The Sun.
London, England, 1860-09-19 00:00:00

21IE VOLUNTEER MOVEMENT.

ROYAL NATIONAL RIFLES.—The members of the
first battalion of this corps of artisans and others
are making rapid progress in their drill, which takes
place every morning and evening at the Wellington
Barracks, the hours being for the present 6 till half-
past 7 a.m., and 6 till 8 p.m. We are informed that
for the winter evening drills the authorities will

allow them a part of Westminster Hall. The
drills are under the superintendence of the acting

adjutant and others of the officers elect, and are
ably conducted by Drill-sergeant Reynolds and
Sergeant Herod of the Coldstream Guards. In
order to evince the interest which Lord Palmerston

takes in this noble movement, and the high opinion
which he has formed of the Royal National Rifles,
we have much pleasure in publishing two letters
. . _

which Mr. Walmesley (major elect) has just re.
ceived from his lordship :

"Downing-street, Sept. 6.
" Sir,—l am directed to acknowledge the receipt of your
letter of the 3d, proposing to Lord Palmerston to become
the patron of the Royal National Rifles, and to inform you
in reply that Lord Palmerston wishes success to all volun-
teer corps formed or forming.
"He fully appreciates the patriotic feeling which impels
the members of such corps to enrol themselies, and he esti-
mates at its full value this important national movement ;
but in his official position Lord Palmerston does not think
it right to connect himself as patron with any one particu-
lar local organisation; and is the present instance it seems
the less necessary that any such extrinsic aid should be
required, because any corps which is to be organised under
so able and efficient a chief as Sir De Lacy Evans is sureto
be prosperous and efficient.—l remain, sir, your obedient
servant, 4g C. G. BARRINGTON,

