The Sun.
London, England, 1849-11-07 00:00:00

P ene njunction, at present say much more
esp g s very interesting ca ; but it may be
-obaerved that -yome unaccounta le means, a por.
tion of the incidenti—previously recognised as attend-
ing Butterworth's offence are now imputed to Knox.
It was at him that Sergeant Major Davis struck
with his sword, as he says, in self-defence, at the time
Knox made use of the menacing expression previously
mentioned; the sergeant major's sword was broken
across the prisoner's face. So says to-day's version of
the affair.
It is scarcely probable that these general courts-
martial will be over before Thursday at the earliest,
and then, shortly afterwards, will be received the
orders of the Commander-in-Chief, both upon the
prisoners now undergoing their trial, and those who
hive previously been arraigned before the district
courts. Then, as speedily as possible, a digest of the
whole of the evidence will he laid befbre the public.

SUPPLY OF WATER TO THE
ME ntopoLis.
The vestry of the parish of Kensington held a
meeting to consider this subject on the 24th of August
last. A committee was appointed to make further
inquiry, and report the result to a subsequent meet-
ing, which accordingly took place on the 23d of
September, when the following petition to the Com-
mons House of Parliament, stating the diesatisfaction
of the parishioners with the present supply of water,
as regards its quantity, its quality, and its price, was
unanimously agreed to :
" To the Honourable the Ci mmons of the United
kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, in Par-
liament assembled.
" The humble petition of the ratepayers of the
parish of St. Mary Abbotts, Kensington, in
the county of Middlesex, in vestry assembled;
" Sheweth,
" That the river Thames is the recipient of the vast
sewerage of London, of other districts, and of an enor-
mous quantity of other putrid and noxious matter there.
from, detrimental to animal life.
" That domestis contrivances of modern invention
have, during late years, become generally used; and their
use has very recently, as far as practicable, been, and
is being, enforced by the Metropolitan Commissioners of
Sewers, by which domestic instruments, and a largely
increased number of conduits, the river Thames is moro
generally polluted than in previous times.
" That although the effects of such diffused pollution,
by a population exceeding two millions in number, can-
not, or may not, be specifically demonstrated, it requires
lno great effort of the imagination to conceive, from ana-
logous cases upon a smaller scale, that the exhalations
from such a polluted stream, as well as the fluid itself in
its state of condensation, must be extensively pernicious.
" That the water supplied by the metropolitan water
companies from that river is from those parts of it which
are subject to the above contaminating influences—that
the ceaseless movement of steam-boats on the river.
during the day time, keeps the polluting matter in a state
of continual diffusion and dispersion to the extent of the
tidal course, which appears, from evidence received by
the Commissioners hereinafter mentioned, to extend
westerly beyond Kew; and that the water is moreover
afterwards subjected in domestic cisterns to comparative
stagnation before it can be used for domestic purposes,
and that such comparatively stagnant condition is fur-
ther prejudicial, and increases its injurious properties.
" That evidence was given to a Committee of your
Honourable House in the year 1828, that the then supl
of water was from a part of the River Thames which. was so contaminated, and that such water was injurious
to public health.
" That it appears from the report of the same Honour-
able Committee, dated 19th of July, 1828, that the
Committee were unanimously of opinion that the supply
of water should .be frem purer sources than from those
parts of the Thames from which the metropolitan water
companies then supplied the public with water.
" That your petitioners believe the present sources of
supply of water from the Thames are contaminated by
the causes aforesaid.
" That in verification of the foregoing allegations,
your petitioners crave leave to refer your Honourable
House to the report dated the 21st day of April, 1828,
of Peter M. Roget, Doctor of Medicine, and William
Thomas Braude and Thomas Telford, Esqs., the Com-
missioners appointed by his late Majesty King George
the Fourth, to inquire into the state of the supply of the
water to the metropolis, arid the evidence therein referred
to; and also to the medical certificates of the then per-
nicious nature of the water, contained in the memoir of
Mr. J. Weight, set forth in the appendix to that report,
and to the said report dated the 19th of July, 1828.
" That as the insalubrity and impurity of the water
derived from the London district of the Thanes results,
according to medical evidence, in part from corrupting
matter in solution—that such a pernicious condition has
not been, nor can it be removed, by the process of filtra-
tion.referred to in the evidence annexejsi, tQ th%report of
tire-Committee. of the Right Honourable the House, of
Lords in the year 1840, or by any filtration or other
merely clarifying operation. Your petitioners submit
that the medical evidence set forth in the appendix to
such last-mentioned report, is confirmatory of the pre-
vious medical evidence of the injurious tendency of the
water from the London district of the Thames.
" That the Thames water from the present sources of
supply has, since the year 1840, become and still is more
extensively corrupted, and is increasing in corruption,
partly from the increased population of the metropolis
—partly from the large increase in the number of steam-
boats traflicing upon it by machinery, se peculiarly
calculated to keep noxious matter in diffusion, and from
other causes.

