166 , EEPORT— 1871. 



Second Report of the Committee appointed to consider and report on 

 the various Plans proposed for Legislating on the subject of Steam- 

 Boiler Explosions, ivith a view to their Prevention, — the Committee 

 consisting of Sir William Fairbairn, Bai't., C.E., LL.D., F.R.S., 

 John Penn, C.E., F.R.S., Frederick J. Bramwell, C.E., Hugh 

 Mason, Samuel Rigby, Thomas Schofield, Charles F. Beyer, 

 C.-E.j Thomas Webster, Q.C, and Lavington E. Fletcher, C.E. 



Since the first llcport on the subject of " Steam-Boiler Legislation " was pre- 

 sented to the Meeting of the British Association, held last year at Liverpool, 

 the Parlianientarj- Committee " appointed to inquire into the cause of Steam- 

 Boiler Explosions and the best means of preventing them " have presented 

 their Eeport. 



The consideration of the result of the Parliamentary Committee's inquiry 

 clearly becomes one of the most important duties in reporting to the British 

 Association on " the various plans proposed for legislating on Steam-Boiler 

 Explosions, with a view to their Prevention." Unfortunately, liowever, the 

 Parliamentary Eeport has been so recently published that there has not been 

 time for its due consideration, or for the Committee appointed to treat on 

 this subject to meet and confer thereon. Under these circumstances it has 

 been thought best not to attempt to enter upon the subject on the present 

 occasion, but to postpone doing so until next year, after having an opportu- 

 nity of watching the development of the measure, and its working when 

 carried into actual practice ; . and therefore, in order that they might be in a 

 position to report thereon to the next Meeting of the British Association, the 

 Committee would beg to suggest their reappointment. 



Report of the Committee on the " Treatment and Utilization of Sewage." 

 Consisting of Richard B. Grantham, C.E., F.G.S. {Chairman), 

 Professor D. T. Ansted, F.R.S., Professor W. H. Corfield, M.A., 

 M.B., J. Bailey Denton, C.E., F.G.S. , Dr.W. H. Gilbert, F.R.S., 

 J&HN Thornhill Harrison, C.^., Thomas Hawksley, C.E. , F.G.S., 

 W. Hope, V.C, Lieut.-Col. Leach, R.E., Dr.W. Odling, F.R.S., 

 Dr. A. Voelcker, i^.JR.>S., Professor A. W. AVilliamson, F.R.S., 

 F.C.S., and Sir John Lubbock, Bart., M.P., F.R.S. (Treasurer). 



The Committee, upon its reappointment at Liverpool last September (1870), 

 proceeded at once to consider the subjects which seemed to demand imme- 

 diate attention in furtherance of the investigation which had been again 

 entrusted to it. 



The first steps taken were to endeavour to procure information from the 

 towns where works have been constructed for the application of sewage to 

 land by irrigation, and from the places where the dry earth or Moule's system 

 is in operation. 



In order to commence the inquiry, a list of towns was prepared, to each of 

 which a printed form of queries was sent ; but only eight places have answered 

 the circular on irrigation, and only one that relating to the diy-earth process. 

 The answers from the towns have been tabulated, and the Table will be found 

 at the end of this Report (Appendix A). 



During the construction of the present tanks at Breton's Earm in the winter, 

 very accurate observations could not at all times be made ; but nevertheless, 

 during the extreme fi'ost, samples were taken of the sewage and of the 

 effluent water. The "temperature of both, and also the temperature of the 



