by them in the earnest hope 
 that it may help to evoke such a powerful and decisive
 
 ▼1 PEEFACE. 
 
 expression of public opinion on the question, that the 
 Government and the Legislature will be forced to provide, 
 without more vexatious and needless delay, some thoroughly 
 efficient remedy for a state of things which, as was most 
 truly said by the mover* of the second reading of the 
 " River Waters Protection Billf of 1865," " is a disgrace 
 " to a nation that prided itself on its civilization a?id ad- 
 " vancement.^^ 
 
 * Lord Robert Montagu. [Hansard, 3rd series, vol. 177, pages 
 1312—1313.] 
 
 ■\ This Bill was withdrawn, but on grounds wholly irrespective of 
 the magnitude of the evil and the pressing necessity for some legisla- 
 tion to correct it, all which indeed was admitted. [See Appendix, 
 page 49.] 
 
 Fisheries Preservation Association, 
 23, Lower Seymour Street, 
 
 Portman Square, W. 
 
 May, 1868. 
 
 DE BLAQUIERE, 
 
 President. 
 
 The Council have the high gratification of stating that 
 His Grace the Duke of Northumberland has consented to 
 preside over their future deliberations, — Lord de Blaquiere 
 having with the utmost consideration and kindness agreed 
 to act as Vice-President.
 
 POLLUTION OF KIVEKS. 
 
 Extracts from the Reports of Royal Commissions, 
 Parliamentary Committees, Inspectors of Salmon 
 Fisheries, Medical Officers of the Privy Council, Re- 
 gistrar General, &c. &c., presented or returned to 
 Parliament between 1855 and 1868. 
 
 " Ten years ago," said Lord Robert Montagu, in his 
 masterly speech when moving, on the 8th March, 1865, 
 the second reading of the " River Waters Protection 
 " Bill," '' the Committee on the Nuisances Removal Bill 
 " of 1855 had inquhed into this subject, and had ascer- 
 " tained that our Rivers had become ahsolutely pestilen- 
 " tial, and were, in fact, nothing hut main seivers, and had 
 " urged the Government to take steps for the removal of 
 " such disastrous influences." 
 
 [^Hansard, Srcl Series, vol. Ill, p. 1309.] 
 
 In 1858 a Royal Commission on the sewage of towns 
 reported (page 27) that — 
 
 " From the whole of our inquiry w^e have arrived at the 
 " following conclusions," one of them being : — 
 
 " That the increasing pollution of the rivers and streams 
 " of the country is an evil of tiatiofial importance which 
 " urgently demands the application of remedial measures ; 
 " that the discharge of sewage and the noxious refuse of 
 " factories into them is a source of nuisance and danger 
 " to health ; that it acts injuriously not only on the locality 
 " where it occurs, but on the populations of the districts 
 " through which the polluted waters flow ; that it poisons 
 " the water which in many cases forms the sole supplij of 
 " the populations for all purposes, including drinking ; 
 " and that it destroys the fish." 
 
 1855. 
 llivers ascer- 
 tained by 
 House of 
 Commons' 
 Committee of 
 this year to 
 have become 
 pestilential. 
 
 26 March, 
 1858. First or 
 Preliminary 
 Report of the 
 Commission- 
 ers on the 
 Sewage of 
 Towns.
 
 8 
 
 4 July, 1860. 
 Report of 
 Committee of 
 the House of 
 Lords on 
 Salmon 
 Fishings, 
 (Scotland.) 
 
 7 Feb., 1861. 
 Report of the 
 Commission 
 on the 
 Salmon 
 Fisheries. 
 (England 
 and Wales.) 
 
 In 1860, among other recommendations, a Committee 
 of the House of Lords recommended (page 12) — 
 
 " That penalties to be recovered by summary process 
 " be imposed for allowing any refuse matters from any 
 " mill or manufactory to go into any river ;" and 
 
 " That a bill be introduced by Her Majesty's Govern- 
 " ment in conformity with the above recommendations." 
 
 In 1861 the Commissioners on Salmon Fisheries re- 
 ported (pages 19—21) that— 
 
 *' The most striking case of contamination of waters by 
 " the efflux from mines was in the Ystwith and llheidol 
 " at Aberystwith." 
 
 " These two streams both contained salmon in some 
 " abundance thirty years ago. Since the working of the 
 " Goginan lead mines, a total eztmctiofi of a?iimal life has 
 " taken place in the Rheidol. The Ystictth has been 
 " similarly affected by other lead works." " The most 
 " distinct evidence was given us of the destruction of 
 ** salmon from this cause. It was even stated that the 
 *' sea-fishery to the extent of some miles out had been 
 *' much deteriorated from the same cause." 
 
 " No other case of destruction so complete was brought 
 " under our notice ; but there were others of the noxious 
 *' effect of mine waters, in more or less degree, which, if 
 " continued, must ultimately prove fatal to the fish. 
 " Among these we may mention the Tawe, Neath, Rhym- 
 " ney, Towey, Taff, the South Tyne, &c." 
 
 " In Cormcall the salmon fisheries may be said to be 
 " virtually destroyed by the mines." 
 
 August 1861. 
 Second 
 Report of 
 the Commis- 
 sioners on 
 the Sewage 
 of Towns. 
 
 And in the same year (1861) the Commissioners on the 
 sewage of towns in a further report, pages 4 to 9, give 
 a frightful picture, (drawn from their own personal in- 
 spection) of the pollution of the rivers Irwell, Irk, Roch, 
 Croat, Tonye, Tame,* Mersey, Bollin, and Medlock, saying 
 
 * In the evidence of Robt. Rawlinson, Esq. (formerly one of the 
 Commissioners on the Sewage of Towns, and also one of the late 
 Commissioners on the Pollution of Rivers), before the House of Com- 
 mons' Committee of 1864, on the sewage question, he says : — 
 
 " That, before the Tame reaches Birmingham, it receives above
 
 9 
 
 of the surpassing filth of the last, where it forms the head 
 of the Bridgewater Canal, " no description can give an 
 " adequate idea ;" adding, that " such is its consistency, 
 " it is said birds walk over itj'^ Derwent, Aire, Calder 
 and Don in their respective courses through or near 
 Manchester, Middleton, Rochdale, Bolton, Staleyhridge, 
 Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Ashton, Stuchport, Mac- 
 clesjield, Walsall, West Bromicich, Burg, Oldham, Derby, 
 Bradford, Leeds, Wahejield, Sheffield, Rotherhatn, Don- 
 caster, Sec, Sec, after which the Commissioners proceed 
 to say : — 
 
 " If the discharge of solid matters of sewage and other 
 " refuse into rivers is prevented, the chief part of the 
 " inconvenience, which is now rapidly rising to the pro- 
 " portion of a national evil, would at once be arrested. 
 " This can be easily and fully accomplished loithin rea- 
 " sonable limits of expenditure, and we urge, as the first 
 *' and all important step towards securing this object, and 
 '* the permanent improvement and protection of tlie rivers 
 " of the country, that a general local jurisdiction and 
 *' conservancy be created throughout the kingdom, with 
 " adequate powers and proper guarantees for their due 
 " administration." Adding (pages 11, 12, 13) that — 
 
 " Notwithstanding the incompleteness of our inquiry, 
 " we trust enough has now been said as to the enormous 
 " loss and injury produced in various ways, by the pre- 
 " sent state of neglect and misuse of our rivers, to secure 
 " immediate attention with a view to the adoption of 
 " general and decided measures to arrest this great and 
 " growing evil. 
 
 " As regards the deterioration of water for domestic 
 " and other useful purposes, the pollution of rivers is an 
 " evil of immense magnitude. In extreme cases the water 
 " is unfit for any kind of use ; but long before this degree 
 " of foulness is reached, the water has been unfit for 
 " purposes of cleanliness, and from a very much earlier 
 
 " Birmi7igham the sewage of 270,000 people, and all the refuse of 
 " gas works, pumpings of coal mines, and the drainings of the great 
 " district of South Staffordshire. Birmingham always suffers more 
 " or less from a type of fever. Its mortality is much higher than 
 " that of the Metropolis."
 
 10 
 
 " stage of contamination has been utterly unfit for drinking. 
 " The List mentioned evil deserves very particuhar atten- 
 " tion,yor the danger to health occasioned by the con- 
 " sumption of polluted water, is, in our opinion, infi- 
 " nitely greater than any danger which the effluvia of 
 '^ polluted water can occasion. Water, tainted but very 
 '^ slightly with sewage, may determine terrible outbreaks 
 " of disease* among the popidations lohich drink of it ; and, 
 " although in such cases as that of Manchester (where the 
 " water is grossly and offensively foul), there is little 
 " chance that people will drink that water, yet in cases 
 " of less obvious contamination, tainted water is, perhaps, 
 " extensively drunk. Such water, supplied by Water 
 " Companies, has, in various cases, been suspected, or 
 " proved to have determined, on a very large scale, the 
 " distribution of cholera deaths during times of epidemic 
 " visitation ; as in our South London districts, during 
 " the two last epidemics of cholera ; f at other times it 
 '* has, probably, exerted equal influence, in determin- 
 " ing the distribution of deaths from ordinary diarrhccal 
 " diseases ; and on various occasions it has been shown, 
 " that what to the common eye is an inappreciable 
 '^ pollution of water by sewage, may yet imply very 
 " serious dangers of infection for the persons who consume 
 " such water. On these grounds, seeing that brooks and 
 " rivers are almost universally the sources from which 
 " Water Companies derive their supplies for large urban 
 " populations, we deem it to be of essential importance to 
 " the public health, that the running icaters of the country 
 " should be strictly protected from p)ollutionJ''' 
 
 Among other conclusions they arrived at, the Com- 
 missioners, at page 39, submitted the following : — 
 
 " That this condition of rivers is a public and national 
 
 * As foi' example: cholera outbreak in ISo-i in the Broad Street, 
 Golden Square, District. 
 Fevers, &c., at Kotherham, 1862-4, [vide INIemorial of Rotherham 
 
 Board of Health, pai^e 18.] 
 Cholera — East London, 1800. 
 Typhoid fever at Guildford, Sept., 1807. [Vide Dr. Buchanan's 
 
 'Report to Privy Council, pages 39 and 40.] 
 Do. do. at Terlin'g, Dec, Jan., Feb., 1807-8. [Vide Dr. Thome's 
 
 lleport to Privy Council, pages 40—42.] 
 Do. do. at Marine Barracks, Stonehouse (Plymouth), Dec. 1807, 
 in -which case seven marines died — water from veil strongly 
 suspected. Vide extract from Lancet, page 43. 
 t Of 1848-y and 1853-4.
 
 11 
 
 " mtisance, it interferes with the convenience and comfort 
 " of all classes of the people, it damages various and 
 " important interests as manufacturing establishments, 
 " canals, ^sAmes, and so on; it deteriorates property to a 
 " large extent, and as interfering with a main source of 
 *' water supply is of serious importance to the public 
 " healthr 
 
 In 1862 the Inspectors of Salmon Fisheries, at page 27, 8th Feb., 
 
 report that among many other rivers — such as the Istioith \^i Annual 
 
 and Rheidol, Pontypool Miver, the South Tyne, and the R^poi't of 
 
 Eden fat Carlisle), &c. — found to be grievously affected tors of 
 
 by various forms of pollution, p- h^°" 
 
 " The Colder is so polluted by dye and print works, 
 " that the fish in it have been nearly, if not quite de- 
 " destroyed." 
 
 And in 1863, after referring (pages 59 to 63) to the 2nd March, 
 way in which the Kent by paper works, the Dovey, Wye, 2nd Annual 
 Teign, Tamar, Tavey, and South Tyne by mines, the Report of 
 Tawe by copper and other works, and a tributary of the Salmon 
 Usk by chemical works, are severally poisoned and the f'p T^^^' 
 fish destroyed, the Inspectors conclude their 2nd Annual and Wales). 
 Report by saying : — 
 
 " We are confident that the injury done to such rivers 
 ' as are polluted is capable of great reduction, and that 
 ' if, by mechanical means, the great proportion of the 
 ' poison from mines or factories can be extracted before 
 ' the fouled water reached the river, the small quantity 
 ' that escapes would be neutralised by the body of pure 
 ' water that receives it. Such means do exist, and in all 
 ' cases, in our opinion, are a source of profit to their 
 ' employers." 
 
 August, 1863, 
 
 In August, 1863, a deputation from the Sanitary Deputation 
 
 Associations of Great Britain and the " Fisheries gon^tarv^s- 
 
 Preservation Association," waited on the late Lord Pal- sociations of 
 
 merston, on the subject of the pollution of rivers and ^nd the 
 
 its prevention, when his Lordship fully recognizins' Fisheries 
 
 •^ ' . . ^ -^ . Preservation 
 
 the extreme gravity of that evil, and the necessity of Association 
 
 putting an end to it, expressed his intention of hringiyig palmerston
 
 12 
 
 4 March, 
 1864. 
 
 Joint Letter 
 of Lords 
 Ebury and 
 Shaftesbury, 
 on behalf of 
 the Sanitary 
 Associations 
 of Great 
 Britain, and 
 Lords Sal- 
 toun and 
 Llanover, the 
 President 
 and Vice- 
 President of 
 the Fisheries 
 Preservation 
 Association, 
 to Viscount 
 Palmerston, 
 First Lord of 
 the Treasury. 
 [Pari. Paper 
 224, April 20, 
 1864.] 
 
 forward a Government measure for the jmrpose, — and 
 had he lived no doubt he would have done so with the 
 same energy his Lordship evinced in suppressing by 
 legislative enactment the smoke nuisance, a nuisance 
 however, which, great as it was, only affected one 
 element, while the pollution of rivers, poisons two, air as 
 well as water. 
 
 His Lordship having requested the deputation to 
 submit its views and wishes in writing, a letter was ad- 
 dressed to him, from which the following are extracts : — 
 
 London, 4 March, 1864. 
 " ' My Lord, 
 
 " When we had the honour of an interview with your 
 " Lordship, you requested us to submit, in writing, the 
 '' several propositions we might desire to make, for 
 " preventing the pollution of streams. 
 
 " The pollution of rivers and streams has now become 
 " very general, and great injuries result therefrom. These 
 " may be considered — 
 
 " First, as affecting the public at large in a sanitary 
 
 " point of view, and what is called in Scotland the 
 
 " ' amenity ' of the district. 
 
 " And secondly, the fisheries, many of which have 
 
 " been totally destroyed by the deleterious matter, which 
 
 " is thrown into, or suffered to flow into, the rivers and 
 
 " streams. 
 
 " As regards the injury to the health and comfort 
 " of the population living upon the banks of rivers 
 " and streams, or in their immediate neighbourhood, 
 " it is fortunately unnecessary to use our own language, 
 " because the case has been set forth in its true light, 
 " in clear and unmistakeable terms, in the reports pre- 
 " sented by the eminent men who composed the Sewage 
 " of Towns Commission." 
 
 The Letter after quoting from the first report of the 
 Commission on Sewage of towns in 1858, the "conclusion" 
 (before given at length, page 7) come to by those Commis- 
 sioners, namely, that 
 
 " ' The increasing pollution of the rivers and streams 
 " of the country, is an evil of naiional importance, ichich
 
 13 
 
 urgently demands the application of remedial measures, 
 Sec," proceeds. 
 
 " As regards injuries to Fisheries resulting from the 
 pollution of the waters by noxious matters, we have 
 only to refer to the very excellent report of the Fishery 
 Commissioners of 1860, presented to Parliament in 1861, 
 for an exemplification of the manner in which valuable 
 Fisheries have been destroyed. 
 
 " In that report it is shown that some rivers have 
 been so impregnated with deleterious matter, that 
 not a jish is to be found in them, whereas formerly 
 those rivers were well stocked with fish. It is also 
 shown in the same report, (page 20) that not only 
 have fish been destroyed, but that " Animals grazing 
 on the banks, cows, horses, pigs, and poultry have 
 been j^oisoned hy eating the grass which in times of 
 flood has been covered by the infected waters." 
 " "VVe do not wish to throw any obstacles in the way of 
 trade. But we desire that the most efficient means 
 should be provided for preventing injury to the public, 
 and damages to fisheries. 
 
 " We are co7ifident that with care, and with compara- 
 tively small expense, the nuisances which the public and 
 the owners of fisheries so generally complain of may 
 he prevented. 
 
 " Under the Gas Work Clauses Act, 1847, and under 
 the Public Health Act, 1858, proprietors of gas works 
 are subject to a penalty of 200/., and also to heavy 
 daily penalties, if they permit refuse from gas works to 
 flow into any stream. We think that the occupiers of 
 other works should also be liable to penalties to be 
 enforced in a summary manner for polluting public 
 streams and the loaters frequented by fish. If there 
 are any remedies under existing laws, those remedies 
 are so expensive, that few will encounter the costs, and 
 the promoters of nuisances relying upon this, go on 
 undisturbed, deriving benefit from the injury which 
 they infiict upon the public. 
 
