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ence at the corner of Queen Victoria Street. The extravagance of 
his partner at this time considerably involved Mr Rumble, and in 
1875 he dissolved the partnership. In 1876 Mr Rumble obtained 
the position of chief engineer of the Southwark and Vauxhall Water 
Company. His unceasing energy and untiring industry gradually 
brought this company, from the state of confusion in which he 
found it, to such a state of order that the dividends rose from 2J 
to 71 per cent. In 1877 he was admitted member of the Institution 
of Civil Engineers. In 1878 he successfully laid a 30-inch main 
under the Thames at Richmond without the aid of dams — the only 
feat of the kind accomplished at that date in England. Under Mr 
Rumble’s direction a trench was dredged across the bed of the river 
a few feet below Richmond Bridge. The lengths of the pipe, made 
on the ball and socket principle, were joined on the banks of the 
river, and in the early morning of July 3rd were shipped on board 
three barges strongly lashed together, carefully brought into position, 
and safely lowered into the trench. When the necessary connections 
at either end were made, the main was charged, and has ever since 
been in full work. During the year 1879 the Directors of the 
Southwark and Vauxhall Water Company determined to supplement 
the supply of water derived from the Thames by sinking a well into 
the chalk. In conjunction with Professors Prestwich and Ansted, Mr 
Rumble selected a spot in the Manor Park, Streatham ; a trial bore- 
hole was made, and in 1881 the sinking of the well begun. The 
work is still in progress, but so far fully justifies the hopes formed 
for its success. Struck by Mr Rumble’s manner of handling the 
matter, and entirely without his knowledge, Professor Prestwich and 
Professor Ansted proposed him as Eellow of the Geological Society, 
into which he was admitted in December 1879. In February 1881 
he was elected Eellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. 
Towards the end of 1881 the excessive overwork and heavy 
responsibilities of his position began to tell on his health, which 
steadily though very gradually failed, and he developed symptoms 
of pernicious anaemia which defied every effort to overcome it. 
In December 1882 Sir William Jenner recommended immediate 
and absolute rest of body and mind for six months. Leave of 
absence being unanimously granted by the directors of the company, 
various places were visited in search of health, until on the 5th 
