The Sun.
London, England, 1864-07-12 00:00:00

CAPTAIN EDWARDS' CLAIM.

Sir A. HOOD asked the Secretary of State for India,
whether he had laid upon the table of the house the papers
concerning Captain Edwards' claim (Oudh), according

to the address of 22d April; and, if not, what is the
reason of the delay, and when he will lay them upon the
table of the house.
Sir C. WOOD said he could not be respoitle for the
printing of the papers in question within a g:vcn time.
WATER SUPPLIES.

Mr. FERRAND called the attention o' tiv house to pro-
ceedings which had been adopted by water vc rks companies
to obtain the sanction of Parliament to their schemes, the
means used to obtain water supplies, the effect upon the
localities from which they are taken, and to the great
danger to which the lives of the people residing in the vi-
cinity of their store reservoirs are continually exposed ;
and to move for copy of Mr Leathes's report to Mr
Rawlinson after he had inspected the Bradford reservoirs.
Having referred to the catastrophe at Bradford and others
of a similar character, he said this was a subject of the
greatest importance, and one that imperatively de-
mended legislative interference. He denied that in
the statements he had previously made in reference to
this matter he had, as the Home Secretary asserted,
been guilty of exaggeration. He contended that it was most
disgraceful that companies should be allowed to con-
struct these reservoirs without adequate precaution for the
protection of life and property in their neighbourhood, and
that Parliament had not exercised proper vigilance in
sanctioning such schemes. He described the Bradford
reservoir as a gigantic engineering job, and said that it had
not only failed to supply the inhabitants of the locality
with a sufficiency of spring water, but actually produced a
dearth of that necessary of life in the neighbouring districts.
The diversion of the water from these districts had a most
injurious effect, and engendered malaria by depriving the
valleys of a proper cleansing by the action of the water.
Notwithstanding these facts, boards of health had no autho-
rity to remedy the existing defects, and he thought these
boards should be empowered, on the report of a medial
man, to interfere and enforce the steps for the preservation
of the public health.
Sir G. GREY said it would be' quite impossible for the
Government to undertake the responsibility of a general
inspection of the reservoirs throughout the country. Were
they to do so the owners would be relieved from the respon-
sibility which at present rested upon them. If any reser-
voir was in such a dangerous state as to excite alarm legal
proceedings might be taken against the owners by indict-
ment. With regard to any future water bills, he thought
the committees to which they were referred should insist
upon the insertion of stringent clauses for the security of
the public.
Mr W. E. FORSTER was of opinion that the Govern-
ment ought to appoint a commission to consider the whole
subject.

_
THE DANO-GERMAN QUESTION.
Lord PROBY, the Comptroller of the Royal House-
hold, brought up and read her Majesty's reply to the
address of the house in reference to this subject, and
expressed her pleasure that honourable members
were satisfied with the policy of not interfering by arms in
the affairs of Denmark, which she had deemed it advisable
to adopt.

Lord PALMERSTON, in reply to a question by Mr D.
Griffith, as to the meaning of an expression need by his lord-
ship relative to the coarse which might be adopted in the
event of certain contingencies arising in Denmark, said
that the best answer he could give was that, so far as her
Majesty's Government were informed, they had reason to
believe that there was no intention of attacking Copen-
hagen.

Sir W. JOLLIFFE called the attention of the house to
the memorial of Sir Francis Bond Head to the Secretary of
State for the Colonies, presented on the sth of June last,
and moved that, in the opinion of this house, the great but
unrequited services rendered by Sir F. Head, when Go-
vernor of Upper Canada, in the years 1837 and 1838, called
for the favourable consideration of her Majesty's Go-
vernment.

Mr CARDWELL fully admitted the distinguished ser-
vices of Sir F. Head, and stated that his case, in common
with that of other colonial governors who had memorialised
the Treasury, was under the consideration of the Govern-
ment, and that at an early period next session he proposed
to make a communication to the house on the subject.
Sir J. PAKINGTON trusted that, as Sir F. Head had
saved the province of Canada to the British Crown, his irre-
sistible claims would be recognised by the Government.
Sir F. SMITH observed that generosity and justice alike
required that some satisfactory provision should be made
for Sir F. Head.
Mr ADDERLEY remarked that the losses of the rebels
in Canada had been made good, whilst Sir F. Head had
for many years been deprived of public employment.
After a few worde from Mr. ANGERSTEIN, the motion
was withdrawn.

The house then resolved itself into committee of supyly.
Sir R.. PEEL proposed a vote of £316,769 for the pur-
poses of national education in Ireland. In doing so, he ex-
plained in detail the expenditure of the Board, and stated
that the reports of the inspectors on convent schools would
be published in the course of a few days, and he believed
that they would on the whole be found satisfactory.
After considerable discussion the vote was agreed to.