The Life of the City. 497 



in their results in the city of their birth and adopting them under 

 conditions and climate for which they may be unsuited. 



I mention this because two useful object lessons in this mistake 

 may be found close to our doors, and it is the plain duty tO' draw 

 attention to the danger. 



In building dwellings scientifically in this country there are two 

 vulnerable points to be carefully defended, namely, the roof cover- 

 ings and the soil in which the building may be placed, yet upon 

 neither of these essentials does there seem to exist sufficiently 

 clearly defined legislation. As to the first point the penetrating 

 strength of the sun must be withstood if health and comfort are to 

 exist in the home, and yet the use of what is perhaps the most in- 

 efficient roof covering is not only permitted but is practically 

 encouraged. On the other hand, owing tO' suburban villages having 

 annexed without proper consideration of local necessities, regulations 

 intended to apply to towns, one of the most beautiful and practical 

 roof coverings and one peculiarly suitable to local conditions, viz., 

 hardwood shingles, are prohibited even when the dwelling may be 

 surrounded by acres of private ground and incapable of affecting 

 mjuriously its neighbours. 



With regard to the second point, although it is a matter of 

 general knowledge that a large proportion of physical ailments come 

 from exhalations from the soil, nO' law, so far as I am aware, exists 

 compelling citizens to form solid floors such as a layer of concrete 

 beneath the lower storey of dwelling-houses; thus one of 

 the most important conditions necessary tO' our own urban conditions 

 is absolutely non-existent, probably because the London Act of which 

 they are a modified copy does not find it necessary for local pur- 

 poses to include this provision. 



We all know that ground air is generally charged with carbonic 

 acid gas and with gases from organic matter. Sleeping rooms upon 

 the ground floor are, therefore, a source of danger particularly, as 

 the precaution of leaving a clear space of some feet properly ventilated 

 between the surface of the ground and the floor (a commonseiise and 

 sanitary precaution which is observed in most warm countries where 

 single storey dwellings obtain) is here practically ignored. 



I am tempted whilst on the subject to touch upon the effort to 

 regulate the construction of walls, the municipal regulations necessary 

 to the requirements of cities in the North of Europe being in this 

 as in other respects quite inadequate to the conditions of Africa. 



In the London Building Act will be found a table which has 

 been the result of many years' accumulated experience regulating the 

 thickness of walls. This, however, it need scarcely be pointed out, 

 has been revised and modified byi influences entirely local. England 

 is somewhat peculiar in having an almost infinite supply of first rate 

 bricks, cheap enough to be within the range of the humblest class 

 of dwelling, and whose quality have enabled comparatively thin walls 

 to be built. The object of the legislation of the London Building 

 Act is mainly to lay down M'hat the minimum thickness of walls shall be 

 consistent with the safety of the building. Unfortunately, this regu- 