 " Such then beinar the state of the case, we entreat 
 your lordship to lose no time tfi proposDig such measures 
 as may seem best adapted to redress the injury com- 
 plained of, and to prevent the spread of this enormous 
 evil. Thousands of miles of streams which were de- 
 signed by Providence to minister to the wants and 
 necessities of man, give fertility to the earth, and 
 beauty to the landscape, are not only rendered useless.
 
 14 
 
 " offensive to the eye, and repugnant to taste and smell, 
 " hut are chamjed into elements of disease and death. 
 " Where this state of things has existed for a long time, 
 " it cannot be remedied in a day. But no one who has 
 " paid attention to this subject has any doubt, that if a 
 " reasonable time be allowed for the carrying into effect 
 " of remedial measures, this can be done icithout at all 
 " seriously interfering icith the interests of trade and 
 " manufacture. 
 
 " The country is greatly to blame for having permitted 
 " this evil to assume its present gigantic proportio7is , but 
 " if with our eyes fully opened, by the results of public 
 " enquiry, to its deleterious and demoralising influence, 
 " we permit it to continue and extend itself, we shall 
 " be unpardonable. 
 
 " But we need hardly remind your Lordship that every 
 " day's delay will increase our embarrassments, and that 
 " the sooner a check is put upon the present wholesale 
 " wanton destruction of one of the first necessaries of 
 " life, the easier will be our return to that system of 
 " effectual preservation of our streams from which un- 
 " happily we have so widely departed." 
 " We have, &c. 
 
 " (Signed) Ebury, 
 
 " Shaftesbury, 
 " On behalf of the Sanitary Associations of 
 " Great Britain. 
 
 " Saltoun, President, 
 " Llanover, Vice-President, 
 " Fisheries Preservation Association. 
 " To the Right Hon. 
 " Viscount Palmerston, k.g., 
 " &c. &c. &c." 
 
 7th March, In the 3rd Annual Report of the Inspectors of Salmon 
 
 3rd Annual Fisheries (1864), after instancing (from replies sent in by 
 
 lleport of the Conservators of Rivers to the Inspectors, pages 20-22) 
 
 Salmon the following rivers as variously polluted by gas and dye- 
 
 Hsheries Avorks, seweraoje, paper mills, lead and other mines, petro- 
 (Lngland ...... 
 
 and Wales), leum, tin, kianising, vitriol and creosote M'orks, viz , the 
 
 pp. 20, 21, 22. Eden, Kent, Derwent, Calder, Dee {at Chester), Dovey, 
 
 Tify, Rumney, Towey, Tave, Severn (at Gloucester), 
 
 Wye, Usk, Tamer. Teighn, Bovey, Exe, Wear, South 
 
 Tyne, and Tees, and some of them very grievously, as
 
 15 
 
 the Colder, Dee (at Chester), by gas and petroleum 
 works ; Dovey, Toweij, Tate, Tify, Wye, and South 
 Tyne, by lead and other mines, which have injured the 
 Tify for fourteen or fifteen miles, and in the case of the 
 Dovey, taken ten years' purchase from the value of every 
 acre on its banks, and caused an injury to the neighbour- 
 hood estimated at £50,000 ; the Usk, by tin, gas, and 
 iron works, vitriol, paper mills, tan and skin yards, and 
 a creosote manufactory ; and the Exe, by gas, sewerage, 
 paper mills, &c. The inspector (the late Mr. W. J. Ffen- 
 nell), remarks, page 22 : — 
 
 " The question of a remedy for pollutions is a very 
 " large one." 
 
 " In the 1st Report of the Royal Commission on the 
 " Sewage of Towns, 1858, allusion is made to the pol- 
 " lution of rivers in the following terms, p. 11 : — 
 
 " ' Other evils of a less public, but still important 
 '' nature are caused by the pollution of watercourses 
 " by town sewage. Even in the absence of large towns 
 " below the outfalls, many small villages, &c,, are 
 " situated on the banks of streams. When such streams 
 " are largely polluted by sewage, the comfort and 
 " health of the inhabitants are interfered with, and the 
 " value of their properties greatly deteriorated. 
 
 " ' The destruction of Jish is another and very im- 
 " portant consequence of the conditions described. 
 
 " ' The salmon fisheries of Scotland and Ireland not 
 " only represent a large annual value, but they form 
 " the occupations and livelihood of a very considerable 
 " population. Apprehensions are already entertained 
 " of serious injury by the daily increasing quantity of 
 " sewage thrown into the rivers. Efibrts have been 
 " made with a view of arresting the evil ; and that it 
 " can be arrested by means within our reach, is shown 
 " in the case of Leicester." 
 
 Mr. Ffennell then quotes from the same Report the 
 conclusion arrived at by the Sewage Commissioners 
 (before stated at page 7), and here repeated, viz. : — 
 
 " That the increasing pollution of the rivers and streams 
 " of the country is an evil of national importance which
 
 16 
 
 Session, 1864. 
 Recommen- 
 dation of 
 Committee of 
 the House of 
 Commons, on 
 Sewage of 
 Towns. 
 
 See Lord R. 
 Montagu's 
 Speech, 8th 
 March, 1865, 
 on the "River 
 Waters Pro- 
 tection" Bill. 
 — Hatisard, 
 3rd Series, 
 vol. 177, 
 p. 1310. 
 
 12 Oct. 1864. 
 Memorial of 
 Borough of 
 Sheffield, 
 [Pari. Paper, 
 6 March, 
 1865, page 5, 
 No. 105,] to 
 the Home 
 Secretary. 
 
 " urgently demands the application of remedial measures; 
 " that the discharge of sewage and noxious refuse into 
 " them is a source of nuisance and danger to health ; 
 " that it acts injuriously not only in the locality where it 
 *' occurs, but also on the populations through which the 
 " polluted rivers flow ; that it poisons the water which, 
 " in many cases, forms the sole supply of the population 
 ^' for all purposes, including drinking ; and that it de- 
 " stroys the fish." 
 
 In 1864 a Committee of the House of Commons re- 
 commended — 
 
 " That the important object of completely freeing the 
 " entire basins of rivers from pollution, should be rendered 
 " possible by general legislative enactment." 
 
 And the same Committee reported — 
 " In favour of the practicability of utilizing sewage by 
 " applying the same in the cultivation of the soil." 
 
 In this year, and early in 1865, many towns memo- 
 rialized the Government to carry into effect the Commit- 
 tee's recommendations, among others Nottingham, Shef 
 field, Birmingham, Manchester, Preston, Coventry, Derby, 
 Wolverhampton, Bath, Iluddersfeld, York, Stockport, 
 Cheltenham, and Oxford. The memorials, &c. (or ex- 
 tracts from them) of Sheffield, Nottingham, of the 
 Botherham and Kimberworth Board of Health, and of 
 Birmingham and York, are as follow : — 
 
 ■ Memorial of the Mayor, Aldermen, and Burgesses of 
 
 " Sheffield in Council assembled. 
 " Sheweth, 
 
 " That the practice of discharging seiverage and other 
 'foul matters into streams and rivers is productive of 
 'great injury to the health of the p)eople, in consequence 
 
 ■ of the pollution of the ivater. 
 
 " That this sewerage may be converted into a permanent 
 ' and increasing source of agricultural fertility by being 
 • conducted upon the land. 
 
 " That although it is a nuisance at co7nmo7i law to 
 
 ■ discharge any sewerage into rivers, yet the law is in- 
 ' operative from various causes.
 
 17 
 
 " That a Committee of the Honourable the House of 
 '*' Commons inquired into this subject during the last 
 " Session of Parliament, and recommended in their 
 " report thereon ' that the irnjwrtant object of completely 
 ''freeing the entire basins of rivers from pollution should 
 " be rendered possible by general legislatice enactment.^ 
 
 " That your memorialists fully concur in this recom- 
 " mendation, and see no reason why the penalty for dis- 
 " charging sewerage into rivers should not be made as 
 " simple and effective in app>licatio7i as the law noio 
 " makes the penalty for injuries done to highways. 
 
 " Your memorialists therefore pray that you will in- 
 " troduce a Bill in the next Session of Parliament to 
 " carry out the recommendation of the Parliamentary 
 " Committee herein rehearsed, and effectually prohibit 
 " sewerage and any foul and offensive matter from 
 " being discharged into streams and rivers. 
 
 " All which is respectfully submitted. 
 
 '•' Given under the Corporate Common Seal of the 
 " said Borough of Sheffield, this 12th day of 
 " October 1864. 
 
 " (Signed) Thomas Jessop, Mayor." 
 
 At a meeting of the Sanitary Committee and other 8 Dec, 1864. 
 Public Bodies of Nottingham, it was {inter alia) resolved : ■'^^^o 1^ ^^J^ 
 
 " That in the opinion of this meeting the time has Meeting ot 
 " arrived when provision should be made by the Legisla- Committee 
 " ture for enabling, and (when needful) requiring, the and other 
 " sewage of towns and villages to be applied for the Public 
 " benefit of adjacent districts of and, instead of polluting ,^°^^^^.° 
 " the waters of rivers and brooks, and also for enforcing, ^^„^°)> fgfj 
 " as far as practicable, that the noxious refuse arising warded to 
 " from trade works be purified before it enters any stream Home 
 *' of water, and the more solid parts of such refuse be Secretary. 
 " separated and retained on the land." ^^J^' ^^^^ 
 
 " That the powers of the ' Public Health Act' and eth March 
 " ' Local Government Act' do not completely meet the 1865.] 
 " wants of the case, and they give no powers to restrain 
 " the pollution of streams, and cannot give that combined 
 *' action over an extended area or watershed embracing 
 " several parishes, which is essential for providing an 
 " efi'ectual remedy. 
 
 " That the neighbourhood of Nottingham shows the 
 " mischief resulting from the present state of things. 
 
 " That impure liquid matter from the manufactures 
 " and population of Old Lenton, near Nottingham, flows B
 
 18 
 
 1864. 
 Memo- 
 rial of the 
 Rotherham 
 and Kimber- 
 worth Board 
 of Health to 
 the Home 
 Secretary. 
 [Pari. Paper 
 105, page 4, 
 6 Mar. 1865.] 
 
 Excessive 
 mortality of 
 Rotherham. 
 
 " into the river Trent, about a mile and a half above the 
 " jwint at icJiich A large part of the water supply 
 " of Xottitu/hani is now draicn from that riccr. 
 
 " That the River Leen, which passes through this town, 
 " and which was about 40 years ago a pure stream, and 
 " afforded the principal supply of water to the town for 
 " all purposes, is now foul and offensive by reason of its 
 " conteyiny jiart of the sewaye of Nottingha7n, and the 
 " xohole ef the sewaye of an extensine and populous hiyher 
 " district over which the authorities of Nottingham have 
 " no control, and flows with the rest of the seicaye of Kot- 
 " tirigham, into the parish of Sneinton, and thence into the 
 " llii'er Trent:' 
 
 Epidemics 
 there in 1862 
 and 1863. 
 
 Memorial of the Rotherham and Kimberworth Board of 
 
 Heahh to the Home Secretary : — 
 
 " Sheweth, 
 " That this Board have been under deep concern on it 
 " appearing from the returns made by their officer of 
 " health from time to time, that the mortality of part of 
 " the district of the Rotherham and Kimberworth Local 
 " Board of Health (the town of Rotherham) has been for 
 " some time greatly in excess of the regular rates of mor- 
 " tality, having, for instance, in the two quarters ending 
 " June 30,* been at the rate oi forty in the 1,000 ! ! 
 
 " That the town has on several occasions been subject 
 " to fatal epidemics, and in the years 1862 and 1863, a 
 " medical officer from the Health Department of Her 
 " Majesty's Secretary of State visited Rotherham to in- 
 " quire into the state of its health, and especially loith 
 " reference to the outbreak of typhoid fecer. 
 
 " That your memorialists believe the natural situation 
 " and state of Rotherham to be such as will not account 
 " for the sickness and death which have prevailed ; but 
 " they arc of opinion that being situate on the River Don, 
 " which flows from Sheffield, and brings down an imynense 
 " quantity of seioerage which falls into it at Sheffield, and 
 " is deposited in the bed of the river near Rothcrha?n, 
 " polluting the stream and poisoning the air, is mainly 
 in river from " the cause of the sickness and mortality ivhich have pre- 
 Sheffield. « vailed, and lohich, to the belief of your memorialists, 
 " cannot be accounted for in any other way. 
 
 " Your memorialists therefore pray that you will intro- 
 " duce a Bill next Session of Parliament, to carry out the 
 " recommendation of the Parliamentary Committee, that 
 
 * June 30, 1861. 
 
 Memorialists 
 believe cause 
 thereof the 
 sewage 
 broughtdown
 
 19 
 
 " sewerage may be effectually prohibited from being dis- 
 '' charged into rivers and streams. 
 
 (Signed) " J. M. Habershon, 
 
 " Chairman of the Local Board." 
 
 From Memorial of the Mayor, Aldermen, &c., of Bir- 1864. 
 - Memorial of 
 
 mingham :— the Mayor, 
 
 " That your memorialists have been advised by the ^l^^ermen, 
 " most eminent chemists and engineers on their difficulties 7?,vL,v«;,^,« 
 " in relation to sewage, and they have expended large sums to the Home 
 " of money and exhausted all their efforts in vain attempts Secretary. 
 " to obviate the evils arising from it ; and tJiey are now ^^^^}\ Paper, 
 " convinced beyond a remaining doubt, that the time has -,qq- ^^^ ' 
 " arrived for the introduction, by Her Majesty^s Govern- j^Tq. io5 
 " mcnt, of a practical and comprehoisice measure, by page 2.] 
 " means of which your memorialists may be enabled to 
 " carry the whole of their sewage, both liquid and solid, 
 '' upon some adjacent lands, so that it may be applied, in 
 " accordance with natural laws, in adding to the fertility 
 '' of the soil. 
 
 " Your memorialists hardly think it necessary to point 
 " out to Her Majesty's Government the extreme impor- 
 " tance of preserving the purity of the rivers and streams 
 " of this kingdom ; but they would respectfully suggest 
 " that the great and increasing number of towns and 
 " populous places exercising the drainage powers of the 
 " ' Local Government Act,' and other Acts of Parliament, 
 " in all parts of the kingdom, will result in the intersec- 
 " tion of the Island in all directions with a network of ojien 
 " ajid noxious sewers instead of the former pure and whole- 
 " some streams, unless the evils arising from the present 
 " method of disposing of sewage are immediately arrested. 
 
 " That your memorialists would also respectfully draw 
 " your attention to the increasing dijficidty now expe- 
 " rie7iced in obtaining a supply of icatcr for large popu- 
 " lations fi'om a pure and icholesome source ; because the 
 " rivers and streams are all becoming more and more in- 
 " infected with the pollution of sewage. That your 
 " memorialists are surrounded by the very large popu- 
 " lations inhabiting the manufacturing districts of South 
 " Staffordshire and East Worcestershire, immediately 
 " adjoining the borough boundaries, being only separated 
 " from them by small streams, some of which, by means 
 *^ of the sewage of such populations, have been long since 
 *' converted into open sewers of the worst description, and 
 " others are rapidly becoming in a similar condition. b 2
 
 20 
 
 " Wherefore your memorialists urgently submit that it 
 " is absolutely necessary that a Bill should he forthwith 
 " 2)repared under the direction of Her Majesty's Gocern- 
 " ment, and submitted to Parliament early in the ensuing 
 " Session, for enabling your memorialists, and other local 
 *' authorities similarly situated, to accomplish the very 
 " important objects herein set forth. 
 
 " Given under the corporate common seal of the 
 " Mayor, Aldermen, and Burgesses of the 
 " Borough of Birmingham, the day of 
 
 , 1864." 
 
 2 Jan., 1865. " The Memorial of the Mayor, Aldermen, and Citizens of 
 the City of '' the City of York, the Local Board of Health of 
 
 York to the « and for the same City, 
 
 Home •' 
 
 Secretary, " Sheweth, 
 
 105, pp. 5 & 6, " That your memorialists regard the present mode of 
 
 6 Mar. 1865.] " disposing of the sewage of cities and towns as highly 
 
 " unsatisfactory , whether as regards the public health 
 
 " or the economy of natural products applicable to the 
 
 *' fertilization of the soil. 
 
 " That the pollution of the rivers and streams of the 
 " country by the discharge therein of the sewage of 
 " adjacent towns is productive of great and increasing 
 " evils, by rendering the loaters of such rivers and streams 
 " unfit for human consumption, and converting what is 
 " often the sole xoater-supply of a town into the fruitful 
 " source of disease and death. 
 
