The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-03-19 00:00:00

THOMAS DUNCAN, WATER ENGINEER.

Sir,—You have not had the manly courage to reply
to my letter ; oh no, but you have procured the
assistance of a friend to endeavour to whitewash you by
blackballing me. Your flunkey amanuensis, who signs
himself "J. 8.," is well enough known to me, and a fitter
instrument to do your dirty work you could not have
selected. He :condemns all personal attacks, and at the
same moment proceeds to publish a series of as gross
falsehoods and calumnies against me as could be contained
in half a column of the NORTH ERN TIMES. This, coupled
with the sickening laudations which he heaps on you, and
which you have doubtless liberally paid for, forms the
sole ground of his defence of your very questionable
conduct in respect to the water supply. I made no
personal attack on' you whatever; had that beers my
object, I stood in no need of materials, I can assure
you; but,: whatever you have done, I never, in
the water controversy, said or did aught to wound
the feelings of any one, assuredly my allusion to your
having, some years ago, earned a few honest pence by
exhibiting certain articles of rudely sculptured statuary
was no imputation on your private character, nor was it
so intended. I attacked you in your public capacity as
water engineer. I charged you broadly with tampering
with the water supply, and with fabricating statements
which were not facts, for the purpose of misleading your
own employers and the public. Do you meet those grave
charges as you ought to have done, had you been innocent?
by no means. You know they are all too true to admit
of contradiction, and your poor tool is instructed to say
nothing about 'them, but vilify me as much as possiole,—
a task which he has executed, I have no doubt, to your
entire satisfaction. In fact, the attack on me is so vulgar,
and so utterly destitute of truth, that I should
have treated it with the contempt which it
merits, were it not that silence on my part might be
construed into an admission of the truth of these base
slanders and insinuations by my friends and the public.
I shall leave all " invective and scurrility " to your friend,
who is an adept in these matters. With regard to my
antecedents, it is perfectly true that I commenced my
public career as a common policeman, and I consider it no
disgrace—and never did—to be reminded of my origin. And
why shoula you feel so very sore when told of your own
debut in Liverpool in the character of a showman? assuredly
there was no digrace in that. In fact, in my opinion, it
would have been more creditable for you to have earned
an honest livelihood by travelling through the country
with your Ichaboe mummy, if necessary, rather than have
pursued the course which you have done, namely, playing
the game of a gang of unprincipled adventurers, and mis-
leading the public by reports, which would not bear the
test of criticism. From a common policeman I rose, not
by treachery and deception, but by good conduct alone, to
the office next to the head constable. The opinion which
my superiors entertained of my conduct will readily be
gathered from the following documents, which I publish,
not for your satisfaction, but for that of the public and
my friends :

[COPY.]
At a meetineof the Watch Committee, held the 19th
July, 1845, present, William Thornhill, Esq., in the chair,
&c., &c., &c.

A. letter from 'Superintendent James I.PDonald, an-
nouncing that he is a candidate for the appointment of
Manager to the Liverpool and Harrington Water Works
Company, and respectfully requesting from this committee
such a testimonial of character as his conduct fairly
entitles him to whilst in the service, having been read,
Resolved—That the chairman for the day be requested
to sign a testimonial on behalf of the committee, of his
general good conduct. whilst in the employ of this trust.
(Extracted from the proceedings)
CAPES Asntus, Secretary.
Mr. James M'Donald, Superintendent of Police.

[C ]
Watch Office,:l9theJuly, 1845.
Gentlemen,--In accordance with the annexed resolution,
I: have to state :that Mr. James M'Donald joined the
Liverpool police force at its formation, on the 29th Feb-
ruary, 1836: and having soon displayed considerable
intelligence and ability, united with good conduct, the
committee raised him to the rank of inspector on the 19th
of December in the same year ; he was further promoted
to be a superintendent, and was again promoted on the
Bth January this year to take command of one of the
police divisions of the town as one of the (two) chief
superintendents. During the whole of the above period
his Conduct has been exemplary, good, and faithful to the
trusts reposed in him, as will readily be imagined from
the fact of his having risen from the ranks to hold an
office next in command to that of the head constable. I
have myself had many opportunities of witnessing Mr.
James M`Donald's conduct, and I must say that on all
occasions he has displayed great ability, good judgment,
and firmness in performing his official duties connected
with the police force, and I believe his conduct and
abilities entitle him to the best recommendation that can
be given to any man for integrity and general good con-
duct.—l am, gentlemen, your obedient servant
(Signed) WILLIAM THORNHILL,
Chairman for the day.
To the Directors of the Liverpool and
Harrington Water Works. •

[COPY.]

Town Hall, 17th July, 1845.
I have'much' pleasure in bearing testimony to the able
and zealous manner in which Mr. James M'Donald has
on all occasions performed his duties as a police officer. I
have had constant opportunities of judging of his conduct
since he joined the police force, and can with confidence
recommend him as a most intelligent, sober, and efficient
officer ; and I have no doubt he would prove an excellent
manager to the water company.
(Signed) SITUTTLEIVORTH, Town-clerk.

