The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1849-11-20 00:00:00

SPRING WATER VERSUS SURFACE WATER,

The popular saying, that " one man's meat is another
man's poison," appears to hold equally good of the im-
portant element, water. The inhabitants of the metro-
polis have at present a surface supply, which is so
unsatisfactory both as to quantity and quality, that an
application is being made to incorporate a "Spring-water
Company," to procure the pure article from the chalk
formation in the neighbourhood of Watford. We our-
selves have been pursuing a totally opposite course, by
endeavouring to exchange our spring-water for a surface
supply. Mr. Robert Stephenson, the new London com-
pany's engineer, has demonstrated, to use his own words,
the feasibility of the plan as regards quantity,"—no hint
being suggested of the water gradually sinking in the pro-
posed wells • whilst, with respect to the quality of the
present surface supply, a most competent authority,
Professor Clark, says :

" Vegetating matter is an injurious impurity of the water
supplied to the metropolis by the existing Water Companies."
* * * * " Such impurity renders their waters inferior to
the spring waters —it imparts au offensive taste—it affords nou-
rishment to water insects, and encourages their propagation."
How doctors do differ !

CORRESPONDENCE,

WANT OF WATER AND POLICE

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.
Sin,—Well knowing your readiness to give insertion to legi-
timate complaints, may I beg the favour of your attention to
two pressing evils which pertain to the poor, and the poor
only, notwithstanding the pseudo-philanthropy of many of
your new Council, and the measureless falsehoods uttered by
them and their partizans? My first and greatest is the want
of water. You may be surprised to think, after what has been
said and written lately, that so essential a necessary to human
health and comfort is often not procurable in this street. You
will see persons going from house to house, asking their
neighbours to give them some to cook or wash with. These
last two Sundays it was with great difficulty I procured any
for my dinner, and every house was applied to in vain. At
the time I am now writinz there is not a drop in the house,
and its great scarcity can be vouched by all. In no town in
the kingdom—and I kayo been in most of them—did I ever
find so scanty a supply, and that little more difficult to obtain.
Surely, Mr. Editor, after what we have been told, something
should be done to mitigate so great an evil. It has gone forth
to the world, in public journals and after-dinner speeches
(when the would-be orator might truly use the words of the
renowned Major Dalgetty, " Vino ciboque pravatus,") that
Liverpool enjoys in the highest degree the blessing of a plenti-
ful supply of that indispensable article. Alas for the reality!
Ask for water, and the reply is, " We have none; it has not
been turned on." This is no fiction, or party-coloured picture.
It is a sad truth ; and many good and charitable persons, who
have every convenience for a large supply, labour under the
mistaken delusion that their poorer neighbours have also
plenty. Let those who doubt inquire in Back Portland-street,
and their doubts would vanish.

My other complaint is one which might in a great measure
be removed by the police ; but since I have resided here, once,
and once only, have I seen one of those gentlemen in the street.
We seem to be left to our own guidance, and here every bad
passion has its full swing, without check or control. Each
evening a number of young persons of both sexes congregate,
and the noise, confusion, and obscenity would disgrace a
savage life. Last night we were treated, amongst other diabo-

licai noises, with crackers; and for three hourWa scene of riot
and confusion ensued, that would be permitted in no other
town in England. Mr. Editor, I am one who feel every plea-
sure in seeing young persons enjoy themselves ; but when
mirth degenerates into riot, playfulness into licentiousness,
and conversation into blasphemy and obscenity, it is no longer
amusement, but a disgraceful exhibition of human depravity.
The street cannot be passed by any decent person, especially a
female, without rudeness and insult. None go through it of a
night but those whose evil destiny or limited means compel
them to reside in it. 1 would, Mr. Editor, respectfully, through
your journal, call the attention of the authorities to this degra-
ding evil. Let there be, if only for common decency's sake,
some little show that such abominable conduct must be
checked. Let it not be said, that the behaviour of the youth
of Liverpool would put the inhabitants of the darkest and most
benighted heathen to the blush, and that too in a town boast-
ing as this does (and in many respects most justly) of its cha-
rities, schools, and wisdom ; for could a stranger be at once
introduced here any evening between seven and ten o'clock,
especially on Saturdays or 'sundays, he would find neither
civilization, education, nor control, and fancy it got Liverpool,
but Timbuctoo.

By inserting this, you would oblige many poor persons in
the street. For reasons obvious to you, sir, Ido not sign my
name, but give it privately with the address. Were Ito pub-
lish it, you may judge from such a gang of Yahoos how I
should fare.

I remain, sir, with every respect, yours very obediently,
Nov. 131 h, 1849. A LABOURING MAN.
[The intelligent writer of this letter deserves to have his com

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