ich overcast that town. On each
side of it is a chimney belonging to another manufactory, pouring out
dense clouds of smoke; whilst the chimney at Mr. Fairbairn's
manufactory presents the appearance of no greater quantity of smoke
than of some private houses. Mr. Fairbairn stated, in answer to
inquiries upon this subject, that he uses what is called Stanley's
feeding machinery, which graduates the supply of coal so as to
produce nearly complete combustion. After the fire is once lighted,
little remains to the ignorance or the carelessness of the stoker.
Mr. Fairbairn also states that his consumption of fuel in his
steam-engine furnaces, in comparison with that of his immediate
neighbours, is proportionately less. The engine belonging to the
cotton-mills of Mr. Thomas Ashton, of Hyde, near Stockport, affords
to the people of that town an example of the extent to which, by a
little care, they might be relieved of the thick cloud of smoke by
which the district is oppressed.

"At a meeting of manufacturers and others, held at Leeds, for the
suppression of the nuisance of the smoke of furnaces, and to discuss
the various plans for abating it, the resolution was unanimously
adopted, 'That in the opinion of this meeting the smoke arising from
steam-engine fires and furnaces can be consumed, and that, too,
without injury to the boilers, and with a saving of fuel. Notice of
legal proceedings being given against Messrs. Meux, the brewers in
London, for a nuisance arising from the chimneys of two furnaces,
they found that by using anthracite coal they abated the nuisance to
the neighbourhood, and saved 200 pounds per annum. The West
Middlesex Water Company, by diminishing the smoke of their furnaces
saved 1000 per annum."

But, putting aside the consideration of any pecuniary benefit to be
gained, I think it would not be unreasonable to say that no considerate
owner of a factory would wait for public regulations in this matter, but
would, himself, be anxious to prevent his occupation from being injurious
to his neighbours. In a manufacturing town, a man may find some excuse,
though a most futile one, in the consideration that it would be of no use
for him alone to consume his smoke, when there are hundreds of others
over whom he has no influence to persuade them to follow his example.
But you sometimes see one of the