[copy.]
Sessions House, 17th July, 1845.
Mr. James M`Donald having intimated to me that he is
a candidate for the office of manager to the Liverpool and
Harrington Water Company, and requested a teslimonial,
I can with confidence say, from the way in which he has
invariably conducted himself, that he is a most intelligent
trustworthy officer; and although I should rejoice in the
success of his present application, I should nevertheless

regret the loss the police force had sustained by his
retirement. ts,':l (Signed), EDWARD RUSHTON.

[copy.]
Liverpool, Augustl4th, 1851.
I beg to certify that Mr. James M'Donald served under
me in the Liverpool Constabulary Force successively as
constable, station.house clerk, and superintendent of the
north division. Mr. M'Donald was in the police nine
years while I was head constable, and I know that he
remained in it until appointed, after I left, to the important
situation of managing engineer to the Liverpool Water
Company's works. Sly knowledge of Mr. M'Donald's
qualifications enables me to say-, and I do so unhesi-
tatingly, that a more competent police officer there is not
in the kingdom. He rose, step by step, to the office next
me, and he became superintendent solely by hi, conduct.
He was trusted with cases of great delicacy, and on
occasions of great peril, and he invariably acted in the
way to secure himself the entire approbation of ALL the
authorities; he never provoked disapprobation. Apart
from his police qualifications, I am in a condition to give
testimony to his superior abilities as a gentleman of mind
and education, and to bear evidence to his excellent
character. (Signed) M. J. WIIETTY.
Journal Office.

rcr)pv.]
Liverpool Constabulary Force.
Central Police Office, 27th Sept , 1851.
Mr. James M'Donald was in the police force of this
borough for nearly ten years, and resigned in August, 1845,
to fill a situation of great trust in the Harrington Water
Company. Mr. M‘Donald was, when he left the police
force, a superintendent, and his character as a police officer
is of the highest order.
(Signed)

M. M. G. DOWLING.

These documents speak for themselves, and I am proud
of them, as I have reason to be, and still more so, in the
consciousness of never having been guilty of a single act
since, of which my friends need be ashamed, notwithstand-
ing the vile slanders of your " apologist." In the service
of the Corporation, Sir, I have literally fought and bled;
and the injuries I have sustained in my efforts to preserve
and protect the lives and properties of the inhabitants of
Liverpool, I shall suffer from so long as life remains. II
is also true that after this you find me in connection with
the Harrington Water Works—next to the highest official,
with every prospect of success and promotion. And how
did I discharge the duties of that most important office,
I shall leave Mr. Banner to speak for himself :
Harrington Chambers, North-John-street,
September, 1848.
Mr. Jas. M`Donald has been the engineer to the Liver-
pool and Harrington Company for the last three years,
and his conduct has given the greatest possible satisfac-
tion to the directors who hayo increased his salary -£5O
each year as a mark of their approbation, beside award_
ing him a gratuity for the improvements which ho has
introduced into machinery connected with the works
belonging to the company; he has proved a most com-
petent engineer, and is, in my opinion, well qualified in
every respect to fill the office he now solicits.
(Signed) Rangoon BA.NNEL

