The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-02-18 00:00:00

A PRACTICAL PLAN FOR SETTLING THE
WATER DISPUTE.

Those who feel an interest in the water vegtion—and
who is there in Liverpool that does not require no
apology from us for the space which we have devoted,
from time to time, to the discussion of this
,important
subject a matter of more vital interest to the health,
morals, and comfort of this great community' than any
legislative mdasui'a which was ever promulgated—a
matter which affects alike the poverty-stricken denizens of
our courts and cellars, and the "merchutt princes" who
luxuriate in their suburb in palaces. To one and all,
whatever their rank or station, a supply of good and
wholesome water is a necessity indispensable to their well-

being, and fortUnately tho elements are no respctor of
personS. The rain falls on the just and the unjust, and
poisonous water is as fatal in its effects to the peer as to the

peasant.
Those who have dispas3ioaately coasidered the qeesiion
of our water supply must, like ourselves, have al-rived at
the irresistable conclusion that, in point of quality, the
FtiviegOn weer, impregnated as it is with peat and other
deleterious matter, newei could compensate for the pure
Spring, water, to the use of which the inlilbitaets have
been so long habituated, and which has been the adMiratiori
of all•straugers fie eyteutiog our town. Such is the excAlence
of this water that no comideration.ought to induce the
authorities to deprive the ieltabitants of its use, un'il they
have found a substitute «pally good. This fact is now
admitted by many of the more moderate and reasonable
advocates of the Pike scheme. " Bu,;" they a iy, 4‘ we have
got the Pike water here; we have spent upWardsof a million
sterling to prece,re it, and are we going to throw it away ?"
This is the argument we frequently hear used, and it would
be conclusive enough, that pure water must be had
for our household uses and shipping purposes, irrespective
of cost. In another column we have alluded to the views
entertained by a member of the council as to the practica-
bility of supplying the town with Spring water and Pike
water through the same mains, but at 'different periods dur-
ing the twenty-four hours, and a motion to that effect was to
have been brought before the council at 'heir last meeting.
It was, however, passed over—for the time at least. We
do not ourselves pretend to know much about the ramifica-
tion of oar water supply; bat, as we have deemed every

plan, which bad for its object the senring of a certain
supply of pure Spring water to the inhabitants, worthy of
the most serious c nisileration, we submitted the matter to
the opinion of a gentleman in whose judgment we have the
fullest confidence, and who has a thorough pi actical know-
ledge of the whole subject; and we have much pleasure in

placing his views before our readers. He says :
" I am inclined to think that an alternating daily supply o
Spring and Pike water, distributed to the town throughout the
same mains during the twenty-four hours, is a plan which, in
practice, would not prove altogether satisfactory; for, although
there could be no practical difficulty in having the mains charged
with either one or the other water, yet, in the short interval
proposed, I do not think it possible that the Well water could
be supplied without a large admixture of that from Rivington
hence the quality would, in most instances, disappoint those
who desired to obtain the pure Well water. In fact, it would
prove somewhat similar to the mixed water at present
supplied—at least, in most instances, such would be the result.
If, however, it was resolved to give a supply of Well water
and Pike water o❑ alternate days, then, indeed, the matter
would be very different ; as ample time could be allowed to
draw off all the Pike water in the mains after the Well water
had been turned on. In order that I may make the whole
matter familiar to you and your readers, let us suppose that
the Water Committee come to the determination of supplying
the Well water to the whole town thrice a week—say on
Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays—l assume, of course,
that one of the reservoirs at Kensington is sot apart exclusively
for the use of the Well, and the other to that of the Rivingto❑
I commence by giving a printed notice to
every inhabitant using water from the works, that
on the days named they could, after a certain hour
in the morning, draw Spring water from the mains np to a
certain hour in the evening. In order that this might be
effectually accomplished, I would at an early hour on Monday
afternoon, say four o'clock, shut off the supply of Rivington
water, and at once turn on that from the wells into the mains,
when, by eight o'clock at latest next morning, we should find
that all the pipes had been exhausted of the Rivington, and its
place occupied by the Spring water in all its purity. This I
would keep on till evening, when the Rivington would again
snpplant the Well water. This rotation would, of course, go on
incessantly. Th, time of supplying either, to be modified by
circumstances. Those who have cisterns in their housas, would
only have to put a stop tap on their supply pipe in order• to
admit or shut off cith tr water at pleasure. But .as
by far the greater number of the inhabitants arc
supplied by independent taps in some part of them
premises, no alterations whatever would be necessary, in so far
as they are concerned. The same remark applies to such courts
(now few in number) where one pipe supplies several dwell-
ings. In fact, if ,his plan of supplying water of both descrip-
tions was honestly and fairly set about, the whole of the
arrangements could be completed in one week, or even less.
There need be no difficulties in the way, unless such as may
be intentionally created. It must be remembered that, a
few years since, the town had a supply of water only thrice
weekly, and. that only for a very limited period. This

water.

arrangement would not in any way interfere with the
supply for fires or manufacturing purposes, while the inhabi -
ante could cnj,,y either Pike or Well water, or both, at their
pleasure. It is possible that, as soon as convenient, an extra line of
three feet pipes should be laid from the Old Swan to Kensington,
a distance of about half a mile ; but as this is an arrangement
which ought to exist under any circumstances, the cost is not
matter for calculation here. I again rqeat, what I have
already stated, that there exists no practical diffieulry wha'ever
in giving the supply in the way described, if the au horitics are
so disposed, and that, too, without involving the town in any
cost or annoyance whatever.''
Su3l3, then, is the simple plan which our authority has
propounded for settling the entire question ; and we verily
believe, if nlopted, we may add to the satisfaction of all
parties. Here we have no double line of pipes compli-
cating what is already much too intricate. No outlay ;
and, what is of as much importance as all the
r at, no delay. The whole plan is so very simple, that
the only wonder is that people did not think of it before?
The Water Committee have it now in their power to prove
their disinterest(dness ; and let us hope that they will not
hesitate in taking the necessary stops to give this plan a
fair trial—let no contemptible spirit of rivalry or petty
jealousy on the part of officials be permitted to thwart a
scheme which we honestlybelieve to be the very one the tev n
stands in need of at the present moment. Thes3 views are not
those of any empirical amateur or adventurer, bat the opi-
nions of a thoroughly practical man, who fully understands
the whole subject; and, as such, are entitled to due
consideration.

PROJECTED GREAT BULLION ROBBERY.

CAIRO, FEBRUARY 5.

We have had a very narrow escape last night. A con-
spiracy had been planned to destroy the treasure train by
taking up the rails near this city, and in the confusion of
a dreadful accident to plunder the trunks of the specie,
amounting to 840,000, brought by the Pera (s.s.). It was
discovered in time, and about 130 of the ringleaders have
been apprehended.:

POPULAR EDUCATION. —On Monday evening, according
to public announcement, Mr. James Gillespie de'ivered a
lecture on Popular Education, in the school-room under-
neath St Matthew's church, Scotland-road. The attendance
was not large, but the audience listened throughout with
deep attention to the lecture, which lasted an hour and a
half. The lecturer commenced by glancing at the progress
of the question since the accession of Ler present Majesty
to the throne, and remarked upin the criminal statistics of
Manchester and Liverpool, pointing out the great necessity
(xatirg for additional school premises, covered and un-
covered, in ore,— to promote the physical,
moral, religious,
and intellectual training of the itif:nt and juvenile poor of
her Majcsty'a subjects.