The first waterworks in London were those constructed by Master Peter Morrys, a Dutch engineer, in 1582. His plan was to utilise the enormous force with which the Thames rushed through the nineteen narrow arches of old London Bridge, and for this purpose the Corporation granted him a lease of the first arch on the City side for 500 years, at a rental of 10s. a year, and two years later the second arch was given on similar terms. In 1701 a third arch was leased to a grandson of Morrys, and at this time the proprietary rights were sold to Richard Soams, a goldsmith, for £36,000, who converted it into a Company of 300 shares of £500 each. In 1761 a fourth arch of the bridge was given to the Company, and two other arches were closed to give additional force to the water-wheels. The passage of the narrow arches of the bridge was at all times difficult, and the process of shooting London Bridge, with a fall of some five feet through the arch, was not without danger. This blocking of the bridge caused great complaints, but, nevertheless, the Company continued to ask for more, and with success, so that in 1767 the first five arches were occupied with immense water wheels, and two arches on the Surrey side were similarly occupied. We gather that the Company at this time also possessed a “fire-engine.” The last wheels were put up under the advice of Brindley and Smeaton. The wheels were of the undershot variety, and by their power 2,000 gallons of water per minute were raised to a height of 120 feet, through a pipe which passed over the tower of St. Magnus’ Church. These wheels continued in use for 240 years, until 1822, when the Act for rebuilding London Bridge caused their removal. The pumping machinery was of its kind excellent, but the mains were very defective, and there was much loss by leakage, and leakage also caused great damage to the bridge. The chief mains ran in Bishopsgate Street, Cheapside, Aldgate, Fleet Street, and Newgate Street. The fact that the London Bridge Waterworks were in use until 1822 is important, as showing that the Thames water up to that time was not so grossly impure as to preclude the possibility of distributing it for household purposes without filtration. It is not conceivable that such a course could be adopted at the present day. The impurities of Fleet Ditch were due to slop water, and to material negligently thrown into it, and it was probable that only during a sharp shower, when the filth of the streets was washed into it, it reached that state of impurity which Swift has described. Water-carried sewage, as we understand it, was not then in common use, and cesspools were not allowed to empty into the sewers; and Public Authorities were not expected to relieve individuals of responsibility and to undertake duties, the satisfactory accomplishment of which is impossible.