The Sun.
London, England, 1858-07-20 00:00:00

There were several questions of no trivial mag-
nitude to be decided. First, by whom should
the cost be borne, and the expenditure regulated ?
Should it be regarded as a national or local
question ? It was determined than the cost
should le exclusively defrayed by the me-
tropolitan districts, and it followed afutost as
a necessary corollary that the management thereof
should be entrusted to a local body. There was
fortunately one in existence that fulfilled weal,
condition. The Metropolitan Board of Work 3 had
been chosen by public election forsuch duties and it
is well qualified to carry them into operation. Bat
it has been said that there should be a Government
control over them, and that they should not be
entrusted with absolute power to tax their fellow.
citizens. This was the rock on which every argosy
hitherto launched was wrecked. It contained all
the vices of every double Governmet. It might be
sure—but it was inevitably slow. It led to the
adoption of rival schemes by conflicting authori-
ties, and while the much Buffeting inhabitants of
the metropolis were suffering in health, purse and
comfort, and would have " been happy with
either, were to'ther dear charmer away." Nothing
could ho accomplished or even commenced until
the scientific dispute had been brought to a con-
clusion, or, in other words, the Greek lialends.
This difficulty has wisely been avoided. The
Metropolitans have evinced sound discretion in
selecting a sound scheme, unquestionally one of
the best, if not the very best that could be
adopted.

It was also authorised to raise a large sum of
money, and that it might be enabled to do so
on easy terms, a Government guarantee
is tendered to the extent of three mil-
lions sterling, and a rate is to be levied
of 3d. in the pound, which, it is calculated, will,
by means of a sinking fund, extinguish the entire
liability in 40 years. There are many hon. gen.
tlemen assuming the mantle of prophecy, and
freely predicting that much more will be re-

But inasmuch as they have not checked

the elaborate calculations, and aro at best only

vague guesses, We must be pre-
promulgating

pared to act on the best evidence attainable con-

siatently with speedy action. Now that the
matter has been virtually decided, we can only

say, "If 'twere done well, 'twere well it were
done plickly.”

A plague on these unto'
gude politicians !
Surely we have had enough of that sort of thing
in temperance leagues and Maine liquor laws,
and lecturers and letter writers on the great socia,
evil, and Sabbatarian societies, and all the rest 01
it ; why should they try and improve one's political
morality by force ? Mr. WALPJLE we know to
be a very virtuous man---he would not, himself,
bribe for the world; would not threaten a tenant,
or call in a mortgage to gain a single vote, or a
thousand votes ; but he is Rome Secretary, and
therefore he must, ex officio, try his beat at
taking care of our home morals. It seems, too,
that one most inveterate original sin of citizons
born in political freedom, is that of giving and
taking bribes of all conceivable kinds at elections.
You may almost test the identity of the species
" freo citizen" by the attendant charges of
electoral corruptions. At Athens or at Rome ;
in America or in Belgium ; in the shape of money,
or of plaas, or of jobs, or of " bread and
games," or of plenty of " beer and bacca," or of
priestly throats, or laudlurda' threats, of bribery
through fear, or of courtesies varying from a shake
of the hands or a smiling bow, to the kiss of a
pretty duchess—in all the ways wherewith the late
Mr. Corrocß could easily have filled a column—
bribery has been the uniform sin of fre3 and in-
dependent constituencies, and of those who have
wanted to represent them.

Mr. WALPOLE iF3) therefore, engaged in a toler-

refuge. There 13 scarcely any wind t) which
vessel, between the headlands already alluded to,

could be exposer, in which it would not be avail-
able. It is already one of the packet stations
to France, the distance to Dieppe being but 64
miles. There is a fine blue clay bottom, with
admirable anchorage in eight fathoms water, at
a short distance from the harbour.

A breakwater was recommended to be made by
a Naval Commission, some years ago, which would
yield shelter to a large fleet riding at anchor under
its lee. Besides, the coast would supply plenty
of material for the erection of a barrier running
from the shore into deep water, and thereby
intercept the shingle rolling to the eastward, which
would in time so accumulate as to afford ample
protection from westerly or south-westerly gales.
Then the harbour of Newhaven could be
deepened so as to afford shelter to a fleet of
sailing vessels and steamers, to be available
for offence or defence at a few hours' notice.
The river Ouse runs into the sea at the mouth of
the harbour, and would be invaluable for watering
ships.

The expense of making a suitable harbour
would be repaid by the saving in insurance
on all vessels bound for the port of Lon-
don from the south-east or west would alone
pay 50 per cent. on the outlay, The claims of
Newhaven will of course be prominently brought
before the Royal Commissioners, and wa believe
that the guardians of the public-purse will have
no hesitation in granting the funds requisite for
this great act of pressing, if not indispensable,
utility.

When once a child has received, and appropri-
ated any object, however earnestly it was sought
after, it speedily loses the charm that constituted
its chief attraction. It is soon neglected, and if
practicable discarded for some other fancy. So
it is with the House of Commons, with regard to
the purification of the Thames. That was
"the whistle " which it was prepared to
purchase at any cost. The Government were
assailed from every quarter with loud remon-
strances and ominous threats. Plague, or
some terrible disease, would probably be
engendered by its pestilential exhalations, and
for that Lord DERBY and his colleagues would be
clearly responsible. They would find jurors as
willing to convict them as those who found Lord
JOHN RUSSELL guilty of wilful murder because
An unfortunate man died of starvation in the
county of Mayo during the Irish famine. But
Lori DERBY has not been guilty of any sin of
omissbn. The moment the magnitude of the
nuisance was apparent it was fairly grappled with,
and an adequate measure was prepared for its
speedy abatament. It was probably the best that
could be prepared at so brief a notice. There
had undoubtedly been considerable inquiry o
the subject, and ample information had been ob-
tained. But few Governments, with so reason-
able an excuse for procrastination, would have
introduced so important a measure, involving so
large an outlay, M the fag-end of the session, a
fortnight before the prorogation ; and for that
graceful concession to public opinion, for that
total disregard of red-tapism, the Ministry, collec-
tively and individually, are entitled to the thanks
and gratitude of the entire community, not
merely the inhabitants of the metropolis or its
vicinity, but of all, from the Land's-end to John
o'Groat's.