The Sun.
London, England, 1836-09-21 00:00:00

NEW COURT.

John Page, a boy about fourteen years old, who had been
convicted of stealing a scent-bottle from his master, was re-
commended
to mercy on account of his extreme youth and
previous good character, and, after an admonition from the
Learned Sergeant, was discharged.
Mary Newington was indicted for stealing two caps, and
some other articles, the property of Ann Sell, her mistress.
The prisoner had been in the service of the prosecutrix at
Edmonton about three months, and the articles in question
were found in her box. The prisoner was allowed to go at
largo, and after she had got employment in the service of Mr.
Wilkinson, a surgeon, a warrant was taken out by the prose-
cutrix. Not Guilty.
James Guy Marhclaire, 28, was indicted for stealing 1,793
quires of foreign and English works, value 3001., the property
of Henry Kerriot, his master.
Mr. CLARKSON stated the case for the prosecution at some
length, as it afterwards appeared in evidence.
Henry Kerriot—l am agent to a foreign bookseller, and have
a warehouse at 3, George-street, Euston-square, which con-
tained a large quantity of foreign and English works. In the
month of March I took the prisoner into my employment, on
the recommendation of Mr. Fyler, and 4or 5 months after-
wards I heard that a large quantity of valuable foreign and
English works had got into Min market as waste paper. On
examining my stock, I missed 1,793 quires of works, value
300/. I proceeded to the hobse of the prisoner, 106, High-
street, Marylebone, with a police-officer, on the 19th, and
gave him into custody.
The prosecutor was cross-examined at some length by
Mr. PHILLIP'S. It appeared that after he had missed the
property, he wrote a letter to the prisoner requesting him
to return to his employment, and signing it " his friend and
well wisher." The prosecutor explained that his motive for
writing the letter, was to secure the person of the prisoner
as he was at the time keeping out of the way. When he
went to the prisoner's house, Markclaire said,—how could I
take these works when I had not the key ? He afterwards
said. 1 suppose I shall never see England again.
Policeman E 156 took the prisoner into custody. He found
some of the property at the house of Mahon of the Waterloo-
road ; Mahon of the Borough ; Jeffreys, Sun-street, Bishops-
gate-street ; Gosling, York-place, Islington, and several
others.
Joseph Mahon, Waterloo-road, purchased a large quantity
of the property in question as waste paper, at 225. per cwt.,
from the prisoner. He gave his name and address on an em-
bossed card, as Mr. H. Kerriot. Witness, after purchasing
the first lot, went to his brother, Mr. Mahon of the Borough,
and desired him to inquire of the publishers, whose names ap-
peared on the title-pages of the work, if the prisoner was
authorized to sell them as waste-paper.
Thomas Mahon, Blackman-street, Borough, went to the
house of Messrs. Treuttle and Wurtz, 30, Soho-square, who
told him that Mr. Kerriot was authorized to sell these works as
waste paper, or in any way he pleased.
Andrew Gosling deposed that he had purchased a large
quantity of the )roperty as waste paper from the prisoner, who
gave the name of Kerriot.
The prisoner received a good character;
The Jury immediately returned a verdict of Guilty.
Mr. CLARKSON thought it right to state publicly that it was
owing to the enquiries of Mahon and his brother that
been
extent of the robbery, and the person by
whom
it
had
datb the
committed, were discovered. Be was sorry to_isaa_y
ointhtehrepaearmsoens
athe system
not afforded for the disposal of stolen property,
would be in a great measure put an end to.
wh o
creditable had manner,
au
nr calei ar ed
because
the
if prisonertese fl
Edward Sight, a little boy about 11 edilintioeta acted
iickinis pockets,
been twice previously tried and acquitted for
h reticule,
was charged with snatching and running off wit
property of Anne
containing a handkerchief and comb, the
years old, who had
Islington.—Guilty.
The Learned SERGEANT said the prisoner had had two
Nutt,. a servant in the employ of Mr. Grey, of Park-place,
lucky escapes, but he should now send him to the ship, as the
only chance left of reclaiming him.

Mr. Benjamin Critdiet, senior inspector of general
post letter-carriers, died suddenly yesterday afternoon, it is
said of apoplexy.

STATISTICS OF THE DUNDEE

WATER BILL:

A "REMANET" of the LYNDHURST SESSION.
(From the Spectator.)
In an article on the " Private Bill System," in No. 421 of
this journal, we made some remarks on the rejection of the
Dundee Water Bill by the Peers; and observed in a note,
that " if we had room for the statistics of the case it would be
found that the local injury is of an aggravation amounting to
national wrong." Having now the requisite space, we take
up this remanet of the by-gone session, and lay before our
readers a plain statement of the principal facts.
Dundee was a famous place, in its way, five or six hundred
years ago—stood sieges, furnished subsidies to royalty, and
paid the other penalties of important station in troubled times.
In 1651 it was stormed by Monk, and suffered sadly both in
its population and riches : it had hardly recovered from a long
train of calamities till several years after the rebellion in 1745..
In the course of the eighteenth century manufactures of cot-
ton, thread, and glass were attempted, but have been entirely
relinquished ; and now Dundee relies for industrial occupation
mainly on the manufactures of linen, in regard to which it
stands the first town in Great Britain.
The present population of Dundee may be taken at 60,000.
There are no fewer than 62 spinning-mills or manufactories,
employing 1,695 horse-power of steam. The tonnage of ship-
ping annually entering the harbour is 300,000. Twenty years
ago the number of inhabitants was little more than half what
it is at present ; the number of spinning-mills driven by steam
was in 1811 only 4, and the horse-power GI ; and the whole
capital invested in machinery did not exceed 22,000/. In 1832
there were 30 mills driven by steam-power equal to that of
600 horses.
From these few facts we may see how rapidly the trade of
this place has increased. The population has been doubled in
twenty years ; but since 1811 the manufactures have been aug-
mented in the proportion of twenty-seven to one. Since 1832
the horse-power employed has been nearly trebled.
Dundee owes is prosperity to great natural advantages,
im-
proved, especially of late years, by the spirit and enterprise of
the inhabitants. It is the best situated for commerce of any
town on the east coast of Scotland ; and is the outlet of the
products of some of the finest land—the Carse of Gowrie and
the Vale of Strathmore for instance—to be found in any coun-
try. Coals are cheap and abundant. In 1815 the inhabitants
commenced extensive improvements in the harbour, which gave
an astonishing impulse to the trade of the place.
There is every prospect that the trade and population of Dun-
dee will continue to increase. The same causes which have
trebled its manufacturing capital since 1832 are still at work
with a force certainly not diminished. The skill and enter-
prise of its inhabitants are not on the decline ; neither is there
any probability of a failure of the demand for its staple article ;
but on the contrary, a greater quantity of it must, we may say,
inevitably be consumed.
There is one grievous natural check, however, to the pros-
perity of Dundee. Such is the scarcity of water there, that
the Latin poet might almost have applied to Dundee his cele-
brated distich on Ravenna—
" Sit cisterna mini, quain vines, malo Raysnnm ;
Qua poterim multo vendere pluris aquarn."
It was stated to the Committee of the Lordst by Mr.
James Black, an architect and surveyor of Dundee, that the
manufacturers al-e compelled to use the water they procure
from the little streams and wells which are their only sources
of supply, twice over. " They hive reservoirs or ponds for re-
ceiving the water; it is then drawn from these by engines; it
is then drawn back, and cooled by troughs going round the re-
servoirs." The second time the water is used, it is warm, and
therefore deficient in condensing power. No mill-spinner or
manufacturer will let a drop of water escape he can manage to
retain ; and many engines are frequently stopped by the want
of it. The waterfrom the kennels in the street is waylaid and
boiled—an operation most offensive from the horrible stench it
occasions.
There is a perfect scramble for water among the inhabi-
tants. The system of " decoying" water from one well to
another is extensively practised. By digging your own well
deeper, you will probably drain your neighbour's dry. Owners
of wells sell the water, when they have it ; but in the after-
noon it is frequently difficult to get it for love or money :
Mr. Black says that the accumulation of the night is gene-
ra!ly drawn off early in the day. Numbers of the inhabitants
depend upon being supplied by water carts paving at the rate
of 2s. 2d. a barrel. In this way some 3,0001. per annum is
expended by the poor people who cannot do better. There is
no pure soft water in the town or neighbourhood; in fact,
the analysis indicated a quality injurious to health. We have
adverted to the shifts which the manufacturers are put to for
this raw material of steam ; and it is needless to remark that
it must also tell very much against the shipping trade of the
place, that the necessary supply of fresh water for vessels is so
costly and hard to be procured. The danger of loss by fire
is augmented by want of water for the engines. The health
of the inhabitants suffers. No people have such an excuse
for being dirty as the inhabitants of Dundee—or for diluting
their drink with the " mountain dew" produced in considerable
abundance in those regions. Their chief magistrate, Provost
Ray, told the Lords in his sworn evidence, that " in place of
having plenty of water to wash and clean their children, they
even grudge them a drink of water."t
It must be kept in mind, that these evils are daily becoming
more serious, from the rapid growth of the place. The total
quantity of water to be had in or near the town is already in
requisition—is exhausted ; and the demand for drinking, for
cooking, washing it would be a bad joke to mention, for sup-
plying vessels, and for making steam, is constantly on the in-
crease. Of course the inhabitants of Dundee have not sat
cross-legged and lazy without an effort to relieve themselves
