The Express.
London, England, 1866-09-27 00:00:00

THE WATER SUPPLY OP THE EAST OP
LONDON.

A publics meeting was held last evening in the
Town-hall, Bethnal-green, the Bev. Suitt us HAaassn ,
the Rector of the pariah, in the their, for the purpose of
considering the subject of the impure mid deficient water '
supply to the east of London, and devising means to obtain
a rue end sufficient supply to that and the surrounding
districts. The chairman, in opening the proceedings, said
the special object of the meeting was to encourage agita-
tion and inquiry on the subject for the consideration of
which they had assembled. He believedit was now incontes-
tibly proved that the localities in which there was an impure
supply of water were first visited by cholera and every
Veal* of contagion. They were all aware that the cholera
wbi broke out at the east end of the town recently, and
with nab dreadful results, was traced by the Registrar-
, Dr. Franklin, and other scientific men, to the
ion water supplied by the Bast London Waterworks,
t that wattr came from the river Lea, which is
not more than a large sewer. The public were told
they Would boil water before using it, but seek an advice
was as absurd as if they were told to rout the air before
inhaling it. Dr. Burgess, one of the medical officers of health
forßethnal proposolthe first resolution as follows:
" That it having been proved by indisputable evidence that
the water supplied to the east of London is both deficient
in quantity and so impure in quality that it has been one
of the chief causes, if not the only cause, of the recent out-
break of cholera in that part of the metropolis, this meet-
ing resolves that steps be immediately taken to obtain a
pure and more constant supply of water." The speaker
stated that during the hot weather of the past summer,
and at the time of the expected approach of the cholera,
the people of his neighbourhood were not supplied with
water from noon on Saturday till about the same
time on the following Monday, and that when the
water company were applied to to supply water on
Saturday evenings in order to give sufficient to the
poor people until 'Monday, they refused to do so.
—Dr. Barns seconded the resolution, which was put and
unanimously adopted.—Dr. Liddle, medical officer of
health for Whitechapel, proposed :—" That an association
be formed to be called the East London Water Supply
Association, to carry out the foregoing resolution, and
with this view to put themselves in communication with
the Metropolitan Water Supply Association, to collect
evident* as to the deficiency and bad quality of the water
at preunt supplied, and to use every endeavour to induce
vestries to take action in the matter, and,if necessary to
refer the subject to the Secretary of State, according to the
provisions of the Sanitary Act of 106G.' He said if
housekeepers were not supplied with a sufficient
quantity of water, the fault lay with them-
selves, inasmuch as there was a clause in the
act of parliament by which the water companies were cow-
palled to supply sufficient water, if a requisition signed by
four-fifths of the consumers were sent to them.—Mr.
Wadding, of Whitechapel, who seconded the resolution,
related an instance in which the pipes of a water closet at
Wapping emptied themselves into the water tank of the
adjoining house during the existence of the cholera.—Mr.
Parker, the secretary of the Metropolitan Water Supply
Association, entered into an explanation of the objects of
the association, which he said was founded for the purpose
of compelling water companies to aitord a constant instead
of an intermittent supply of water, and a purer supply of
that commodity by means of improved filtration.—Mr.
Thos. Murray, of Stepney, in giving an account of the
water supply to his locality, stated that he saw some of
his neighbours without water during three days, Lard
others during 36 hours, the houses which were thus
deprived of water having nearly 30 inhabitant. each.
The resolution was then carried unanimously, and the pro-
ceedings terminated with a vote of thanks to the chairman.

HUNTINGDONSHIRE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.

The annual show and dinner of this society was
held at St. Neots yesterday, and there was a very fair
display, considering the absence of neat stock. Horses
were iu good show, both as regards numbers and
quality, and there were probably some unsurpassable
roots. Poultry, one of the new, and not least interesting
and valuable, features in these societies, was well repre-
sented.

At the conclusion of the more practical part of the pro-
ceedings about lOU of the principal members of the
society sat down to dinner at the Corn Exchange, under the
presidency of the Hon. Colonel Duscom et, supported by
Mr. FeHowes, M.Y. ; Lord Hobert Montagu, &c.

