ABSTRACT
Whereas Robert Angus Smith and his team of inspectors could point to high levels of condensation of hydrogen chloride gas by 1874, they also recognized ongoing occasions when, through accident or intentional neglect, large quantities of gas were released into the atmosphere. The only way to prevent these escapes was by encouraging owners, foremen and charge-hands operating the plant processes to act in a consistently responsible manner. Although Angus Smith and his team were never complacent, many landowners and their agents, as well a variety of campaigning groups, were always ready to undermine the overall progress when opportunities arose. This included lobbying the Local Government Board or presenting evidence to commissions set up to review the workings of current legislation. Accusations of lack of thoroughness were often targeted at Angus Smith and his team, and attention was increasingly drawn to other offending pollutants that urgently needed some form of regulation.
