The Mourne Water Scheme. 29 



soft for washing and good for drinking, and this site appears to 

 be the very best from which water could be obtained. 



Dr. Lindsay — I have only one opinion with regard to the 

 scheme which Mr. Macassey has explained to us in such a lucid 

 manner — that it is the right and natural one. It has, among 

 other merits, the great merit of offering prospective finality. I 

 am only expressing my own private opinion, but I do not think 

 we can consider our present supply more than about third- 

 rate in quality. It is a fairly pleasant water, but it contains a 

 large amount of vegetable matter. If filtering is done it is a 

 moderately good water. The effect upon the health of Belfast 

 with the Mourne scheme will be most beneficial. Our death- 

 rate is certainly 5 per 1,000 too high. We have a great deal 

 too much typhoid, and we have also to face the possibility of 

 cholera coming here. Any precaution taken against cholera 

 would reduce the amount of typhoid and other diseases. I 

 should like Mr. Macassey to mention the time it would take for 

 the carrying out of this work. We heard eight years, but it 

 would be extremely desirable that that time should be shortened 

 if possible. 



Mr. John BroWxN — I have listened with great interest to Mr. 

 Macassey, particularly as I am very well acquainted with the 

 district to be taken in by this scheme. There was one state- 

 ment made which gave me very great pleasure — namely, that 

 peat was a wholesome addition to the water, in fact, necessary 

 in order to make it wholesome ; because I think I can guarantee 

 from an intimate knowledge of the district there will be a very 

 large amount of peat. I have got a sample here of Mourne 

 water which was taken after six hours' rain in July, 1892, and 

 a second sample taken after the flood had settled a little. This 

 latter is not so visibly black. These are not taken from one of 

 the rivers which the scheme passes round, but from a river 

 about a mile and a half from Annalong. The audience need 

 not congratulate themselves upon that point, because all these 

 rivers are alike, all rise in large peat bogs, which are stirred up 

 as the rain comes down. I gathered from Mr. Macassey that 



