The National Consumption of Water

Abstract

AN important paper on the increase in the national consumption of water was read by Mr. W. R. B. Wiseman before the Royal Statistical Society on April 27. The paper is of considerable interest, and must have entailed a large amount of time and thought on the part of the author. The historical part, which deals with the early history of water supply in England, treats the question, not only from the general point of view, but gives many interesting details of the early methods adopted and the difficulties met with in many individual towns; in fact, it is not too much to say that the early beginnings of the water supply of all the principal towns in England are reviewed shortly in the paper. It is obvious that, as the object of the paper is to deal with the more modern questions which arise in connection with this subject, the author could not devote very much space to historical details. We can, however, judge that on this subject he has only touched the fringe of the information he has acquired, and it may perhaps not be too much to hope that he may return to this part of his subject at a future date.