The Sun.
London, England, 1866-09-19 00:00:00

The Metropolitan Water Sup,)ly.

The Metropolitan Water Supply Association has
prepared the following petition to Parliament for an
improved water supply :

The humble petition of the undersigned water con-
sumers, ratepayers, or inhabitants within the limits of the
Metropolitan Water Companies, humbly sheweth, that
your petitioners would desire to draw the attention of
your right honourable house to the present inefficient
supply of water as provided by the various metropolitan
water companies. That since the passing of the Act of
1852, your petitioners are aware that the quality of the
water supplied to the metropolis has considerably im•
proved, but that stringent measures aro required
iu respect to the quantity which ought to be
supplied to every house in this vast metropolis.
That your petitioners would desire to impress on your
right honourable house the urgent necessity for the water
companies being compelled to afford a constant instead of
an intermittent supply to every house in the metropolis,
and that such supply should be given on Sundays as well
as on other days. That your petitioners believe your right
honourable house would hardly credit the startling fact
that in the metropolis there are thousands of houses which
have not a drop of water in their cisterns or water-butts on
the Sunday morning, it having been consumed the previous
evening, or wasted in consequence of the inferior character
of these cisterns and water-butts ; and that in innumerable
instances, owing to the general tendency to avoid expense,
there are neither ball-cocks nor waste-pipes to prevent an
unnecessary waste of water. That your petitioners would
bog to represent to your right honourable house that in all
the large cities throughout the vast continent of America,
as well as in Birmingham, Bristol, Manchester, Glasgow,
Greenock, &c., the inhabitants have a constant, not an in-
termittent, supply laid on in their houses, which is at all
times available for sanitary purposes, and which is most
extensively used in this way. That your petitioners would
also beg to represent to your right honourable house the
inequality of the rates as at present levied by the metropo-
litan water companies, the same rate being levied whether
the house is occupied by one person or by many families.
Your petitioners would therefore pray that your right hon-
ourable house would take such measures as it may deem
proper for a reduction in the existing rates. That your
petitioners would further represent to your right honour-
able house, that by clause 27, cap. 84, of the Act of 1852,
being 'An Act to make better provision respecting the
supply of Water to the Metropolis,' parish officers, with
consent of N estry, may require inhabitants to procure
supply of water, and that the companies should furnish an
annual supply at a rate not exceeding 3d. per week, but
your petitioners would represent that such clause is vir-
tually a dead letter. Your petitioners therefore pray your
right honourable house to take such steps as in its wisdom
may seem best for immediately placing the supply of water
to the metropolis on a better footing in respect to quality
and quantity, and a reduction in the scale of rates as at
present levied."

EXTRAORDINARY CASE OF EXTRADITION.—The
delivery of Lamirande at Montreal to the French
authorities occurred under very remarkable circumstances.
He was claimed under the Extradition Treaty between
Great Britain and France on the ground that ho had com-
mitted forgery by having "in his capacity of cashier of the
Bank of France at Poictiers made false entries in the books
of the bank, and thereby defrauded the bank." The Go-
vernor-General issued his warrant for the apprehension of
the man, and he was apprehended, and by a Canadian
magistrate committed to gaol on the 22d of August. Ou
the afternoon of the 24th a petition for a writ of habeas
corpus was presented to Mr. Justice Drummond, in cham-
bers, notice of the intention to present it having been served
on the previous day before noon upon the counsel charged
with criminal prosecutions in the district. The Judge, after
hearing the prisoner's counsel, was of opinion that the
arrest was illegal ; but as Mr. Pomiuville, for the private
prosecutor, wished to be heard, the judge did not issue the
writ at once, but adjourned the discussion until next morn-
ing. Me. Ramsay, who appeared for the Crown, expressed
his indignation when the counsel for the prisoner signified
his apprehension that a coup de main was in contemplation
to carry off the prisoner before the case had been decided.
Nevertheless, so it was. At midnight an order signed by
the Deputy-Sheriff, grounded upon an instrument signed
by the Governor-General and dated the 23d, was presented
to the gaoler, and the prisoner was delivered to the French
inspector of police and carried off to France. The Judge
issued the habeas corpus in the morning, but the man was
gone. The Judge then adjourned the case to enable him to
consult the other Judges of the Court of Queen's Bench,
and on the 30th of August stated that they all agreed with
him that the delivery of Lamirande to the French police
was contrary to the law of the land. The Judge held that
the offence stated was not forgery (and therefore not within
tho Extradition Treaty and the statute founded upon it)
according to the laws of England and Lower Canada ; that
there was no proof of a warrant of arrest issued by a com-
petent magistrate in Fiance, and that the demand was made
by the Consul-General of France, a commercial agent, and
not a diplomatic agent, as required by the statute. It was
stated that the Governor-General had promised that there
should be opportunity allowed to the prisoner for having
his case decided by a superior Court.
A tunnel 1,681 feet long is to be run under the
Chicago river, from Franklin to Clinton-streets, Chicago.
This will relieve the travel which is now continually
choked at the bridges.