192 
seen that the river Medlock is nothing more or less than a 
filthy sewer. It is a burning disgrace to a civilized com- 
munity to allow such a stream to flow through a town like 
Manchester in its present condition. The table mentioned 
above shows that on comparing the Irwell at the Salford 
boundary, with the Medlock (just before it joins the Irwell), 
that the Medlock contains 89 per cent more albuminoid 
ammonia, 49 per cent more free ammonia, 75 per cent more 
oxydisable organic matter, and 86 per cent more filth in 
suspension (flocculent matter), in short, it contains about 80 
per cent or so more sewage pollution than the Irwell at the 
Salford boundary. The Irk is very little better than the 
Medlock. On going up the river towards Bury it will be 
seen that the principal tributary of the Irwell is the river 
Boach. This river rises at a height of about 1500 feet above 
ordnance datum and on arriving at the place of junction 
with the Irwell it has only a height of 197 feet above the 
ordnance datum, consequently the Boach is a river which 
can easily purify itself, if it has a proper chance given to it, 
owing to the rapid flow of the water. The Boach is a purer 
stream than the Irwell, although it is largely polluted with 
sewage and other contamination still, and could and ought 
to be far cleaner than it is. The streams flowing through 
Elton and Bury are highly polluted with dye- water, bleaching 
refuse, sewage, &c. ; they flow through sewers into the Irwell, 
but the Bury Corporation intends to treat all its sewage 
outside the town, and divert it from the river in its crude 
condition; and they will also doubtless insist upon all 
manufacturers purifying their waste waters to such a state 
of purity as to comply with the requirements of the Bivers 
Pollution Act. It will be seen that there is much reason 
for this action on the part of the Bury Corporation, for on 
consulting table “ D,” and comparing the analysis there of 
the Tottington Brook before it joins the Irwell, with the 