 " That a Committee of the House of Commons reported 
 Session 1864. " in the last Session of Parliament in favour of the practi- 
 " cability of utilizing such sewage by applying the same 
 " in the cultivation of the soil. 
 
 " Your memorialists therefore respectfully request that 
 " Her Majesty's Government will be pleased to introduce 
 " such a measure in the next Session of Parliament. 
 
 " Given under our Common Seal, at the Guildhall 
 " of and in the said City, this 2nd day of Janu- 
 " ary, 1865. 
 
 " (Signed) Edwin Wade, Mayor." 
 
 January 1865. 
 
 Ileportofthe In January, 1865, the Special Commissioners on the 
 
 missioners on Irish Salmon Fisheries, in their report for the year 1864, 
 
 Salmon Fish- ^t page 17, mentionf that " the Liffey is fearfully pol- 
 
 land). " luted by seivagc, which at certain j^lt^ces caused instant
 
 21 
 
 " death to the Jish.''^ Also, that " the Fisheries loerc 
 " largely injured by the water used in steeping jlax, the 
 *' manufacture of which was greatly extending in Ireland." 
 
 The 3rd and final Report of the Commissioners on the 30 Mar. I860. 
 t. , lon^ Third Report 
 
 sewage of towns, I860, says :— of th^ Com- 
 
 " As the result of our labours extending over eight inissioners on 
 ,, 1 PI . , . . o -r f' , the Sewage 
 
 " years we nave confidence m submitting to your Lord- of Towns to 
 
 *' ships the following conclusion : — the Lords of 
 
 " That the right way to dispose of town sewage is to the Treasury. 
 
 " apply it continuously to land, and it is only by such 
 
 *' application that the pollution of rivers can he avoided. 
 
 " We further beg leave to express that in our judg- 
 
 " ment the following two principles are established for 
 
 *' legislative application : — 
 
 " ' 1st. That wherever rivers are polluted by a dis- 
 
 " charge of town sewage into them the towns may 
 
 " reasonably be required to desist from further 
 
 " causing that public nuisance. 
 
 " ' 2nd. That where town populations are injured 
 
 " or endangered in health by a retention of cesspool 
 
 " matter, the same may reasonably be required to 
 
 " provide a system of sewers for its removal.' 
 
 " And should the law be found insufficient to enable 
 
 " towns to take land for sewage application, it would in 
 
 " our opinion be expedient that the Legislature should 
 
 " give them powers for that purpose." 
 
 To this Third Report of the Sewage Commissioners is 
 appended a most elaborate report made in 1864 by Dr. 
 Stevenson Macadam, F.R.S.E., &c., &c., on the hideous 
 contamination of the Water of Leith by the sewage of 
 Edinburgh and Leith, in which it is stated that : — 
 
 " Into this small stream is discharged the sewage of Page 6. 
 " 70,000 of the inhabitants of Edinburgh, and upwards of App. 5. 
 " 30,000 of the people of Leith, and the result has been 
 " that the Water of Leith has become a foul polluted 
 " stream, conveying matter of the most disgusting and 
 " abominable character, and evolving fetid emanations 
 " into the surrounding atmosphere. 
 
 " That the inhabitants of the districts bordering on the Page 8. 
 " water complained bitterly of the offensive odours from 
 " the water, and which gave rise to nausea and sickness,
 
 " and compelled them to keep their doors and windows 
 " shut. 
 
 " That Professor Simpson (now Sir James Simpson, Bart., 
 " M.D.), showed from the mortality in the streets border- 
 " ing on the river, as compared with that away from its 
 " banks, that there was a greater death rate in the imme- 
 " diate neighbourhood of the Water of Leith than at a 
 " short distance therefrom. 
 
 " Thus taking a similar class of houses in the Edin- 
 " hunjh district, and judging by the mortality among 
 " children under five years of age. Professor Simpson 
 *•■' found that in the streets away from the influence of the 
 " foul water the mortality was in the proportion of 100, 
 " while in the streets near the Water of Leith the mor- 
 " tality was as high as 160!! In the Leith district also 
 " the death rate was greater, as in the streets at some 
 " distance from the harbour the mortality was in the 
 " proportion of 100, with a death rate among children 
 " under five years old of 1 in 12, while in the same class 
 " of streets ?iear the river and harbour the mortality was 
 " 141, and the death rate among children 1 in 7 ! ! 
 
 " That these statistics are positive evidence of the 
 " efiects of the foul state of the Water of Leith conveying 
 " the sewage of Edinburgh and Leith, and the results 
 " are supported by the concurrent testimony of many 
 " persons who speak to the nausea and sickness brought 
 " on by the gases and vapours evolved from the water, 
 " and to the general ill health connected therewith. 
 
 Page 24. As regards the atmosphere near the Water of Leith. 
 
 " The state of the atmosphere was not only judged of by 
 *' the test of the nose but special experiments were made." 
 
 " Thirty-one samples of air were collected at various 
 " parts on different occasions. On the 7th April nine 
 " samples were tested, and whilst the degrees of purity 
 '' of the air at three stations in Edinburgh away from 
 " the influence of the Water of Leith were respectively 
 " (100 being absolute purity) 85, 70, and 67, and the air 
 " at the Water of Leith at Coltbridge before being 
 " mingled with sewage was 75, the atmosphere in the 
 " immediate vicinity of the sewers and of the Water of 
 *^ Leith conveying sewage had its degree of purity re- 
 " duced to 63, 58, 55, and 55, and in one instance, as 
 " below the dam under the Water of Leith village, the
 
 23 
 
 " 100 of standard colour was totally destroyed, a second 
 " 100 -was similarly bleached, and of a third 100 only 
 " 20 remained." 
 
 On the 9th of April 16 samples of air were examined. Page 26. 
 
 " Three samjiles taken in Edinburgh in places away 
 " from the Water of Leith, and one sample collected in 
 " Leith at a distance from the polluted stream, gave 
 " respectively the degrees of purity 80, 75, 80, and 80, 
 " and one sample taken from the harbour at the Victoria 
 " Dockhead gave 70, while the air collected under the 
 " immediate influence of the Water of Leith conveying the 
 '^ sewage of Edinburgh and Leith gave respectively 60, 
 " 60, 50, 60, 60, 55, 55, 55, 60, 50, and bb. 
 
 " On the 14th April six samples of air were collected 
 *' and examined, when it was found that over the Water 
 '^ of Leith before mixture with sewage the degree of 
 " purity was 80, while over the sewers and the Water of 
 " Leith conveying sewage the degrees of purity were 68, 
 " 66, 70, 64, and 70. 
 
 " In the whole course of the Water of Leith, from Pao-e 27. 
 " Coltbridge downwards, not a single fish could be seen." 
 
 The Water of Leith at Edinburgh. 
 
 " The condition of the Thames at London is much less Pao-e30. 
 " foul than the water of Leith as it traverses Edinburgh. 
 
 " It will thus be observed that the Water of Leith as it p oo 
 " leaves Edinburgh contains fully ten times the quantity 
 " of organic matter which is found in the Thames at 
 " London Bridge, and necessarily the offensiveness of the 
 " water must be correspondingly greater." 
 
 Extract from Mr. FFEN^^ ell's 4th Report, 1865, as 30th March 
 regards the pollution of Streams. Inspectors of 
 
 Page 14 of Report.— ^^ Public attention is now so ear- p;]™'^." ^ 
 " nestly directed to this question, and public opinion so Fourth Re~ 
 " strong in regard to the necessity of mitigating the evil port. 
 " complained of, that it may not be in vain to hope that 
 '' some comprehensive measure may ere long he taken to 
 " abate a nuisance so excessive in its baneful effects, in 
 " many ways as to alarm the minds of reflecting persons 
 " who are thoughtful and watchful of the sanitary con- 
 " dition of the people, and to create apprehension that it 
 '^ is insidiously in a less apparent manner generating
 
 24 
 
 " disease in many districts, and imperilling the general 
 " health of the inhabitants of the country ^^ 
 
 Adverting, page 28, to the cases of the Rhiedol, 
 Ystwith, and Dovey, and observing that " no change for 
 the better had been made in the condition of these rivers," 
 polluted enormously by lead mines (the two first " com- 
 pletely poisoned,") Mr. Ffenncll remarks, with reference 
 to the Dovey, so seriously injured by the Dylifa lead 
 mine, and the remark equally applies, he says, to copper 
 mines, that — 
 
 " The managers of the Devon Great Consols mine have 
 " shewn that the largest and richest mine in the kingdom 
 " can be icorked uithout damage to the Fisheries, and the 
 " system pursued at that mine should be universally 
 " carried out." 
 
 At pages 29 and 30 Mr. Ffennell notices some naptha 
 and oil works as very destructive to the fish, the former 
 near Gloucester, which were sai^ to have "poisoned the 
 salmon last summer in great numbers, and the latter 
 below Chester, which so polluted the Dee, that it was 
 said its water " could not be used for Avashing," it being 
 added, that scores upon scores of sahnon had been found 
 dead near the tcorks, and that the water appeared at times 
 blackened for 7niles. 
 
 At Page 27 of Heport, Mr. Eden, the other Inspector, 
 says : — " It cannot be too often shoion that in most in- 
 " stances the mischief occasioned by the pollution of rivers 
 " is capable of easy remedy, and in all of great pallia- 
 " tion ;''"' adding, at 
 
 Page 40 of Report : — " On the subject of pollution, I 
 " have not suggested any amendment (Mr. Eden refers 
 " to certain amendments suggested by him in the English 
 " Salmon Fisheries Act of 18G1). It is a question of 
 " vital importance, not only to the Fisheries, but to the 
 " health and enjoyment of the whole population of the 
 " country, and appears to me to require graver considera- 
 " tion and more radical treatment than it can receive by 
 " the insertion and discussion of a clause in a Fishery 
 " 13111."
 
 The Commissioners on the pollution of rivers in their 20th March, 
 
 1st Report, 1866 (the Thames), state : — . . TJp,,Qj.t of 
 
 ** That throughout the whole course of the river from ^^ l^oyal 
 
 " Cricklade to the i^oint where the Metropolitan seivage ^^ ^j^ p^j, 
 
 " commences , fouling of the water by sewage from cities, lutlon of 
 
 " towns, villages, and single houses, generally prevails. Rivers, 
 
 " The refuse from paper mills, tanneries, &c., passes into (the Thames). 
 
 " the stream. There is no form of scavenging practised 
 
 " for the surface water of the Thames, but carcases of Through its 
 
 " animals float down the stream until wasted by corrup- ^^"^^ *^°"f ® 
 
 J L 1^0 \vnGr6 JViG" 
 
 " tion. The river water receives unchecked the whole tropolitan 
 
 " of the ]3ollution, solid and fluid, of the district ; and sewagebegins 
 
 " this same water, after it has been so polluted, is ab- the Thames 
 
 " stracted, sand-filtered, and pumped into the Metropolis ^°"'^^ "y 
 a ^ J ^- 55 sewage, ecc. 
 
 jor domestic uses. ^^ 
 
 Having described in much detail, pages 15 to 17, the Towns of Up- 
 enormous pollution of the Upper Thames by the sewage ^^\^ f"^!^^th 
 of Oxford, Reading, Windsor, Eton, Richmond, and river by 
 Kingston, &c., &c., the report proceeds, page 17, thus : — 
 
 " The river hasin <%t Hampton (the pumping station of -^z^^-ir-e^c 
 
 " the water companies) comprises an area of about 3,676 
 
 " square miles, and a population in 1861 of nearly 
 
 " 900,000 jiersons. After a full allowance for retention 
 
 " in cesspools, and for villages, &c., removed from the Sewage of 
 
 " banks of the river and its tributaries, there is no doubt hundreds of 
 
 " that the number of persons, whose sewage daily finds its of thousands 
 
 " way into the water /"rom ivhich London draws its supply, gjj|jg j^g 
 
 " amounts to hundreds of thousands, and this number is way into 
 
 " destined greatly to increase by the growth of popula- the water 
 
 " tion, and by the development of the sewerage svstem '^'1^^"^^ ^°."' 
 a 1 • . • 1 4.- J5 o J (Ion draws its 
 
 now only m very partial operation. , 
 
 Page 18. — Sir B. Brodie''s evidence is conclusive, that 
 
 " there is no sufficient guarantee for its (the Thames' ^j^",-^- ?'^'°" 
 
 " water) arriving at Hampton purged of injurious taint. f£th"Lon- 
 
 " The London drinker of it may be drinking with it some ^^^ drinker 
 
 " remnant of the filth of Oxford!'^ may drink 
 
 " It is the general opinion of medical men, that what some rem- 
 
 " causes the presence of organic matter in water to be "f "^ °l ^^^^ 
 
 a ■ • 4. -i. ..•.. 1, . T. 11- filth of 
 
 poisonous, IS not its quantity but quality, and this Oxford. 
 
 " quality cannot as yet be detected by microscopic or 
 
 " chemical analysis, and is indeed known only by its 
 
 " occasionally noxious eflfects. The result seems to be.
 
 26 
 
 " that as a water supply the Thames, polluted with the 
 
 " sewage of the inhabitants of the lliver Basin, is open in 
 
 " kind, if not in degree, to the same objections as well- 
 
 " water infiltrated by liquid from an adjoining cesspool ; 
 
 " well- water which is so tainted beyond all doubt is liable 
 
 " to become poisonous. Considering the enormous mag- 
 
 " nitude of the interests at stake in this question of the 
 
 " Metropolitan xoater suiyphj (the healths of many hun- 
 
 " dreds of thousands of persons), it seems impossible to 
 
 Only safe " co)7ie to any other co7iclusion than that the onhj safe 
 
 course is to " course IS to keep sewage out of the ricer. Each town 
 
 keep sewage n needs to be protected from the abuses of towns above 
 
 ^^.^^gj. " it, and to be prevented from committing abuse towards 
 
 " towns below. 
 
 " The question of sewage pollution of a river is an indi- 
 " visible one for the whole River Basin. Attempts to keep 
 " the main stream pure will be vain so long as tributaries 
 " are allowed to remain foul." 
 
 On the subject of disposing of town sewage, the Com- 
 missioners state that they fully concur with the Commis- 
 sioners appointed " to inquire into the best mode of 
 ^' distributing the sewage of towns, and applying it to 
 " beneficial and profitable uses,^' who, in their final report 
 delivered in March, 1865, gave it as their unanimous 
 "R'o-Vit t opii^ion, after an investigation extending over eight yearSj 
 dispose of that " the light way to dispose of town sewage is to apply 
 apply it to " ^'^ continuously to land, and that it is only by such appli- 
 la^tl. " cation that the pollution of rivers can he avoided -^'^ and 
 
 And that they add, that such application of town sewasi^e to land, 
 wherever that j ^ 1 1 _ ^ J3 ' 
 
 application wherever that system is in operation, as at Croydon, Nor- 
 
 tion Itwas'''' ^^'0°^^' "^^'oi-tliing, Carlisle, and Edinburgh, &c., was unat- 
 
 unattended tended by any injury to the public health. 
 
 bv injury to ai/-** i- i-ii/^ 
 
 public health. And alter various recommendations Munich the Uommis- 
 
 Recommend sioners humbly submit to Her Majesty respecting the 
 
 that no sew- . i c ^.^ • i.\, 
 
 ao-e unless government and conservancy oi the river, they recom- 
 
 purified be mend — 
 
 cast into the 
 
 Thames " That after the lapse of a period to be allowed for the 
 
 under << alteration of existing arrangements, it be made unlawful 
 
 penalties. ^ ,• ^ t.\ \ \ i 
 
 ' " lor any sewage, unless the same has been passed over 
 
 " land, so as to become purified, or for any injurious re-
 
 27 
 
 " fuse from paper mills, tanneries, and other works, to be 
 '' cast into the Thames between Cricklade and the com- 
 " mencement of the Metropolitan sewerage system, and 
 " that any person offending in this respect be made liable 
 " to penalties to be recovered summarily." 
 
 On the 2nd May, 1866, Mr. Ffennell, the Inspector of 2 May, 1866. 
 Salmon Fisheries, presented his fifth annual report for j^gport 
 England and Wales. of Inspector 
 
 n -,^ • -, 7T • 1 • of Salmon 
 
 On the subject of pollution by collieries and paper mills. Fisheries. 
 
 Mr. Ffennell, at page 15, says : — 
 
 " I do not think I can better conclude my report than 
 " by giving an extract from the proceedings of the Wear 
 " Angling Association." 
 
 The extract, which conclusively shows that owners of 
 collieries and paper miUs can carry on their works without 
 polluting the stream, is then appended. A portion of it, 
 relating to collieries, is as follows : — 
 
 " The Earl of Durham had nobly led the way in reform 
 " by not only constructing subsiding ponds at all his col- 
 " lieries, but had in addition iiiade staples or Mells, into 
 " which the partially purified water was poured, thence 
 " pumped back again to the coal-washing apparatus, and 
 " so used over and over again ad infinitum. By this 
 " simple plan being adopted, it became unnecessary to 
 " return a drop of foul water to the river or its tributa- 
 " ries." 
 
