The Sun.
London, England, 1860-02-24 00:00:00

THE SUN, LOIN

pipes, as easily as pure water, is to every house in
London. Our readers will not wish us to attempt
to prove the possibility of doing this. That is
amply done in the pamphlet and its appendix.
Indeed, a moment's reflection will show every one
that the cost is easily ascertainable. It is well
known how much water is supplied daily by the
companies to the metropolis ; the average rain-fall
is also well known, and even the storm-falls, which
Mr. AlEclli desires to save. The cost of elevating
this quantity of fluid to any required height can
be calculated to a nicety ; and little more
difficult is it to calculate the cost of the requisite
tubing, and reservoirs, and so forth. .The whole of
• this affair is obviously a very simple problem for

an engineer.
But as to the paying part of the business—would
it Le remunerative to a public company ? We have
no manner of doubt that a company could finish all
the requisite works, could pay the metropolis hand-
somely for leave to appropriate the sewage, and
could then make a good profit out of the concern !
Credat Judceus Apella, non ego, and sundry hints
about "horse-marines," we shall probably hear
from different quarters, according to the taste
of the laughers. We beg to refer them all, however,
to Mr. MEcm's pamphlet, to Mr. MEcHi's farm,
to Mr. MECIII himself, if they please, whose cour-
tesy never fails; or, if they like an aristocratic
referee better, we beg to refer them to the Earl of
ESSEX. They surely will not laugh at a lord. In
the appendix we have a long, but interesting,
because a matter of fact communication from his
Lordship: He has an estate near the little
town of Watford; he brings its sewage on
his land ; and what will the reader sup--
pose he is paid for taking it clear of
the town ? Why, he pays the town £5O
a year for it, and proves too that he has made a
capital bargain ! At the same rate the metropolis
would receive nearer forty than thirty thousand
pounds per annum for allowing a company to do
that, perfectly, which we are now attempting to do
imperfectly at the cost of millions !
The sewage we thus waste must be at least
equal to the manure derived from 20 millions of
sheep, and what would any farmer think of
making arrangements by which the manure
from that number of animals should be carefully
washed away into our rivers P Perhaps, too, it is
forgotten that the washings by rain from the
streets, the flowings from the stables, the contents
of wash tubs and bacons, the residue of numerous
manufactures, all go into the sewage, and
greatly enhance its value. Indeed, for thirty miles
round what we are about to waste in such costly
style, might, with profit instead of cost to us, fer-
tilise our most barren heaths and fields. Not less
than 500,000 acres, on the rotation system, or on the
system of forcing vast root and green crops, about
80,000 might be brought under the influence of
London sewage. Mr. MECHI'S pamphlet ought to
be in the hands of every farmer and every land-
holder within 30 miles of London, and we hope it
will attract the attention of those able and willing
to take active measures to give effect to his
recommendations. Our Sanitary schemers have
had their day ; they have forced us to sweeten our
towns at the cost of poisoning our streams ; it is
now the turn of our Agricultural Reformers to do
their part ;—to deliver us from sanitary poisonings
fertilising our fields.