34 



and that at Leeds the entire volume of sewage of eight to 

 ten million gallons per day passes into the Aire^ as also 

 that of Bradford^ Keighley, and SkijHon, and that the 

 Calder receives all the sewage of Todmorden, Halifax, 

 Hxiddersfield, Deicshnry, Wahejield, and of smaller 

 towns, &c., &c., the Commissioners then declare — 



" That the present gross abuse of the rivers we 

 *Mnspectcd may he in a great measure prevented, and tn 

 " such manner and at such cost as to be beneficial to all 

 '^ parties. ^^ 



And speaking of the woollen manufacture, they 

 remark : 



" In the two facts — first that in one year (1864) 

 " 384,000,000 pounds of wool were worked up into 

 " various tissues in Great Britain ; and secondly, that 

 '' every j^ound of this wool has to undergo operations 

 " necessitating the use of large volumes of water, and 

 " rendering tJiat water foul and offensive, we have the 

 " history of all rivers on which that trade is located, and 

 " notably of the Aire and Calder.^'' 



•And they add — 



*' That with very few exceptions the streams of the 

 *' West Riding run with a liquid more resembling ink 

 " than water." 



Referring to the tanneries at Leeds, the report states 

 (page 35)— 



" That as many as 2,750,000 hides were annually con- 

 " verted into leather in Leeds and its neighbourhood." 



And at page oQ, speaking of the pollution of the river 

 by tanning refuse, the Commissioners say — 



" We believe that the pollution of the river, which is 

 " undoubtedly very considerable from tanning refuse, 

 " may be 'pretented without injury to this very important 

 " industry " (the leather trade). 



They then give a detailed description of the condition 



