The Sun.
London, England, 1849-03-03 00:00:00

NAVIGATION BILL.

On the motion for the second reading of this Bill,
Colonel KNOX said he could conceive nothing so
preposterous as this scheme. It could never succeed,
inasmuch as its promoters could never hope
to compete with the existing companies. Ile doubted
much whether the allegations of the promoters, that the
supply of water in the metropolis was deficient, was
founded on truth, but even if there was, the existing
companies had ample means of supplying it.—(Hear,
hear.) But he suspected supplying the metropolis with
additional water was not the real object of this Bill.
He had every reason to believe that the scheme
had been got up by solicitors and engineers, in the
hope that it would be tpurchased from them
by the London and North-Western Company, who
were anxious to get an independent canal in opposition
to the canal used by the Great Western Company.—
(Hear, hear.) Ho should, therefore, move that it be
read a second time this day six months.
Mr. PALMER was also opposed to the Bill. He
said the Bill was opposed by three parties, who
would be materially injured if the provisions of
it were carried out, via. the landowners, whose
property would be interfered with ; the mill-
owners in the district, and the Commissioners whose
duty it was to preserve the navigation of the Thames.
Ho trusted that upon these grounds the House would
not agree to the second reading.
Sir DE LACY EVANS said the House would at
once concede that it was most desirable that the de-
nizens of this great metropolis should be provided with
a pure and cheap supply of water. The report of
the Commissioners of Woods and Forests, which had
been referred to in the course of this discussion,
stated that a large number of the inhabitants were not
supplied with pure water, and recommended that
em
this
defect should be supplied. They would not have
this statement if the existing
companies supplieda all thee
water that was required. Why at present 60,000
weekand frowmasthae
to assume that each house was occupied by one family,
that in many cases each room
houses were not supplied with water. lt was but fair
T9'hese parties only supplied
e confusion,
were
contained
tahienerdegareftstmeduyt.o s
mostinai.n si,nha,‘da'dehqicuthoattaellayndfaiimlepdertfoecstumppoldye
by means o f pumps,
eacaused
do r
greatonce or twi
of supplying water.
They had it, therefore, on record that the existing corn-
his requirements of
panics
this large number of people. The object of the Bill was,
in the words of the Commissioners, to improve the supply
of water, and to give it in greater quantities and at a
cheaper rate to the poorer classes. Every one knew
that the mass of water taken from the Thames was from
the tidal portion of the river, which was most impure;
so impure that he had the authority of many eminent
scientific men for saying that it could not be purified by
the process of filtration. Parties having land
would of course receive that compensation which
the Committee might award. He trusted the
House would deem this a fair instance of
competition, and not allow obstacles to be thrown in
the way of the inhabitants of the metropolis being sup-
plied with pure and cheap water.—(Hear.)
Lord LINCOLN did not intend to express any
opinion either in support or in opposition to the
Bill, he merely rose to state that the extract which the
Gallant Member had read was calculated, if taken alone,
to convey an erroneous impression. The report stated
that the system of suppl) ing water should be improved
and that there should be a more regular supply. Taken
by itbelt that extract might be construed into an opinion
that the existing companies were to blame. Now, the
Commissioners wished to express no opinion on the
matter.

Sir DE LACY EVANS thought that the Noble Lord
had not given to this matter his usual discretionary
consideration, but trusted that the remarks which
he had offered to the House would nevertheless be in-
fluential in bringing the matter to a useful and sound
conclusion. _ _ _

Sir W. CLAY said that the House should be careful
in such a matter as this not to listen to any misstate-
ments, and not pass any measure hastily in
which the want of water was concerned. The
Noble Lord had stated that there were 60,000
houses in want of water, and allowing five per-
sons for each house, there would bo an aggregate of
300,000 who would be deprived of this necessary bemer•

