The Sun.
London, England, 1860-12-14 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES.

Sir,—ln the Times of to-day I observe a report
of a meeting to promote a general measure for out-
falls and arterial drainage. It was presided over
by the Earl of Romney, and attended by many
gentlemen of hiePl status as agriculturists, but it
seems to haveinitiated no more distinct course of
action than the appointment of a deputation to urge
upon the Home Secretary the importance of the
subject.
This ought not to be necessary, and will certainly
not be sufficient. The Home Secretary must be
well aware that for 12 years now past the abstract
necessity has been fully admitted ; but he will pro-
bably also be found to be under the impression that
12 years' knowledge of the evil has not lessened the
difficulty of deciding what measure can be passed.
If the very influential gentlemen present at this
meeting would only agree upon some specific mea-
sure, their unanimous support would probably enable
a Government to pass it; but I am afraid it will
not be of much use to call upon the Government to
undertake to originate a measure which will cer-
tainly arouse the hostility of every landholder to
whom nature or art has already given an outfall,
and of every millowner who already has a station
upon a stream, and of every local body which
already has a drainage jurisdiction. The Minister
will know very well that directly he has committed
himself to his perilous measure he will be left to
fight it through without any very zealous aid, and
in the face of very earnest enemies.
Ten years ago this subject was carefully con-
sidered by myself and Mr. Blamire, under whom I
was at that time acting on the Tithe Commission.
If the health of that sagacious and indefatigable
public servant (lid not, unfortunately, preclude him
from taking present part in this question, I should
not have thought myself justified in saying a word
upon a subject so entirely his own. But, as it is, it
becomes, I think, a duty to remind the public of
what has been already done towards the object.
As members of the Tithe Commission, which was
then concluding its great work, we had unequalled
opportunities of intercourse with all the land agents
and surveyors in the kingdom. We used these
opportunities. Under Mr. Blainire's practical eye
I drew a bill which, as it proceeded and when it
was finished, clause by clause, in its details and in
its entirety, was submitted to all the most dis-
tinguished practical men throughout the country,
and, after much moulding, received an approbation
which was almost unanimous. Ultimately it was
pressed upon the Government so strongly by that
part of the agricultural interest which suffers from
want of legislation on this subject, that Lord Car-
lisle, who was then in the Cabinet, undertook it and
introduced it into the House of Lords. There was,
I believe, at that time an intention of passing it,
as a measure which would have been equally bene-
ficial to agriculture, to manufacture, and to the
public health. But there was a change of Ministry,
and this bill was left stranded with a hundred
other unobtrusive practical reforms.
Now, sir, I do not pretend to recommend to Lord
Romney and his friends the revival of this bill ; it
was far too comprehensive to be likely to be carried,
unless by a strong Government earnest in the work.
But I would suggest that the practical knowledge
brought to bear upon this measure ought not to be
entirely lost, and that there are materials here out
of which Lord Romney's coadjutors may create, if
not such a measure as they would'wish, yet such a
bill as they may hope to pass.
Unless, however, the country gentlemen will
agree upon some bill as their bill ; and unless they
can place themselves in a position to assure the
Government that they have obtained the assent of
the millowners to it, and that they have taken care
not to awaken the hostility of the local jurisdic-
tions, there can he no great expectation that they,
will ever have this most necessary work done, and
they must be content to continue to see their fields
saturated with wet, their roads choked by floods,
and their peasantry suffering with ague and fevers.
The Government have neither the leisure, the know-
ledge, nor the strength to do this work unaided by
those who are directly interested in it.
I am, sir, your obedient servant,
GEO. WIN DG ROVE COCA: E.
•
The Temple, Dec. 13.

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