 After stating that the example of Lord Durham had 
 been or was about to be cordially adopted by Lord Vane 
 and other large colliery owners, the extract says, with 
 respect to paper mills : — 
 
 " Much complaint having been made as to the foul 
 *' state of the Browjiey, arising from the flow of chemicals 
 " into the stream, we applied for information to Mr. 
 " Trotter Cranstown, of Churnside, who has large paper 
 " works on the Wliitadder, in Berwickshire. His reply 
 " was as follows : • In reply to yours of the 20th instant, 
 " ' wishing for information as to the steps we have 
 " ' adopted to purify the waste ley from our paper manu- 
 " ' factory, we made a large pond, comprising nearly an 
 " ' acre of ground, which, being all sand and gravel
 
 28 
 
 August, 1 866. 
 Registrar Ge- 
 neral'sweekly 
 return. 
 
 ] 860. Pvegr. 
 Geiil.'s Re- 
 ])ort of the 
 public health. 
 
 6 ]May, 1867. 
 2nd Report of 
 the Commis- 
 sioners on the 
 Pollution of 
 Rivers. 
 (The Lea.) 
 
 ' below, formed a natural filter. It has proved 
 * thoroughly successful in practice, as all the ohjcction- 
 ' able ingredients which jiolluted the ricer are kept hack. 
 ' We also erected a large iron tank, whence all the 
 ' sti"ong ley is pumped up and re-used, so as to form an 
 ' actual saving.^ " 
 
 The extract concludes thus : — 
 
 " Exjjerience has also satisfed tis, that tvith trijling 
 " exceptions, the collieries and gasworks, paper mills and 
 " manufactories, can he carried forward equally well 
 " without fouling our o?ice jjcllucid streams. In nearly 
 " every case it is hut the outlay of a little extra capital, 
 " and when great concerns are planted near, and have the 
 " use-of our streams for their commercial purposes, surely 
 " it is not asking too much that the money advanced to 
 " plant a business should include the fractional sum neces- 
 " sary to prevent the owners of that concern from wilfully 
 " and unnecessarily destroying the property and rights of 
 " their neighbours." 
 
 In the supplement to the Registrar General's weekly 
 return for August 6th, 1866, appear the following re- 
 marks on the water supply of the east districts of London, 
 taken from Professor Frankland's Report : — 
 
 '' The cause of the epidemic of Cholera consists, as is 
 " well known, of a zymotic matter in various degrees of 
 " activity, all over the London area, affecting the people 
 " in various ways through air, contact, and water. 
 " Hitherto in all great outbreaks here, the cholerine 
 " which this stuff may be called, has been distributed 
 " chiefly through water. 
 
 " It is the amount of organic matter contained in this 
 " water which is of special importance in connection with 
 the outbreak of Cholera." 
 
 From the Registrar General's Report on the public 
 
 health, for the year 1866, 
 
 " Dr. Farr states that there is wo apparent decline in the 
 " rate of deaths from fever He considers it extremely 
 " probable that typhoid fccer is sustained by the increas- 
 " itig contamination of the waters." 
 
 On the 6th May, 1867, the Commissioners on the Pol- 
 lution of Rivers presented their J^nd Report which refers 
 to the Lea.
 
 29 
 
 It shows (pages 11 to 13) that the Lea, from which 
 water ybr the domestic use of a large portion of London is 
 taken, is polluted from Luton (close to its source) to West 
 Ham, near Blackwall (where its mouth is), by all the 
 towns and places on it, by the sewage of Lutoti, number- 
 ing 20,000 inhabitants and upwards, and by its manufac- 
 turing refuse (from the preparation of straw plait), 
 composed of large quantities of metallic salts, dye stuffs, 
 brimstone, &c., and in some cases poiso7ious materials, 
 by the sewage of Hatfield, which, though not discharged 
 directly into the river, the Commissioners say finds its way 
 there, by the sewage of Whitwell and Welwyn, where it is 
 also polluted by arsenic which comes from the wool of 
 sheep when they are washed, and which has been retained 
 in their wool since the previous " dipping," in which 
 process arsenic is used ; by the sewage of Hertford, 
 which, though passing into the river in a mitigated form, 
 is a constant source of complaint to Ware, situate below ; 
 by the sewage of Ware itself; and by the sewage respec- 
 tively of Bishopstortford {via a tributary of the Lea), Hod- 
 desdotiy Broxhourne, Cheshunt, Walth am Abbey , Waltham 
 Cross, and Enfield- Hi gJno ay. All the ioxe^oxng pollution 
 taking place above the intake of the East London Water 
 Company. Below the intake, the report states, the Lea 
 receives the sewage (unmitigated by any process what- 
 ever) of Enfield, Edmojiton, Hornsey, Chipping Barnet, 
 East Barnet, and Hadley, and also of Ley ton, Leijton- 
 stone, Walthamstow, and West Ham, whose population 
 ( West Ham) alone at the last census was 22,337. The re- 
 port adds that this pollution of sewage was much on the 
 increase, that the river at Old Ford was rendered very pes- 
 tiferous during hot weather by impurities from chemical 
 and other works, and that the district bordering on the tidal " 
 portion of the Lea has become a nuisance district, the seat 
 of trades expelled from the better parts of the metropolis. 
 
 The Commissioners, after condemning the East London
 
 80 
 
 Water Company for having drawn " unfilterecl water for 
 " domestic consumption " during July and August, 1866, 
 from the Old Ford reservoir, to which fact had been 
 attributed the outbreak (or great aggravation of the out- 
 break) of cholera in the East of London of that year, 
 state (p. 26) as one of the conclusions they had come to — 
 
 " That it is expedient that more stringent measures be 
 *' adopted to protect from ])ollution that portion of the 
 " Metropolitan water supply which is derived from the 
 " Lear 
 
 And, finally, the Commissioners as in the case of the 
 Upper Thames recommended (among other recommenda- 
 tions) — 
 
 " That after the lapse of a period to be allowed for 
 " alteration of existing arrangements it be made unlawful 
 " for any sewage, unless the same has been passed over 
 " land so as to become purified, or for any injurious 
 " refuse from manufactures or agriculture to be cast into 
 " the river Lea, or into any of its tributaries, and that 
 " persons offending in this respect be made liable to 
 *' penalties to be recovered summarily." 
 
 15 July, 1867. In July, 1867, the Inspectors of Salmon Fisheries 
 Report of In- (Mr. Frank Buckland and Mr. Spencer Walpole) pre- 
 
 spectors of sented their 6th Annual Report for England and "Wales. 
 
 Salmon tish- ^ ° ^ 
 
 eries, (Eng- Mr. Frank Buckland, after stating that his predecessor 
 
 ^ 1 ^\ (t^liG late Mr. Ffennell) had issued a series of questions to 
 
 the Boards of Conservators of rivers, of which question 
 No. 12 related to ^^ pollutions^" gives in an Appendix at 
 pages 38 to 61 the answers received by the Inspectors to 
 that question. 
 
 From these answers it appears that of 20 rivers named 
 in the Inspector's 3rd Rejoort, 1864, (page 14, ante) as more 
 or less polluted, 16 continued to be polluted at fully the same 
 degree, (especially the Docey and its tributary the Ttiymin 
 by the Dyliffa mine and by Sir John Conroy's), while 
 the names of about 16 additional rivers are given as suffer- 
 ing from lead mines and numerous forms of pollution, which
 
 31 
 
 in many instances the answers say kill vast quantities of 
 Jish, as in the cases of the Allyn (tributary of the Dee), 
 " icherefor 14 miles eteryjish in Dec, 1866, was destroyed 
 ly petroleum toorksP^ the TJsh, of which it is remarked, it 
 is so polluted that " unless some legislative measure stop the 
 evil the ohjects of the Salmo?i Fishery Acts and the 
 labours of the Conservators will he thrown aivay," the Exe, 
 ■where paper mills " kill bushels offish y" the Trent, where 
 (at Burton) for several years past, "fish have been poisoned 
 by tons y" the Aire, which is " so surcharged with immense 
 " quantities of coal dust and dye, that hundreds of salmon 
 " are choked and blind-folded by the poisonous salt ;" and 
 the Wear, of which the answer says, " it is dreadfully pol- 
 " luted by lead mines, collieries, iron, gas, and chemical 
 " works, paper mills, sewerage, and every abomination a 
 " thickly populated district can put into it." 
 
 This Report gives therefore a total of at least 32 rivers 
 thus poisoned and polluted, very many of them horribly. 
 
 As to the pollutions by lead mines iNIr. Buckland at 
 page 4, says, " the measures taken to obviate this terrible 
 evil have been but slight," he points however to the 
 answer of the Tamar, page 54, where it is stated that — 
 
 " The Devon Great Consols Mine Company (whose 
 " good example was noticed in Mr. Ffennell's 4th Report, 
 " page 24, ante), have made catch pits, &c., and are 
 
 * Referring to this fearful case, Mr. Mostyn Owen, the honorary 
 secretary of the Dee Fishery Board, told the great Salmon Fishery 
 Congress at South Kensington, in June 1 867, that a skilful analyst, 
 after analysing the water, had declared to him that the river which 
 w^as thus polluted, and which supplied all Chester with its drinking 
 water, " micjht any day bring down such a quantity of deadly jmson 
 " that half Chester MIGHT BE KILLED BY IT ;" Mr. Owen adding that 
 the Fishery Board had done what they could to obtain a conviction 
 against the ofi'enders, but had failed from a mere technicality. And 
 in reference to this same river, Lord Robert Montagu informed the 
 House of Commons, in the course of his speech in moving the second 
 reading of the " River Waters Protection " Bill in 1865, that " the 
 " honorary secretary of the Dee Fishery Association had preserved a 
 " bottle of 2^M/-e parajin made from the water taken from the Dee 
 " below the petroleum v/orks."— Hansard, vol. 177, 3rd Series, page 
 1316.
 
 *' saving the arsenic with profit to themselves. No other 
 " raining company has used any eflfectual measures." * 
 
 And speaking of polluted water generally, ]Mr. Buck- 
 land remai'ks, page 5 : — 
 
 " Impure and polluted water will encourage disease, 
 " especially cholera : pure Avater will disarm disease of its 
 " powers, and at the same time be available for growing 
 " excellent human food." 
 
 Mr. Walpole the other Inspector, in his separate Report 
 of the same date observes, page 5 : — 
 
 " It would be impossible for me to omit all notice of 
 '' that bane of Salmon rivers pollutions — a bane which 
 " unhappily there is but a very doubtful remedy against 
 " under the existing laws ;" adding, " but though I am 
 " aware the law is defective, and though I hope the day 
 " may shortly come when it may be made illegal to put 
 " any pollution into a running stream, I abstain from re- 
 " commending any alteration in the Salmon Laws in this 
 " respect as a question of such importance should not be 
 " confined to the minor consideration, important though 
 " it be, of the cultivation of our Salmon rivers." 
 
 15 Auff. 1867. On the 15th August, 1867, the Royal Commissioners on 
 3rd Report of {[^q pollution of rivers made their Report on the Rivers 
 the Commis- 1^77 a io iiii 
 
 sionersonthe ^^ re and LJalder. At pages lU and 11 the report, says: 
 
 Pollution of , n-.! 1 • 1 /-> 7 7 1 1 1 • 11 
 
 Kivers. (The J- he Aire and Leader, throughout their whole course, 
 
 ^jVe and "are abused, obstructed, and polluted (to an extent 
 
 Calder.) « scarcely conceivable by other than eye-witnesses) from 
 
 " Skij)ton on the Aire, and from Todmordcn on the Calder, 
 
 " to Castleford," where they unite. 
 
 * Except, it is only right to add, (but of which the Tamar Board 
 were probably unaware,) the London Lead Company and Mr. Went- 
 worth Beaumont, M.P., both of Avhoni, to their credit, liad adopted, 
 or were about to adopt, at their extensive mines in the valleys of the 
 Wear and Tees, the same means as the Devon Great Consols Com- 
 pany to prevent the pollution of the rivers. — {Vide correspondence 
 between the London Lead Company and Mr. Beaumont and the late 
 Mr. Ffenncll, the Inspector of Fisheries. Land and Water, 13th 
 October, I81 G, p. 27G. — Also, Mr. Buckland's remarks on Mr. Beau- 
 mont's good example, pp. 14 and 49 of the Inspectors of Fisheries 
 Seventh Annual Report, 1868.
 
 33 
 
 " Our inspection was corroborated by uncontested and 
 ** overwhelming evidence." 
 
 " The rivers Aire and Colder and their tributaries are 
 ' abused by passing into them hundreds of thousands of 
 ' tons per annum of ashes, clay, and cinders from steam- 
 ' boiler furnaces, ironworks, and domestic fires ; by their 
 ' being made the receptacle, to a vast extent, of broken 
 ' pottery and worn-out utensils of metal, refuse from 
 ' brickyards, «&;c., earth, stone, &c., from quarries and 
 ' excavations, road scrapings, street sweepings, &c. ; by 
 ' spent dye-woods and other solids used in the treatment 
 ' of worsteds and woollens ; by hundreds of carcases of 
 ' dogs, cats, pigs, &c., which are allowed to float on the 
 ' surface of the streams or putrify on their banks ; and 
 ' by the flowing in, to the amount of very many millions 
 ' of gallons per day, of water, poisoned, corrupted, and 
 ' clogged by refuse from mines, chemical works, dyeing, 
 ' scouring, and fulling worsted and woollen stuffs, skin- 
 ' cleaning and tanning, slaughter-house garbage, and the 
 ' sewage of towns and houses." 
 
 " Many streams where, by reason of their foulness, no 
 
 form of life can at present be found, persons now living 
 
 recollect abounding in fish." 
 
 One enormous penalty paid for this abuse of the rivers 
 is flooding, consequent on the raising of the rivers' beds, 
 and at page 12 the Commissioners exemplify this as 
 follows : — 
 
 " That on the 15th of November, 1866^ rain com- 
 " menced and continued for several days, flooding the 
 " valleys of the Aire and Calder most destructively from 
 " the mountains to the sea. In several instances persons 
 " were washed away and drowned. It is not possible to 
 " form an estimate of the money value of the damage 
 " caused to the manufacturers, landowners, and others in 
 " the West Riding. 
 
 " The total loss was locally estimated at from half a 
 '' million to a millioji sterling. 
 
 " The lesser sum would have been sufficient to put the 
 " rivers in a condition to render such destruction of life 
 " and property impossible." 
 
 After stating at page 13 that the amount of solids taken 
 into the streams from sewers is in the aggregate enormous.
 
 34 
 
 and that at Leeds the entire volume of sewage of eight to 
 ten million gallons per day passes into the Aire^ as also 
 that of Bradford^ Keighley, and SkijHon, and that the 
 Calder receives all the sewage of Todmorden, Halifax, 
 Hxiddersfield, Deicshnry, Wahejield, and of smaller 
 towns, &c., &c., the Commissioners then declare — 
 
 " That the present gross abuse of the rivers we 
 *Mnspectcd may he in a great measure prevented, and tn 
 " such manner and at such cost as to be beneficial to all 
 '^ parties. ^^ 
 
 And speaking of the woollen manufacture, they 
 remark : 
 
 " In the two facts — first that in one year (1864) 
 " 384,000,000 pounds of wool were worked up into 
 " various tissues in Great Britain ; and secondly, that 
 '' every j^ound of this wool has to undergo operations 
 " necessitating the use of large volumes of water, and 
 " rendering tJiat water foul and offensive, we have the 
 " history of all rivers on which that trade is located, and 
 " notably of the Aire and Calder.^'' 
 
 •And they add — 
 
 *' That with very few exceptions the streams of the 
 *' West Riding run with a liquid more resembling ink 
 " than water." 
 
 Referring to the tanneries at Leeds, the report states 
 (page 35)— 
 
 " That as many as 2,750,000 hides were annually con- 
 " verted into leather in Leeds and its neighbourhood." 
 
 And at page oQ, speaking of the pollution of the river 
 by tanning refuse, the Commissioners say — 
 
 " We believe that the pollution of the river, which is 
 " undoubtedly very considerable from tanning refuse, 
 " may be 'pretented without injury to this very important 
 " industry " (the leather trade). 
 
 They then give a detailed description of the condition
 
 35 
 
 of each town visited by them on the Aire and Calder. 
 Of Shipton they say (page 37) : — 
 
 " Its sewage and refuse of its dye-works, slaughter- 
 " houses, tan- works, paper-mills, and factories, all go into 
 " the river." Of Keighley : " That the sewage is the 
 " cause of great nuisance, and that the ivorkmen at the 
 " water-wheeels have frequently to leave the mills* sick.^' 
 Also " that soap-suds flow into the river, which ferment 
 " and give off large volumes of foul gases, and that local 
 *' disease is imputed to this form of pollution." 
 
