286 Report of the Meteorological Sub-Committee for 1890. 



the need that there is for the greatest economy in this all- 

 important necessary of life. From the address of Mr. Baldwin 

 Latham, President of the Koyal Meteorological Society, delivered 

 before the Society on Nov. 15th, 1890, we conclusively learn that 

 all low- water years, that is, years in which the underground 

 waters are low, are very unhealthy ; and the reason is not far to 

 seek, if we consider the different strata as shallow basins in which 

 the impurities sink to the bottom, and are pumped up when the 

 water is low. In this town of Croydon we have, thanks to the 

 foresight of the Corporation, a supply of water which, though 

 perhaps not quite as plentiful as it might be, is yet on the whole 

 a fairly good one, and in quantity is far in excess of many of the 

 villages and towns of the district. In giving utterance to these 

 weighty words the Sub -Committee have no wish to create alarm, 

 but it particularly desires to give warning as to a possible 

 scarcity ; aJid, in view of this, it trusts that every sanitary 

 authority will do its very utmost to keep all streams and springs 

 unpolluted. 



Further, the Sub-Committee would draw attention to the very 

 small number of days — only three — on which an inch and up- 

 wards fall in the 24 hours. The largest amount, 2-62 in., fell at 

 Kingston, and the next largest, 2-47 in., at West Norwood in the 

 24 hours. The Sub-Committee express a hope that some day 

 some one who has a self-recording gauge in Croydon will have a 

 big fall of rain, so as to test our pipes in Croydon, and see 

 whether they are prepared for it. If so, all honour to those who 

 have so successfully planned and carried out the drainage of this 

 great town. 



In conclusion, the Sub-Committee ventures to ask the aid of 

 every member of the Club in helping forward, both financially 

 and otherwise, its observational labours, as being intimately con- 

 nected with the health and happiness of us all. 



