The Sun.
London, England, 1864-07-13 00:00:00

LONDON, WEDNESDAY, JULY 13, 1864.

Events succeed one another with such startling
rapidity in our busy focus of civilisation and inven-
tion that incidents of conspicuous importance fade
rapidly from the popular mind. Of late foreign
politics have engrossed every one's attention, and
the political crisis has divided our interest with the
progress of the American war. The struggle in
Denmark has in some measure thrown the great
transatlantic conflict into the shade, bat it is im-
possible to forget the fratricidal strife still deso-
lating the fair and fertile lands of a kindred com-
munity. Under such a pressure of subjects for
thought, for discussion, and for inquiry, it is,
therefore, not surprising if events of a domestic
nature, but less momentous in their issues, assume
a secondary place. Unhappily we have lately been
never left long without some fresh horror, some
now feature in the "sensation" drama. Accident,
murder, fire, and disaster of every kind seem to
follow each other too often, in spite of our boasted
caution, from preventible causes. Few of these
catastrophes have been more appalling in their
nature, or more desolating in their extent, than
the bursting of the Bradfield reservoir, when the
silent waters swept away the unthinking sleepers
to a stiller and darker rest. At the time it impressed
the public mind most painfully, but in our busy
metropolis it is now only thought of among the
things of the past. We need not wonder, however,
that to those living in the vicinity of such under-
takings the accident is no mere story of the past,
but an ever-present terrific reality. We need not
wonder that they do not imitate the indifference or
heedlessness of the Bradfield victims, but that by
culvert and embankment with
day they watch
night brings untold terrors.
anxious eyes, while
When once a doubt has been thrown on the secu-
rity of a reservoir, when they have, as in some
cases, seen for themselves
signs .of weakness or
decay
in the works, we need not marvel that many
of the poorer people are afraid to rest in their beds
during
stormy weather and that thestate of continual
alarm and excitement is described by a gentleman
in the neighbourhood es PzEjudicial alike to com-
fort and to health. Such a Position is worse than
that of the soldier lying in Wait for an Ltteck, for
at least he expects to combat a mortal foe, but the
insidious enemy of these poor cott
agars is of over-
whelming strength and subtlety, and . against it
they are powerless to contend. It is certainly not
astonishing that a widespread uneasiness should
exist throughout those northern districts in which
such reservoirs are numerous ; and it was with h
view of allaying such natural anxiety that Mr.
FERRAND on Monday night called the attention of
the Home Secretary to the whole matter of this
system of water supply. He complained that the
Parliamentary Committee sitting on the question
refused to introduce protecting clauses into a
waterworks bill, but told the applicants that they
could have their remedy at law in case of accident.
This is certainly a very unsatisfactory way of doing
business, since it is impossible to compensate people
for ,killing them. FERRAND reminded the
House that after the Sheffield catastrophe the Home
Secretary seat down two eminent engineers to in-
quire into the effAir, and that in the course of their