The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1850-04-09 00:00:00

SPECIAL MEETING OF THE COUNCIL,

YESTE RDAY

IMPORTANT DISCUSSION ON THE WATER REPORT,

A special meeting of the Council was held yesterday at
the Town Hall, to consider and determine upon—
I. Report of the Water Committee and the Report of Robert
Stephenson, Esq., M.P., on the water question, and to give such
instructions and directions in relation thereto, and in conse-
quence thereof, as the Council may think fit.
11. To consider the bills now before Parliament relating to
the Liverpool Waterworks, viz. :—" A bill to extend the time
limited by the Liverpool Corporation Waterworks' Act, 1847;
for purchasing lands and constructing the works authorized by
such act, and for other purposes ;" and " A bill to authorize
the Mayor, Aldermen and Burgesses of the borough of Liver-
pool, to relinquish the construction of the Waterworks author-
ized by the Liverpool Corporation Waterworks' Act, 1847, and
to construct other Waterworks;" and to give such instructions
and directions in relation to said bills, or either of them, as the
Council may think fit.

The Cotincil met at ten o'clock, at which hour there was
but a thin attendance of members. Before proceeding
with the regular business of the day,
The MAYOR intimated that Mr. Dover had a few words
to say to the Council relative to

DOCK DC

Mr. DOVER then said that in speaking at the last coun-
il on the Dock Committee's proceedings, he mentioned

that the cargo of a vessel called the John Howard, which
had been wrecked at Southport, would be free from dock
rates in consequence of the alteration of the law. He no
found, however, that only part of the cargo had been
landed there, and that the parties concerned had deposited
a sufficient sum in the hands of the Dock Committee to

coverthe who

.bject to the repayment of that part which
was not legally cue. He made this statement in explana-
tion of the conduct of the consignees, which had from the
commencement been perfectly fair and honourable. He
would say more, but he was aware that his Worship would
not allow him. He would, however, intimate that on
the next day of meeting he would renew those questions
which he had put to the Chairman of the Dock Com-
mittee on the last day of Council.

MR. STEPIIEIVS,

S RETORT

THE Tows-CLzr.K then read the following report from
the Water Committee :—" The Water Committee having,

since the appointment of Mr. Stephenson to act as the
engineer named in the resolution of the Council of the
9th November last, from time to time, submitted to the
Council the instructions given to and various communica-
tions had with him by and on the part of the committee,
now submit to the Council the report he has made, and
which was received by the committee on the 2d inst. The
conclusion at which Mr. Stephenson has arrived renders
it necessary that the Council should give such instruc-
tions as they may, upon consideration of the report,
think necessary with reference to the two bills now before
Parliament, one being for the relinquishment of the Ri-
vington Works, and the other to extend the time for the
acquisition of land for, and the completion of those works,
and both of these bills stand for second reading in the
House of Commons on Tuesday next."

Alderman POOCTER said that he would suggest for the
convenience of the Council, that they should decide in
what order the discussion should be taken. If the
Council would take the report as read, it would save a
great deal of time. If on the other hand the Council
decided that it should be read, why then the best plan
would be to read it at once. But whatever course might
be adopted, he would feel it to be his duty to move that
the report be received, and in doing so he would make a
few observations on the report. When the report was
disposed of, there were the two bills now befcre Parlia-
ment to be considered : one of these was for the abandon-
ment of the Rivington works, and the other was for an
extension of time in relation to these works. He thought
that some gentleman would move that the former bill be
withdrawn.
Mr. THomsON

No, no

Alderman PROCTER,—When that bill is withdrawn,
then the Council will go on with the consideration of the
clauses of the extension of time bill.

At the suggc
Stephens

stion of the Mayor, the report of Mr,
taken as read, and

Alderman PROCTER again rose, and said that it now
became his duty to move that the report of Mr. Stephen-
son be received. It was not his wish to revive in any way
the agitation which had hitherto prevailed on this most
unfortunate question. He was certain that there had
been enough of agitation and disquietude in the town.
He was not going to find fault with the recommendation
which Mr. Stephenson had given ; nevertheless he could
not pass over many portions of the report without com-
ment. He must confess that he felt very much disap-
pointed at the result of that renort—(a laugh)—as did the
majority of the advocates of the Rivington Pike them-
selves.—(Hear. hear.) The first question put to Mr.
Stephenson was—
Whether a supply sufficient a. regal,' ititv

as quantity and qua.
lity for the present and prospective wants of the town and
neighbourhood, including domestic, trailing, and manufac-
turing purposes, and shipping; and for public purposes, viz.—
watering and cleansing streets, flushing sewers, extinguishing
fires, and supplying public baths and wash-houses, can be ob-
tained, by additional borings or tunnels, or otherwise, at the
present stations, viz.—those purchased from the companies
respectively, and from the Green-lane works, now vested in
the cornoration, and the cost of obtaining such sufficient
supply."
In page 24 of the report he found this part of the enquiry
disposed of as follows:
"After the full explanation, in the preceding pages of this
report, respecting the action of wells on each other, and the
mode by which the water is transmitted throughout the body
of the sandstone, it will at once be perceived that the expecta-
tion of much augmenting the supply of the present wells,
either by sinking boring, or tunnelling, cannot be entertained.
I am satisfied that any increase occasioned by deepening these
wells will be temporary, and only take place to the same extent
as the private supply of water is diminished. This would ne-
cessarily lead to the deepening of the private wells, which, as
will be seen in table No. S of the Appendix, has already been
done to a considerable degree, and, when finished, would leave
all parties in the same relative positions, except that they
would have the same quantity of water, or a very little more,
to lift a greater height ; and it cannot he doubted that a large
proportion of any increase would be derived from the river
Mersey, as all the wells are now sunk to or below the level of
low water, and many yield brackish water. The question of
expense points to the propriety of diminishing rather than in-
creasing the supply from the existing wells."
He would, however, pass over this portion of the report,
and come to the second question, which was put thus to
Mr. Stephenson :
" Whether a sufficient addition to the present supply can be
obtained in the locality or neighbourhood of Liverpool, as re-
commended by Messrs. Simpson and Newlands, or by borings,
or by any other course, and the cost of obtaining and distri-
buting the same."
In answer to that question, at page 27 of his report, he
saws :

