The Sun.
London, England, 1852-03-29 00:00:00

SUN,

Lik) N D O NI

The Bill was then read a second time, and ordeTe

be committed.
METROPOLIS WATER ST.IPPLY BILL.

On the motion for the second reading of this Bill,
Lord EBRING TON presented a volition from the
Metropolitan Sanitary Association, prayirg for a com-
prehensive plan for supplying the metropolis with water.
He then moved that it be an instruction to the Commit-
tee to cause inquiry to be made into the cost of bringing
into the metropolis a supply of soft water from the
sources recommended by the Earl of Carlisle and his
colleagues of the Board of Health, and to report
thereon before they proceed to consider the Bill,
and the various other Water Bills referred to them.
The late Government referred the question of water
supply to the Board of Health, who, after examining
an enormous number of witnesses and devoting great
attention to the subject, recommended a definite
scheme for providing an abundant supply of
pure water to the inhabitants of London.
These suggestions were never carried out, but a plan
had been proposed which was universally condemned,
because it would give rise to a very wasteful
expenditure of capital without accomplishing the
object desired. He hoped before the House compromised
the pecuniary as well as the sanitary interests
of the metropolis, it would, at least, cause an inquiry to
be made, and direct the preparation of estimates of and
plans for obtaining an adequate supply of water from
the sources recommended by the highest scientific au-

thorities.
Mr. H. COCHRANE seconded the motion.
Lord J. MANNERS trusted the House would reject
the motion, not on its merits or demerits, but on the•
simple ground that if acceded to another year mast
pass without anything being done to improve the supply
of water to the metropolis. Though there might
be objections to the Bill, yet he hoped it would be so
amended and strengthened in Committee as to secure to
the poorer classes, if not the best supply of water, at
any rate a cheaper, far more abundant, and better sup-
ply than they enjoyed at present.
Mr. MACGREGOR complained that the districts
south of the Thames were saturated, not by an over-
supply of water, but a want of drainage, and he hoped
the House would negative this motion.
Mr. COCHRANE said at the present moment
there were 18,000 houses in the metropolis with
a pure supply of water; but, nevertheless he did not
think it would be advisable to divide the House on this
motion.
After a few words from Lord EBRINGTON in reply,
Sir J. JOHNSTONE entered into an explanation,
with the view of showing that the public had no cause
to dad fault with the present water companies, either
as regarded the price, the supply, or the quality of the
water which was furnished to them.
The motion was then negatived without a division.
NOTICE OF MOTION.
Lord ROBERT GROSVENOR gave notice that on
a future day he would put a question to the Government
on the subject of the formation of a park on the south
side of the Thames.
POOR-LAW COMMISSION.

In reply to Lord D. STUART,
Sir J. TROLLOPE said it was intended to bring in
a Bill this session to renew the Poor•law Commission
for a short period.
AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS.

In reply to Mr. HUTT,
Mr. HENLEY said he could not yet see his way
clearly for the formation of a measure for the collection
of agricultural statistics in the country and the colonies,
though the Government wore constantly alive to the im-
portance of the subject.
MAYNOOTH.
In reply to Mr. GRANVILLE BERKELEY,
Mr. SPOONER said it was his intention to per-
severe with his motion for the abolition of
the Mayneoth grant, and he should take the earliest
opportunity after Easter of balletine tur the motion.
COMMON LAW FEES REGULATION BILL.
This Bill went through Committee.
ORDERS OF THE DAY.
On the motion of the CHANCELLOR of the EX-
ELIEQUER the other orders of the day were read and
postponed until after the motions had been disposed og
THE MILITIA.

