166 Proceedings, &c, for 1885. 



Probably the best method would be to use a mining telescope, and 

 set up at some little distance from the end coupling. A stand, to 

 carry the telescope and rest on a flat, convex, or concave surface, 

 is easily made by taking two boomerang-shaped supports, with 

 convexity downwards. The whole work can be done with the 

 telescope in less time than it takes to set up the wire in the old 

 method. In the discussion which followed, Professor Kernot said 

 he saw no reason why there should be any difficulty in working a 

 shaft 100 feet long, sprung one foot at the centre, and instanced 

 Hereschoff's torpedo, where the shaft is warped about a foot. 



Against this view it was remarked that the usual interval for 

 12-in. shafting is 12 feet, and that in this case the alignment 

 becomes a very important factor. The modern practice is to have 

 overhung screws (rather than, with an outside bearing), and to 

 support the shafting at many points very carefully laid. 



Mr. Chase then read his paper on Sewage Systems. 



The question of sewage is all-important in its bearing on the 

 health of a large city. Four systems of sewage disposal have 

 come into pretty general use. 



(1.) To run the sewage matter direct into a river or the sea. 

 This is a fairly good method if the tide will carry the matter away 

 to sea, but not otherwise. This is the Melbourne method, and 

 here we have no tide to speak of. 



(2.) Precipitation by lime or other chemicals. 



(3.) Intermittent filtration through land with irrigation. 



(4.) Precipitation and intermittent filtration or irrigation . This 

 is the best method when the natural drain of a country is a clear 

 stream of no great size. 



Closely connected with the question of sewage is the disposal of 

 town refuse. At Blackburn, with a population of 100,000, the 

 rubbish is burnt in destructors. These are large inclined grates 

 in brick chambers, and have furnace doors in front. With careful 

 stoking it is found that the rubbish will consume itself. The 

 chimney is tall, and no nuisance arises from it. The clinkers are 

 used for foundations of roads. 



Part of the sewerage is simply precipitated with lime. Strong 

 lime-water is mixed with the sewage in settling ponds, i.e., drains 

 about 12 feet in width. The solid matter settles to the 

 bottom and is pumped off as a sludge, and kept under cover till 

 solid enough to be dug out, when it is carted away as manure. 



At Burnley, with a population of 60,000, the works are 

 situated near a small stream. The method of treatment is Scott's 

 Patent. It seems to give excellent results, but the expense of the 

 system leaves small margin for payable results. The following is 

 a brief description of the method : — The sewage enters at one 

 corner of the works, passing through a screen or grating, so as ta 

 stop all large refuse. It runs down the lime race, meeting a series 



