The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1821-09-10 00:00:00

coußPs OF coNsERrANcr
POR SURREY AND MIDDLESEX.

CONTAMINATION OF THE RIVER BY POISONOUS
GAS.WATER.
On Saturday the Lord Mayor, as Conservator of the River
Thames and of the Waters of the Medway, held a return
Collet of Conservancy for the county of Surrey, •t the Town
Hall, Southwark, for the purpose of receiving the Report of
the Jury, sworn in at a former Court, to examine into and
report upon the present state of the River, particularly as
related to the gas establishments in the Middlesex dierirt.
After the formal business of the Covet "had been goose
through, the Foremast of the July presented the Report,
which was read by the °Meer. It stated that pursuant to the
directions given them on the 31111 of July last, they hod en-
amined the ricer both above add below the bridge, and pee.
✓ented all well excepting that part of the river by Bankside,
where they were surprised to find that the 'toilsome of the
discharge of gas-water from the establishment of the South-
wark, or South London Gas-light Company, as bad as ever,
notwithstanding that • letter had been written by William
Pickley to their Foreman on the 11th of Jely last, deelarieg
that the nuisance had been abated. The Jury, therefore,
again pretested that discharge as a nuisance.
The letter from the foreman of the Gas Light Company
was read. It was dated July the II th, and stated, that since
the 30th of May last they had discontinued In discharge their
waste liquor into the ricer, and that the communication with
the river had been ent off, the pipes taken up, and the earth
carefully rammed down in the plat!. The letter proceeded
to state, that since the 30th of May last there bad Wes a
change of proprietors of the establishment.
The Foreman of the Jury begged leave to state to his
Lordship in explanation, that they did sot find that the gas
water was now discharged directly from the gas works, but
that it now came from under a seper.yard which was conti-
gnous, and as there was no other gasometer is the neigh.
bourhnod they inferred that the gas water could not he dis-
charged from any bat the gas works of the Southwark Gas
Company. The Jury were so fortunate as to come stn the
spot at the precise time that the gas water was running into
the river, which it contaminated to a visible extent of at
least thirty yards from thestream. They bottled some of it
for experiment, and bad fuond it poiaonuua to a most serious
degree. The poor of the neighbourhood made loud, and he
bad no doubt well foamiest complaint* of the nuisance, and
they stated that the water was rendered in general quite unfit
for culinary purposes.
Some bottles of the gas seater were produced for the in-
spection of the Lo►d Mayor, who was requested oiil• to
smell it, as that would give him an adequate idea of its
nature without tasting it, which they did not advise.
A Juror stated, that when the Jury west below they pro-
cured a quantity of live Ash, eels and Roueders, which they
put in • vessel committing • quantity of fresh water, and
added • proportion of the gas water to them. The result
was, that all the eels died in less than four minutes and a
half; the Crustier, died in • minute after they were put 1•.
Other persons made similar statemeets as to the very per-
•icions effects of the gas on the water I. the river, and ex-
pressed a hope that immediate proceedings would be Ulm
against the offenders.
The LORD STATOR was frilly satisfied as to the deleteri-
ous nature of the waste liqurir, as it was called, which wa■
discharged from the works, and of the coresequenees upon
the river, and the health of those who used the water, if the
Nuisance was not put • stop to. He should, therefore, order
the City Solicitor to prosecute the parties belonging to the
establishment from which the nui.anee proceeded. He
thanked the Jury fur the diligeuee which they had displayed
le the public service.
The Court was then dissolved.

The Loan MAYOR afterwards held ■ Co•rt of Conser-
vancy at the Swan lon, Westminster-bridge, for the county or
Middlesex, to receive the return of the Jury sworn in fur that
district.
The Report made by this Jury presented several nuisances
which they forma on their way tip she river, ►ut prineipsity
prevented as • nuisance the constant discharge of offensive
'natter from the gas works by the Hurseferry, Westmiavter,
and expressed great surprise that the Gas Company should
have been permitted to lay down Woe pipes into the river
under any circumstances. They had examined 'semen's,
witnesses on the subject, who had been acquaiated with the
river for their whole lives, and all gave evidence as to the
serpriring extent to which the river had been contaminated.

Some fishermen who had obtained their living on the river
from hearse!, declared that if the practice was Pitt stopped
the fishing would be ultimately destroyed; on passing the
gas works they bad had the Ash in the wells of their boats
destroyed at onetime by the gas water. The Report further
stated, that the Jury bad caused the bed of the river close
by the Vauxball.bridge to be dragged, when they fused the
rubbish brought up strongly impregnated with the residuum
discharged from the gas works.
A Juror stated that they went in their examination in psi.
vate boats, as they feared if they west in the City State barge
certain parties might obtain wake of their approach, and
prepare for the examination. The Jury bad certainly
found that the Nuisance from the Doraet•street Gas Light
Company was abated et the time of their examination, but
had been informed that there had been a clearance of the
pipes in the front of the works two days before their ap-
proach. They hoped, however, that it was permeates!,
abated.

The Lord Mayor said, be would certainly take care that a
proseeatitia should be ia•tiluted against the parties from
whole the nuisance presented, originated. He thanked the
Jury for their service*, and dissolved the Court.
It was stated in the Court, that the Jury found eves
the weeds from the bed of the rivi r abort Vauxhall-bridge,
pearly a mile from the nearest gas works, covered with a kind
of tar or adhesixe sediment, frum Iberia works, of extremely
offensive smell. The floating substasce, which dors not
readily decompose, is stated ►y the walruses to be ex-
tremely injurious to t►e dressing or careeniag on the boat
bit Miss.

At a public meeting in Chester oo Monday, it
ass resolved to estiblish a packet station at Dew-
pool, the mouth of the Dee, near that c►ty, for the
purpose of conveying passengers from Loudon to
Dubl►n, and " restoring the ancient linen comma.
nication through Chester." The money is to be
raised in shares.

On the 20th ult. a youth. son of Mr. GALE, of
Deraky, near Burliage, Wilts, took a gun, for
the purpose of frightning rooks front the wheat,
not knowing it to be charged, and sent into a field,
where his father's carter was ploughing, with a lad
named CHARLES HATTER. Mr. GALE'S son
gave the gun into the hands of the carter, whilst he
endeavoured to hold the plough. This being the
first ii,maluce of the carter's ever handling such en
instruintnt, he wished his young muster to snow
him to snick it off." This was refused, but the
carter, so satisfy his curiosity, was playing with the
lock ; when the gun accidentally went off, and
HATTER received the whole charge in his head,
and died in a few hours after.
On Saturday last, at Ilford, Essex, a meeting
of the Magistrates took place. A man was arraign-
ed ou a charge of rubbery, attended with cruelty.
It appeared from the evidence of the Prosecutor,
who is a young married woman, sod was returning
from town to her residence at Ilford, that, being
alarmed from the lateness of the hour (eleven at
night), she.requested two men, whom she accident-
ally met, to accompany her home, offering them
payment for their trouble, bat when within a little
dietetice from her dwelling they knocked bee down
and jamped upon her. The villains succeeded in
taking her shawl, but a small hand basket she held
so tight as to hitilie their exertions. On the Pri-
soner the she'd was found, and he was committed
for trial. His accomplice has not yet been taken.