".T. Walmesley, Esq."
(4 Downing-street, Sept. 17, 1860.
" Sir, —Lord Palmerston desires me to inform you that
he has no objection to your making public the contents a
the letter which I wrote to you on the 6th inst.—l remain,
sir, your obedient servant, "C. Cf. BARRINGTON.
" J. Walmesley, Esq."
A prize meeting of the volunteers of the Ist Berks
(Reading) Volunteer Corps took place on the prac-
tice ground at Reading, yesterday afternoon. The
prizes offered were a valuable Enfield rifle, the gift
of Sir F. Goldsmid, Bart., M.P. ; a silver cup, of the
value of £lO, given by Mr. H. A. Simonds, Mayor
of Reading; and a very chaste silver cup value £5,
the gift of Lady Hunter, wife of Sir Paul Hunter,
Bart., high sheriff of the county, and captain-com-
mandant of the Reading corps. The competition
was great, and excited much interest. The visitors
were numerous, among whom were Sir Paul and
Lady Hunter, Captain Lang, Mr. G. Montagu, Mr.
Alderman Darter, &c. At the close of the shooting
Sir Paul Hunter declared the following to be the
successful competitors :—Mr. Turner, musketry
instructor to the corps, the rifle given by Sir F.
Goldsmid, M.P.; Corporal Soyer the £lO silver
cup, and Private Stevens the £5 silver cup. A
number of money prizes were also won. Mr. Tur-
ner, the winner of the first prize, was a successful
competitor at the late meeting of the National As-
sociation at Wimbledon, having gained the prize
offered by the Duke of Cambridge.
On Monday last the 2d Cornwall Artillery Vo-
lunteers were inspected at Looe by Lieut.-Colonel
Gilbert. The men having acquitted themselves
with great credit on their parade ground, in com-
pany and battalion drills, were then marched to the
battery on the hill, where they were exercised with
the 24-pounders sent for their accommodation. At
the conclusion the gallant inspector briefly assured
them that the ability which they had that day dis-
played had far surpassed his expectations ; and, al-
though on a recent occasion, when firing a royal
salute in honour of the Duke of Cornwall, on his
departure for Canada, he had witnessed the steadi-
ness and order with which they worked, he had
not calculated on finding them so well trained in
the minor details of artillery practice. That their
zealous instructor, Sergeant Anderson, had faith-
fully discharged his duty towards them was mani-
fest, but their movements had been characterised
by a degree of confidence and smartness which it
was impossible for any teacher to inculcate, and
which was rarely to be met with among regular
recruits of equal standing.
The Liverpool Borough Guard, or 66th Lancashire
Rifle Volunteers, on Saturday afternoon last em-
barked on board the Rock Ferry steamer, and on
arriving at the other side of the Mersey marched
with their new brass band at their head to the re-
sidence of their commander, Capt. Mayer, whence
they marched into a field adjoining the Bebington
railway station, where two large tents had been
erected for their accommodation. Tables were laid
for 120 persons, and were well loaded with good
substantial English dishes. Ample justice having
been done to a most princely feast, the Chair-
man gave the toast of " the Queen," " the Prince
Consort," " the Prince of Wales, and the Rest of the
Royal Family," which wore severally responded to
with the greatest enthusiasm. The toast of the
evening, " Captain Mayer," was received with an
amount of enthusiasm rarely equalled.
Yesterday a grand review of upwards of 6,000
Rifle Volunteers took place on the Maisemore Ham,
at Gloucester, by Lieut.-Col. Hutchinson, command-
ing officer of the western district, in the presence of
an immense concourse of spectators from the ad-
joining counties, and many of the nobility and
gentry. A spacious gallery, capable of holding
2,000 persons was filled to overflowing, and every
available spot whence a view could be obtained
covered with human beings. Among the nobility
on the ground were Earl Duck, Lord-Lieutenant of
Gloucestershire ; Lord Lyttleton, the Lord-Lieu-
tenant of Brecknockshire ; Colonel Watkin, Lord-
Lieutenant of Glamorganshire ; Lord Dynevor, Mr.
and Lady Charlotte Screiber, Mr. Talbot, &c. The
Volunteers began to march on to the Maisemore
early in the morning, and took up their respective
positions, 450 Cavalry, Lieut.-Col. Milne, and 380
Artillery, commanded by Major Saville, being
placed on either wing. The Rifle Corps were formed
into brigades. The first, under the command Of Col.
Pevorell, consisting of the Bristol, Gloucestershire,
and Worcester battalions, numbered 2,155 rank and
file. The second, under Lieut.-Col. the Hon. C.
Scott, composed of Welsh and Worcestershire Vo-
lunteers, mustered 1,240 ; and the third, commanded
by Lieut.-Col. G. Vouse, formed of corps from Staf-
ford, Somerset, Monmouth, Hereford, Pembroke,
Carmarthen, and Radnorshire, was 1,768 strong,
giving a tatal strength in the field, including
officers, of 6,300. As Lieut.-Col. Hutchinson,
attended by his Staff, rode on to the Maisemore,
the Volunteers formed line, officers in front and
bands in rear, and gave a general salute. Col.
Hutchinson rode slowly through the ranks, minutely
inspecting the uniform, arms, and accoutrements
of each corps, and having returned to the front
and taken up his position at the flagstaff,
the brigades formed columns of companies,
and, headed by their bands, deployed past at the
slow and double-quick. This display was followed
by all the evolutions of a sham fight, skirmishing,
retreating, re-forming, charging, forming square to
. receive cavalry, &c., each arm of the entire force
performing the particular duty allotted with extra-
ordinary steadiness, rapidity, and precision, the re-
view concluding with the entire force again forming
line end giving the general salute, the bands jointly
playing the National Anthem. Col. Hutchinson,
having ordered the commanding officers to the
front, expressed his high gratification at all he
had witnessed, and complimented both officers
and men on the soldierlike manner in which the
different manceuvres had been performed. After the
review the great bulk of the Volunteers marched
into Gloucester, and partook of abundant re-
freshments provided for them at the different
hotels. The greatest excitement seemed to pervade
all classes, and it is long since the town of Glocoa-
ter witnessed such a display.
An interesting
competition for a silver cup,
valued at 50 guineas, given by the High Sheriff of
Norfolk (Mr. H. Birkbeck), and three prizes of £25,
£l5, and £lO, offered by Mr. J. Middleton, a gen•
tleman living at Haynford, near Norwich, took
place on Monday afternoon on Mousepold-heath.
The competitors were 36 in number, and were
selected from the Volunteers formed in Norwich,
Yarmouth, Rarleston, Holkham, Lynn, Aylsham,
Diss, Lodden, pak h E
en am, ynesford, Stalham, and
East Derehara.
Each competitor fired 12 shots—
three at 300
Yards,three at 400 yards, three at 500
yards, and three at 600 yards ; the first three
rounds being fired from the shoulder, and the rest
from the knee. The wort
for the short range was

