58 



REPORT 1870, 



population annually. Of course it is not fair to judge of a general system 

 from a particular instance, and the subject should be further investigated. 



The fact that the ashes of Cambridge, with a population of 27,000 as 

 against 40,000 at Bury, seU, together with the street-sweepings, but without 

 any faecal matter, for J200 annually, while the ashes of Bury mixed with 

 almost the entire faecal matter of the town produce annually only £100, and 

 the street-sweepings only another £25, is worthy of remark. 



The subjoined analyses of Bury sewage show that although the sewage 

 from a town managed on the Bury system is weaker and therefore less valu- 

 able and proportionately more difficult to deal with than the sewage from a 

 water-closeted town, yet that its purification is just as imperatively necessary. 



Bury Sewage. — Collected August 11. 



With respect to the character of the sewage, it was found to run very clear 

 and almost colourless from 3 a.m. to 6 a.m., after which hour it began to 

 alter its character perceptibly ; and at 8 a.m. it assumed a thick and soapy 

 consistency, and from that hour to 12 noon it was invariably " very thick, 

 black, and greasy," and " smelt very bad ;" and on the Friday morning it was 

 " red, as if with blood." On the 11th of August the samples were taken 

 between the hours of 9 and 11 a.m., and on the 16th at 5 a.m. 



Cambridge. 



This is a town having a complete system of underground sewerage for the 

 removal of sewage with a general water-supply, and, with the exception of 

 the colleges, a general adoption of water-closets. 



The Borough of Cambridge is governed by Improvement Commissioners 

 under the Acts 28 Geo. III. C. 64 and 34 Geo. III. C. 104. 



The area of the district under the jurisdiction of the Commissioners is about 

 3470 acres : the number of inhabitants at the present time is about 27,000, 

 occupying about 6000 houses. The annual rateable value of the district is 

 £125,226, and the colleges contribute one-fourth of the expenditure of the 

 Commissioners. 



There is a constant supply of water to the town pumped up by a water 



