Abstract
THE people of London have lately experienced much inconvenience and discomfort from the dismal fogs which so often make their appearance at this season of the year. Considerable interest, therefore, attaches to the excellent lecture, by Mr. Rollo Russell, on “Smoke in Relation to Fogs in London,” of which we to-day print an abstract. The importance of the subject no one will dispute, yet the questions connected with it have hitherto received very inadequate attention. That much might be done to purify the atmosphere, not only of London, but of all our great towns, is certain; what is needed is simply that the matter shall, be taken in hand in earnest by the Legislature. The existing Acts of Parliament to abate the nuisance arising from the smoke of furnaces in the capital are efficient so far as they go. Inventors have produced mechanical stokers and other means of feeding furnaces, which have resulted not only in the prevention of smoke from such furnaces, but also in commercial advantages to their users, by reason of the increased efficiency and reduced consumption of the furnaces. Police-inspectors appointed to watch the chimneys of manufacturers' premises have done most useful work in preventing the emission of smoke, and London is to be congratulated upon the freedom from smoke from such sources. Legislation, however, has not gone far enough even in controlling the emission of smoke from furnaces, for in the provinces there is very great negligence. In some places by-laws exist, in other places there are none; but wherever they are enforced it is invariably the case that the fines imposed are too small, and that the real offenders, the manufacturers and users of the furnaces, do not adequately feel the effect of the penalties in which they are mulcted.
Article PDF
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
The Prevention of Smoke . Nature 39, 25 (1888). https://doi.org/10.1038/039025a0
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/039025a0