6 ft. in height and 4 ft. in width, with a centre of
2 ft., and an 8-inch bull's-eye. In the longer ranges
the firing was at another target 6 ft. square, with a
centre of 2 ft. The highest score was obtained by
Private Read, who made 13 points ; Private Bus-
sey came next, with 11 points ; Private Burrell,
of Fakenham, made 10 points; and Captain
Middleton, Private Gunn, Sergeant Fox, and
Sergeant Burton made nine points each.
These four ties were afterwards shot off, the
result being that Private Gunn made a centre,
while his competitors added nothing to their scores.
The cup was, therefore, awarded to Private Read ;
the £25 prize to Private Bussey, the £l5 prize to
Private Burrell, and the £lO prize to Private
Gunn. The presentations were made in an ad-
joining tent, and hearty cheers were given for the
donors and recipients of the prizes. Captain
L'Estrange, adjutant to the West Norfolk Militia,
acted as umpire. :Yesterday afternoon a review of
the Norfolk Volunteers took place on the heath,
Major-General Wood, commandant of the camp at
Colchester, attending as inspecting officer. From
100 to 12,000 volunteers were collected on the

occasion:
The following circular has been sent by Sir John
Fife, Lieutenant-Colonel of the Ist Newcastle Rifle
Volunteers, to the commanders of the northern
icorps.

" Having received intimation that, in the opinion of the
staff officers appointed to give efficiency to the Volunteer
nrvement, great advantage has been ga;ned by district re-
views, and that a district review for the Volunteers of
Northumberland, Cumberland, Durham, Westmoreland,
and Newcastle-upon. Tyne might be held with much bene-
fit to the aause upon the Town-moor of Newcastle-upon-
Tyne towards the end of October, I beg to know your opi-
nion upon the subject, and, if favourable to the project, to
request you may state whether your corps can be present,
and with what number of officers, non-commissioned
officers, and privates."
The feeling, both among volunteers and others in
the north of England, is highly in favour of the
proposed review, and it is fully expected that it
will take place at the time appointed.
It:was recently mentioned in The Sun that Mr.
M. Stocks, of Catherine-house, near Halifax, was
taking steps for establishing a corps of Rifle Vo-
lunteers in the district of Queenshead, 'West Rid-
ing of Yorkshire, to be called the Shibbendale
Rifles. The corps, 100 strong, is now completely
formed, and has been fully equipped at the charge
of Mr. Stocks.

