228 REPORT— 1870. 



■would not bo an economical way of burning coals. It is desirable, nevertheless, 

 from an engineering point of view, that the merits and demerits of pneumatic par- 

 cels-lines and poemnatic passenger-lines, which have been repeatedly suggested 

 during the past half century, should be thoroughly investigated. The works of 

 the Pneumatic Company in London, which are approaching completion, will hap- 

 pily settle the question as regards parcel-tubes ; whilst the pneumatic passenger- 

 railway, which, he was told, is in rapid course of construction imder the streets of 

 New 'i'ork, will very soon either inaugurate a new era for city railways, or be 

 wi'itten in the long list of unsuccessful experiments. 



On a Sahmarlne Bam and Gun. By Michael Scott. 

 On Shi2}S of War of moderate dimensions. By Michael Scott. 



On the MacJiinery and Worhinj of Suhm.irins Ouns. By Michael Scott. 



On the Seiuayc of Liverpool and the Neiyhhourhood. 

 By James N. Shoolbeed, C.E. 



Liverpool at present contains about 520,000 inhabitants, and the subui-ban dis- 

 tricts round it about 80,000 more ; in all 600,000. 



Of these by far the greatest number reside on a strip of land of no great breadth, 

 lunning along the river Mersey and its estuary, and sloping gently down to them. 



The close proximity of this rapid tidal stream, as well as the great facility af- 

 forded by it for the ready disposal of sewage and other refuse, will account for the 

 pi'edilection already shown for the water-closet over the privy system ; and which 

 predilection is annually becoming still more manifest. There are at present about 

 40,000 water-closets against 30,000 privies in the district. 



The borough of Liverpool has expended about £900,000 in drainage and sewer- 

 age works. Of this, £300,000 may be set down as necessary for the conveyance of 

 the contents of the water-closets. If this sum is capitalized, and a large allowance 

 made for deterioration, then an annual amount of £60,000, or about 2s. M. per head 

 of the population, may be taken as the cost of getting rid of the wet sewage of the 

 town. 



The midden, or dry sewage, together with the contents of the ash-pits attached 

 to the houses having water-closets, amounts within the borough to about 140,000 

 tons in the year. 'J'his is removed by rail and by canal, and disposed of at a cost of 

 about £21,000, while the amount realized by the sale of the refuse is only £8000 ; 

 thus causing an annual loss to Liverjjool of £13,000, or about ijd. per head of the 

 population, in order to dispose of its dry sewage. 



Several propositions have from time to time been made, especially since 1806, to 

 iitilize the wet sewage of the town by irrigation over some light soil about 10 miles 

 distant to the northward, and near to the sea-coast; the land is of very considerable 

 extent, and fiivourably situated for the purpose. 



However, nothing as yet, beyond a trial experiment, so far successful, has been 

 effected, and tliat upon a very small scale. Further steps with the same object, 

 but in a different suburban district, are, it is understood, about to be taken. 



The ready market wliich Liverpool in itself affords for the sale of the vegetable 

 proceeds of this irrigation, and consequently for its success, is a further stimulus 

 to reduce by this means the present annual cost to Liverpool in getting rid of its 

 sewage and refuse. 



Liverpool may, however, be said even now to be much favoured by nature in this 

 matter ; inasmuch as the burden falls much more lightly upon it than upon many 

 other large towns, which have enforced against them by the arm of the law the 

 unpleasant consequences this question may sometimes bring with it. 



