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evidence as to the quality of the water, particularly with 

 regard to its hardness. The value of attention to this point 

 will be obvious, when the difference of consumption of 

 soap is considered. I found by various trials m summer 

 that the Manchester water possesses a hardness equivalent 

 to what would be obtained if 13 or 14 grains of chalk were 

 dissolved in a gallon of pure water." The learned Commis- 

 sioner gives the water at Aberdeen at one grain of chalk per 

 gallon, and comparing that with the 14 of Manchester and 

 the 12 of London, he concludes " Thus the hard water of 

 Manchester may be regarded as increasing the water rent to 

 a family of five individuals 16s. 8d. per annum, or £49,363 

 per annum to the whole town, a sum nearly double that of 

 the present water rental. But large as the cost entailed 

 upon a town by a bad selection of water in the umiecesary 

 consumption of soap, still greater loss is incurred in the wear 

 and tear of clothes." This was written about thirty years 

 since, and I have not the death-rate of Manchester in 1842. 

 In that space of time how much money has been expended 

 in Manchester by th>e public authorities in shutting up 

 cellar dwellings, closing grave yards, removing pigstyes, 

 altering ashpits and middens, opening new streets, and sup- 

 plying pure water ? I cannot tell its amount, but every 

 ratepayer knows practically that it is very large. In looking 

 at the rate of mortality for the week ending March 8th, as 

 given in the Manchester Guardian, in the 21 leading places 

 in the kingdom, it was at the annual rate of 28 per thousand. 

 In London, the rate was 27; Bristol, 31; Wolverhampton, 

 28 ; Birmingham, 28 ; Nottingham, 27 ; Liverpool, 31 ; Man- 

 chester, 36 ; Bradford, 26; Sheffield, 27 ; Newcastle-on-Tyne, 

 81. Now I believe the first named five towns are supplied 

 with hard water, and give an aggregate of 141, whilst the 

 latter five, are supplied with soft water, and give an 

 aggregate of 151. This is a significant fact and worthy 

 of grave consideration. True, it is only one week, and 