METROPOLITAN BOARD OF WORKS,

The annual report of the Metropolitan Board o
Works has been just published in the form of a
Parliamentary paper, pursuant to the statute under
which they are organised. The document is a
voluminous one, and we cannot do more than give
the principal portions of it.
With reference to the main drainage works,
during the year which has elapsed, the board
have directed their continued and anxious atten-
tion to the prosecution of those important works,
and, notwithstanding the strike of the workmen,
the great increase in the priaepf building materials,
the long continuance of heavy rains, and the ope-
ration of other causes calculated to impede the exe-
cution of extensive public works, their progress
upon the whole has been of a decidedly satisfactory
character.
The Northern High Level Sewer is fast approach-
ing completion. The line, as will be remembered,
will extend from the Mansfield-road, near the foot
of Hampstead-hill to a point on the river Lea, near
Old Ford, being, with its branches, about eight
miles in length. When finished, it will complete
the interception of the waters descending from the
high grounds of Highgate and Hampstead, and
whilst effecting a general improvement in the local
drainage throughout its entire length, it will relieve
Hackney and the adjacent districts from the evils
arising from the foul open watercourse by which
they were intersected, viz., the Hackney Brook.
The length of sewer in connection with this portion
of the works executed between the 25th March,
1859, and the same date in 1860, was 23,407 feet,
making the total length completed up to the last-
mentioned period 24,130 feet, extending from Old
Ford, on the River Lee, to Stoke Newington. The
works in connection with this line of sewer were,
at the same time, actively proceeding at vari-
ous other points between Stoke Newington and the
Junction-road, Kentish-town, and in some parts of
the line were considerably advanced.
The extreme character of these works will be
understood when it is stated that the dimensions of
a portion of the outfall sewers are nine feet by nine
feet in the clear, and that the overflow chamber is
138 feet long, and at its upper end 40 feet 6 inches
wide.
The whole of the works between the River Lea
and Gospel Oak Fields are nearly completed, and
they include the formation of the retaining wall
along the western bank of the river Lea. At Hol-
loway the sewer had to be carried under the Great
Northern Railway, an operation which, from the
continuous and heavy traffic on the line, required
the exercise of great care and attention. The line
of sewer will pass under the North London Rail-
way, of which the sleepers supporting the rails are
nearly on a level with the top of the sewer, in-
volving the necessary arrangements for supporting
the line, and effecting a temporary diversion of the
traffic. The tunnel between Maiden-lane and the
Kentish-town-road, 40 feet below the surface, and
for a length of about 2,000 feet, is nearly completed.
Another part of the main drainage works north
of the Thames, viz., the Acton branch of the wes-
tern sewerage, has been contracted for since the
board made their last report. This length of sewer
commences by a junction with the Counter's Creek,
in the Uxbridge-road, and proceeding along that
road, terminates by a junction with the east branch
of the Stamford Brook. The contract for this work
was signed Aug. 5, 1859, and on March 25th last
the length executed was 3,698 feet.
The high-level sewer south of the Thames was
commenced on Dec. 26, 1859. This work will ex-
tend from High-street, Clapham, to Deptford Creek,
a length of about nine miles 2,940 feet, traversing
in its course Stockwell, Camberwell, Peckham, and
New-cross. On March 25th last there had been
executed of this work 5,510 feet, or thereabouts.
The course which will be ultimated selected for the
low level sewer, north of the Thames, will depend
upon the decision at which Parliament may arrive
with respect to the embankment of that river. The
board have on former occasions expressed the opi-
nion that it would, on various grounds, be most im-
portant to construct the sewer in conjunction with
a Thames embankment ; but whether that can be
accomplished or not depends on the provision which
may eventually be made by Parliament for defray-
ing the cost of the embankment. This board will,
as they have stated in former reports, be prepared
to contribute out of the funds at their disposal to-
wards the cost of that work such a sum as will be
a fair equivalent for the advantage of carrying their
sewer in the line of the embankment; but the
general cost or the last-named work must necessa:
rely be defrayed from other sonnies. Though the
providing of funds for this great work is not
an obligation imposed by law on this board,
they M ill be quite prepared to carry it out
whenever Parliament may be pleased to furnish
them with means to meet the cost of the works ;
but the large demands upon them for the public
improvements contemplated by the acts of Parlia-
ment defining their duties and the entire inade-
quacy of their present resources are fully explained
in the chairman's letter to members of Parliament
representing metropolitan constituencies, dated the
18th April, 1859, which is appended to the last re-
port of the board. As the period within which the
main drainage works are to be finished is fixed
by act of Parliament, namely, Dec. 31, 1863, it be-
comes of extreme urgency that an early solution of
this important question should be arrived at.
Among the works of the board, other than those
of main drainage, which were completed or in pro-
gress, on the 25th of March last, may be mentioned
the wrought iron tubular bridge over the L i inch ou se
Cut of the River Lea navigation, in connection
with the improvement known as the Victoria-park
Approach. In the execution of this work the water
was pumped out of the canal for a portion of its
length, and the traffic on the canal was, by permis-
sion of the trustees of the navigation, stopped for a
certain period, to enable the foundation of the
bridge to be laid.
Works are also in course of execution at the out-
let of the Earl Sewer at Rotherhithe for the purpose
of relieving certain low level districts south of the
Thames from the floodings to which they are now
subject, arrangements being adopted for producing a
continual discharge from the sewers. This involves
an extension of the outlet of the Earl Sewer at
Durand's wharf, and the erection of a large high-
pressure engine, capable of working 100. horse
power, with two sets of pumps. The underpinning
of 2,347 feet of sewer in the Fulham-road has also
been effected, and the outlet of the Swith-strt-M
sewer at Chelsea has been covered.
Theneaboard have resolved on constructing a line
of sewer for receiving the storm overflow of the
Ra
sHerydnel
gh, Which will commence by a junction with
that
across
sewer near Albert-gate, and proceeding thence
form a junctionark and Kensington-gardens, will
0 awi.t h
Amongstthe R ane loatghhe r mainobi e
et s sewer
whichin
willth the ÜbXe
Uxbridge-road. rj
accomplisheddge by this work, it will effec-
tually twiny prevr4nt any sewage matter from passing
into the iierpen tine. The total expenditure on