"Mr. Simpson, in the Kirkby or Clock-house Bridge scheme,
proposes to obtain from wells situated near each other, and
tunnels uniting them, 4,000,000 gallons a day, and an equal
quantity from two branches of the river Alt. The area of
water-shed of this district would yield the quantity, but the
proposed reservoir of about 30 acres in extent and 15 feet in
depth, would be inadequate, as respects storage, to ensure so
large an uniform daily supply ; and I am satisfied, from a per-
sonal examination, that it would be a task of great difficulty to
construct one sufficient for the purpose in this place. The
engine power requisite for the purpose of pumping 8,000,000
gallons a day to Liverpool, is considerably underrated ; but,
were the proposed works in other respects adequate to the ne-
cessary supply, I believe the aggregate estimate would be suf-
ficient."

In addition to this, he says, that no plans on Messrs

Simpson and Newland's scheme having been submitted he
could not judge, but lie had no doubt but that the amount
named £192,556, would be sufficient. This in his opinion
was a very important part of the decision. It was a very
important omission from the calculations of Mr. Stephenson,
who certainly should have had all these plans before him.
He does not doubt that the district would yield 8,000,000
gallons per day, nor that the estimated cost, £192,550,
would suffice to raise that quantity. It was to be borne
in mind that this was 8,000,000 gallons additional to our
present supply, which might be taken at 4,000,000, making
a total of 12,000,000 gallons, per day, for an additional out-
lay of £192,550. But then he tells you in the same page
that the reservoirs would be inadequate. Now this ques-
tion of storage was one which depended considerably on
the daily pumping, and was therefore a question which
almost any man could understand. It was a question in
the solution of which they did not require the assistance
of scientific and engineering men at an enormous cost.
However he was glad that it had been admitted that
8,000,000 gallons per day could be obtained at the cost of
£192,550, thus bringing the matter into a small compass ;
indeed, so far as the local supply goes. Mr. Stephenson
believed, as he had reported, that the cost of the Riving-
ton scheme would be £500,000, at least, and therefore it
was a question for the Council and the burgesses to say
whether they would add this sum to the £650,000, which
they had already incurred in the purchase of the works,
for the additional 8,000.000 gallons only, for it was admit-
ted that that quantity would be all that could be got for the
Money. If the council and the burgesses wished to go to
Rivington, they must bear in mind that they had already
spent £650,000 on the present works, and that £500,000
additional would be required for Rivington, making a
total of £1,150,000. In the event of the local scheme
being taken, they should also bear in mind that 12,000,000
gallons per day could be got from the local sources, for
say—cost of water-works already purchased, £650,000 ;
cost of new works, £192,550, making a total of £742,550.
In addition to this he should say, that no matter what
scheme was taken up, £90,000 more would have to be
added for the cost of laying down mains, &c. It would
be observed that both these estimates were for the supply
of 12,000,000 gallons daily. Then came the question of
expense. The cost of the Rivington works alone would
entail an annual outlay of 'X50,000 at 4 per cent. upon
the capital. The annual outlay on the local scheme, at
the same rate, would be £38,000. Mr. Stephenson had
calculated the interest at 41 per cent. ; but he (Mr. Proc-
tor) would take 4 per cent. as being nearer the mark. It
was not his intention, however, to take any part in the
further agitation of this vexed question, because he was
satisfied that the people of Liverpool had lost so much
money in the prosecution of the one scheme and the other,
that it was quite time an end was put to the matter.
It would not be his place, as chairman of the Water Com-
mittee, to recommend either one scheme or the other.
In the report before them, from the beginning to the two
last pages, Mr. Stephenson recommended the home
supply ; but then he said—taking into account the balance
of circumstances, the position of the Rivington scheme,
the liabilities, which he (Mr. Proctor) contended they had
been forced into, and which were still going on, it was his
opinion that the burgesses of Liverpool would be neglect-
mg their real interests if they were now to refuse to have
the Rivington scheme carried out. He (Mr. Proctor)
recommended neither one course nor the other to be
adopted. lie would simply move that the report of Mr.
Stephenson be received.
Mr. LANGSDALE seconded the motion of the chairman
of the Water Committee.
Mr. TnomsoN wished to ask one or two questions. He
understood that Bellmount reservoir was supplied by a
drainage of 1800 acres, and produced about 3,460,000
gallons of water per day ; Bolton Water Works covered
a drainage of 520 acres, and produced 900,000 gallons
per day. Now he found that this was about one-half of
the Rivington drainage, and if so, and if these were the
results, how did they make it appear that Rivingtou could .
produce le much as had been Kited ?