TRANSACTIONS OF THE SECTIONS. 343 



until the return of the spring-tides, when it would bo carried out into the Bristol 

 Channel as before stated ; and on referring to the Tide Tables it will be found that 

 about 220 of these low tides occur each year. 



Under these circumstances it has been determined not to incur any further cost 

 in the matter imtil such time as the Report of the Rivers Pollution Commission is 

 published, or some Act of Parliament is passed requiring Local Boards and sanitary 

 authorities to deal with all sewage discharged into the tidal river. 



In November 1873 the writer reported as to the practicability of uniting the 

 two outlets by bringing the sewage of the north side to the site near Clift House, 

 this site having been approved of by Mr. Robert Rawlinson, C.B., as in all respects 

 siutable for dealing with the sewage in any manner that may be determined on ; 

 and it was proposed to accomplish this in one of two ways, viz. : — 



First, by carrying the sewage across the river by means of iron siphons at or 

 near its present outlet, and then by sewers to be constructed along the south side 

 of the river to Clift House. 



Second, by means of iron siphons carried under the river at or near the new 

 entrance-lock gates at Cumberland Basin, at which point the sewage of the Clifton 

 Low-Level district, and the portion of the Frome district, could be intercepted and 

 conveyed to the south side, leaving only the Clifton High-Level sewage to be dealt 

 with ; and as the level of this district is so much above that of the Low-Level 

 district, advantage could be taken of the length of sewer now conveying the Low- 

 Level sewage to the High-Level outlet, by using this length of sewer as a siphon, 

 and forcing the sewage from the High-Level district against the gradient of the 

 sewer to the same point near the new lock-gates to Cumberland Basin, now 

 proposed for the conveyance of the sewage of the Low-Level district, by means of 

 iron siphons across the river to the south side, to be continued thence by double or 

 single culvert, as may be hereafter determined, to the proposed outlet near Clift 

 House ; and the only objection to the same is the use of the present sewer with the 

 gradient the reverse way to the flow of the sewage ; but this objection coidd be met 

 by providing means for periodically flushing this length of sewer ; at the same time 

 it vnll be a question, to be hereafter determined, if it will not be better to adopt 

 the first-named plan ; the whole sewage of the borough would then be brought to 

 the one site near Clift House, and could be dealt with in any manner that may be 

 hereafter decided upon. 



In conclusion, it will be seen that at present no determination has been arrived 

 at with regard to the ultimate disposal of the sewage of the borough, which is still 

 discharged into the tidal river at the five separate outlets. The total cost of the 

 drainage works to the present time, less £6161 paid by the St. George's district, 

 has been £154,743, which, taking the estimated population of the borough at 

 193,183, will give as the cost per head los. 9|fZ. This amount has been raised by 

 rates in each separate district, varying from Is. 6d. to 2d. in the pound. The 

 whole cost in the two first-named districts having been repaid, the special rates 

 have ceased ; in the next two districts it will expire in 1878, in the fifth district in 

 1880, and in the last district, the amount borrowed having been spread over thirty 

 years instead of twenty years as in the other districts, the repayment will extend 

 to the year 1901. 



The average death-rate before the construction of the foregoing works was 28-0 

 per 1000, and for the year ending January 1875 it was 22-7. 



On the Prevention of Sand Bars at tJie Mouth of Harbours. 

 By C. Beegeron, 



Roberts's Patent Communicator for Raihua;/ Trains. 

 By Walter R. Browne, A.I.C.E. Sfc. 



The apparatus consists of a small standard mounted sideways on the roof of the 

 carriage and carrying a short inclined tube, open at the upper end. From the lip 

 of this tube or holder light cords are conducted into each compartment of the 



