The Press.
London, England, 1855-11-10 00:00:00

1080

A FREE LIBRARY AND MUSEUM IN THE CITY Was
the subject of a meeting at the MANSION•HOUSE on
Monday, convened on the requisition of the Lord
Mayor. The resolution, which was moved by Mr.
Swart, M.P., in an appropriate speech. and seconded
by Major• General Sykes, was negatived after a very
riotous debate by a large majority of ratepayers, who
objected to an increased taxation for the establish-
ment of a library at the present time of high prices,
high rates, and discount at seven per cent. The
motion of course fell to the ground. It came out iu
the debate that a public library of 12,0(X) volumes
positively exists in Guildhall at this moment—a fact
not generally known.
THE GREAT DRAINAGE DISPUTE between Mr. F. 0.
Ward and Mr. Bazalgette has been brought to a
close for the present. At a meeting on Thursday
of the Metropolitan Commission of Sewers, Mr.
Bazalgette read his reply to Mr. Ward's charge of
last week, and the court after a close contest defeated
an amendment of Sir John Shelley that the dispute
be referred to a committee of eminent engineers, and
carried the original resolution expressive of their
confidence in Mr. Bazalgette's proposed system of
drainage.

THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA.
TO THE EDITOR OF "THE PRESS."

Sir,—l have read your articles on the policy neces-
sary to be pursued by a Governor General anxious
to carry out a system which shall be wise, just, and
beneficial, and I am anxious to offer a few remarks
on that section of your theme which relates to
" Roads and Public Works."
I think, sir, you do well to caution the new
Governor-General as to the amount of public money
which he ma) think proper to devote, either in the
way of guarantee or in a more direct shape. Lord
Dalhousie has done some good by directing the
attention of Leadenhall-street to the development of
railways, and it will have been fortunate for the
future of India if whilst permitting the construction
of these important works he had in some manner
controlled the outlay of money which the engineers
and directors in England have so lavishly and
wantonly expended under the agreeable assurance of
a five per-cent. guarantee. Sir, I think that public
works should be encouraged. I believe that at
present the only plan must lie in the shape of direct
guarantees of interest, until the development of
native enterprise shall create new lines on principles
which will be, perforce, cheap from the experience
gained by a foolish and culpable guaranteed railway
company. There are many works, irrigation, har-
bours, piers, docks, which the wants of both the
English and Indian community require. By whom
and by what means are they to be constructed? Are
they to be placed under the supervision of a distinct
board in each Presidency? Is the money to be
borrowed by the Indian Government, and the interest
to be met by the profits of these when executed, or
are English companies and English capital to be
called in? If the latter, we must have guarantees.
The subject would oblige me to trespass on your
space. I should wish to point out how the English
people are so far interested in guarantees that they
may find in them a future political security for a
careful and peaceful attitude towards neighbouring
States on the part of the Indian Government. A
State that is liable to a heavy guarantee of interest
will be more, anxious for the full development of a
trade and commerce which flourishes on peace. Let
the new Governor-General pursue a policy which
shall embrace in a comprehensive manner all those
plans which a commission of practical men shall
decide on as most useful, whether they be for the
supply of water to Bombay, the construction of docks
at Calcutta, or the irrigation in the Madras Presi
dency. Let those who view these works as necessary
at least receive an opinion as to whether their plans
are feasible or their conceptions just. In India the
State must inaugurate by giving a practical direction
to wholesome schemes. Let Lord Canning show
himself equal to the task before him, nor refuse the
sound advice your articles have given him.—Your
obedient servant, S.

CARDINAL WISEMAN, it is positively asserted at
Rome, is to resign the metropolitan church of
Westminster to his present coadjutor, and become
Prefect of the Vatican Library. If this statement,
wlich has been made several times, should prove
col rect., the policy of Rome towards Sardinia is
likely to continue more hostile than ever, as his
Eminence is known to entertain a strong antipathy
to the Sardinian Government, and is believed to be
in favour of putting in force the most coercive
measures with regard to it.
M. PALEOCAPA, the Sardinian Minister of Public
Works, has arrived in Paris to confer with M. Les-
seps on the subject of his plans for cutting through
the Isthmus of Suez.
Annuls'. TREROUART'S appointment to the command
of the " Mediterranean squadron," has given rise to
the belief that by this expression a new squadron is
meant, which will doubtless, in ease of need, serve as
a reserve for the Black Sea fleet,