New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-12-19

through Parliament requiring All such esmo-
lishments 20 consume their own smoke. Forth
with ne was besieged by army OF rernoh-
stratlng and protesting manufacturers. all
vehcucntly declaring that the thing was aDso-
lutely impossible. It simply could not be done.
"Old Pam" took another bite upon Il straw or
toothpick. and replied: II don't know whether
Il can be done or net, an really don't care All
say Is that II must and shall be done. Ana
done Il was. without delay.
THE PROBLEM OF RELIEF.
There IS no Palmerston now TO deal with
present conditions In that way. Perhaps they
could not bc thus dealt with. The problem is
a complex one as complex the composition Of
the foe itself. The original mist can scarcely
lie abolished. It might be essencd to some ex-
tent by draining the Essex marshes. but not
materially. Sea fog is too great meteoroogi-
cal phenomenon to be controlled by mans de-
vices Nor indeed. is the mere mist a partcu-
larry serious evil II the coal dust could be kept
out Of IT, il would not be dun and binding. and
II the sulphur were kept out It would no longer
be suffocating But the carbon and sulphur are
dsinfcctants which materially reduce the nox-
and the gas left the fog would be less dark and
-
ish the sofi-coal nuisance would be to make the
latter state OF the city worse than the former
1t would be necessary. therefore. TO abolish the
sewer gas at the same time. or TO disinfect 1t
in some other way than by filling the air with
products Of coal combustion-or non combustion.
II there were no natural mists. and the air
were always clear and dry. the gas might be
promptly dssipated and the smoke and sui
phur fumes would be less Objectionable than
now But in the very nature OF the case. that
is impossible To get rid OF the smoke Is not
impossible. Sir Henry Tyler has said that II
would be- impossible TO compel the people OF
London to burn only anthracite or hard coal,
but +, would be possible to encourage them to
do so to "A large extent by abolishing the duty
on hard coal and Increasing that on soft coal.
The introduction. perhaps compulsory. OF smoke
devices In private houses, as well as
in factories, would conduce to the same end.
A still more imposing scheme which has been
seriously considered IL the use OF gas for most
purposes for which coal is now used, the gas
being manufactured at a distance from the city
and conveyed thther In pipes, just as natural
gas is handled in this country. This latter
scheme was first put forward by no less
tbority than DR. Siemens. in 1863 His idea was
10 supply Birmingham with gas manufactured
at or In the coal mines themselves
But as already indicated, such lessening OF the
density Of the fog would aggravate its most
serious evils Reform must first In the
direction OF freeing the air from sewer gas, and
that Is the problem that gives reformers pause.
That difficulty does not exist In New York. be-
cause OF the different climatic conditions. The
air here is much less humid and sea fogs are
much less prevalent than In London. The gases
that rise from the ventilating pipes there
fore much more quickly dissipated and gener-
ally offer no material menace to health. There
8, therefore, no need Of filing the air with car