30 ROUND THE YEAR 



mains would be laid throughout. From Devonshire 

 to Inverness the same tale of trouble was heard. 1 



Mr. Symons explains the discrepancy between the 

 thermometers and the mains in this way. The frost 

 never really penetrated the soil to pipes at such 

 depths as 2 ft. 6 in., but water cooled almost to 

 freezing-point in uncovered reservoirs was steadily 

 delivered into the pipes, and chilled the surrounding 

 soil. This of itself would not have frozen the water 

 in the mains, but further loss of heat was experienced 

 by conduction along the shallow service-pipes and 

 the pipes supplying the hydrants in the streets. 

 These effected a perfect metallic communication 

 between the mains and the surface of the ground at a 

 time when the air for a long time together was little 

 above zero. 



The service-pipes are led off from the top of the 

 mains. If they could be led off from the sides the 

 risk of freezing would be appreciably reduced, but 

 the cost and labour of connection would be materially 

 increased. 



Our mains^ never froze at all, and as the frost of 

 1895 is believed to be the hardest for eighty years, 

 we shall face future frosts with a light heart. 



THE GREAT FROST OF 1895. 



The frost lasted from Dec. 29 to Mar. 5 (nine 

 and a half weeks), but was broken by a mild interval 



1 Symons's Monthly Meteorological Magazine for April, May, 

 and June, 1895, contains much information respecting the frost 

 and its effects, of which I have made use here. 



