224 Mr. Harvey on the Fall of Rain in the Neighbourhood of Oktiffow. 



the originator of the Paisley Water Works,* and who has, both during 

 and since their erection, dovotod much of his time and attention to them, 

 I have been furnished with a few details of the practical results obtained 

 at these works. 



The extent of the contributing ground to the Paisley works is 793 acres, 

 or considerably less than a third of that of the Gorbals Company. These 

 works are capable of supplying 70 million cubic feet of water annually 

 and the actual consumpt by a population of 42,000 is about 25 millions 

 cubic feet. There are, however, a number of dyeworks, printworks, 

 breweries, distilleries, and others of a similar kind, supplied with water 

 from these works, and consuming about 25 millions cubic feet annually 

 also. 



The whole water from which the company thus derive their revenue is, 

 therefore, about 50 millions cubic feet, out of 70 millions collected ; 20 

 millions cubic feet of water must thus be allowed to run to waste from the 

 reservoirs after it has been collected. 



It has been ascertained, that out of the 70 millions cubic feet collected 

 in the reservoirs in one year, 65 millions of this quantity was collected 

 during twenty-five rainy days throughout the year. 



Mr. Stirrat has also furnished me with details of the expense of erect- 

 ing and keeping up these works, also the revenue derived from them; but 

 I consider it unnecessary to detain you with these. It is sufficient to 

 know that the inhabitants of Paisley are now supplied with abundance of 

 pure water, at a cheap rate, and have been so for the last ten years, 

 during which period the pressure has never been taken off the pipes either 

 at night or throughout the day. 



With these facts before the Gorbals Company, I think that they need 

 have no fear of having an abundant supply of water for double the present 

 amount of the population of Gorbals ; and were they to extend their 

 works to a higher level, and draw their supply from ground farther to 

 the south and west of their present works, they could obtain a supply of 

 water sufficient for a population of 700,000, or more than double the 

 number of the present inhabitants of Glasgow. 



The water of the Brockburn has been analysed by Dr. Thomson, Pro- 

 fessor Penny, and Dr. Gregory of Edinburgh, all of them concurring in pro- 

 nouncing it a very pure water. The maximum quantity of saline matter 

 found in an imperial gallon, or 10 lbs., amounting to only 8*1 grains, 

 while the minimum quantity obtained was only 6*5 grains. The 

 Clyde water, which, when properly filtered, is considered a very pure 

 water, contains from 10 to 16 grains of saline matter in the imperial gal- 

 lon. The water of the Brock Burn is, therefore, much purer than that 

 of the Clyde, which contains nearly doublef the quantity of saline matter. 



* The credit of originating these works is usually ascribed in Paisley to the late Dr. 

 Kerr. — Bdi t. 



t The water of the Clyde contains from 10 to 10 grains of saline matter in the gallon, 

 according to the state of flood in the river. The statement, therefore, that the water of 

 the Clyde contains nearly double that of the Brock Burn is pretty correct. 