from the difficulties we have described. Several attempts
have been made to procure a sufficient supply of water. A
joint stock company was formed for this purpose by certain in-
dividuals, and a Bill was introduced into the House of Com-
mons in the session of 1835 to incorporate them. At the
same time the town council, following the successful example
of the neighbouring towns of Aberdeen and Perth, applied to
Parliament for an Act enabling them to furnish water to the
inhabitants at prime cost, to b defrayed by an assessment on
the rental of all houses except the very poorest. These two
schemes were carefully examined (in session 1835), by a com-
mittee of the House of Commons ; and the principle of gene-
ral assessment—that of the Town Council's Bill—was pre-
ferred ; but, for certain other purposes of a technical descrip-
tion, it was recommended that the two Bills should be " con-
solidated.- Both parties had proposed to go to a stream
called the Dighty, about five or six miles from Dundee, for
their supply. It was found, however, that there were very se-
rious difficulties in the way ; that the claims of the millers,
who had already possession of the stream, for compensation,
were exorbitant; and that after securing them the quantity of
water they required, there would not be enough for Dundee.
It is also a weighty objection to the drawing of water from the
Dighty, that it would occasion a diminution of the water
power, so valuable, in such a district, for manufacturing uses.
Finding that the Dighty scheme would not answer, the town-
council, in a second Bill, which they brought into Parliament
in the session 1836, adopted the resolution of going for water
to the river Isla, one of the feeders of the Tay, into which lat-
ter river the Isla falls above the town of Perth. The distance
from Dundee to the point whence the water was to be brought
is about twelve miles. It was proposed to raise the water
by engines to an eminence near Newtyle • whence, by a natu-
ral fall, it would flow on to Dundee. The cost of construct-
ing works, which would supply 600,000 gallons a-day, was
estimated at 80,000/.; and the annual expense only 3,000/. ;
(we have seen that about that sum is now paid to the water-
jobbers in Dundee for a miserable supply to a portion of the
inhabitants.) The proposed works would raise the 600,000
gallons in eight hours, but in twenty-four hours 1,800,000 gal-
lons would be raised, the only additional expense being that of
fuel, wages, &c. By extending the line of works a few miles
further up the river Isla, fora higher level, and incurring an
additional outlay of about one-third—making 120,0001. alto-
gether—tile necessity of raising the water by engines, and the
annual expense of this process might be avoided, and a still
ampler abundance of water obtained. It was hoped that all
parties might vet be induced to concur in measures for secur-
ing this preferable advantage ; but in the meanwhile, and
whether the extension should ever be procured or not, the two
methods were, so far as the present Bill went, identically the
same, bating the steam•engines. And time was of vast im-
portance : the Town-council were bound to be anxious to save
the community of Dundee from suffering for one whole year
more, the unhealthiness, filth, disgrace, and loss 'consequent
upon that privation of one of the natural elements, of which the
witnesses examined before both the committees of Parliament
give such an extraordinary picture.
An ample present and prospective supply of the finest water
This
was have been secured by the plan of the town-council.
was proved—it has never been questioned. Whilst it brought
into the Dundee district a new element of public wealth, from
the unappropriated exuberance of nature in another quarter, it
effected this without encroachment on private rights,co r the
slightest injury to any human being. It accompl el it at
a cost which, looking at the greatness of the benefitisn and the
scale of the town in population and wealth, cannot but be es-
teemed moderate. No opposing scheme was brought forward,
though at first there was the pretence of one, as a ruse. The
general popularity of the town-council's scheme among the
rate-payers was shown in the results of last year's keenly con_
tested municipal elections, and proved by several other tests.
Still the Town-council lost their Bill.
a
How was this ? it will be asked. Of course there was a
formal appearance of oppositon, else Lordh
at' t eds bo uz re y o
NNO.°tluleitir
have settled the matter without putting half
nobles to the fatigue of sitting in committee. In the first
place, those who have private wells conceived that they had a
selfish and exclusive interest, contrary to that of the public.
Then the partners in the joint-stock company, though without
any serious plan of their own, raisedanbopposition, either out of
disappointment, or for the purpose of
naturally enough, desired reimbursementcmg bought off; they,
ex-
penses, if they could compass it of
considerable
in any Parliamentary way.
A third class of opponents would be found, of course, among
those who are ever ready to object and button-up" when a
trifle of money, however
though selfish, may be smallselfishly
the sum, is demanded. These,
we neither blame nor
kind,meddle with them. Sinister
of a more latent interests,
were suspected, connected with the Dightywater-
sources,taetiveand bitter ingredie if not traced. But the
the reformedingredient in the opposition, was political o s enmity to
Tories, once Town Council, on the part of the defe.te.d
number, but
the rulers in Dundee, now a minority small in
personally influential. This was the single
ca
feature of the se which made it attractive to the Tory Lords,
and brought them to the muster. The town which returned
the Radical Kinloch, and perseveres ill returning the Liberal
Sir Henry Parnell, in a manner the most creditable among
all the constituencies of the empire, must be punished for its
Vide New Statistical Account of Scotland—Forfarshire, p.
7, et seq.
Minutes of Evidence taken before the Lords' Committee, p.
79, et seq.
Minutes of Evidence, p. 105.