Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1892-09-25
SEWAGE OF LONDON.
1T is TAKEN OUT TO SEA AND SCAT
TERED OVER THE WAVES.

Method of Separating the sludge from
the Eniuent-Clean ships.
"Oh, how unpleasant The idea of go
ing to sea with sludger On the con-
trary, you know nothing Of it. The
deck of the sludge ship is broad and
clean; the deck house or saloon" small
but comfortable; on the bridge a fresh
breeze is blowing; the sunlight sparkles
brightly on the rufiled surface of the
river, and you scarce can realize that
this fine steamer is carrying thousand
tons of London sludge out to sea. Yet
such is the fact The idea that the
'mud barges" Of the county council,
which take ont the precipitated portion
OF London sewage to the Barrow deep,
are simply dirty dredges is quite mis-
take. They are powerful twin screw
steamships, worked by two sets of triple
expansion engines, and fitted with three
large tanks, kept covered. and abso-
lutely free from nuisance to anybody,
even to the seamen on board. They can
make two trips out TO sea in every
twenty-five hours, steaming about ten
knots, and, as matter Of fact, they
thus dispose of Al 900 tons Of sludge in
week
The sludge is precipitated by treat
ing the sewage with lime and sulphate
of iron. First, six huge cages catch
debris, such as sticks and dead rats and
cells, etc, in the great rushing sewers
which drain London. This rubbish is
burned in Instructors at the rate of
something like a hundred tons week;
then the black river Of sewage is stirred
in tanks with lime-or, more correctly,
lime water-in the proportion Of about
81 grains to the gallon. The effect of
the lime is to precipitate matter in sus-
pension and solution and also to deodor-
ize. You may take a smelling bottle
with you if you like, but with plenty Of
lime about you will hardly need it. But
walking on along the top Of the twenty
seven feet wide sewer, which is probably
10 become a beautiful boulevard for
Barking, one comes 10 the sulphate Of
iron "shop," where $50 tons at time
are received, and where, after being dis
solved in the proper proportion as di-
rected by tho chemist in charge, it, too,
finds its way TO the swift river Of sew
age.
But then comes pause in the rivers
mad career. 1t is admitted through the
Penstock chamber-that is, building
with number Of iron gates-to a set of
covered precipitating channels, where it
can leisurely mediate after its wild
rushings from London. Here in its
quiet bed the lime and iron, in casting
down the solid portions, can take full
effect, and the clear portion Of the liquid
at the top-now called the effiuent-
is let off over the head Of wall at the
end Of the chamber 10 a channel at the
other side; whence, gathering speed
again, it rushes to a reservoir, from
which at ebb tide it joins the Thames.
The sludge passes through pipes from
the bottoms Of the precipitating cham
bers to another reservoir, whence it Il
pumped to the tanks in the sludge
ships and conveyed to sea.
The effect on the river is most salts
factory. On the testimony Of the har.
Dor master it is cleaner now than it has
been for some years, while Mr.. Thudi
chum, the chemist at the Barking tout
fall" works, joyfully maintains it has
90 per cent. of oxygen, which it has moi
rejoiced in for some summers past. But
the clean foreshore and the scent Of sea
weed at Barking, and the much purei
looking water in the Thames itself, are
proofs to the uninitiated of the success
of the NEW" system.
That system is only now getting int
full working order. The county coun
Gil have added two more ships TO tht
feet, making now five in all; and they
are conveying some 40 900 tons Of sludgt
out to sea every week. Four ships arr
constantly at work day and night, ant
one takes its turn Of rest week fol
painting, repairs, etc, and affording {
lighter time for the men. These ar,
sailors, and sleep ON board, regular
watches being kept, except one twenty
four hours in every seven days, wher
they are allowed off duty.
The discharging ground Of the steam
ers is the Barrow deep, some miles be
You'd the More light. The deep is az
unused channel, the north bound vessel
taking a course considerably 10 the lief
and southwark ships far TO the right
The channel has been buoyed by tn,
council, and no captain may commences
dischargng until he has passed tn,
North Knot buoy. The discharge i
quickly effected by opening valves in tn
vessels bottom; the principle beinl
much the same as that used ON the sci
emptying lifeboat-which, indeed, is bu
an adaptation Of the law that water find
its own level, the bottom Of the tank
being built ON level with the sea. Tn
valves are easily opened from the deck
and so quick is their action that tn
whole thousand tons can be discharge,
/. in seven minutes. Generally the tim
occupied, however, is longer, the vesse
perhaps steaming ten miles while empty
ing her strange cargo. The white wax