Analysis of the evidence in favour of the constant supply system : given before the Health of Towns Commissioners, with remarks thereon / by Thomas Wicksteed.

  • Wicksteed, Thomas.
Date:
1846
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Analysis of the evidence in favour of the constant supply system : given before the Health of Towns Commissioners, with remarks thereon / by Thomas Wicksteed. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    which quantity is fixed and Umited, is undergoing a positive diminution at almost every house which it has to supply. That such would be the case, the engineers who recommend the intermittent supply know, from actual experience, to be a fact. Any street, or number of streets, now supplied periodically, may be taken as representing a small town, supplied on the continuous system so long as the water is kept on ; and it is a fact well known, not only to the engineers but to the tenants of Water Companies, that in the summer time, when two or three taps in the lower part of the street are kept running, the houses in the upper part, instead of obtaining a butt-ful, as they would at other seasons in the course of an hour, with difficulty collect it in the course of ten hours. Upon this point, on which the reasoning will ap- ply equally to an efficient supply in case of fire, I do not know that I can do better than quote Dr. Arnott's evidence before the Commissioners, in his answers to Questions 3,949, and four following Questions. Question 3,949.—Would it not be of great advantage to the salu- brity of London, or any other large town, if the volume of water sup- plied were increased?—There can be no question of the great impor- tance of an abundant supply. 3,950.—Have you considered the practicability or the advantage, if practicable, of keeping it on always at high pressure?—I think that could not be conveniently done with one set of pipes, for persons, from negligence or evil inteniion, might at any time open so many of the cocJcs in houses, as to lessen or destroy the high pressure. Ufiless there were some certain means of keeping the cocks closed, except at stated times,