The'Editor is always glad to receive for examination illustrated artICles otrsubjectl! of timely interest. If the photographs are sharp, the articles 8hort, and the facts authentic, the contributions. will receive special at tention. Accepted articles will he paid for at regnJar space rates. THE POLLUTION OF NEW YORX'HARBOR. The incumbency of his distinguished office by. Mayor McClellan will be notable for the important public works inaugurated during 'his administration which have, to do -with

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... that most important of all civic in tere�s, . the health of the inhabitants. The construc-· tion of the Catskill water supply is due largely to the wisdom and persistence of the mayor; and we are glad to note that he is now interesting himself in an other sanitary question which has long been pressing for serious consideration. We refer to the pollution of New York harbor, which has been allowed' to in crease to a point at which there ' is a loud call for thorough investigation, to determine just what the extent of this e. vil is at the present time. The matter has been under discussion in a more or less desultory way for many years, and for some time there has been in existence what is known as the Metropolitan Sewer age . Commission; but so many contrary opinions were held by the members as to the actual extent of the pol lution and the proper remedial measures to be under� taken, that the mayor decided upon a change in per sonnel and a thorough reorganization. New York bay and harbor represent, it is true, a large body of water; but the growth of population around its shores has been so rapid that it is quite a question whether the bay is not receiving more sewage than it can properly dispose of. Moreover, the problem has been rendered more serious by the proposal to discharge into the. bay the sewage of the manufacturing towns which lie in the Passaic valley. Ultimately the question is likely to become the subject of litigation; and, in view of this, it is desirable that exact figures should be avail able as to the amount of sewage now emptied into these waters. The famous litigation between the cities of St. Louis and Chicago over the question of the pollu tion of the Mississippi by the drainage from the Chi cago Canal showed the necessity for the possession of ample statistical data; and it i3 felt that the exact de termination of conditions in New 'York harbor cannot be too quickly arrived at.