(5.) In very broad streets it would be inoperative.
In Paris and other continental cities, and also in several towns in this country, the watering is effected by hose and reels, or by portable iron tubes.
Mr. Parry, C.E., the borough surveyor of Reading, has given the following particulars of the system of hand watering adopted in that borough, in which he gives the cost, and describes the utility of that method as compared with the use of water carts:—
A water cart (he states) will water twice a day a superficial area of 23,849 yards, and for a length watered one width that means 5,962 lineal yards, or for a double width 2,981 yards, the cost per day of laying on being as follows:—Horse, cart, and man, 8s.; cost of maintenance of cart, harness, shoeing, &c., 1s. 5d., making 9s. 5d. per day.
With respect to the hand machines he states that he has one of Headley's drum machines, and three of special make, somewhat similar to those used in Paris. They are equal in point of work; and one machine will water 23,740 square yards twice a day, which, it will be observed, is very close to the amount of work performed by a cart.
"Headley's machine cost us (he continues), five years ago when new, £31 7s. 3d., and the repairs and maintenance since that date have been £22, or an average of £4 8s. per annum, and is just now almost past repair. The other description of hand machine cost each when new £20, and the repairs and maintenance have amounted to an average of £3 18s. each year. They were in use sometime before Headley's was obtained, and they will be of use for a long time yet. The cost of labour per day by the hand machines is for two men at 2s. 10d. each—5s. 8d.—as it requires two men to work the machine properly, one to distribute the water, and the other to move the machine and to attach and detach the apparatus to and from the hydrants; add to this 7d. per day for maintenance and repairs, will make 6s. 3d. per day. The quantity of water delivered by the water carts is 0.51 gallon per square yard, and by the hand machine 1.30 gallons."
It will thus be seen that in the case of the cart 24,324 gallons of water are used per diem, and 61,724 gallons by the hand machines, the surface watered being very nearly the same in both cases. Assuming that the water has a commercial value of 6d. per 1,000 gallons, and adding this to the cost per diem in each case, the total cost stands thus:—
| Hand machines | £1 | 10s. | 10d. |
| Carts | £1 | 1s. | 7d. |
the advantage in point of cost being in favour of the carts, but the hand machine may water better, especially in broad streets, although in narrow streets or where there is much traffic, this method would be impracticable.