" That the supply even of such water to the poor of
this parish, is insufficient for the purposes of suitable
cleanliness; and as to such of the poor as cannot afford
to pay to the extent d.manded, it is not supplied at all.
" That the charges made by the metropolitan watts
companies against consumers for their scanty and inter-
mittent supply, very much exceeds the sum which your
petitioners conceive need be expended for a contin
-uous
and abundant supply to all classes of purer water.
" That it appears from the Parliamentary report,
dated the 19th of July, 1828, and as the fact still is,
that the present metropolitan Water Companies are
under no sufficient restraint or control in respect of the
rates charged by them against consumers.
" That the monopoly which the said companies (draw-
ing supply from the 'Thames) have acquired, is so sus-
tained as to forbid the hope of obtaining, by private
exertion, a supply of water from them from a purer or
sufficiently distant source, and in a sufficiently increased
quantity, or other desired arrangements.
" That your petitioners look only with hopeful.
ness to Parliament for relief from these great publics
grievances, and that such relief has been frequently
prayed for from and including the year 1821.
" That your petitioners beg leave to refer your
Honourable House to the report of a Committee of your
Honour able House, dated the 29th day of June, 1821,
and to the second report of the Commissioners for
inquiring into the state of large towns and populous
districts, dated the 3d day of February, 1845, as evi-
dence of the just and conclusive grounds of much of the
above complaint.
"'That two schemes have been lately proposed for a
continuous supply of purer water to the parish of Ken-
sington and other districts—the one of furnishing water
from the Henley Reach of the Thames—the other
suggests a supply by Artesian operations in and near
London.

" That a committee appointed by a 'vestry of the,
parish for that purpos', took the two schemes into con-
sideration, and they resolved that Government, only,
could effectually prosecute the requisite inquiries into
their comparative merits, and whether a better scheme
might not be adopted ; but the said committee were
unanimously of opinion that no scheme should be sane-
tioned•which will rivet the parish to a new company, or
to the operations of any private association whatever,
unaffected by Governmt nt or popular control.
" That the vestry to whom a report to the above effect
was made, approved of such resolution, and a vestry sub-
sequently assembled, duly convened by notice in the
usual manner, have unanimously agreed to this petition,
in testimony whereof the chairman hag, at the requefit
of such vestry, affixed his signature hereto.
" Your petitioners therefore humbly pray that your
Honourable House will tuko into consideration the
grievances above set forth, and devise such ample and
equitable measures for your petitioners' relief, as shall
lead to a sufficient supply of good water, at a moderate
charge, to the parish of St. Mary Abbotts, Kensington,
for domestic use, subjected to such control and manage-
ment as the wisdom of Parliament may determine.
And your petitioners will ever pray."

The Right Rev. the Lord Bishop of Victoria, with
Mrs. Smith and his chaplain, and a suite of six clerical
gentlemen for the new see of Victoria, embarked on
board the Sir George Pollock, Indiaman, Captain T. If.
Withers, yesterday morning, and sailed direct for Hong.
Kong in the afternoon.
ARRIVAL OF THE BISHOP OF RUPERT'S LAND AT
HUDSON'S BAY.—By the arrival of the ship Prince Ru-
pert, Captain D. J. Herd, in the London Docks, we are
informed that Dr. Anderson, Bishop of Rupert's Land,
arrived out safe at York Factory, Hudson's Bay, on the
4th of August last, when the worthy prelate, together
with his chaplain, the Rev. Robert Hunt, and Mrs.
Hunt, Dr. W. Cowan, Mr. and Mrs. Chapman, Mrs. J.
Anderson, Mrs. Chraston, and other passengers, before
separating, presented a testimonial to the captain of
the Prince Rupert, expressing to him and to the officers
and surgeon of the ship, their most cordial thanks for
the uniform attention to their comfort and happiness
p
during a voyage of much pleasure and enjoyment.
PEDESTRIAN MATCH.--A walking•match of 2
miles, tor 501. a side, came off yesterday, at Hatfield
Peverel, between Smith of Ipswich, and Westall of
LAidon, two men of note in the annals of pedestrianism.
As it was expected to prove one of the fastest events on
record it excited considerable interest both in " town
and country." It was stated in the articles that the
parties were to start at twelve o'clock, but owing to a
delay in the choice of umpires, the match did not com-
mence till half-past one. Smith, who is a native of
Ipswich, appeared 35 yesrs of age, standing five feet
seven, and light built; his walking was much admired.
Westall, whose age i. 26, is rather taller than his com-
petitor, shows more muscle, is altogether a finer man, his
and is about five feet eleven. At starting Smith took a
slight lead, and with little variation kept in advance
until the eleventh mile. The first seven miles were per-
formed in three minutes under the hour. At the twelfth
mile Smith showed evident symptoms of distress, but in
some measure recovered; in turning from the thirteenth
he was from 30 to 40 yards behind; about the fifteenth
mile he complained of a pain in his side, and gave up the
match. His opponent, quietly putting on his coat ar.d
lighting a cigar, finished the distance at his leisure. It
is calculated there were about 2,000 persons present,
amongst whom were a great number from London and
Ipswich, including several parties well isnewni n
sporting world.—Essex /Jerald,