The Sun.
London, England, 1820-04-18 00:00:00

WATER MONOPOLY.

-A Meeting was 'held yesterday, at Willis's
Pootns, of -the inhabitants of the parishes of St.
James, St. George, Mary-le-bone, and St. Pan-
cras, for ill,• purpose of adopting further measures
to resist the mo,,opoly established by the compa-
nieswbo ciigeige to supply the metropolis with
water. The Chair -was taken at half-past twelve
by Mr. FREMANTLE, M. P., who was :suppli-
ed by Sir H. Euglefield, Mr. Wilmot, M. P.,
and a numb.er of other Gentlemen. He stated
the object of the present meeting to be, to
carry more completely into effect the resolu-
tions at the meeting in October last, when various
preliminary measures were adopted to put an end
tQ thk establisbed by the Water

-Com-p ules, and by means of wide); the public
were compelled to pay whatever price those com-
panies thought fit to exact for the supply. He
detailed at some -length the steps already o
taken to
remedy
the evil, referring especially to-the eg-
hlisliment of parochialCommittees,ro the labours of
the Provisional Committee, and to the amount of
subscriptions already obtained. The latter exceed,
.ed his expectations, though they .were not yet ade-
quate to compete with. the wealthy establishmen,
against whom it Was to,be directed in Perliament.
Onthis.account further. exertions were necessary,
and,it would be fit, first, to try the question at law,
whether the -water. companies had the power to
cut off the ,water of private 'individuals who would
not consent to. the payment of whatever sums
they thought fit to demand.. The decision of this
point might
_rerider a farther and expensive appeal
to Patliarpent unnecessary.
The report of the Provisional Committee was
then read, as well as the opinion of Counsel, that
an association like the present, for the purpose
of defeating a monopoly, was legal, while the mo-
nopoly itself of a necessary of life was clearly il-
legal. , , • .

Mr. WRALE then addressed the assembly at con-
siderable length, going through all the 'chief facts
relating to the origin and object of this associa-
tion : be also entered into the main arguments
against the, establishment of, this Monopoly, and
refuted some of the-assertions of the water tom—
panics in the replies they had thought fit to make
to the publications of the association. lie after-
wards referred to the necessity of forming a, (-ie.'
neral Committee of 21 individuals, with power to
add to their numbers, to appoint a treasurer, and
to dispose of the funds raised tor the promotion of
the objects of the meeting.
The appointment of the General Committee was
then carried unanimously ; and among the mein-
hers of it -were Mr. Fremantle, ; Mr. Wit.
mot, Mb P.; Mr. calvert, M. P.; Loud RoSslyn,
and various others

Sir H. ENGLEFIELD addressed the meeting at
some length on the subject of n publication issued
by one of the companies, or under their sanction.
He' was followed by Mr. \VILMOT, who de-
clared his readiness to do his utmost to destroy
the odious monopoly. He was friendly to ac-
commodation, provided thepurpose of the meet-
ing conk) thereby be secured.
Mr.Htteutoutsa had not intended tosayany thing,
but .he cunt( not resist this. opportunity of assur-
ing the meeting, that,hoth in Patliament and out,
of it he should be happy to add his efforts to the:
labours of others in Ibis:cause, to secure the pub-
lic from unjust imposition.

Thanks' were voted to 'the Parish Committees,
to the Provisional Committee, to• Sir H. Engle-
field, the-Chairman, and Mr. Weale, atter which
the tneeting Was dissolved.

Subscriptions were opened in the room, and
contideriibl& sums tvere devoted by awl
to'the attainment of the objects 4 the Anti-
WitlirAohopoly Association'.—(ilorning Paper.)