CO885-(20-21) — Page 650

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

། ། ། ། ། ། C.O.885

21 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

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resemble those in Lagos with a decent building in the front and many small filthy shanties behind.

Several guarapés cr swampy streams or side waters in connection with the river run up into the town, and attempts are being made to fill up some, but the regulations issued as to what material is to be used are not always adhered to.

Even in the main parts of the town very dirty places with much refuse or filthy drains can be easily found.

When the river wall is completed and properly filled in behind it will greatly improve the sanitary conditions on the river bank.

In the outskirts the roads become much worse, are not paved, and in many instances are at present simply tram tracks. They are, however, cut wide, and will become fine avenues in the future.

The compounds in very many cases are not kept clean, and the grass in the roads covers a good deal of rubbish.

54. Emigration to outskirts.-The tram service which has been instituted has led to many people living away from the town itself, and the number of these is rapidly increasing. Many of the houses put up are made of mud and stone or wattle, the better ones of this class being covered with cement, and having cement floors. The roofs are either tiles, galvanized iron, or palm thatch. A few substantial residences have also been built. The people have thus shown themselves willing to leave the centre of the town if suitable means of access to it be provided.

55. Water supply. The water supply is in the hands of a company, and is laid on to all houses. It is, however, inter- mittent, which necessitates the presence of cisterns and other containers in the houses. The meter system is to be intro- duced on account of the great waste. The old source of supply was a stream about two miles from the town, where a dam was built and the collected water pumped to a service reservoir close at hand.

The supply is now obtained from the Rio Negre, about three miles above the town, whence it is pumped into a tank. The water obtained is brownish in colour.

The pumping station contains two powerful pumps, which work alternately, each being capable of drawing up 24 million gallons a day. The inlet to the pipe is situated 100 metres from the bank, and two metres below low-water level (river level varies 50 feet).

The water is pumped into a 3,000 gallon elevated iron tank, and from there flows to the filters, which it enters with a 30 feet head of pressure. After leaving the filters it is

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pumped along two 12-inch pipes to a large elevated tank reservoir situated in a high position on the outskirts of the town whence it is issued to the service pipes.

The filters are 10 in number, and consist of iron cylinders 12 feet in diameter and 12 feet high. The filtering material consists of gravel, sand, and pulverite, arranged in layers and kept in position by large plates above and below, which are perforated all over to allow the water to pass through evenly at all parts.

of

From above downwards the layers in the filter consist

1. Perforated plate.

2. Gravel stones, -iuch to 1-inch diameter.

3. Smaller stones.

4. Sand.

5. Pulverite, 2 feet thick.

6. Sand.

7. Small gravel.

8. Gravel stones, inch to 1 inch.

9. Perforated plate.

Each filter is cleaned every two days (after which period hardly any water will pass through) by passing a stream of water in a reverse direction for a couple of hours. As far as

I could ascertain there is no systematic examination of the