sewers and drainage works,
including the cleansing
of 166 miles of main sewers and works of deodori-
sation during the year was £209,698 10s. sd.
The application of lime to the deodorisation of
the Thames, which was in progress at the date of
the last report of the board, was continued up to
the 3d September last. The total quantity of disin-
fecting material used during the summer (includ-
ing that mentioned in last year's report) was 4,281
tons of chalk lime, 478 tons of chloride of lime, and
56 tons of carbonic acid, at a cost of £17,733.
Shortly before the date of their last report, the
board had directed their attention to the general
question of the deodorisation and disinfection of
sewage matter, and for the purpose of aiding them
in their investigations, they had called in the assist-
ance of two eminent chemists, Dr. Hofmann and Dr.
Frankland, who, at their request, examined the se-
veral schemes and proposals submitted to the board
in relation to this matter. At a subsequent period,
the board also consulted Dr. Miller on this subject.
Drs. Hofmann and Frankland made an elaborate
report on the subject referred to them, The deodo-
rising and disinfecting agent which they recom-
mend is described as a concentrated solution of
perchloride of iron. In arriving at this conclusion
they submitted the agent in question to a series of
comparative trials with lime and chloride of lime.
In conducting these experiments, which were car-
ried on at the mouth of the King's Scholars' Pond
Sewer, above Vauxhall-bridge, they had reference to
the plan of drainage adopted by the board, and the
actual and prospective quantity of sewage to be
discharged at the outfalls.
In directing their first attention to the perform-
ance of the duty imposed upon them by the statute,
namely, the purification of the Thames, the board
have been fully sensible of the importance of pro-
secuting the other branch of the same subject,
namely, the disposal and utilization of sewage
matter, and have for that purpose, by numerous
advertisements, publicly expressed their readiness
to afford opportunities to any company or indivi-
dual for testing and developing any well-consi-
dered scheme for the useful application of the
metropolitan sewage.
The board have the whole question under consi-
deration, and though nothing has been submitted
to them which enables them to speak with any de-
finitiveness upon the subject, they are willing to
hope that the period may not be far distant when
some satisfactory results may be arrived at, which
may augment the means at present available of
adding to the fertility of the soil, and at the same
time become a source of revenue to the ratepayers.
As regards the Southwark and Westminster com-
munication, the board have proceeded with as much
expedition as was practicable, under the circum-
stances, with the necessary steps for obtaining pos-
session of the property required for this improve-
ment. The sum paid or agreed- to be paid for the
property in the locality in question, during the
year ending 25th March, for the purposes of the
street, was £110,374 175., making the total expen-
diture under this head, up to the same date
£222,230 1 ls. Bd., the claims amounting to £305,512
Bs. ld. These included 102 freehold and copyhold
estates, and 71 leasehold interests and goodwills.
The committee to whom the board delegated the
requisite powers for obtaining possession of the pro-
perty devoted unwearied attention to the perform-
ance of this duty. The extent of their labours
will be easily understood by those who have
had experience of the difficulties attending
the acquisition of property in populous ,parts of
the metropolis, from the numerous interests to
be dealt with (six or seven claims having fre-
quently been made in respect of one property),
the settlement of the heavy trade compensations,
and the investigation of titles. The board hope to
be in possession of the whole of the property before
the middle of next year. The greater portion of it
has been purchased by negotiation, and only in
three instances did it become necessary to resort to
a jury to assess the compensation.
The ground for the Covent-garden approach has,
with one exception, been entirely cleared.
Some extensive premises which were interfered
with at one end of the street have been rebuilt,
with a considerable frontage towards the new
street, and the line of thoroughfare will shortly be
thrown open. The board have directed their atten-
tion to the adoption of some means for obviating
the expense and inconvenience attending the break-
ing up of the pavement for the repair of mains and
pipes, sewers, and other underground works. With
this view, and in the hope of obtaining valuable
data for their guidance in carrying out future im-
provements they are about to form a subway under
this street for the reception of gas and water
mains, electric telegraph conductors, &c. For this
purpose they propose to construct under this street
an arched subway seven feet six inches in height by
12 feet in width, and also to form 14 arched side
passages for house service pipes, together with pro-