Petitions: against the enrolment of the militia were
presented from different parts of the country by Mr.
Hume, Mr. Henley, Mr. Thornely, and other lion.
Members.
Mr. Secretary WALPOLE then rose to move, that
in pursuance of the Order of the 20th day of February
lest, " That leave be given to bring in a Bill to amend
and consolidate the Laws respecting the Militia," Mr.
Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Secretary Walpole,
and Mr. Secretary at War, do prepare and bring to the Bill.
In doing this he owned he felt no ordinary anxiety, and
he threw himself on the indulgence of the House while
he stated the view of her Majesty's Government on this
highly important subject.—(Hear, hear.) He felt on
the one hand the vast magnitude of this subject, and
the difficulties that surrounded it, while on the
other be expsrienced the deep responsibility which
attached to him in bringing ,it forward, and had he
been in the private capacity of an independent Member
it was doubtful whether he should ever have spoken
upon it.—(Hear, hear.) But he was convinced of the
absolute necessity ot some such a measure as
that which he should presently have the
honour of proposing, and if he were to
shrink now from the task which devolved upon
him he should be not only neglecting his duty as a
Minister of the Crown, but in his opinion actually
abandoning the best interest of the country.—(Hear,
hear.) Consider for a moment the circum-
stances under which they were placed. They
must all agree that this country ought
to be in an equal state of defence, whatever might be its
means of attack with the other powers of Europe; but
was that our position at the present moment?—(Hear,
hear.) No; the country having enjoyed the blessing
of peace for nearly forty years, had been
lulled into a state of apathy, and it was now hardly
posssible to imagine, let alone believe, that there was
any possibility of danger.—(Hear, hear.) But though
he trusted, nay he believed, that any actual danger
was far removed from these shores, yet looking at the
state of Europe and at the elements of anarchy and con-
fusion which might break out not many months hence,
he thought they were bound to see that the country was
in such a state of defence as to be able to resist
any attack that could possibly be made upon it.—
(Cheers.) A question was put to him the other night
by an Hon. Member as to whether Ministers had re-
ceived any information from abroad as to render a measure
of this nature necessary, and he now frankly admitted
that they had not, but it was that absence of informa-
tion and our being on friendly terms with all our
foreign tildes which made the present the most fitting
opportunity for not producing such a measure
as this.—(Hear, hear.) Looking, therefore, at the cir-
cumstances under which the present Government came
into power, and the admission not only of all our military
and naval authorities, but ot the Hcuse itself, that the
country was now in a defenceless state, the Ministry, in
the event of a war would be liable to be impeached if
they failed to press on a measure of this kind, so that
the country should be ready for the foe should he ever
make his appearance.—(Hear hear, and cheers.) There
were three classes of objectors to the observa-
tions he had made—first, those who thought the exist-
ing defences of the country were sufficient; secondly,
those who saw no immediate danger and no immediate ne-
cessity for a militia; and, 3 idly, those who considered that
if they inct eas.d the defences ot the country they ought
to (-',O so by adding to the army and navy, instead of
having recourse to a regular militia. Now, he
would any a few words on each of these three classes
of objectors. With regard to the first, viz., those who
deemed the present defences of the country sufficient,
he observed that our army consisted at present of about
160,000 men who were scattered over different parts of
her Majesty's dominions. Now, before they arrived at any
hasty conclusion they ought to ask themselves what use
could be made of these troops for home defences? It
was true they had a large army, but it was not a quarter
of the army of Russia, not a half of the army of Prussia,
not one-third of the army of Franca, and very little
more than the army of Belgium.—(Hear, hecr.) Be-
sides tho 33 pewers had more compact domi•
nions, and could readily concentrate their forces,
while ours were scattered over the world and
could not be collected tcgo her for defence
at home without leaving parts unprotected. The very
greatness of their empire was one source of its weakness.
They could not, though availing themselves of all
the forces ai the central depots and in the
manufacturing districts, bring to bear upon the
coast more than 25,000 men. After &al-
lug with the other two parties to whom he had referred,
he proceeded to show the necessity of preparing a de-
fence in the event of an incursion or at-
tack being made us.on the country.—(Hear, hear.)
The objections to increasing the navy and army were
—first, that they must increase considerably the per-
manent expenditure, which the House of Commons
would not be likely to sanction in a time of depressed
revenue; and, secondly, ,both army and navy were
instruments of attack as well as of defence, and
if we were to increase them we should arouse
suspicion :and provoke jealousy among foreign
powers, at a time, too, when there was least occasion
for it. It was evident that the navy must be our chief
reliance for defence, and yet it would be impossible to in-
crease it adequately unless we had a covering force on
land, and with regard to an increase of the army the
Noble Lord the Member for Tiverton had so adequately
stated the reason against that—namely that a standing
army was opposeded to the habits and feelings of the
country that he did not need to allude to them again.
There were many reasons why the national militia should
be relied on for defence, the chief was that it
had often done good service, but the calling out of the
militia was attended with great hardships and incon-
veniences. These, however, it was thought by her
Ntejesty'a Government might be disposed of by means of
herepo s e d
wt 00
would
dd :clew ma
a scheme of voluntary enlistment, and it was on this
to bo paid down at once bby
principle that her Majesty's Government proposed to
found their scheme of a national militia. The number-
of the termieation3:son
o men proposed to be raised was 20,009, and it was pro-
posed
instalments.e..
btoseeer;bcaeo
rrieodoufflid offering
different,
bounties,
to enthgeforeTe hae periodscertain
number of skilled m
(LEFT SPEAKING.)

FATAL RAILWAY ACCIDEN
body of a Mrs. Edwards, who h:d. lef°tZ It.-Lreidonaayrdlsabsyt the
the
was
sut of the" :Lin at Bexhill,
train at forty•five minutes past four o'clock P.M., in a third-
ffoorroßt
tee: Bexhill, l,g
e
supposed the de-
on the rails
about a mile beyond that station.° It lying
had clambered over the side of the carria
ccelaasssede,ahrarvi7n;
at the spot where she was discovered. 171.ierd jumped off
lifted off the
ground she still breathed, but in a few moments
e
the injuries received internally in her fall sht, happened to
that she was
not seen by any one to attempt getting out.