Faraday to Jacob Herbert   15 November 1849

Royal Institution | 15 Novr. 1849

My Dear Sir

The water which I received from you from the Trevose Head lights1, contains a portion of lead in solution which though small undoubtedly renders the water unfit for cooking or use in articles of food. There is every reason to believe that this lead is derived from the roof, & partly by the action of the Salt water spray for part the lead is in solution as a chloride and there is also common salt present. Except indeed for these substances the water is remarkably free from salt & would without them be very soft & pure2[.]

I am My dear Sir | Very Truly Yours | M. Faraday

2
This letter was read to the Trinity House By Board, 20 November 1849, GL MS 30010/36, pp.464-5 with a note that the matter had been referred to James Walker who had proposed a solution to the problem which the Board agreed to pursue.

Please cite as “Faraday2231,” in Ɛpsilon: The Michael Faraday Collection accessed on 10 May 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/faraday/letters/Faraday2231