The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1818-11-28 00:00:00

was nut an inhabitant householder, to address the
Meeting. .. - ‘ •
The CHAIRMAN answered, that this was a Meet-
ing of the inhabitant ,householders, awl others. of
the Finsbury and Towt..r Divisions in the tiorth-
east district of the metropolis. It was clear, there-
fore, that loiters, besides inhabitant householders,
had a right to address the Meeting ?
Mr. BIGO then proceeded to second the motion
for receiving and adopting the Report. After some
prefutory observations.upon the impropriety of the
interruption he had eocauntered, and the motives
to which be attributed :it, he arid that but little
time was urcesstery to prove the value of the Re-
port
which bad just been read. Originally the
cows lay on the Committee to make out a case to
justify the public appeal :against the mounpoly of
the particular Water Companies. He wonlil ask,
heti they not justified their intended call for legis-
P Wive interference ? Was it not enough to spew
the °trendy of interference, when it appeared by
"the Report that many of the heavy losses by fire,
and the further and more serious loss of -lives which
occasionally added to this calamity, were attributa-
ble in a number of instances to the want of overtly
cud sufficient supply of water ? Besides this, there
:was the exorbitant and arbitrary increase of the rate
of payment for the supply of water, such as it was,
which was in itsel.,a just cause of appeal for the
interposition of the Legislature.—(/fear.)—The
public were bound to oppose this exercise of petty
tyranny. The Meeting would see in the conclusive
evidence of Mr. Ralph Dodd, that the Company
had not performed their contract faithfully with the
public—that they had not, in fact, fulfiller: the
terms on which the Legislature granted them their
charter. The Report continued a volume of valu-
able practicel information, and until lie heard its
contents commented upon or resisted he would
abstain from anticipating needlcss objectuess, mid
consuming at the outset the valuable time of a
Meeting like this. He would reserve to himself the
right of reply in case any thing occurred which
should reuder the exercise of this right necessary.
He would now simply content himself with tnovieg,
that this Report be received and adopted. .
Mr. HENRY RUMFORD seconded thus motion, and
lamented what he conceived to be the illiberal in-
terruption which the tnover haul experienced. . He
attributed the comparatively thin attendance et• this
Meeting, to the means which had heel, most impro-
perly taken to prevent the public from knowing
that the Report was this day to be submitted to
their consideration. What would the Alerting
think, when they were informed that the usual
mode of giving the public notice of • Meeting,
had been in this case resorted to by posting pla-
cards, but almost itnniediately after they were
put up they were torn down—tt was not for him
to say by whom. but the Meeting could easily
conjectore. Other placards had been posted, in-
viting Sub-Committees locally constituted to assist
in the efforts of the General Committee, but these
placards were also almost immediately destroyed.—
(Cries of " Show !")—The Collectors of the
Water Companies bad been most active since the
last Meeting in getting in the antonitt of their re-
multi--and every pains were taken to Vilify the
characters and objects of the Gentlemen who were
appointed on the Committee to iiivestigate the
conduct of the Water Cony/Ines. He hoped,
however, they would not be deterred from per-
forming their duty to the public, cud pursuing
this investigation to its close, with the samehide-
pendent and patriotic spirit in which they had cone:
meowed it.—(Applisere.)—lie concluded by se-
conding the inottuu.
Mr. JACOB, said, that in the period when the
1 New River and East London Water Comp/wire
were distinct bodies, he was supplied by the for-
mer, and oti fair terms. When the New River
had transferred him and others, by their lucid ar-
rangements, to the East London, yhe was told lie
would be much better supplied, but lie was de-
Ceived in this expectation, for the supply became
much worse, and he suffered greatly in his bust.
nets in consequence. lie was a slyer, and employ-
ed • number of inen ; they were all in full work at
this period of mourning. and lie assured the Meet.
ing, that for hours at a time he was obliged to pay
his workmen, while they were yet uttabfe to do his
business for want of water. The supply was lat-
terly bad, end he was obliged to employ persons to
bring it over in pails-full to his concern, or submit
to have his men stand still for thw want of it. The
engineer bad called last week, and the water WHO
well on then, butt if he had called since lie would
have seen the difference, and the irregularity of the
supply.
Mr. YOUt)el rose to reply to allusions that had
been made to him whets he called Mr. Bigg to or-
der early in the business. lie begged to assure the
Meeting, that he attended there on publir ground!.,
and nut for any shower purposes of private interest.
' At the former Meeting he objected to the course
then adopted ; it appeared to I to have keen Nil
ex-paate proceeding, and he suggested at the time
what he thought was the trite protest course of
obtaining proper red.oss namely, that the Com-
mittee should coerce with the Directors of the East
London Water Works, and state, with a view to
their redress, the complaints alleged against their
management. He now wished to know whether the
Committee hari pursued this course. The Report
of this dal; arraigned she terms of the Acts of Par-
beast-sit which itecorporated the Water Companies,
with little attention to the property which indivi-
duals had, on the faith of these Acts, invested in
Om concerns. He avowed that he was a proprie-
tor in the East Londoot Water Company, hot he
at the same time declared !minuet!' interested in a
superior degree in the comfort and well being of
the Eastern district of the metropolis, iii whirl lie
held a large 'property. He assured the Aietting
that he spoke his (10m unbiassed and independent
sentiments; when he declared, that initch time. and
trouble, and expense would he saved to the 'public,
until more actual betietit &molted by the adoption
Of all amicable artangrineut and intercojr,,e with