the Editor of the Nouru-Cmrva Dalny News, Sm,—In your leader of the 16th instant you give a detailed account of the benefits to be derived from a constant and pure supply of water to the Settlement, Agreeing with you that the be are innumerable, yet at the same Lam of opinion that you over-estimate the advantages to be derived when you inform the public that they may resi assured of the future sulubrity of the Settlement. There are other things in addition to the supply of pure water necessary to render a town healthy. One of the first requirements is good sanitation, which hasbeen very much neglected in Shanghai, more especially in connection with the hous OF about tro hundred ho in which I have noticed the system on which the sanitary work is carried out, I may aafoly say there is not one where the drains, with the accompanying waste-pipes from baths, sinks, ete., where itis not systematically wrong and 'a source of danger to the occupants, Lam not aware if the Municipal authori have any control over private dwelling-sin, it is quite time they effected 'y improvements, What is necessary is. that s¢ competent person be appointed as Sanitary Inspector. duty should be to inspect the sanitary arrangements of every house in the Settle-fever had occurred re. Whil over the house, my opinion was asked, i thought there was any further danger to be apprehended from fever, after so many precautions had been taken. Ienquiredif the drains had. been inspected; if not, I would examine them for him, which I proceeded to do, when I found them in the most defective condition. The most flagrant defect which I met with was the waste-pipes from several baths being carried down from the first floor and comected directly with the main drains, thereby op: i minor defects, I after placing his to the waste pipes, came to the conclusion that the smell was bad enough to poison the whole household, The above is one case in many, and I think it sufficient to prove the necessity of some supervision being exercised over those 10h ection of dwelling-house th wud allow such work to b passed.
romain, yours faithfully, 21st January.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.