The Sun.
London, England, 1856-09-24 00:00:00

THE CITY OAS-WORKS,

Mr. DAw read the following letter, wiCcii bad been
referred t.) the medical officer (Dr. Lethehy):—
" City of London Police, Chief Office, Aug. 15.
"Dear Sir,—l feel it my duty to draw your attention to
a very great nuisance in 'Ai hitefriars. A most intolerable
smell is emitted from a chimney at the City Gas-works,
where I understand an attempt is being made to destroy
by fire the refuse of the gas-works.
" Our men on duty in the neighbourhood complain that
it seriously affects their health ; in fact we are compelled
to change men to other beats to enable them to recoverfroin
the poisonous effects of constantly inhaling this gas. Yes-
terday evening it was particularly bad, and was percept•
ible as far as the Old Bailey.—l am, dear Sir, yours truly,
(Signed) " S. HODGSON, Superintendent.
" J. Daw, Esq.,

The Medical Officer then read the following ►eport :
"TO THE HON. THE COMMISSIONERS OF SEWERS OF THE

CITY OF LONDON.

" Gentlemen,—A. complaint has been made to this court
by the superintendent of the City police respecting a nui-
sance in Whitefriars. He states that a most intolerable
smell is emitted from a chimney at the City of London
Gas-works, and that it so seriously affects the health of his
men who are on duty in the neighbourhood that h• is
obliged to change them to other beats in order that they
may recover from the poisonous effects of the gas.
"In accordance with your request, I have examined
into the matter, and have carefully inspected the works of
the company.

" Yoti will, perhaps, remember that this subject has
already received the attention of the court, and that pro-
ceedings were taken not long since by the corporation of
London against the company for the purpose of putting a
stop to the offensive practice of discharging the foul lime
from the gas purifiers into the River Thames. In conse-
quence of these proceedings the company were obliged to
adopt, at a very considerable expense, a new mode of puri-
fying. By this means the foul lime is deprived of its vo-
latile matters before it is brought out into the river. The
process by which this is effected is as follows :—The puri-
fiers are charged with dry lime instead of wet, as was for-
merly the case, and they also contain a mixture of saw-
dust and oxide of iron. The dry lime fixes the sulpha-
retted hydrogen of the gas, as well as certain cyanogen
compounds, and that which the lime fails to arrest is re-
tained by the oxide of iron. Every day one of the purl.
fiers becomes so foul from the fixation of impurities as to
require a fresh charge and as the lime would evolve a most
intolerable odour if it were at once exposed to the air, an
arrangement is adopted whereby it is ventilated before It
is taken out of the purifier. This is accomplished by re-
moving the oxide of iron, and then forcing a large quantity
of atmospheric air through the foul lime. The air charged
with sulphuretted hyd.rog,an and very offensive hydrocar-
bons is made to pass through chambers containing oxide of
iron, and thence into a chimney which is 150 feet high.
By this means the lime is rendered innocuous, and the
sulphuretted hydrogen which it gives up to the air is ar-
rested ; but still thre are certain hydrocarbons which are
not fixed by the process, and these by escaping into the
air are no doubt amongst the subjects of complaint.
" Again, the oxide of iron which is taken out of the
purifiers before the process of ventilation is set on, is largely
charged not only with an excess of sulphuretted hydrogen,
but also with a quantity of stinking tarry matter. Iu this
state it is carried to a room which overlooks the White-
friars Dock, and there, by exposure to the atmosphere. the
hydrated sulphuret of iron undergoes a slow process of
combustion, by which the mass becomes hot, anti in some
cases actually takes fire. The iron is thus quickly restored
to its original state, and is again fit for the process of puri-
fication; but while all this is going on a quantity of steam
charged with offensive hydrocarbons is continually emir-
Ing from the hot mass; and as the room in which it is
placed is freely open to the external air, there is a constant
iiiffusion of foul vapours into the surrounding atmosphere.
This, I have no doubt, has sometimes been perceived by
the police, especially at that part of Temple-street which
bounds the Whitefriars Dock.
" Another cause of complaint has arisen from the cir-
cumstances that by reason of the failure in the supply of
the usual Cannel coal the company were compelled a few
weeks ago to resort to the use of a coal which is named
flethyl. This produces a tar of a most sickening odour,
and although every precaution was taken to guard against
the escape of its vapour, yet a little of the tar was always
volatilised at the time of charging the retorts, and also
when the spent oxide of iron was removed from the purifier
and exposed to the air in the reviving room.
"These are, I believe, the principal sources of complaint,
and, in referring to them, I am bound to state that the
company are exceedingly anxious to do everything in their
power to mitigate the nuisances which are unfortunately
inseparable from the process of gas-making. They have
already appealed to the highest scientific authorities, and
have gone to a great expense in carrying out the improve-
ments which have been suggested. But for all this, accord-
ing to the statements of the police, the smell from the
works is intolerable ; in fact, I am informed by the in-
spector for that district that every man who has been on
duty there has complained of it as a terrible nuisance.
They say that the worst smells are perceived at night,
when, as I understand, the oxide of iron is being removed
from the purifiers to the reviving-room, and they add that
the nuisance is greater now than it was before the new pro-
cess was adopted. The effect of the smell is to make the
men feel sick, and sometimes vomit. They then complain
of nausea and loss of appetite, so that they fall away in
strength and condition. The inspector told me that he
had occasion to pass the works with one of the serjeants
about three weeks ago, and the smell from the place was
so intolerable that it made both of them vomit. Such
facts as these are so forcible, and are apparently so free
from prejudice, that we cannot dispute them.
" The questions, therefore, which arise oat, of the ease
are these :

