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VIII. — On Sewage and Sewage Rivers. , 

 By Robert Angus Smith, Ph.D., F.C.S. 



\_Read January 23rd, 1855.] 



Thb removal of refuse from a town gains importance as the 

 town increases, rising at last to be a matter of the greatest 

 moment and surrounded with the greatest difficulties. At the 

 same time, if we take only theoretical grounds, we may say 

 that the removal of refuse must become easier as a town 

 increases, because there is an increased combination of indi- 

 viduals to share the trouble and the expense. This method 

 of viewing the matter I believe to be the true one, whatever 

 practice may say as to the difficulties. The modes of remov- 

 ing refuse are many, but they may very readily be reduced to 

 two; 1st, The removal from the place of original location by 

 carts or any other means of overland carriage; 2nd, The 

 removal in tubes or pipes with an abundance of water. The 

 first method is the most general, it is the original method ; it 

 may be said to be the universal method, the exceptions to it 

 are so few. This universality does not occur from any supe- 

 riority which it possesses, but from its simplicity, although I 

 probably use that word in a wrong sense ; I ought rather to 

 say, from the fact that it arises naturally when the least 

 amount of thought is directed to the subject. The refuse is 

 deposited in the nearest convenient place, and it is removed 

 when it becomes intolerable. This plan has been adopted in 

 all ages and countries with more or less care. From the filthy 