 And much the same story is told by them of Bingley, 
 all its filth and refuse going into Harden Beck and into 
 the Aire. 
 
 Of Bradford, with a population in 1861 of 48^646, 
 
 they say : — 
 
 " The whole of the sewage of Bradford and af the 
 " populous district above the town flows into the Beck, 
 " producing an indescrihahle state of pollution. At the 
 " time of our inquiry Bradford Beck was the source of 
 '' supply to the Bradford Canal, the fluid of which became 
 " so corrupt in summer that large volumes of infammahle 
 " gases were given off." And " though," the Commis- 
 sioners add, " it has been considered an impossible feat to 
 " set the Thames on fire, it was found practicable to set 
 *' the Bradford Canal on fire, as this at times formed the 
 " amusement of boys in the neighbourhood, the flames 
 " rising six feet high, and running along the surface of the 
 " water for many yards, like a will-o'-the-wisp, and canal 
 " boats have been so enveloped in flames as to frighten 
 " persons on board." 
 
 Proceeding (page 39) to describe the condition of the 
 Aire at Leeds and the streams communicating with it 
 there, the Report says : 
 
 " The entire volume of the sewage of Leeds, solids and 
 " fluids (from 7,000,000 to 12,000,000 gallons per day), 
 " is turned inte the Aire, creating a great nuisance." 
 
 " The whole of the becks flowing through the town are 
 " fouled with waste refuse from dye-works, tanneries, and 
 " the various other manufactures, from their sources 
 
 * Of which there are 54. 
 
 2
 
 36 
 
 " beyond the municipal boundaries to the Aire, which 
 " river is also polluted along both margins,* carcases of 
 " dead animals float down until intercepted by shoals, 
 " where they remain to become putrid. As the popu- 
 " lation of Leeds has increased and manufactures have 
 " been extended, the local death rate has risen until the 
 " town is ranked by the Registrar-General amongst the 
 " most unhealthij of the kingdom. The death rate from 
 " 1857 to 1860 was 28 per 1,000, and from 1860 to 1864 
 "was 29-5 per 1,000." 
 
 The Commissioners next describe, at pages 40 to 43, 
 the condition of the River Calder as aflfected by the 
 various towns on it or its tributary streams, stating that 
 all such towns as Todmorden, Halifax, Huddersfield, 
 Deioshury , and Wakefield, with an aggregate population 
 of nearly 250,000, discharge their sewage and the filth 
 from their various manufactures into the Calder, Halifax 
 discharging the same by the Hehble, and Huddersfield by 
 the Cohie, the pollution of the river caused by Wakefield 
 being much increased by a large weekly cattle and sheep 
 market which is held there, and where as many as 1,000 
 horned cattle and 13,000 sheep have been sold in one day. 
 " In dry weather," the Commissioners mention, " the 
 " banks of the river are covered with dark thick slime, and 
 " the entire volume of water is stained with dye-refuse ; 
 " and from a river thus polluted, Wakefield,^'' the Com- 
 missioners add (at page 46), " draws three-fourths of its 
 " water supplg.'' And at the same page and page 47 
 they declare " that there is no excuse for the discharge of 
 " any seioage or ochrey matter into running streams and 
 " rivers, and that the pollutions from soap-suds, dyeing, 
 " and other processes may he prevented or greatly 
 " alleviated^' the Commissioners concluding their detailed 
 
 • And further on at the same page (39) the Commissioners say : — 
 " Carcases of pigs, cats, dogs, ik.c., have been removed to the exten 
 " o{ fifty iti a day, but it must not be inferred that they are removed 
 " with any degree of regularity."
 
 37 
 
 account of the pollution of the river by these towns as 
 follows : — 
 
 " The injury inflicted by the river pollution of these 
 " and other towns to the estates of many riparian owners 
 " is very great ; streams which in the memory of men 
 " now living were comparatively pure and well stocked 
 " with fish are //oiv black and stinkincj. The land through 
 " which such polluted streams flow is ruined for resi- 
 " dential purposes, and is injured and reduced in value. 
 " Even for mill purposes the water is so bad as to be con- 
 " sidered unfit for manufacturing uses, and other sites 
 " are selected, where water can be obtained from canals 
 " or by sinking wells. In many instances cattle will not 
 " drink the local river water, and farms are depreciated 
 " in consequence. Large country houses, which for- 
 " merly, with their river frontage, rights of fishing, and 
 *' ornamental gardens, were valued as residences, have 
 " been abandoned, or are let merely at farming rents. 
 " The cattle plague prevailed to a great extent in the 
 " Thorpe Hall meadows below Leeds, and on lands 
 " bordering foul rivers in other districts. This fatal 
 " disease was considered by the tenants and pro- 
 *' prietors to have been aggravated by the foul state of 
 " the w^ater and by the tainted atmosphere, caused by 
 " river pollutions." 
 
 " In some cases the manufacture and dyeing of finer 
 " sorts of goods has necessarily been abandoned, and in 
 " other cases extension of manufacture is rendered impos- 
 " sible, because there is no additional clean water to be 
 " obtained in the district." 
 
 And at page 51 the Commissioners point out that 
 
 " One great argument for the purification of the rivers 
 '' up to an available point should not be passed over in 
 " closing the consideration of this question. Manu- 
 " facturers require clean rather than inire water. They 
 *' cannot get on with water fouled by solid suspended 
 " matter." 
 
 Having shewn (pages 51 to 53) that the existing laws 
 are practically, for one reason or another, quite insufficient 
 to correct the dreadful evil of the pollution of streams.
 
 38 
 
 the Commissioners state (at pages 53 and 55) as their 
 conclusions — 
 
 " That in order to prevent the pollution and legally 
 " control the management of rivers, their basins or water- 
 " sheds must be placed under supervision, irrespective of 
 " any arbitrary divisions of county, parish, township, 
 " parliamentary, municipal, or Local Government Act 
 *' boundaries, or indeed of any artificially established 
 " division," 
 
 " That the question of profit and loss in abating nui- 
 " sances and in preventing the pollution of the atmos- 
 " phere, running waters, or sea shore, by town and house 
 " sewage, or by working mines and carrying on trades 
 " and manufactures, ought not to be too rigidly taken 
 " into account," 
 
 " That the prohibition against the cciHting in of solids 
 " may at once he general ivithout amj exception^ 
 
 " That a stronger power than has hitherto been avail- 
 *' able must be brought to bear if the present abuse and 
 " pollution of streams is to be arrested, and Government 
 " supervision and inspection must enforce the action of 
 " local authorities.'''' 
 
 " That our experience of the weakness inherent in 
 " unaided and uncontrolled local authorities convinces us 
 *' that a central board appointed hg a State department is 
 " necessary to the efficient protection of running ivaters." 
 
 From the Medical Times and Gazette of 28th Sep- 
 tember and 23rd November, 18G7, Math extracts from Mr. 
 Simon's Annual Report to the Privy Council on the 
 Public Health, for 1867 :— 
 
 " A reduction of typhoid fever is undoubtedly shown 
 " coincident with sanitary improvements. ' Though not 
 " ' with absolute constancy, drying of the soil of a town 
 " ' and reduction in the crowding of houses have been 
 " ' followed by reduction of fever. Much more important 
 " ' appears to be the substitution of an ample supply of 
 " * good water for a scanty and impure supply.' " 
 
 Mr. Simon insists with the utmost force upon the abso- 
 lute relation of cholera in England to faults of drainage 
 and loater supply : — 
 
 *' It cannot be too distinctly understood," he says.
 
 39 
 
 " that the diffusion of cholera among us depends entirely 
 " upon the numberless filthy facilities which are let exist, 
 " and specially in our larger towns, for the fouling of 
 " earth and air and loater, and thus secondarily for the 
 " infection of man, with whatever contagium may be con- 
 *' tained in the miscellaneous outflowings of the popula- 
 " tion." 
 
 " Dr. Buchanan's Report on Typhoid Fever 
 " AT Guildford, in Sept. 1867. 
 
 " There have occurred some local outbursts of fever 
 *' which, as especially the outbreak at Guildford, have 
 " preached in terrible language, in the startling tones of the 
 '" angel of death, the frightful a7id inevitable dangers of 
 ** a7i impure ivatcr supplg, enforcing on even the most care- 
 " less and ignorant the paramount necessity of unwearying 
 *' and incessant vigilance against the jjossibilitg of the 
 " water supplg being, in any part of its course, tainted by 
 " seivage. 
 
 " Typhoid fever, it seems, is by no means uncommon 
 *' in and about Guildford, and before the particular out- 
 " break several sporadic cases had occurred. But in the 
 " last three days of August cases of typhoid were ob- 
 " served in the more elevated and healthiest parts of the 
 " town. On September 3 and 4, ' a surprisingly large 
 " number of people sent for medical assistance ; in the 
 " first ten days of September about 150 cases altogether 
 " had come under treatment, and by the end of the month 
 " that number had increased to 264. A remarkable 
 " feature of the outbreak was its localisation ; and that, 
 " too, chiefly in the highest levels of the town, without 
 " distinction of social position and circumstances. The 
 " acme of the disease's progress was reached before the 
 " middle of September, and it thence declined rapidly. 
 " Inquiring as to the causes which could have induced the 
 " disease. Dr. Buchanan soon came to the conclusion that 
 " drainage played no direct part in the matter ; and the 
 " next point to ascertain was the state of the tvater 
 " siq)2)ly. 
 
 " The public waterworks have their source in two wells 
 " sunk some twenty feet into the chalk at the lowest part 
 " of the town ; one of these is an old well, from which 
 " water is raised by the power of an adjacent water-mill; 
 " the other is a new well, ' from which, for a short time 
 " in the middle of the present year, water was distributed 
 
 " 3Ied{cal 
 Times and 
 Gazette." of 
 23rcl Nov., 
 1867, on 
 Report of Dr. 
 Buchanan, 
 of the Medical 
 Department 
 of the Privy 
 Council, on 
 the Fever at 
 Guildford in 
 Sept. 1867. 
 
 Attention 
 directed to 
 water supply.
 
 40 
 
 Dr. Bucha- 
 nan considers 
 the outbreak 
 was due to 
 impure water 
 supply. 
 
 Further 
 source of im- 
 purity in 
 water supply 
 suggested, 
 viz., the com- 
 munication 
 between 
 Water Com- 
 pany's pipes 
 and river 
 (Wey), which 
 is greatly 
 contaminated 
 
 8th February, 
 1868. 
 
 The Lancet, 
 with extracts 
 from lleport 
 of Dr. Thorne 
 of the Medi- 
 cal Dc])art- 
 ment of the 
 Privy Council 
 on the Ter- 
 ling Fever of 
 1867-8. 
 
 " to the higher parts of the town by engine povi'cr,' but 
 " the pumping engine broke down on August 1st, after 
 •' which date no water was drawn from the new well, the 
 " supply being from the old well to both the high and 
 " low services of the town till ITth August. 
 
 " On that day, the water which had been stored in the 
 " neto reservoir (from the new well) was distributed to the 
 " high-service houses of the town : ' it was distributed on 
 •' no other day, and to no other houses.' Now, it turns out 
 " that all the houses first attacked with typhoid fever in 
 " the beginning of September had received water from this 
 " reservoir ; and, without giving detailed statistics, it is 
 " sufficient to state that of the 150 cases occurring in the 
 " fortnight from August 28 to September 10 there were 
 " hardly a dozen persons attacked ' ivJio had not had daily 
 " and hourly access to the water of the high service..^ Dr. 
 " Buchanan was unable, on careful and detailed inquiry, 
 " to find any condition at all coincident with the outbreak 
 " of the fever, save that of the water supply. 
 
 " But Dr. Buchanan suggests a possible further source 
 " of impurity in the water supply. ' There exists a coni- 
 " municatiuii between the ricer and the pipes of the water- 
 " works. This is said to he very rarely used, and only 
 " for the purpose of getting a first sucking power to the 
 " pumps ; and it is stated not to have been used at all 
 " during the present sunnner.' Whether this latter aver- 
 " ment be true or not, is immaterial now, but with the 
 " story of the East London cholera outbreak fresh in our 
 " remembrance, Ave cannot hut protest against the power 
 " thus left in the hands of the water engineer to throw at 
 " any moment into the service maif/s the water of a river 
 " so contaminated as the Wey at Guildford must, of 
 " necessity, be. 
 
 " In country towns and outlying hamlets, the poisoned 
 " water spring saps the vigour of the population, and 
 " swells, to a degree much greater than is generally sup- 
 " posed, the death-rate of the whole country" 
 
 The Outbreak of Fever at Terling, Essex. 
 
 *' The lengthened inquiry of Dr. Thorne, the medical 
 " inspector sent down to Tcrling by the Medical Depart- 
 " ment of the Privy Council Office, has been brought 
 " to a close. 
 
 " The present epidemic is one of true typhoid fever, 
 " and deserves notice both on account of its magnitude
 
 41 
 
 " and the suddenness of its occurrence ; for, says the 
 " reporter, — 
 
 " ' Ahuost entire families were attacked, in some 
 " instances the patient seems to be ahnost instantly 
 " overwhelmed with the intensity of the poison. . . On 
 "the 13th of January, 1868, 208 j^ersows had already Up to 13 Jan, 
 " been attacked by the prevailing malady, and several 208 persons 
 *' fresh cases were daily occurring. I do not include in ^ttacked and 
 
 " my number cases of so-called diarrhoea (possibly all ^^^ -^^^^^ 
 
 . . . ^ , ^ occurring' ex~ 
 
 " mild cases of typhoid fever) Avhich were only accidentally elusive of 
 
 " heard of, and which probably were numerous, though milder cases 
 
 " not of sufficient severity to call for medical relief." of so-called 
 
 " The first case of fever occurred on the 13th of babT^numer- 
 " November ; the next not until December 4th, when qus. 
 " the epidemic seemed rapidly to develop, for the report 
 " says — 
 
 '* ' During the following ten days 30 fresh cases were 
 " seen; but on the 15th, 16tli, and 17th by far the largest 
 " number were attacked, 22, 19, and 12 cases occurring 
 " respectively on those days. After this, though the 
 " daily number of fresh cases was by no means so large, 
 *' still a steady increase took place. . . As yet, however, 
 " only one death had taken place — namely, on Dec. 14th; 
 " but when the third week of the epidemic had arrived, a 
 '* steadily and gradually increasing death-rate commenced, 
 " and on the 30th twelve of the patients had died, and 
 " others were dying. Terling teas now completely panic- Terling 
 " stricken. . . No class of persons was exempt ; the ^f^'-^^f' 
 " rich, the well fed and clad, were attacked in common ^q^^ -q^^ 
 " with the poor and destitute. At Lord Rayleigh's 
 " residence 10 cases had occurred, the vicar's house was 
 " a seat of the epidemic, and from one end of the village 
 " to the other the disease seemed to be almost evenly 
 " spread. Age and sex seemed to present remarkable 
 " peculiarities : thus, out of 145 cases whose ages I was 
 " enabled to obtain, 79 were children under fourteen years 
 " of age, and of the remaining 66, 50 were females, 
 " leaving 16 males whose ages exceeded fourteen years, 
 " out of the entire number attacked." men rndbo^"! 
 
 " And this peculiarity as to the age and sex of the ^^.g,. ]4 ,,p.^^.g 
 " persons attacked the reporter expresses his belief is to of age being 
 " be ascribed to the fact — attacked at- 
 
 '■ ' That the men, and the majority of the boys over their princi- 
 "^ fourteen years of age, spend the greater portion of their pallydrinking 
 " time away from home, labouring in the fi.elds, and that beer.
 
 42 
 
 Population of 
 TerUne 900. 
 
 Fever at 
 Cardiff 
 (Canton 
 District). 
 The Lancet, 
 8th Feb., 
 18^8, with 
 Keport of 
 Dr. Taylor to 
 the Local 
 Board of 
 Health. 
 
 " they principally drink beer ; ichcreas the women and 
 " children are left at home, and procure a considerable 
 ''portion of their beverage from the tvells, the chddre?i 
 " drinking directly from them much more frequently 
 " tha7i the women, owing to the latter consuming a good 
 " deal of tea, in making which the icater is of course 
 " boiled. 
 
 " The causes of this severe epidemic, which up to Jan. 
 " 13th, had stricken down 208 of the inhabitants, and 
 " caused upwards of 20* deaths in a population of 900 souls, 
 " were due, as we stated in our columns on the 18th of 
 " January last, to local influences, and these have been 
 " proved (as we then surmised they would be proved) to 
 " be the existence of overcrowding, the accumulation of 
 '' filth and nuisances, and the use of polluted water." 
 