"1. Are the operations at the gas-works conducted in a
proper manner—that is, with a due regard to the public
comfort, and with the adoption of the best practicable
means of abating every possible nuisance?
"2. Is the heart of a crowded city a proper locality for
conducting a business which is admitted to be injurious
to the public health ?

" To the first of these questions I have already replied
by saying that the company have done everything in their
power, and everything which science has suggested, for the
mitigation of the nuisances which are inseparable from the
business. To the second I must give an equally emphatic
answer, although it is in the negative ; for it cannot be
doubted that operations which cast into the air all sorts of
poisonous vapours, to say nothing of the clouds of stools
which are continually emanating from hundreds of retorts,
must be injurious to the public health, and ought to be
removed as f..,r as possible from the city walls.—l have the
honour to remain, gentlemen, your obedient servant,
(Signed) Hr. LETHEBT, M. 8.,
"Professor of Chemistry, &c., in the College of
the London Hospital, and Officer of Health
for the City of London.
"Guildhall, Sept. 23, 1856."
Mr. Ross moved "That a copy of the report be sent
to the City Gas Company."
Mr. ABRAHAM said he did not think the motion sub-
mitted to the court by his friend went far enough. H 4
(Mr. Abraham) was of opinion, that instead of a copy of
the report being sent to the gas company the matter
should be referred to the general purposes committee,
with instructions to them to take alegal opinion as to the
power of the court to deal with it as a public and inju.
riou s nuisance. (Hear.)
Mr. Ross said he had no objection to alter his resolu-
tion to meet the view of Mr. Abraham. •

The motion was then altered in conformity with the
suggestion of Mr. Abraham, and carried unanimously.
The court adjourned.

THE Loss OF THE IMOGENE.—Not a particle of the
cargo, which was valued at 60,000/. was saved. There
were two ladies, passengers, on board, one of whom lost
2,0001., and the other 7001.—Liverpool Albion.
We understand that the Division Officers of the In-
land Revenue Department are to have an immediate
increase of 301. per annum to their salary.—Caledonian
Mercury.
It is stated that the silver phipmEats to India and
China, by the mail from Southampton, on the 4th of
October, will amount to a million and a quarter stet.
ling. The rate of insurance has advanced from 35i.
to 903.
ROBBERY IN PLYMOUTH ClTADEL.—Between noon and
midnight on Saturday the pay-office of the 66th Regi.
went was robbed of 901. in Plymouth Branch Bank •
England notes and 601. in sovereigns.