SEWAGE AND SEWAGE RIVERS. 169 



not to be put aside. As a scientific inquiry the researches of 

 Professor Way, on the absorption of salts by soil, are of much 

 interest and value, explaining the use of soil and its action in 

 nature. He himself does not, however, recommend it as 

 an economical method of collecting the matter of sewage 

 manure. 



I am told that Mr. Dyer had a plan of keeping the rivers 

 pure, but I have not heard a full explanation of it. He 

 says that those who dirty the water should clean it; and 

 this, in reference to manufactures, is a point worth your 

 consideration. Those who take into their works pure water 

 might take the trouble of filtering it before they allowed it to 

 go back. Instead of that, there has been an irregularity in 

 the whole management of these affairs, from the tops of the 

 hills of Lancashire down to the very town halls, and, I am 

 sorry to say, a selfishness, in seeking or taking water, which 

 has completely defeated the objects of all. It happens, now, 

 that in one of the wettest climates of England there is a want 

 of water for manufactures, although there is no need for even 

 a small portion of what falls, and one man, by using a few 

 grallons, and sending them back dirty, pollutes a whole stream. 

 There has been an extravagance and waste, in this respect, 

 which has put many to great trouble and expense, and caused 

 an extensive series of water-works, extending over the whole 

 county, and made by private individuals, for the use of their 

 own works. This plan, of allowing no one to send in the 

 impure water from his works, would not, however, be a suf- 

 ficient cure for the evil we are speaking of. The amount of 

 towns, villages, and isolated houses in this district, is so great, 

 that they alone are suflficient to pollute the streams to a great 

 extent, leaving out the largest town, Manchester. We have, 

 then, to deal with an evil which extends itself along the banks 

 of our streams, from this place to their very source, and in 

 every portion, I might almost say, of both banks. It has 

 been mentioned to me by Mr. M*Dougall, that, to keep the 

 Y 