 The Lancet then quotes from Dr. Thome's report, as an 
 illustration of the general state of things at Terling, a 
 passage showing that the whole filth of every kind, with- 
 out any exception, of four cottages found its way into a well, 
 5 ft. deep, which supplied the inmates with their water. 
 
 From the Eegistrar-General's Report of Professor 
 Frankland's analysis of the water supplied to London 
 during 1867, showing an increase of solid impurity in the 
 water over 1866 : — 
 
 " Professor Frankland has reported on the waters sup- 
 " plied to the metropolis in the year 1867. He states 
 " that the search for sewage i)ollution in the metropolitan 
 " waters has now assumed a liigh degree of importance. 
 " In 1867 the total solid impurity exhibited an increase 
 " oter 1866 in the waters supplied by the different com- 
 " panics, except in the case of the East London Company, 
 " in which a marked decrease had occurred." 
 
 " Fever at Cardiff (Canton District). 
 
 " Fever has been very prevalent of late in Canton, a 
 " district of Cardiff"; and no Avonder, considering tlie posi- 
 " tively offensive pollution of air and water which exists 
 " there. A very able and practical report on the sanitary 
 " state of the locality has heen presented to the local board 
 " of health by Dr. Taylor, and we regret that we cannot 
 
 * On March 14 tlie deaths had numbered in all at least 44.
 
 43 
 
 " find space for a full notice of its details. The water 
 " supply is not only scanty, but largely polluted hy sew- 
 " age. No wonder the death rate of Canton last year 
 " (21.28 per 1,000) was higher than that of Cardiff 
 " (23.54)." 
 
 " Bad Water and its Influence on Health," 
 
 " A short time ago we directed attention to an outbreak 
 " of typhoid fecer in the Royal Marine Barracks at 
 *' Stonehouse ;* and in reference to it the registrar of the 
 " district reports : — 
 
 " ' The water which was used by the men from a well 
 " adjoining the new wing of the barracks is clear and 
 " sparkling, and apparently much better than that sup- 
 " plied by the Devonport Water Company. In conse- 
 " quence of its heing much in requisition, there was a 
 ^' great drain from its source, which I have every reason 
 " to believe is a very large natural caverti — one of those 
 " which are so often found in the limestone formation. 
 " This cavern is upwards of 500 feet in length, and 
 " over or on its sides about thirty houses have been built. 
 " Persons who do not know of its existence have won- 
 " dered how it is that their cesspits have not required 
 *' to be emptied ; tvhich, however, is no wonder to me, 
 "for I feel convinced that many of the cesspits drain 
 " i7ito it. When the foundation was making for the 
 " new wing of the barracks, I intimated to the clerk of 
 " the works the existence of a large cavern, running 
 " N.E. to S.W, ; and it was ultimately cut into, showing 
 " its presence within about 50 feet from the top of this 
 " very well." 
 
 From the Lancet, 8th February, 1868, giving Professor 
 Frankland's remarks on the water supply of London 
 during January, 1868 : — 
 
 " Professor Frankland's report to the Registrar-General 
 " on the quality of the waters supplied to the metropolis 
 " during last month is more than usually suggestive of 
 " the undesirability of rivers as sources whence to draw 
 " water for potable purposes. Heavy rains caused the 
 " Thames to overflow its banks above the points of intake 
 
 Fever in 
 Marine 
 Barracks at 
 Stonehouse 
 (Plymouth). 
 The Lancet, 
 8th Feb.. 
 1868, with 
 Extract from 
 the Report of 
 the Registrar 
 of the district 
 
 Water used 
 suj^plied from 
 a well. 
 
 Believed to be 
 polluted by 
 cesspits drain- 
 ing into it. 
 
 * Fatal to seven of the maiines.
 
 44 
 
 23rd March, 
 1868. 
 
 7th Annual 
 Report of In- 
 spectors of 
 Salmon Fish- 
 eries (Eng- 
 land and 
 Wales). 
 
 " of the London Water Companies ; in addition to the 
 " soluble matters washed down from cultivated fields, 
 " great quantities of putrescent animal matters were 
 '■' jiushed out of the sewers of Oxford, Windsor, 8fc., 
 " itito the river ; ' hence the large proportion of organic 
 " ' carbon and nitrogen, and the great previous sewage- 
 " ' contamination in the waters of those Companies which 
 " ' derive their supply from that river.' In fact, it is 
 " shown that the Thames was contaminated, at the time 
 " the samples for Dr. Frankland's analyses were taken, 
 " ' witli double the usual proportion of Drrjanic matlQr.'' 
 " The waters delivered during the latter part of the month 
 " were ' in such a muddy condition as to render them 
 " ' totally unfit for domestic use.^ " 
 
 London AYater. 
 From the Registrar-General's Return, week ending 
 Feb. 29th, 1868 :— 
 
 " The results of Dr. Frankland's analyses of the waters 
 " derived from the Thames are not satisfactory. The 
 " waters contained impurities probably of an animal 
 " origin to a considerable extent." 
 
 On the 23rd of March last the Inspectors of Salmon 
 Fisheries presented their seventh annual Report. 
 
 Forty-nine rivers are reported on, namely, the Aln, Arun, 
 Avon (Devon), Avon (Hants), Calder, Camel, Cleddy, 
 Clwyd and Elwy, Conway, Coquet, Dart, Dee, Dericent 
 (tributary of Trent), Derwent (Yorkshire), Dovey, 
 Dwyryd, Ellen (Cumberland), Erme (Devon), Exe^ 
 Fowey, Frame (Dorset), Glaslyn, Gwyfrai, Ttchen, Mau-d- 
 dach, Kidd, Okement, Otter, Ouse (Yorkshire), Rihble, 
 Sciont, Severn, Stour (Dorset), Stour (Kent), Swale, 
 Tamar and Plym, Taw and Torridye, Tees, Teivy, Test, 
 Towey, Trent, Tyne, lire, Usk and Ehhw, Wear, Wharfe, 
 Wye and Yealm (Devon). 
 
 From the replies received by the Inspectors to questions 
 Nos. 8 and 12 of a series they had addressed to the 
 different Boards of Conservators, and from their own 
 personal examination, it appears that of these fully
 
 45 
 
 twenty -five rivers, all described in the Inspectors' previous 
 reports as variously polluted, still continued subject to the 
 same various forms of pollution — namely, from lead 
 mines, seivage, tanneries, naptha, petroleum, and chemical 
 works, carpet manufactories, collieries, paper-mills , and 
 from vitriol, gas-tar, &c., &c., such rivers being the 
 Calder, Camel, Gleddy, Dart, Dee, Derwent (tributary of 
 Trent), Dovey, with its tributary, the Twymin, Exe, 
 Fowey, Rihble, Severn, Swale, Tamar and Plym, Tees, 
 Towey, Trent, Tyne, Wear, Usk and Ehbw., Wharf e. 
 Wye, and Yealm ; the Inspectors adding that the Ouse 
 (Yorkshire) was polluted near Linton "VVeir by water in 
 which flax had been steeped, the Devonshire Avon and 
 Erme by a new sail-cloth factory, and that at the outfall 
 of the main drainage an offensive mud-bank was accumu- 
 lating in the Thames. 
 
 As regards the Calder, Mr. Buckland, struck with its 
 frightful state of pollution, in reference to that river 
 says, at page 21 : "I went a long way up the Eiver 
 " Calder, a fine tributary of the Rihble. The water here 
 " is wholly unfitted for fish to live in. It is a question 
 " not of fish alone, but of the health of the inhabitants on 
 " the banks, and the population on this river is very 
 " dense.^^ 
 
 Of the way in which the two lead mines on the 
 Twymin (the tributary of the Dovey) — viz., the Dyliffe- 
 and Sir John Conroy's — pollute that stream and the 
 Dovey the Inspectors again speak in terms of strong con- 
 demnation, Mr. Buckland at page 14 saying that — 
 
 " There can be no doubt whatever but that these two 
 " mines are doing an immense amomit of injury to the 
 "fish in the river, and I have written to the proprietors 
 " of them, calling their attention to the facts, and earnestly 
 " requesting them to take measures to keep the lead 
 " washings out of the river, and I do trust they will 
 " follow the good example shown by Mr. Beaumont in
 
 46 
 
 " his lead mines on the Wear and Ti/?]e. The very day 
 " before I was there almost every pool in the Dovey 
 " contained dead sewen, and a large number were brought 
 " to me." 
 
 And Mr. Walpole, at page 68, observes ; 
 
 " The Doveij, naturally one of the most important 
 " rivers in the kingdom, 35 miles long, and with a catch- 
 " ment basin of 264 square miles, is being terribly 
 " injured by two mines on one of its tributaries (the 
 " Twi/min). When I was in INIerionethshire last August 
 " the fish were lying dead in the river, poisoned hi/ pollu- 
 " tions, miles below the point at which the " hush " enters 
 " the river."
 
 APPENDIX, 
 
 Statement of the efforts made between 1855 and 
 1868 to obtain from Parliament a general and 
 effectual Law against the Pollution of Streams. 
 
 In 1855, when the " Nmsa?ices Removal Bill" of Sir 1355. 
 Benjamin Hall (the late Lord Llanover) was passing Attempt to 
 
 1 ^ r-i ' T»r atti titttt , S^^ ClaUSe 24 
 
 through Committee, Mr. Adderley, Mr. Henley, and of Nuisances 
 
 Lord Robert Grosvenor attempted, but unsuccessfully, to I^^^oy^l Bill 
 
 get Clause 24 (which imposed a penalty of £ 200 for the 
 
 discharge of gas refuse into the rivers) extended, so as to 
 
 include* all manufacturing refuse of a foul, and poisonous 
 
 nature. 
 
 Early in 1861 a number of noblemen and gentlemen 1861. 
 
 , , , , , , „ , Formation of 
 
 associated themselves together under the name oi the the Fisheries 
 
 " Fisheries Preservation Association," for the purpose P^^"eservation 
 
 ^ J^ ^ Association, 
 (among other objects they had in view) of obtaining 
 
 an enactment against the " poisoning and polluting of 
 
 rivers." 
 
 In the Session of this year (1861), through the instru- 1861. 
 mentality in a great measure of this Association, the gafmon ° 
 Salmon Fishery Act for England and Wales (24 and 25 Fishery Act. 
 Vic, cap. 109) was obtained, and it contained a clause 
 (Section 5) which at the time it was hoped would prove 
 effectual in preventing the pollution of rivers. 
 
 Experience having shown, however, that the Act (a 1863. 
 most valuable and effective one in other respects) was in- tationtoLord 
 operative as regarded such pollutions, in August, 1863, a Palmerston. 
 
 * Hansard, 3rd Series, vol. 139, pp. 671-672.
 
 48 
 
 1864. 
 
 Joint Letter 
 to Lord Pal- 
 merston. 
 
 1864-5. 
 Memorials to 
 Home Secre- 
 tary. 
 
 1865. 
 Petitions to 
 Parliament. 
 
 24 Feb. 1865. 
 Earl of Long- 
 ford, in the 
 Lords, in- 
 quires if 
 Government 
 intends to 
 
 joint deputation from the Sanitary Associations of Great 
 Britain and the Fisheries Preservation Association went 
 up to Lord Palmerston, and urged his Lordship to intro- 
 duce a Government measure to put an effectual stop to 
 the nuisance. 
 
 On the 4th March, 1864, the same Associations, by 
 their Presidents and Vice-Presidents, Lords Ebury and 
 Shaftesbury, and Lords Saltoun and Llanover, addressed 
 to Lord Palmerston a joint letter (from which extracts have 
 been made at pp. 12 — 14 ante), " entreating his Lordship 
 " to lose no time in proposing such measures as might seem 
 " best adapted to prevent the spread of this enormous evil." 
 
 In the same year (1864) and beginning of 1865, the 
 boroughs of Nottingham, Sheffield, Birmingham, Man- 
 chester, Preston, Coventry, Derby, W olverhanijiton, Bath, 
 Huddersjield, York, Stockport, Cheltenham, and Oxford, 
 and the Rotherham and Kimberivorth Board of Health, all 
 memorialised (as set forth at pp. 16-20) the Home Secretary 
 to carry out the recommendation (before given at p. 16) 
 of the Committee of the House of Commons of 1864, viz., 
 " that the important object of freeing the entire basins of 
 *' rivers from pollution should be rendered possible by 
 " general legislative enactment." 
 
 In this year (1865) also petitions against the pollution 
 of rivers, most numerously signed, wxre presented to Par- 
 liament by the late Lord Llanover, then President of the 
 Fisheries Preservation Association, in the one House, 
 and by Mr. Martin Tucker Smith in the other, 
 from Shreivsbury , Richmo7id, Twickenham^ Machynlleth, 
 &c., &c. 
 
 On the 24th February, 1865, the Earl of Longford, in 
 the House of Lords, called the attention of Government 
 to the bcforcmentioned recommendation of the Commons' 
 Select Committee of 1864, and enquired whether it was 
 the intention of Government to carry into effect that re-
 
 49 
 
 commendation, the reply of Lord Granville, on the part carry out re- 
 
 of the Government, being that " the Home Office was in commenda- 
 
 ° tions 01 Com- 
 
 " communication with Lord Robert Montagu, who had mittee of 
 
 " introduced a measure on the subject into the other Hansard 3rd 
 " House, and he (Lord Granville) hoped a satisfactory Series, vol. 
 
 « 1 J 1 ^ 1 » 177, pp. 636 
 
 measure would be iramed. to q^i\ 
 
 On the 8th March following, Lord Robert Montagu, March, 1865. 
 
 in a most able and exhaustive speech, moved the second j^j"^ . " "^ 
 
 reading of the " River Waters Protection " Bill. moves second 
 
 This Bill, however, owing to strong objections being felt River Waters 
 
 by the House to its machinery, was, in deference to a gene- Protection 
 
 rally expressed wish, withdrawn, though at the same time Hansard, 3rd 
 
 the enormous extent and dangerous nature of the nuisance ^^^^^^' ^'° • 
 it sought to arrest, and the pressing necessity for legisla- 
 tive action, were admitted to have been fully established 
 by Lord Robert Montagu's masterly exposition. 
 
 On the 17th of the same month a deputation from the ^''^^h March, 
 T^. . .,...,... 1865. 
 
 Fisheries Preservation Association, including in it Lords Deputation 
 
 Robert Montagu and Ebury and other influential per- fi"9™Fish- 
 o J i eries x^reser- 
 
 sons, had an interview with the Home Secretary, when it vation Asso- 
 
 most earnestly represented to Sir George Grey the urgent jjome Secre- 
 
 need there was for the Government, on the supreme tary. 
 
 ground of the public health, and in the interest of the 
 
 fisheries, taking prompt and energetic steps to abate an 
 
 evil which had now become so vast and in every way so 
 
 baneful. 
 
 The result of this interview was the issuing by Sir :„rl y' 
 
 ^ •' 1865. 
 
 George Grey on the 18th May following of a Royal Issue of the 
 Commission 'Ho inquire into the best means of pre- „-,-2,f„„ °!"' 
 
 -*■ ^ xiiission on 
 
 " venting the pollution of rivers. the Pollution 
 
 of Rivers. 
 Extracts from the several reports of this Commission on 
 
 the Thames, the Lea, and the Aire and Calder have been 
 
 given at pages 25—27, 28—30, 32—38. 1866. 
 
 -, , . . . 29 & 30 Vic, 
 
 In the Session of 1866 the " Thames Navigation Act" c. 89. 
 
 (29 and 30 Vic, cap. 89) passed, containing certain g^t™n a^^'" 
 
 D (short title).
 
 50 
 
 1866. 
 29 & 30 Vic, 
 c. 319. 
 
 Thames Puri- 
 fication Act 
 (short title). 
 
 1867. 
 30 Vic, c 
 101. 
 " Thames 
 
 Conservancy 
 Act " (short 
 title). 
 
 7th June, 
 1867. 
 
 Salmon Fish- 
 ery Congress 
 at South 
 Kensington 
 
 provisions for freeing the river between Staines and 
 Cricklade, in Wilts, near its source, from sewage and 
 noxious and offensive refuse ; and in the same Session also 
 another Act (29 and 30 Vic, cap. 319) was passed, 
 intituled " An Act for the purification of the Kiver 
 " Thames, by the diversion therefrom of the sewage of 
 " Oxford, Abingdon, Heading, Kingston, Richmond, 
 " Twickenham, Isleworth and Brentford, and for the col- 
 *' lection and utilization of the sewage." 
 
 This latter Act empowered certain persons therein 
 named, who were willing at their own expense to divert 
 the sewage from the river, to incorporate themselves into 
 a company for that purpose. No company, however, 
 appears to have been formed nor anything done under the 
 powers of this Act. 
 
