Page:On the Pollution of the Rivers of the Kingdom.djvu/50

44 of the London Water Companies; in addition to the soluble matters washed down from cultivated fields, great quantities of putrescent animal matters were flushed out of the sewers of Oxford, Windsor, &c., into the river; 'hence the large proportion of organic carbon and nitrogen, and the great previous sewage-contamination in the waters of those Companies which derive their supply from that river.' In fact, it is shown that the Thames was contaminated, at the time the samples for Dr. Frankland's analyses were taken, &apos;with double the usual proportion of organic matter.' The waters delivered during the latter part of the month were 'in such a muddy condition as to render them totally unfit for domestic use.' "

From the Registrar-General's Return, week ending Feb. 29th, 1868:—

"The results of Dr. Frankland's analyses of the waters derived from the Thames are not satisfactory. The waters contained impurities probably of an animal origin to a considerable extent."

On the 23rd of March last the Inspectors of Salmon Fisheries presented their seventh annual Report.

Forty-nine rivers are reported on, namely, the Aln, Arun, Avon (Devon), Avon (Hants), Calder, Camel, Cleddy, Clwyd and Elwy, Conway, Coquet, Dart, Dee, Derwent (tributary of Trent), Derwent (Yorkshire), Dovey, Dwyryd, Ellen (Cumberland), Erme (Devon), Exe, Fowey, Frame (Dorset), Glaslyn, Gwyfrai, Itchen, Mawddach, Kidd, Okement, Otter, Ouse (Yorkshire), Ribble, Sciont, Severn, Stour (Dorset), Stour (Kent), Swale, Tamar and Plym, Taw and Torridge, Tees, Teivy, Test, Towey, Trent, Tyne, Ure, Usk and Ebbw, Wear, Wharfe, Wye and Yealm (Devon).

From the replies received by the Inspectors to questions Nos. 8 and 12 of a series they had addressed to the different Boards of Conservators, and from their own personal examination, it appears that of these fully