As manager of the water works, how did Tact Why, by
doing all in my power to promote the views of the Coun-
cil, and benefit the public at large. I introduced improved
machinery into the works, which enabled me to give a
much better supply of water to the town than they ever
got before, and in proof of which I can refer to Dr.
Duncan's report, and to the water consumers at large. I
carried into effect a plan for extinguishing fires, which
has proved of incalculable advantage to the town, although
it was pronounced impracticable by eminent engineers,
who, like yourself, would now claim the merits of this plan.
I also introduced various machines of an improved con-
struction for water works, amongst others an improved
water meter. This excellent invention, poverty prevented
me from patenting. I, however, showed my drawings to
you in the early part of 1851, a bort time previous to your
getting me dismissed from the assessorship. You have
recently taken out a patent for this identical machine,
without even consulting or acknowledging me in the
matter, although, at the time of my designing it, I
reported the fact to the water committee of the
day, with your knowledge and concurrence. Can
you deny this fact. Your amanuensis forget to tell
the public that when the water works passed into the
hands of the corporation, I was still retained in my
position as engineer—an office I might have held to this
hour, had I acted as you have done. I saw that there was
a- foul conspiracy organised by a set of men to victimise
the town, not merely out of an enormous sum of money,
but the unfortunate inhabitants, as you know full well,were
doomed to the deprivation of that supply of water which
they had so long enjoyed. Had you been in my position, I
can readily conceive how you would have acted—true to
your instinct, you would remain quiescent ; and so long as
you got the means to enable you to gratify your own
tastes, you would not have cared a straw for the public. I
happened, however, to be cast in another mould from you,
hence what followed, I could be no party to this monstrous
atrocity ;:and I very properly denounced the proceedings
like many others' who have dared to tell the truth—l paid
the penalty by losing my office. Yet, is there a man
in Liverpool, except yourself, who will say I did wrong ?
Assuredly not—but you have carefully avoided all notice
of this important phase in the question, simply because it
would not suit your purpose. 'fell me, sir, did this con•
duct of mine indicate indifference or neglect of my duties ?
—rather the reverse. True, as your apologist says, after
having been some months unemployed, " I was appointed
to:the position of assessor and surveyor to the Corpora_
tion Water Works." And you add, " the writer will not
say why he lost this situation—he would fain allow the
public to think better of the man.' Pray, sir, what do
you mean by this sentence ? You will not say, why, I lost
that situation ; but, sir, I will. It was through you, and you
alone, sir, that I lost that office, and you may well be
ashamed to acknowledge it ; but the public must know
the whole truth, for assuredly a piece of fouler
treachery never was perpetrated by one official against
another than you were guilty of towards me on that occa-
sion. In fact, one could hardly believe that so much
rottenness and diabolical feeling should be found har-
boured in the human breast. Yet it was, and here are the
facts. The part I took in the water battle is sufficiently
notorious. Having done all I could to serve the town,
and having lost my position, together with one half my
salary, I resolved on setting myself quietly down, as I
hoped, for the remainder of my existence, without interfer-
ing in any matters not connected with my duties, as asses-
sor, a resolution which I faithfully kept, notwithstanding
the statements to the contrary. ky intentions will be best
known from the arrangements I entered into in regard to
the then future. I took a long lease of a small dilapi-
dated cottage, with a croft and a large garden, belonging
to Mr. King, of Higher Bebbington, at a moderate rental,
I undertaking to do all the necessary alterations and im-
provements. I entered on possession in the beginning of
1851, and at once set to work to carry my plans
into execution. I improved my dwelling, built a sub-
stantial range of outhouses, and a small conservatory,
drained and stocked my garden, which had become a
perfect wilderness, and had the whole place, from a neg.
lected ruin and waste, converted into one of the neatest
and pleasantest spots within a circuit of miles; in fact, it
was the admiration of all who saw it, and I own I felt
proud of my doings, and happy and contented with my
home and my position. I was then under the control of
a gentleman and a man of honour, the Borough Engineer,
with whom I was on the most amicable terms, and under
his direction I made an elaborate survey ofsorne thousands
of buildings throughout the borough, and the, result was
a very considerable addition to the water rental. Mr.
Newlands expressed himself highly satisfied with my
conduct, and often stated so to the committee. Everything
went on pleasantly, and no one could have been happier
than I then was, little dreaming what you had gOt in store
for me. When I entered on my little place at Bebbington,
I had no money, neither did I owe any, but as I was under
the necessity of incurring considerable outlay, I had to
borrow, naturally trusting to my salary to enable me to
make good my payments. Matters went on in this smooth
style until you were appointed to the charge of the works,
and my office was transferred to yours. We had both
been on terms of the utmost intimacy for years, and I
naturally confided in the continuance of that spirit of
friendship whiet) on my part, at all events, was not
assumed for a purpose. We had both been in the habit of
meeting nightly to take our social glass wit h mealy others
like ourselves, and you were an occasional visitor at my
domicile, and I at yours ; our feelings were in unison on
the eubject of water supply, and at that time, at all events,
you made no mystery of your sentiments, fer you were in
the habit of openly condemning the Pike, and all connected
with it, in much stronger terms than I ever used, and you
did not scruple to arraign the motives of its advocates,
which I never did.

Under you I pursued the same course as I had done
under Mr. Newlancls. Whatever orders you gave I cheer-
fully obeyed, and I showed you every possible mark of
consideration and respect. You invariably expressed
yourself satisfied with my proceedings, arid every week
you also assured me that the committee were the same,
and I knew there could be no just ground of complaint
against me. We appeared, in fact, to be satisfied with
each other, and so matters went on until the evening of
the 10th of June, 1851. On that evening I was, as usual,
in your office when Fazakerley came in and asked you
what must be done with the water from the Bootle engine,
for the reservoir would not hold any more. Yourself, I,
and Fezakerly could not help having a laugh at this
circumstance, and several jocular remarks passed between
us on the subject. These remarks might easily have been
heard in the office below, for the door of your office had
been left open, and we were talking loud enough to be
heard underneath. There was no mystery about the
matter—no secrecy enjoined. You and I and others were
constantly in the habit of talking about the subject with
the utmost freedom and unconcern. There never was any
secrecy, on my part, nor did I ever observe any on yours ;
true, the water committee ,passed a resolution forbidding
their servants to write letters in newspapers, and a very
proper resolution it was, and one which I never violated.
On my way home I invariably called at the Courier office
to learn the news, and did so on the night in question.
saw Mr. Kaye; our conversation turned, as it often did,
on the water supply. I stated indifferently, without the
slightest hesitation, the facts about the wells—fasts which,
as you well know, could be ascertained by any labourer in