 In 1867 an Act was passed conferring on the Con- 
 servators of the Thames the same powers for preventing 
 the pollution of the river between Staines and the western 
 boiaidary of the metropolis, as had been conferred on 
 them by the Thames Navigation Act of the previous year, 
 as regarded the portion of the river between Staines and 
 Cricklade near its source ; but it would seem from the 
 subsequent statements made by Sir George Bowyer (on 
 the motion of Mr. Cave for leave to bring in a Bill for 
 the Conservancy of the River Lea — {Times Report, 21st 
 February, 1868) that this Act and the previous Act of 
 1866 were quite inoperative as regarded the exclusion of 
 sewage from the river, the towns on it. Sir George 
 remarked, " having done nothing to exclude it, and 
 " they declared that they could not be compelled to ex- 
 clude it." 
 
 On the 7th June of this year the great Salmon Fishery 
 Congress assembled at the Horticultural Gardens, South 
 Kensington. It was presided over by Earl Percy (now 
 the Duke of Northumberland), and consisted of noble-
 
 51 
 
 men and gentlemen from all parts of the kingdom, inte- 
 rested in the fisheries as conservators, proprietors. Sec. 
 Mr. Frank Buckland and Mr. Spencer Walpole, the 
 Inspectors of Salmon Fisheries for England and Wales, 
 also attended it, as did Major Scott and Captain Spratt, 
 the Special Commissioners of Fisheries, the President 
 (Lord de Blaquiere), and various members of the Council 
 of the Fisheries^ Preservation Association being likewise 
 present and taking active part in the proceedings. 
 
 The subject of the pollution of rivers and its destruc- 
 tive effect on the public health and on the fish, and the 
 inefficacy of existing laws to meet the grievance having 
 been very largely dwelt upon by the Chairman, (Lord 
 Percy), and by every speaker who took part in the dis- 
 cussion, the following resolution was moved by Mr. 
 Higford Burr (one of the Council of the Fisheries Preser- 
 vation Association) and carried unanimously : — 
 
 " That as various rivers are seriously injured both by 
 " liquid and solid poisonous matters, and as it is neces- 
 " sary for the public health and supply of food for the 
 " people, that the pollutions should be prevented, further 
 " legislation is urgently needed." 
 
 On the 6th of the following August another deputation 
 from the Fisheries Preservation Association, including 
 Lord Northwick and other influential persons, members 
 of Parliament and others, waited on Mr. Gathorne Hardy, 
 the Secretary of State, and again earnestly pressed on the 
 attention of Government, the absolute necessity that 
 existed of putting a stop to the pollution of the rivers 
 by some effectual measure to be introduced by the Go- 
 vernment. AVhereupon the deputation had the satis- 
 faction of receiving from the Home Secretary the 
 assurance " that he did not intend to continue the investi- 
 '[ gation, as he believed the experience gained by the 
 " inquiries into a few rivers would govern the whole. 
 
 Unanimous 
 Resolution 
 passed that 
 further legis- 
 lation is ur- 
 gently needed 
 to prevent 
 pollutions. 
 
 6th August, 
 1867. 
 
 Deputation 
 from Fisher- 
 ies Preserva- 
 tion Associa- 
 tion to the 
 Home Secre- 
 tary. 
 
 Declaration 
 of Home Se- 
 cretary, &c. 
 [The Field 
 Keport, 10th 
 Aug., 1867.
 
 52 
 
 1868. 
 Lea Conser- 
 vancy Bill. 
 Times Re- 
 port, 21st 
 Feb., 1868. 
 
 Ibid. 
 
 Times lle- 
 ])ort, 25th 
 Feb.. 1868. 
 
 " and that he would, during the forthcoming recess, give 
 " the whole subject his best consideration." 
 
 On the 20th February of the present session (1868) the 
 Right Hon. Stephen Cave, the Vice-President of the 
 Board of Trade, on the part of the Government, brought 
 forward the River Lea Conservancy Bill, based on the 
 recommendations respectively of the Committee of 1866 
 on the East London Water Bills and of the Pollution of 
 Rivers Commissioners, the object being the preservation 
 of the purity of the water of the Lea. The bill was read 
 a first time, and Mr. Cave was to give notice of the second 
 reading. 
 
 On this occasion Mr. Powell said " he hoped that 
 " would not be the only bill of its class the Government 
 " would introduce during the present session, but that 
 " they would grapple with the case of the Jire and Calder, 
 " which urgently demanded attention, the population in the 
 " basin of which exceeded a million, whereas that occu- 
 " pying the basin of the Lea was only about a quarter of 
 " a million." 
 
 On the 24th of the same month ]\Ir. Candlish, the 
 member for Sunderland, inquired in the House of Com- 
 mons of the Home Secretary if he meant to introduce a 
 measure this session to prevent the pollution of rivers, or 
 to prevent solids being deposited in rivers. 
 
 The reply of Mr. Gathorne Hardy was — 
 
 *' That he was not prepared to legislate on the subject 
 " this session. 
 
 " It was his intention to appoint a new Commission to 
 " inquire into those parts of the subject which had not 
 " yet been investigated, and he did not think it advisable 
 " to deal with only a part of the question."
 
 FISHERIES PEESEEYATIOIS^ ASSOCIATION. 
 
 'JpxesitienL 
 HIS GKACE THE DUKE OF NORTHUMBERLAND, Northumbeilimd House. 
 
 '^'ut-'JPxtsihnt, 
 LORD DE BLAQUIEKE, 9, Stratfuid Place. 
 
 O'ouiitii. 
 
 Lord Abinger, 48, Chester Square. 
 
 Wentworth Beaumont, Esq., M.P., 144, Piccadilly. 
 
 F. T. BucKLAND, Esq., Athenaeum Club. 
 
 HiGFORD Burr, Esq., Aldermaston, Reading, aiid 23, Eaton 
 
 Place. 
 Lord de Blaqoiere, 9, Stratford Place. 
 R. Aeercromby Duff, Esq., M.P., 40, Mount Street, Gros- 
 
 venor .Square. 
 Francis Francis, Esq., The Fii-s, Twickenham. 
 Capt. Frank Hawkins, R.N., Army and Navy Club. 
 Sir J. Hawlev, Bart., 34, Eaton Place. 
 
 P. HOOD, Esq., Treasurer 
 
 Peter Hood, Esq., M.D., 23, Lower Seymour Street. 
 Colonel the Hon, H. F. Keane, R.E., 76, JernijTi Street. 
 His Grace the Duke op Northumberland, Northumberland 
 
 House. 
 Colonel Pryse, M.P., Army and Navy Club. 
 Lord Saltoix, Ness Castle, Inverness, N.B. 
 Martin T. Smith, Esq., 13, Upper Belgrave Street, Belgrave 
 
 Square. 
 Sir Charles Tailor, Bart., 20, King Street, St. James'. 
 Colonel ^\'iiiT£, Sligo, 
 
 SIR SAMUEL SCOTT, Bart. & Co., 1, Cavendish Square. 
 
 REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDING MAY 1st, 1868. 
 
 The Council beg to submit to the Members their Report for the past year. 
 
 Lord de Bl.aquiere having expressed a wish to retire from the Presidency of the Asso- 
 ciation in favour of His Grace the Duke of Northumberland (who, as Earl Percy, had 
 already last year been elected a Member of the Council), and the Duke having accepted the 
 post, the Council have much pleasure in stating that His Grace has been chosen President 
 accordingly, 
 
 Lord de Blaquiere at the same time, the Council are extremely happy to say, consents 
 to give to the Association, as Vice-President, the benefit of his continued services and influence. 
 
 It is with much gratification the Council announce the accession to their Board of Lord 
 Abinger, who was unanimously elected a Member of the Council in February last. 
 
 They also have to announce that, in appreciation of their valuable services to important 
 Salmon Fisheries, Joseph Dodds, Esq., Honorary Secretary of the Tees Salmon Fishery Land- 
 owners' Association, and John Lloyd, Esq^, of Huntington Court, Hereford, a Conservator of 
 the Wye, Usk, and Ebbw Fisheries, have been elected Honorary Members of the Association. 
 
 With respect to the great object which the Council have so constantly held in view, and 
 so long striven to effect — the prevention of the pollution of the Rivers of the kingdom — they 
 grieve to say that they see no chance t/iis Session of the hope which they ventured to express in 
 their last Report being fulfilled, viz., of obtaining a remedial measure for that evil. 
 
 The state of the public business in Parliament, the position of Parliament itself, and the 
 unexpected inaction of the Government as represented by the Home Secretary, alike preclude 
 the expectation that any such measure can possibly be introduced during the present Session. 
 
 Steadfast, however, to their purpose of inducing, if possible, the Government to bring in 
 a Bill on the subject, on the 6th August last a Deputation from the Association, introduced by 
 their President (Lord de Blaquiere), and whicli had the advantage of being joined by Lord 
 Northwick, and by Col. Sykes, Mr. Candlish, and other Members of Parliament and 
 persons of influence, had an audience of the Home Secretary, when the question, both on the 
 paramount ground of the public health and as it affected the Fislieries, was most earnestly pressed 
 on the consideration of Mr. Gathorne Hardy, and the reply of Mr. Hardy to the Deputation 
 yvas such as to create the belief that the Government would not let the present Session i)ass 
 without taking legislative action in the matter, that reply being that " ho did not intend to con- 
 " tinue the investigations, as he believed the experience gained by the inquiries into a few rivers ivotild 
 " govern the whole." 
 
 A few days after this Deputation the Commissioners on the Pollution of Rivers made their 
 Report to the Home Secretary on the state of the Aire and Calder. Of this Rejjort it may 
 sufRce to say that, dreadful and disgusting as was the picture presented in the Commissioners' 
 former Reports of the pollution of the Upper Thames and the Lea, the description they give of 
 the polluted condition of the Aire and Calder far surpasses that picture in its worst and most 
 revolting features. 
 
 Notwithstanding that Report, however, and tlie auspicious answer to the Deputation just 
 stated, to the Council's great surprise and mortification, the Hijmi; Secretary, when questioned, 
 on the 24th February last, on the subject by the Member for Sunderland (Mr. CaxdlishJ, 
 " answered that " he was not prepared to legislate in the mutfer this Session, and that he wax 
 " aboid to appoint a fresh Commission to continue the inquiries;" and, since that declaration, the 
 Right Honourable Gentleman has appointed such fresh Commission.
 
 The Council will not rehx their efforts in the cJiuse, but it seems to them that the hes,t hope 
 of obtainiu" a measure adequat< to meet this terrible evil of pollution of streams rests now on the 
 public voice making itself pr()ini)tly, powerfully, and decisively heard by the Government. 
 
 To that end, and in ordi r to make the fearful state of our rivers more widely known, the 
 Council have prepared and arc now disseminating a pamphlet, containing in a concise form all 
 the necessary facts relating to the question, extracted from the voluminous Blue Books, &c., of 
 the last thirteen years. 
 
 Altliough the Council have not yet succeeded in accomplishing the main object of their 
 endeavours, viz., the obtaining of an Act to prevent the Pollution of Rivers, they are, never- 
 theless happy to say that the past year has by no means been barren of results advantageous to 
 the Fisheries" at large, or promising to be so, as the following proceedings will show : — 
 
 In the first i)lace, on the 7th June of hist year, a great Salmon Fishery Congress 
 a-ssemblcd, under the presidency of Eakl Percy, at South Kensington. This Congress 
 included various noblemen and gentlemen, great Fishery proprietors, Conservators, and others 
 from all parts of the kingdom. It was attended by Mr. Frank Bucklaxo and Mr. Spencer 
 Wai.poi.e (the Government Inspectors of Salmon Fisheries for England and "Wales), by the 
 Special Commissioners of Fisheiies, and by the President (Lord dk Blaquieke), and several 
 members of the Council of the Fisheries Preservation Association, all of whom took an active 
 share in the proceedings. 
 
 A great portion of those proceedings having been devoted to the consideration of the pol- 
 lution of rivers, — Mr. Higkoki) Burr (of the Council of this Association) moved and carried 
 unanimously a resolution in the following terms : — 
 
 " That as various rivers are seriously injuied by liquid and solid poisonous matters, and 
 " as it is necessary for the public health and the supply of food for the people, that the 
 " pollutions should be prevented, further legislation is urgently needed." 
 
 From the discussions that arose and the interchange of suggestions which took place, not 
 merely as regarded the evil of pollutions but on all points affecting the interests of the Fisheries, 
 at a Congress so influential aud possessing such special and practical knowledge of the subjects 
 brought under deliberation, it is impossible to doubt that great benefit must ensue to the 
 Fisheries. 
 
 In the nc.\t place, through the great exertions mainly of Lords Abixger and "Wyxford, 
 aided by their lordships' friends in the Upper House, and assisted by Lord de Blaquiere and 
 his friends, a very pernicious measure of Lord Cranworxh relating to the Irish Fisheries was 
 in July of last Session thrown out in the House of Lords. 
 
 The importance of its rejection may be estimated by the foct that had that Bill passed 
 into law it would have had the effect of undoing much of the beneficial legislation of late years 
 by re-establishing in Ireland tliose destructive engines which the friends of the Fisheries had. 
 been at such great pains to get abolished. 
 
 Lastly, on the 2nd April of the present year a deputation of a very influential character, 
 consisting of Lords Arixger, .\irlie, Seafield, Coi.vii.i.e, and Saltoux, and other large 
 Scotch ]noprictors, &c. (and of which various members of the Council of this Association made, 
 a part), having been formed by Lord Abixger, was introduced by his lordship to the Home 
 Secretary for the purpose of ascertaining from the Right Honorable Gentleman what steps Her 
 Majesty's Government proposed taking this Session for the amendment of the Scotch Fisheries Act. 
 
 Lord Abixger having explained that the amended Act desired was one based on the 
 Scotch Bill of 1866, which had jjassed ths House of Lords and that the chief amendments 
 required were : — 
 
 1st. The appointment of permanent Inspectors empowered to carry out such alterations 
 in the bye-laws as might from time to time be found expedient, and whose duty, 
 it should be to report annually the general condition of the Scotch Salmon Fisheries. 
 2nd. The confirmation of the bye-laws, already passed by the Commissioners in order 
 to set at rest doubts arising from the peculiar wording of the Act of 1862 as to. 
 the legality of those laws. 
 
 Mr. Gatuokne Hardy in reply informed the Deputation that "the whole subject of the 
 " amendment of the Scotch Salmon Fishery Acts was then under the consideration of the 
 '* Government, and was engaging the attention of the Lord Advocate." 
 
 The Council cannot close their Report without congratulating the members on the fact 
 that the two last valuable Reports (July, 1867, and March, 1868) of the Inspectors, declare that 
 the l^nglisii and 'Welsh Salmon Fisheries are on the increase, four and twenty rivers being 
 specially named in the first of those Reports as exhibiting " great and marked improvement." 
 
 Among other kind contributions to the funds of the Association since the last Report the 
 Council have the pleasure of acknowledging the following donations — namely : — Eari. dk (Jrey 
 AXD Ripox, £10 10s.; Lord Nortiiwick, £10 ids.; Lord Eblry,' £ 10 10s.; J. II. 
 .\rk\vright, Esq., £ 10 ; Archibald Cdckburn, Esq., £ 10 10s. 
 
 Annexed is the Honorary Treasurer's Account of ReceijJts and Payments for the jiast 
 vear, shewing a balance to the credit of the Association on the 1st May inst. of £ l8o Is. 9d. ; 
 but this balance will be much diminished by the stationery, printing, and some other expenses of 
 the past vcarj while those of the current year will be more than usually large. 
 
 The Council, in concluding tlieir Report, and in reminding the Subscribers that their 
 Subscriptions became due on the 1st of the present month, would earnestly impress upon every 
 .Member the strong necessity of his kindly continuing his active support to the Association. 
 
 de Blaquiere, 
 Fisheries Preservatiox Assoclvtiox, rrtsidcnt. 
 
 23, I,()wi;u Seymour Streei, 
 
 Portman Sui are, AV. 
 I.s7 May, 1868,
 
 STATEMENT OF RECEIPTS AND EXPENDITURE, 
 
 For the Year ending 1st M,,,/^ ] ^Qg. 
 
 RECEIPTS. 
 
 1867— May 1. £ s. d. 
 
 To Bidauce to tbe credit of the Asso- 
 ciation as per last Report ... 146 7 
 
 To Douatious aud Subscriptions re- 
 ceived since aud up to 1st Mav, 
 18U8 ^ *.. 11',) 3 
 
 £a05 3 
 
 EXPENDITURE. 
 
 1867 -June 22. ^ 
 
 Paid ]\Ir. Smith (Stationer's Account) 
 ■ for Printing, Stationery, Postage 
 
 Stamps, etc., for 1866 48 
 
 Paid Assistant Secretary 
 
 (Mr. Kiiiloch)13 weeks' 
 
 and one day's Salary, to 
 
 6th August, 1867, at 
 
 &l 10s , £10 15 
 
 Do. do. werks and 4 days' 
 
 do. to Q'.lth March, 1808 10 
 
 Paid Collc'ctor's Commissiou on Town 
 Subscriptions 
 
 Petty and Miscellaneous Expenses... 
 
