620 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



favor of the plaintiff, the only result is that a fine is imposed, the cau'se 

 of the trouble remaining just the Same as before. This law is frequently 

 used for no other purpose but to extort money from the manufacturers, 

 and I know several cases from the province of Saxony where millers 

 and others entitled to the use of water-j)ower have appealed to this law 

 simply for the purpose of obtaining some money. It is self-evident that 

 such a law is of no benefit to the general public, and that it cannot pre- 

 vent the pollution of public and private waters. 



My object in this article is to show that many industries may, without 

 any detriment to themselves, diminish their consumption of water very 

 considerably, and that it will even be to their oicn advantage to entirely 

 avoid the pollution of public and private waters. Among these indus- 

 tries I include sugar refineries, starch factories, distilleries, breweries 

 and malt-houses whose refuse-water is strongly impregnated with 

 organic matter and causes most of the complaints. 



The manufacture of beet-sugar, with which I have been familiar for 

 many years, shall form the subject of a special investigation. This im- 

 portant industry, probably the most important of our agricultural indus- 

 tries, has, thanks to a sensible protective tariff and a rational system of 

 taxation, developed from very small beginnings to its present vast extent. 



This important industry certainly deserves to be protected in the 

 interest of the national finances and agriculture ; but it cannot be denied 

 that this growing industry is the very one which contributes the largest 

 share to the pollution of our brooks and rivers, particularly as it con- 

 sumes an enormous amount of water. 



It will be easily understood, therefore, why the complaints from the 

 beet-sugar manufacturing districts are so numerous and well founded, 

 and every impartial witness will have to concede that the brooks and 

 rivers of those districts produce a very disagreeable impression not only 

 on the eyes, but also on the olfactory organs. Such polluted brooks 

 and rivers are, of course, entirely unfit for fish ; but, what is worse, 

 their water cannot be used for drinking and for agricultural purposes. 



I will only mention the Bode, Selke, Haltemme, Aller, &c, and the 

 brooks flowing into these rivers, as well as the Bruchgraben, near 

 Oschersleben. 



The consumption of water by a beet-sugar factory worked on the 



principle of diffusion shows the following per centage on the weight of 



the beets : 



Per cent. 



Washing the beets 50 



Production of juice .' 222 



Condensation « „ 1, 02 



Generating steam 150 



Purifying through carbonized bones 50 



Kenning 25 



1,519 