per cellarage on either side of the street. In con-
, junction with the works proper sewers will be built,
1 and convenient arrangements made for drainage.
The board have settled the greater part of the
claims for property required for the Victoria-park
' approach.
During the year the board contributed to the cost
of improvements promoted by the Commissioners
of Sewers for the City of London, and the West-
minster district board, by the purchase of property
for widening and otherwise improving the follow-
ing localities :-Upper and Lower Thames-street,
Fetter-lane, Budge-row, Leadenhall-street, Little
Knight Rider-street, corner of Size-lane and Budge-
row, corner of Bread-street and Old Fish-street,
corner of Lawrence lane and Cheapside, Primrose-
street, corner of Queen-street and Maiden-lane,
Rochester:row, 'Westminster.
During the year there were 66 applications for
the alteration of names of streets and numbering of
houses, of which 26 were granted and six refused,
26 being still pending. Plans for the formation of
new streets were submitted to the board under their
, : bye-law in 79 cases, of which 59 were approved and
eight disapproved. Of the 12 others, some were
' abandoned, or are still pending.
Toward the end of this year the new offices for
the board, which were begun in the autumn of 1859,
will be finished, and the improved passage into St.
James's Park, from Spring Gardens, completed. In
consequence of the strike among the workmen the
building operations were much impeded.
The receipts of the board during the year ending
25th March, 1860, amounted to £670,193 14s. 7d.;
that is to say, on the general account £202,243
10s. 9d. ; Covent-garden approach, £105,986 12s.
Bd. ; Southwark and Westminster communication,
£99,038 16s. 11d.; Victoria Park approach, £943
17s. ld. ; metropolis main drainage, £250,108 13s.
is. ; main drainage rate collection, £11,872 4s. ld.
Total, £670,193 14s, 7d.
The payments of the board during the same
period amounted to £594,828 14s. 8d ;that is to say,
on the general account, £226,535 6s. ld. ; Covent-
garden approach, £38,182 4s. ; Southwark and
Westminster communication, £143,491 Bs. 7d. ;
Victoria-park approach, £6,850 2s. 10d. ; metropolis
main drainage, £179,623 ss. Bd, ; main drainage
rate collection, £146 7s. 6d. ; total, £594,828 14s. Bd.
The balance in hand on the 25th March, 1859,
wss £312,779 13s. ; and at the same date in 1860,
£338,144 12s. 11d. The sums owing to the board
at the last mentioned date in respect of assessments
on vestries and district boards, improvement rates,
&c., amounted to £43,706 12s. 10d., and the amount
invested in New Three per Cents. for the repay-
ment of mortgage debts was £38,794 Bs. Bd. The
mortgage debts and outstanding liabilities of the
board, on the 25th March last, amounted to
£1,740,494 3s. 9d.
This does not include the moneys borrowed on
the security of the main drainage rate, the proceeds
of which are paid into the public account at the
Bank of England, and periodically applied in ex-
tinction of the main drainage bonds.
The board held meetings on 50 different days,
and the committee meetings amounted to 114.
The board consists of 45 members, and the average
number of members present at each board meeting
during the year was 32.
ha7lesim.'mh3eobdnyaithtfhoesenr t
iion wnhearteohDxfepethe board was engaged for seve-
ep na investigationsretsm incurred
ent of the
byo fs
utamh
ec
olit
)fa irxind2n4ua, p2n olc n 2
ie
Department in the survey of London, ordered by
the late Metropolitan Commissioners of Sewers. It
was ultimately arranged that the board should pay
£lO,OOO out of the main drainage rate, in satisfac-
tion of the claim, the War Department retaining
-the plates and copyright of the survey, but under-
taking from time to time to supply this board, the
Commissioners of Sewers of the City of London,
and the several vestries and district boards of the
metropolis, with as many copies as they should re-
quire, at the rate of ls. per sheet.
In their report of last year, the board referred to
the difficulties which they experienced, in conse-
quence of the dissatisfaction of several of the ves-
tries and district boards with the apportionment of
the debts of the Metropolitan Commissioners of
Sewers made by the act of 1855, and to tho conse-
quent steps taken by the board for effecting such an
adjustment of those debts as they deemed equitable
and just. After prolonged communications with the
vestries and district boards, they reapportioned the
debt in reveet or the Reek loan, and introduced a
bill into Parliament for the purpose of giving effect
to the proposed reapportionment shortly before the
termination of the session of 1859. That bill having
been necessarily discontinued, by the close of the
session, the board, in October last, resolved upon
extending the provisions of the measure to be intro-
duced into Parliament, and embracing within it en-
actments having reference as well to the powers
and duties of vestries and district boards as to those
of this board. For that purpose they placed them-
selves in communication with the whole of those