age. Now, according to the usual allowance of the Sa-
nitary Commissioners of two gallons for each person,
that would make 24,000,000 gallons as requisite for the
'supply of those persons.—(Hear, hear.) But what
would the House think when he told them that
instead of 24,000,000 Slais company supplied 60,060,000
of gallons per day—(Hear, hear, and cheers)—.-that was
not only twice but nearly three times as
much as was required by the Sanitary Commis-
sioners. There were three companies which had
Particularly excited the attention of the public, all of
which drew their supplies from the Thames. The first
drew its water from above Kew-bridge, the second from
Hammersmith, and the third from a place lower down
the river.
Mr. /HUM* said what was the House asked to do?
It was asked to reject an offer that was made to supply
an abundant quantity of water to the metropolis—
(Hear)—for which they were not asked to lay out a
shilling. The promoters said they would undertake to
supply with water
.every house rated at 501. a year at 30s.
per annum. If tkp Bill went before a Committee, those
matters would be inquired into ; and he thought that in-
quiry should take place under the circumstances. After
the recommendation of the Board of Health, it did appear
to him to act greatly against their interest to refuse in-
quiry, and that was all they wanted. He should there-
fore vote for the second reading.
Lord DLDLEY STUART said water was as ne-
cessary to life as the consumption of air. Now,
what was the House asked to do by the Honourable
Gentleman who came forward to oppose this Bill?
Why, to prevent the metropolis having a larger, and
better, and cheaper supply of water. They said no,
they would not examine the Bill ; they would not
hemr the promoters. It interfered with some interests
of some persons through whose property it was
to pass ; it interfered with their rights, and
therefore they would not allow it to go
before a Committee. Now, was that a mode
of acting which would`be satisfactory to that House, and
which it was prepared to adopt? He felt satisfied that
the objections to the Bill were such as the House
would not entertain, for they were one and all
objections which might be very properly urged in
Committee, and only there. He hoped, therefore,
upon those grounds that the House would assent to the
second reading of the Bill.
The House then divided, when there appeared—
For the second reading ... 57
Against it ... 137
Majority ... -80
The Bill was consequently thrown out.
SICILY.

Mr. URQUHART wished to know whether the
Noble Lord (Lord Palmerston) was prepared to lay
any further papers on the table of the House with re-
spect to the negotiations of Admiral Parker's squadron
in the Bay of Naples?

Lord PALMEitSTON intimated that he would answer
the Hon. Member's que,tion on Monday next.
SQUADRON ON THE COAST OF AFRICA.

Mi. HUME wialied to know whether the Governments
of England and France had come to any arrangements
with respect to maintaining a squadron on the west coast
of Africa; and whether the Government were in a con-
dition to lay the results before the House ?
- Lord PALMERSTON replied that the Govarnment
were not quite prepared, at present, to lay the results
of the arrangement before the House.
PETER'S SAVINGS BANK IN DUBLIN.

Mr. REYNUDS wished to know whether the Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer had given any instructions to
the Lord• Lieutenant, for the purpose of recovering the
deposits which had been lot by the depositors in it.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said the
managers of the bank had refused to produce their books,
and as legal proceedings had been instituted to compel
them to do so, he did not think it advisable to consent to
the appointment of a Committee.
BRIBERY AT ELECTIONS BILL.

In reply to Mr. V. SNIITH,
Sir J. PAKINGTON said he would postpone the ap.
.poiutment of the Committee on this Bill till Monday.

ADJOURNMENT OF THE HOUSE.

On the motion of Mr. PARKER, it was resolved that
the nouse at its rising adjourn to Monday.
AUSTRIA AND RUSSIA.

Lord D. STUART said that a statement had appeared
in many of the journals, and was entitled to credit, twat
a portion of the Russian army hid invaded the Austrian
territory in Transylvania. He wished to know whether
Government had received any intimation of such an in•
vasion
Viscount PALMERSTON said that the Government
had received information that on the approach of the
Hungarian forces to the frontier towns of Transylvania,
the people of those towns had applied to the Russian
commanding officers to send forces to protect them
against She . results they apprehended from the presence
of th Hungaria:.s. In consequence of that application
two bodies of Russian troops crossed the frontier—one
to Heamanstadt, the other to Cronstadt—and occupied
thes-a two towns. During the time thy occupied those
towns an engagcre nt took place between the Hun-
garians and. Austrians, but the Russian troops, he be
keyed, tor.k no tart in the hostilities.
EX PLAN AT lON.—MR. NAPIER.

Lord J. RUGS LL said, that understanding the Hon.
Member for. the University of Dublin wished to make
some statement with rospeet to what he said last night,
he hoped he would now do so before proceeding with
the order of the. day.
Mr. NAPIER Attiel that in ti:e course of the debate of
last nigh; the. Noble Lott] 1-ad adoaed to his observations
as being uncaudid. lie had urviersw the Noble Lord
to say that he had o;.,jec'ed to the measr,- of ;he Noble
Lord -because it was preniature, and un,.ecomparifed with
ieation 'of the poor-la'r. The Noble Lord
then said that h.e (dr. Napier), b,ing a member of the
Committee,. must have been aware that there were other
measures cw.teniplated, and that, taking them in con-
nexion with the proposal of the Noble Lord, it could
not be considered premature. Now the fact was, that
those otter measures—those other portions of the plan
—had been postponed till the inquiry was completed,
and wore to abide the issue of that inquiry. These
other port:Sims, therefore, if not connected with the pro-
posal, could have no bearing on the question; but if con-
nected, and if premature, then a fortiori, the proposal
itself was premature.—(Hear, hear.) Ho felt. obliged to
the Noble Lord for giving him the opportunity to ex-
plain; because he would regret if any imputation had
rested on him of having been guilty of a want of candour.

SOME! IRO,