 1st May, 186S. ^ 
 
 To Balance to credit of the Association 
 
 14 111 
 
 20 l.-* 
 
 11) (1 
 
 i;i (1 
 
 183 1 11 
 
 i'90.5 3 
 
 DONORS, SUBSCRIBEES, AND HONORARY MEMBERS, PAST AND PRESENT. 
 
 The names of such as are deceased ljei)ig in Italics. 
 
 Abinger, Loi-i.1, 48, Chester Square, S.W. 
 
 Airey, B. Esq. Lloyd-s, E.G. 
 
 Arden, J. Esq. Rickmansworth-park, Herts. 
 
 Arkwright, J. H. Esq. Hampton Court, Leominster. 
 
 Baillie, Capt. Duncan, 23 Queen's-gate-terrace, W. 
 
 Barlow, E. Esq, .Bulton-le- Moors. 
 
 Barnes, J. Esq Charlewood, Rickmansworth. 
 
 Bany, Herbert, Esq. 67 Belsize-park, Hampstead. 
 
 Baxendale, J. Esq. Gresliam-street, E.C. 
 
 Beaumont, Wentvvorth, Esq. M.P. 144 I'iccadilly. 
 
 Bcnthall, F. Esq. 23 Old-square. 
 
 Beresford. D. Packe, Esq. M.P. 32 Devonshire-place, W. 
 
 Bernard, J. Esq. Church-place, Piccadilly. 
 
 Berwick, Loi-d, .Vttingliani Hall, Shrewsbury. 
 
 Berwick Shipping Company, Berwick-ou-Tweed. 
 
 Bicknell, Henry, Esq. 28 Upper Bedford-place, W.C. 
 
 Blenkinsop, J. Esq. North End House, Watford. 
 
 Boyden, T. W. Escj. 2 Woodville-terr.ice. Miklmay-park. 
 
 Brandreth, Chas. Esq. Army and Navy Club. 
 
 Brandreth, E. Esq 3 Eaton-square. 
 
 Breadalbane, Earl of, Taymouth Castle, Pertlishire. 
 
 Briggs, H. R. Esq. VValdrpns, Croydon. 
 
 Bryant, Dr. 23.1 Sussex-square, W. 
 
 Buckland, F. T. Esq. Athenaeum Club. 
 
 Bulteel, .John, Esq. Bamfieet, Ivy-bridge, Devon. 
 
 Burr, Higford, Esq. 23 Eaton-pUace, S.W. 
 
 Bute, Marquis of, 83 Eccleston-sq., Cardiff Castle, Cardiff. 
 
 Camroux, F. T. Esq. 4, Vaubrugh-park, Blackheath. 
 
 Carpenter, Capt. R A. 
 
 Carruthers, Richard, Esq. Eden-grove, Carlisle. 
 
 Chadwick, F. Esq. The Hermitage, Preston, Lancashire. 
 
 Chester, C. Esq Oriental Club. 
 
 Chitti/, EdiB. Esq., Temple. 
 
 Chittv, Thos. Esq. Temple. 
 
 Cluttei-buck. T. Esq. Micklefield Hall, Watford. 
 
 Cocks, T. S. Esq. 43 Charing-cross. 
 
 Coekburn, Archibald, Esq. 60 Mark-lane, E.C. 
 
 Cockerell, S. P. Esq. 45 Hertford-Street, W. , 
 
 Collier, W. J. Esq. Woodtown, Horrabridge, Devon. 
 
 Colville, Lord, 42 Eaton-place. 
 
 Crawshay, E. Esq. Othorpe House, Market Harhorough. 
 
 Crockfor'd, John, Esq. (Editor of the Field.) 
 
 Crowe, Capt M. Newby-bridge, Newton-in-CJartmel. 
 
 Cunninghame, Jas. Esq. Prince's-park, Liverpool. 
 
 Dacre, Lord, 40 Belgrave-square, 
 
 Daniell, Edvv. Esq. Thropham H.all, Norfolk. 
 
 Darke, — , Esq. (per J. Hobbs, Esq.) 
 
 De Blaquiere. Lord, 9, Stratford-placa, W. 
 
 De Grey and Ripou, Earl, 1 Carlton- gardens. 
 
 Deuison, A. Esq. 6 .\.lberaarle-street. 
 
 Derwent Fly Fishing Club, ShefKeld. 
 
 Dodds, Josh. Esq. (Hon. See. Tees Salmon Landowners' 
 
 Association), Stockton-on-Tees, Honorary Member. 
 Dcmnui/hmore, ith Earl of. 52 South Audley- street. 
 Douglas, Col. John, Glenfinart, Argyleshire. 
 Dovey Club, Machynlleth. 
 Draper, Jno. Esq. Reform Club. 
 Ducie, Earl of, 1, Belgrave-stpiare. 
 Duff, R. Abercromby, Esq. M P. 40 Mount-street, Gros- 
 
 venor-square. 
 Dynevor, Lord, 19 Prince's-gardens, W. 
 Ebury, Lord, 107 Park-street, W. 
 
 nt, r.i 
 
 .rr II; 
 
 lilth 
 
 Edwards, Lt. -Col. M.P. 32 Dover-street, W. 
 
 Elksma-e, (^rrtin, Esq. 
 
 Earquhar, liir Minto, Bart. 4 Berkeley-street, Piccadill 
 
 Fenirii-k, Ileiiry, Esg. M.P. United University Club. 
 
 Fielden, Sir W. H. Feniscowles, Blackburn. 
 
 Fife, Earl of, Cavendish-square. 
 
 Fisher, Juu. Esq. Reform. Club. 
 
 F'isher, W. W. Esq. 16 Dorset-square, N.W. 
 
 Foott, Edward, Esq. Gortmore, Knnturk. 
 
 Francis, Francis, Esq. The Firs, Twickenham. 
 
 Fraser, Cnl. the Hon. Royal Horse Artillery. 
 
 Eraser, Majnr Tytler, of Aldowrie, Inverness. 
 
 Freeman, .). Esq. Harrow. 
 
 Freeman, T A. Esq Christchurch, Oxford. 
 
 Freeman, W. Esq. 27 Millbank-street, S.W. 
 
 Frere, C. Esq. Western Life Office, Parliament-street. 
 
 Fuller, V. H Esq. Stoke Pogis, Bucks. 
 
 Giirnett, W. J.V.sq^. M.P. 
 
 Geldart, T. C. Esq. Trinity Hall House, Camhiidge. 
 
 Goddard, A. C. Esq. C;osley-green, Rickmansworth. 
 
 Goodhart, Jos. H. Esq. Manor House, Tooting. 
 
 Gore, Sir St. George, Bart 15 South Audley-street. 
 
 Gi-ant, Col. 3 St. George'i-place, S.W. 
 
 Grant, Sir G. Macpheson, Bart. Ballindalhich Ca 
 
 Elgin, N.B. 
 Greenwood, Geo. Esq. AbiTi;i 
 Ureqson, 8. Esq. M.P. :;2rii| 
 Griffith, Davies H. Esq. (arilmii, ( nuway. 
 Guest, Merthyr, Esq. Me thyr Tyd\ il 
 Harrison, J. Esq. 43 Lee-terrace, Blackheath. 
 Haswell, Millboiough, Eiq. Ludlow. 
 Hawkins, (;apt. Frank, b.N. Army and Navy Club. 
 Hawley, Sir J, Bart. 34 Eaton-place. 
 Hindlev, W. Esq. Grenaly House, Croydon. 
 Hobbs, J. Esq., G. P. 0.,"St. Martin's -le-Gr,and, EC. 
 Holyoake, Heniy, Esq. Travellers' Club. 
 HolVoake, Capt.'ditto. 
 
 Hood, Peter, Esij .M.D. 23 Lower Seymour-street, W. 
 Hiqiklnsou, J. Esq. 2.JS Regent-Street, W. 
 llopw.jod, J. T. Esq. M.P. Carlton Club. 
 Howard, H. R. Ivsq. Watford. 
 Hunt, ,1. Esq. 107 Sictoria-street, S.W. 
 James, Sir Henrv, Ordnance Survey Office, Southamjiton. 
 Jackson, Capt. late 1 6th Lancers, Army and Navy Club. 
 Jackson, Major, Warwick Hall, Carlisle. 
 Keane, Capt. The Hon G. D. R.N. 
 Keane, Col. The Hon. H. F.— R.E. 76 Jermyn-street. 
 Kianc. the Hon. J. Arbutlmot, Castletowu House, Wexfoi 
 K( lit Vii'lin'T Vssociation, Kendal. 
 Kill ;, .Ion itiran. Esq. Wiggan Hall, Watford. 
 Kin'russshire Fishim; Cliiii. Kinmss. N.B. 
 Knight, J. W. Esq- 110 i.ivit r.Hil.iiid street 
 Lake. Capt. Percy. Preston, Lainasliire. 
 JJaiwi-er, Lord. {» Great Stanhope-street, W. 
 Lee, John, Esq. 
 
 Lee, Capt. Vauuhan, Army and Navy Club. 
 Liddell, Hon. 11. .\I. H Mansfield-street, W. 
 Lindley, S. H. Esq. l'-' Catherine-street, Straud. 
 Littledak, Geo. Esq. Army and Navy Club. 
 Lloyd, John, Esq. Huntington Court, Hereford, Honor;' 
 
 Member. 
 Longford, Earl of, 24 Bruton -street.
 
 \au-as. Ediimnd, Emj. Milbank-strect. 
 
 Maiiiaphteii, Sir K. W. Bart. Is Eaton -^jU;i re. 
 
 Malimsburv, Earl of, ly .Stratford-iilaLx, W . 
 
 Msrriott, Cul. Kicliliug, K A. 
 
 Miirtiii. Majur, rplonoii-Scvem. 
 
 MnuiiM-ll, Capt tockayiie, TUorpc Malo-ir, Kettering. 
 
 Maiiiiscli, Capt. Cullen, ditto. 
 
 .Mount fhnrli-ii. Earl of. tXi Kutlandpito, ^\■. 
 
 Miillcr. \V. Ewj. jun. i St. llelcns-placi., E-C. 
 
 .S.alo. ^ ansittart. Ewj. Western Life UtIiLO. 7 \V«Url.».-pl. W. 
 
 Niclioluy, J A. Ewi. jun. fuuibcrlauil-inills. Isle of Dogs. 
 
 Xorman', llcnr^-, Esq. 11 Henrietta-strLit, ('aTendish-sq. 
 
 Northuralierland, Duke of, NorthnmbcrUinil Hooise. S.\\'. 
 
 Northwick, Lord. 22 Park-street, W. 
 
 < •iivrv, V. Es<i 12 Queen Annc-strcet, W. 
 
 < iweii, .K. Mostyn, Esq Erny, Ruaboii. 
 
 r.ilnicr, J. Carrington. Esq '(per Major-tloiiend Ramsay}. 
 
 I'arrv, Kii-liarJ, Esq. Army and Navy Clutj. 
 
 I'encli, Major, Army and Navy Club. 
 
 IVnnell, C. H. Esq'. Wcybridgc. 
 
 IVrceval, 1'. Esq. 1.1 South Audlcy-strict. 
 
 r.rkins. .\lgurnon, Esq. 81 Ilarle'y- street. 
 
 riielps. J. L. Esq. rlassy, Linieriek. 
 
 riiillips, .1. II. Esq. Nttwton, Yorksbire. 
 
 I'ipon. Col. Deer-wood, Crawley, Sus.sex. 
 
 /Wirart/i, Jxiril, Merton House,' Uenvick-on-THrccd. 
 
 I'oiitonbii, jA>ril, Koval Yacht Club, Cowes. ' 
 
 Porter, E. E.sq. Sheffield. 
 
 I'oivcrscourt, Viscount, 37 Grosvcnor-square. 
 
 I'retyraan, Col. Artny and Navy Club. 
 
 I'riee, Konainv. Esq.' 11 I'rince's-terracc, S.W. 
 
 I'rittic, Hon. Vrancis, The Lodge, Clonmel. 
 
 PrvfO, Col .M.P. Army and Navy Club. 
 
 Kninsay. Major-Gen 1 Sussex-square, W. 
 
 I.'.eve, John. Esq. .Vlliemarle-stroct. ," 
 
 Itiihard.son. \Vm. E>q. Hill House, Hatfield. ' 
 
 Klekmaiisworth Fishing Club. 
 
 Ridlty, Gen. Wni. Malta. 
 
 Itobinson, F. J. Esq. 
 
 K.ihin.'son, C. Esq. tVi Basinghall-strcct, E.C. 
 
 I.'ixiper, Geo. Esq. Naseott llouse, Watford. 
 
 Kiittcr, Isaac, Esq. Glel)e-lands, Mitcham. 
 
 Ii'yedale Fishing Club, Yorkshire. 
 
 s.iltoun. Lord, Ness Castle, Inverness. 
 
 Selncedcr, H. S. Esq. Hi Carlton-road, Maidn-T«le. 
 
 Seott, Jas. Esq. Itoding House. Woodford, Essex. 
 
 Scagcr, J. L. Esq. South Lambeth. 
 
 Sharpe. Edw. Esq. Llanwntt, N. Wales. 
 
 .Sttiiir, f'upl. S. Amiathwick, Carlisle. 
 
 Shropshire Association of the Severn. Shrewgburv. 
 
 Sibthorp, Major, Canwick Hall. Lincoln. 
 
 Sinclair, \V. Esq. Drumbeg, Donegal. 
 
 Skrine, 11. D. Esq. Warleigb Manor, liath. 
 
 Smilli, Arthur, Jiiij. 24 Wilton-street. S.W. 
 
 Smith, C. .J. Esq. Park House. Islcworth. 
 
 .Smith, Martin T. Esq. 13 I'pper Ilelgrarc-street. 
 
 Smitli, M. K. Es<(. ditto. 
 
 Smith, Oswald A. Esq. 1 Lombard-street, E.C. 
 
 •Smith, Dr. Tyler, 21 I'pper Grosvenor- street, ^V. 
 
 Sparrow, C. Esq. 24 Pembridgc-crescent, W. 
 
 Stewart, H. G. Murray, Eh). Killebegs, Donegal. 
 
 Sylvester, Edw. Esq. Korth Hall. Chorley. 
 
 Taylor, Sir C. Bart. 20 King-street, St. James's. 
 
 Taiipleloictt, '2iul Vijicounl. Albany, Piccadilly. 
 
 Templetown, 3rd Viscount, Devonport. 
 
 Tennant, J. R. Esq. The Hall, Kildwick. Ueds. 
 
 Thonihill, W. P. Esq. M.l'. 44 Eaton-sqimre. 
 
 Thoroton, Capt. J. Army and Navy Club. 
 
 Thruston, C. Esq. Talgarth Hall, 'Machynlleth. 
 
 Traherne, M.-ijor. 
 
 Tredegar, Lord, 39 Portman-square. 
 
 True Waltonian .Society, " The Crown," Pcntonvillc-hill. 
 
 Vansittart, Geo. Esq. 34 Brj-anston-square. 
 
 Vansittart. Spencer, Esq. Castle Council, Limerick. 
 
 Vaughaii, Edwaixl, Esq. Kheola, Neath. 
 
 Vaughan, Nash Edward, Esq. ditto. 
 
 Warwick, lienj. Esq. Englefield-green. 
 
 Wemvss, Earl of, Gosford House, Haddington. 
 
 Wharncliffe, l^rd, \\ortlcy Hall, Sheffield. 
 
 Whimper, Col. 97 Ebury-street, S.W. 
 
 Whitakcr, T. S. Esq. Evcrthorpe Hall, East Yorkshire. 
 
 White, Col. Sligo. 
 
 A\Tiite. John Bazley, Esq. Klackheath. 
 
 Whittingstall, Capt. 35 St. George's-road, S.W. 
 
 JVirlham. II. W. Esq. MP. 3 Chaijcl-street, W. 
 
 Willaunie, Tanqueray, Esq. 24 Chester-terrace, Kegent's-pk 
 
 Willis, Henry, Esq. Old Windsor, Berks. 
 
 Tl'i/jfon, G. i". Esq. 3 Chepstow-terracc, W. 
 
 Wotton, H. K. Esq. 17 CavenJish-squarc. 
 
 \\'right, R. Esq. Harlesdcn-grccn. 
 
 Wynine, Brownlow, Esq. Garsthcwin, Abergele. 
 
 Y'oul, J. A. Esq. Waratah House, Clapham-pjirk. 
 
 Y'oung, R. Esq. M.P. 19 Ecclcston-street. S.\V. 
 
 Zetland, Earl of, Upleatkani, Yorkshire. 
 
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