184 SCIENCE PROGRESS. 



basin is as it were, on every such occasion, thoroughly- 

 washed out, and it is only to be expected that the number 

 of microbes in the water should be enormously increased as 

 is found to be the case. 

 Now with respect to 



THE WATER SUPPLY OF THE FUTURE. 



In view of the rapid increase of the population of Lon- 

 don, fears have from time to time been entertained that the 

 water supply from the Thames basin, that is to say from 

 the rivers Thames and Lea, supplemented by water from 

 springs and deep wells within the basin itself, would soon 

 be insufficient in quantity ; whilst the quality of the 

 water taken from the river has, up to a comparatively 

 recent date, been considered unsatisfactory. On these 

 grounds various schemes have, from time to time, been 

 brought forward for the supply of the Metropolis from 

 other river basins — from the Wye, the Severn, the river 

 basins of North Wales, and of the Lake Districts of 

 Cumberland and Westmoreland. 



It is worthy of note, however, that all the Royal Com- 

 missions have arrived tinanimously at the conclusion 

 that the quantity of water obtainable from the Thames 

 basin is so ample as to render the necessity of going else- 

 where a very remote contingency. 



I shall now endeavour to put, very shortly before you 

 a few facts which, in my opinion, prove that, both as 

 regards quantity and quality, the Thames basin will for a very 

 long time to come afford an abundant supply for the Metro- 

 polis. There is indeed no river basin in Great Britain 

 which affords such an abundant supply of excellent water 

 as that available in the Thames basin. 



Besides that which flows directly into the rivers, this 

 water is contained in the Chalk, Oolite, and Lower Green- 

 sand, which are the best water bearing strata in the 

 kingdom. From these rocks it issues in copious springs 

 of unsurpassed organic purity. I have personally inspected 

 every spring of importance in the Thames basin and have 



