The National Register.
London, England, 1819-11-07 00:00:00

THE PAMPHLETEER.

Tits Twenty-Ninth Number of this most
useful publication has just appeared, and from it
we estmet the followin; ialniry (is it impossible
to free the Attnosuhere of London in a very con
Niderable.degree, from the smoke and deleterious
vapours-Avith which it is hourly impregnated ? By
W. Triend, Actuary of the Hoek Insurance) :

"The smoke of London, first viewed from a dist-
snce, afilyrds a sight which strikes a fimeigner with
astonishment. The inhabitants are so accustomed
to it, that they cease to regard it us a matter of much
inconvenience, though a box of clothes sent from
the metropolis sensibly affects their country friends.
In fact, the Londoner is in the situation of a man,
who lives in a smoky house : he is used to it : but
every one, who comes to visit him, perceives the
►iifference between his sooty chambers and a well
ventilated mansion.

There are people, who, from long habit, are not
disgusted With dirt and nastiness. The Hottentot
returns to his grease ; but I believe, that, if the
snwky atmosphere of this great city were exchanged
tbr a purer atmosphere, stone of the inhabitants, nor
the occasional visitors of the metrop►lis. would
lament the loss of their black fog. All talk of the
smoky town ; but they sit contented under their
dense vapours, from an opinion, that the evil is
incurable.

This is the ease with every improvement that is
suggested. A few years back, the visitors of I..xilam,
were assured, that it was impossible .to Lep the un-
happy patients but by such immense lucks, bolts, and
chains as shocked humanity. The very people who
were thus manacled and fettesdi, are now walking
*bout at their ease in the new liedlaut, end are
more tractable iu consequence of the removal of
these restraints. 71 went over this excellent insti-
tution the other day, .and, on contrasting it with
what I had seen in the former mansion could not
tut eongratulate•buruan suture on the modern im-
provements in the treatment of the greatest calamity
to which it is liable. The application of the same
!ommen sense would produce similar improvements
in a variety of instances.
To ti,rm a judgment of the smoke of London, a
person should take a turn on Blackfriars' Bridge in
the midst of the day, and notice the effect of the vo-
mitories of smoke that surround him. A similar
walk, at night, will point out more strongly the
defect in their construction, when he perceives, from
many of them volumes of flame issuing forth, as from
t:u many volcanoes. If he takes his morning walk
in the middle of Summer, the contrast between the
smoke from the furnaces, and fron► the ordinary
fires, will be particularly striking. I conjecture,
that the smoke occasioned by a vast variety of ma-
nnfactories, forges, glass houses, 80... is at least
three times as great as that proceeding from all the
chimneys for tinnily use : and it i 3 to be recollected,
that from some of these furnaces issue forth matter
of most deleterious nature.

On the mischief arising from noxious vapours, the
medical men are the best judges ; but it is some-
what remarkable, that so little attention is paid to
this subject by the Legislature. Within these few
years, an instance occurred, which 'brought it
forcibly within my notice. There was a small
green lane near me, which I used to .frequent as a
walk before breakfast. Soon atter I had discovered
this little walk, preparations were made for -building,
and iu a short time two spacious buildingsappeared,
both furnished ivith furnaces, the chimneys of
which were not carried tan feet above the roof One
of which was applied in the smelting of lead, the
other to the melting, I think, of iron. In a short
time proceeded the usual appearance of such
works; and the air was proportionably infested. A
great road. which promiscs to he ono of the most
considerable .thoroughfares in London, has lately
been made near this place ; and when the wind is
favourable, the pale whitish smoke from the lead
mappiastory is sensibly felt by those, whom busi-
.ness.or pleasure carries that way. On the erection
.of these buildings I could not help pointing out to
the owner the high chimney of the great manufac-
tory near the Asylum, dud with what advantage,
.both to himself and to the public, the very me-
ritorious ettgintx:r,:the owner of them, had con.
eructed his works. But how cou!.i it be expected