32 THE PLYMOUTH LEAT. 



the soap curdle and rise to the surface, and the skin 

 fret on rubbing the hands together. But here it is 

 not so ; the water of our leat leaves the skin so 

 smooth, that it may be compared with oil or milk, as 

 that of many other streams may to vinegar. 



Of this soft and valuable water, the leat pours 

 into the town pipes, on an average, 45,000 hogsheads 

 daily ; being equal to a hogshead and a half for each 

 inhabitant, young and old. That many of us do not 

 use a quarter of this proportion, is very true ; and 

 equally so, that we cannot get it ; partly because of 

 the unlucky position of some of our houses ; partly 

 because of the incompleteness of the science of hy- 

 draulics, as applicable to long pipes of varying decli- 

 vity ; and of the impracticability of laying pipes on 

 scientific principles, in a town so continually changing 

 its lines of building. But the chief cause of the defi- 

 ciency, felt by many of us, is the wanton waste of the 

 water by others more ad vantageously situated . Some 

 houses have tanks, with waste pipes, and no cock 

 nor valve to the supply pipe ; so that the water is 

 running continually to waste ; and from 30 to 50 

 hogsheads per house will run away during the time 

 the water is on, without benefit to any one ; whilst 

 another house dependent on the same main pipe, and 

 less favourably situated, will be thus almost entirely 

 deprived of its supply. 



But, in spite of this unfair dealing, most of us are 

 well and plentifully supplied with this indispensable 

 requisite for health, comfort and cleanliness. And 

 the leat water is not less remarkable for purity than 

 for abundance. The writer of this evaporated a por- 

 tion of it, some time since, and although well aware of 

 the excellence of the water, was yet surprised at the 

 smallness of the residue. He cannot for a moment 

 lay his hand upon the memorandum ; but from recol- 

 lection he thinks the quantity was under 2 grains : 

 of this the greater part was common sea salt ; which 

 is driven, with the spray, some miles inland in strong 

 southerly winds. The superior softness of running 



