POONA DIVISION OF THE ARMY.
49
Colour in stratum of 2 feet
Opalescent greenish yellow.
Odour
Earthy
Taste
Nil
Re-action
Neutral
Sediment consists of a very small quantity of sandy matter. No vegetable debris or infusoria
From the above analysis it will be observed that the amount of oxygen and albumenoid
ammonia as representing the amount of oxidisable organic matters are still in excess, and,
therefore, the filtering process is considered not sufficiently perfect to render the water
good and potable. This filter will, however, at a future time, in the ensuing year, be again
tried, and results analysed, as it is just possible that a filter so newly constructed may not
readily afford the result which may be given when the filter is brought more into use and
becomes more water-tight and compact after the lapse of a greater length of time: one can-
-not be over-sanguine, however, with regard to any satisfactory result in this respect, con--
sidering the care and attention bestowed on this apparatus on this and many former occa--
sions. In the meantime sites have been proposed and selected for two wells to be sunk along
the edge of the tank; and as seemed important beforehand to ascertain the comparative merits
of the quality of this tank water over that of the water similarly taken, unfiltered, from the
"Sucker Bowree" tank, I forwarded specimens of both to the Chemical Analyser to Govern--
ment, copy of whose report is subjoined
: —
Analysis of 2 Samples of Water, marked A, from, "Sucker Bowree" Tank, unfiltered; B, from
"Mamoo Banja" Tank, unfiltered; drawn and forwarded 8th December 1875.
A.
B.
Grs. per
Gallon.
Grs. per
Gallon.
Total solids dried at about 280° F.
20.30
14.00
Loss on ignition
2.80
2.10
Chlorine
2.68
1.70
Sulphuric acid
Trace
Trace.
Silica
3.36
2.80
Lime
Trace
Trace.
Magnesia
4.74
4.34
Hardness by soap-test before boiling
11.20
7.70
After boiling
3.15
1.75
Ammonia free
.0462
.0371
Albumenoid
. 0 6 3 0
.0420
Oxygen required at 140° F. in presence of acid
. 2 5 6 2
.1624
Or, in parts per million
,
Ammonia, free
.66
.53
Albumenoid
.90
.60
Oxygen required at 140° F.
3.66
9.32
Both samples were yellowish in colour, destitute of odour and taste, and yielded, on stand-
- i n g , a g r e e n i s h , b r o w n , f l o c c u l e n t s e d i m e n t c o n t a i n i n g v e g e t a b l ed
e b r i s ,
c o n f e r v æ , a n d a f e w
monads.
From the foregoing analysis it will be seen that there exists a considerable amount of
organic matters in both of the test waters taken, unfiltered, from the two principal tanks of
this fort, and that the tank A—"Sucker Bowree"—from which at present all and the only pure
drinking water used by the troops is drawn, is obtained from that which, in point of analy--
sis at least, is originally the most impure. The quality of the latter is, however, much im--
proved by percolation into the adjoining well, situated close to the edge of this tank, and it
would seem to follow ( cœteris paribus) that, if a similar well or two were constructed near the
other larger and cleaner tank B, the water obtained therefrom by percolation through a good
well would yield a similarly favourable result, and that the water which was found to be
unfit for drinking after careful percolation through the artificial filter would become potable
B 66—m