,
Lord K. MONTAUU, on rising, was received with loud
cheers. In the course of Lis address he said—Agriculture
is the only trade which is fashionable. As soon as a leer-
chant becomes rich—as soon as he attains a position in so-
ciety—he must needs become a farmer. (Hear, hear.) No
one thinks of being a tanner or a tallowchandler for his
amusement. But everyoue tries to get • farm, and then
swears that he loves the smell of a dungheap more than
the scent of his wife's flowers. (Laughter.) Perhaps he
obtains three or four farms and throws them into one.
This naturally increases the competition for farms, and
raises their price. But the price of your produce is not
proportionately raised. It is true that the wages of
artisans arc much increased, and that many of theta eat
beef twice a day, which they did not do before. This,
however, does not enhance the farmers' prices so much as
it draws imports from abroad. Then, again, you are sub-
ject to losses by weather. If it be dry, alas for your
turnips. If it be wet, your corn is damaged.
There are also losses of cattle by disease. Besides,
sheep and oxen cannot be laid by until there is a demand
for theM in the market. An ox soon eats up his price
without adding to his value. He must therefore be at
once forced upon the market. These are all great draw-
backs. What, then, is to be done ? That which the ma-
nufacturer has to do in his race with other manufacturers—
lose uo chance of improving production by new machinery,
and increasing the fertility of your land by new manures.
(Hear, hear.) With regard to the losses of cattle, I may
be pardoned for reminding you that I foretold you snore
than a year ago what would happen, and sketched out a
course which I recommended you to ursue. The main
points were to slaughter the diseased animals, and to
isolate the place of infection. Since that time
the royal commission has abundantly proved that the great
lines of traffic are the lines of the disease. Since that time
the act has carried out what I then advised. Soon after
the act came into operation the disease decreased, and
where the act was not carried out the disease re-appeared.
When it invaded Ireland the same course was adopted, and
that country has been freed front the curse. If that
course had at once been carried out here—if the govern.
meet had not been behind hand—a quarter of a million of
cattle might have been saved. (Hear, hear.) The Cattle
I'lague Bill contained a clause indemnifying the Privy
Council for ordering the slaughter of cattle. I resisted
that clause until Mr. Gladstone promised to
grant • compensation for the cattle thus slaughtered.
(Hear, hear.) Mr. Walpole and Mr. Henley
assisted me in extracting that promise. But things
changed, and it was put out of the power of Mr. Gladstone
to fulfil his promise. But an act was passed late in the
session which has not mentioned a retrospective
compensation. But Jove looks with indulgence on the
broken vows of lovers, for they are ever fraoe. (A laugh.)
There is another subject which I hope the government will
not lose sight of—l mean the pollution of rivers. It is
now generally known that the cholera is spread by means
of impure water. I am sorry that my bill of 1564 was not
accepted by the Louse. The commission which was then
appointed has, however, reported strongly in favour of
the watershed boards which I at that time recommended.
I trust that the present government will act, and will not
leave us a prey to the cholera, as the late government
sacrificed your oxen to the cattle plague. (Loud cheers.)
Several other toasts were afterwards given and re-
spouded to.

SCREENS AND MYSTERIES.—The Rev. O. Ouse.
ley, priest in charge of Northruore Church, where the re-
cent disturbances took place' writes to the Guardian :
" Holy mysteries are not to be exposed to the gaze of the
people—certainly not to the gaze and insult of the unbe-
lievers and profane ; but till the ancient discipline be re-
vivod, and the screens be restored to their proper use in
our chnrches, it is idle to talk of keeping the holy myste-
ries (as they ought to be kept) from profane gaze. In
every correctly arranged catholic church there should be
at least three screens—one separating the sanctuary from
the choir, another separating the choir from the nave, and
a third, of a more substantial kind, separating the nave
from the narthex or porch, and beyond which the unbe-
lieving mob should not be admitted. The law forbids
church doors being closed during divine service, but I am
not aware of any prohibition to glutting and looking screen
doors."

Mr. Edward Train, the landscape painter, died
suddenly in Newcastle on Saturday morning. On Priday
evening be retired to his bedroom, apparently well, but in
the morning, feeling indisposed, be breakfasted in bed, and
shortly after got up and went to the room where heusually
painted. Being heard to fall by those below, the alarm was
given, and he was !mud by his sister and others, who
hastened upstairs, on the Boor quite dead, beside the easel
on which he had played an unfinished picture.

CarsTAL !arcs. Oxs &mu:No DAY.—
WzDsseDAT, Barr. XL—Admissions on pitysoest, 4,970;
ditto by swan tickets, 2,409. Tots i visitors, 7,379.