THE EARL OF MEATH, in rising to ask Her Majesty's Government whether they approve of the interment of bodies in burial grounds and cemeteries situated in populous centres, and, if not, whether they will take steps, by Orders in Council, to close for purposes of interment the Tower Hamlets City of London Cemetery in the East, and the Brompton Cemetery in the West, of the Metropolis, said: My Lords, I desire to draw your Lordships' attention to a danger, which I think is increasing, to the health of this Metropolis. Within the last half century, or, indeed, less than the last half century, over 1,250,000 bodies have been buried within what are now the limits of the Metropolis, and I think it is generally acknowledged at the present day by scientists and by all who take an interest in and who have studied the question, that the accumulation among great masses of population of vast quantities of decomposing human remains is dangerous, and increasingly dangerous, to the public health. It is now some years since Her Majesty's Government were given powers to refuse sanction to such burials in the Metropolis, and yet, curiously enough, there are two very large cemeteries situated within the Metropolitan area surrounded by large masses of population, in which burial is still permitted. I allude to the West Brompton Cemetery and the Tower Hamlets Cemetery at Bow. In the West Brompton Cemetery, which I understand was purchased by the Government in 1856, and which belongs, consequently, to the Government, and is under the control of the First Commissioner of Works, there are over 150,000 bodies buried, and it consists of only 38 acres. Consequently, that is at the rate of some 5,000 interred there a year. I believe that Her Majesty's Government have received from the dues paid from time time a profit out of this ground of some £7,000 a year. I know that is a great 1402 temptation for Her Majesty's Government to say that this burial ground is still fit for interments; but the strength of individuals, and I suppose the strength of Governments is shown by their power of resisting temptation, and I hope Her Majesty's Government may resist any temptation that this £7,000 a year may hold out to them. Then, with regard to the West Brompton Cemetery, that is a still more serious case as a source of danger, for there we have not to deal with 38 acres, but only 17 acres, and 250,000 interments in place of 150,000, and also we have the fact that in some of what are called " common graves " as many as 70 bodies have been interred at one time. Resolutions have been passed by Local Bodies asking Her Majesty's Government to close this cemetery, and the answer that has been given is that there is still room for common graves. Now, my Lords, my contention is that this is not a question whether there is room for common graves or for graves which are uncommon, whatever they may be, but that within the metropolis no burials whatever ought to take place. We have here an enormous population of 4,500,000 crowded within a space of some 17 miles by 12 in size, and, I assert, and I think most of your Lordships will agree with me that we ought not to do anything which can unnecessarily pollute the air. Now, what does a great sanitary authority, Sir John Simon, say upon this subject in regard to common graves. He said in 1853 that they were most dangerous and that " no consideration of cheapness can justify the placing of many bodies in one pit;" and he goes on to say that overcrowding of graves causes the soil to become saturated and polluted with animal matter. Now, it is perfectly certain that in a large town like this, there is the greatest necessity for pure air. Scientific authorities tell us that it is impossible to obtain perfectly pure air considering the enormous number of human beings who are breathing out noxious gases, and who are consuming the oxygen which is the life of the human body. When we think also of the enormous number of animals there are in mews and elsewhere, when we consider the quantity of dust that most be swept up in the streets and the accumulation of dust and offal of all kinds, 1403 and when we consider the amount of organic matter that is floating in the air, I think it is extraordinary that we should permit any burials at all to take place within this Metropolis, when we are told by such an eminent sanitarian as Sir John Simon that those burials certainly conduce to the increase of organic matter in the air. I therefore beg to ask Her Majesty's Government the question which stands in my name.
§ LORD DE RAMSEYMy Lords, before answering the noble Lord's question, I desire to correct a misapprehension under which he labours with regard to the amount of payments from the Brompton Cemetery to the Government. He has stated that they are £7,000, but in reality I am informed that they are £6,000. I only mention that so that the noble Lord may not think for an instant that it has anything to do with the question of payments to the Government whether this cemetery is kept open or not. The Government do not approve of, and it is their policy to prevent, the interment of bodies in populous centres where it can be shown that the interments are or may be prejudicial to the public health. The Secretary of State has power to close by Order in Council burial grounds which may become overcrowded, or where it is obvious that too many might be interred, and be therefore prejudicial to the public health. No new burial grounds can be created in the Metropolis or in any district where an Order in Council has been applied for without the express sanction of the Secretary of State. In the selection and approval of new sites precautions are always taken as to the suitability of the soil, and drainage, and all other conditions necessary to the public health, and under no circumstances can a burial in a new ground take place within 100 yards of a dwelling-house without the consent of the owner, lessee, or occupier of such house. The powers given to the Secretary of State are most scrupulously exercised throughout the country. With regard to these two cemeteries which have been referred to, the West Brompton and the Tower Hamlets Cemeteries, when the noble Lord's question appeared on the Paper, the Secretary of State asked the Inspector to report as to the present condition of those two cemeteries, and he reported 1404 with regard to the West Brompton Cemetery that he has from time to time paid surprise visits to that cemetery, and that, in his opinion, it is not a source of danger to the public health. With regard to the Tower Hamlets Cemetery, the attention of the Secretary of State has from time to time been called to it, and careful regulations have been made with the view of preventing possible danger to the public health. The Inspector was specially instructed last year, in consequence of a representation that was made by the Mile End Vestry, to satisfy himself by occasional visits that the regulations were fully carried out. The Inspector has reported, with reference to the noble Lord's question, that since he received those instructions he has paid surprise visits to the cemetery, and has satisfied himself that the regulations are duly observed. He paid a visit as recently as the 3rd inst., and he saw nothing that led him to believe that the cemetery was a source of danger to the public health. The noble Earl is very well aware of the difficulties that the Secretary of State is under in relation to this subject—the difficulty of providing burial grounds for the poorer population. He is most careful in giving assent of any sort to any burial site; and it is only under exceptional circumstances that any site is allowed to be used in crowded districts as a burial ground.