Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1871-03-14
Largest Circulation in the District
Reading Matter on Every Page.
WARRINGTON CITY:
TTESDAY........-.... March IL, 1871.


NC hCOic NaiCA-iHctc1 JOp WA kftlcl IN the
Board OF Aldermen last night, as it deserved
TO he. Nessrs. Moore, Crossmsn, Connolly,
GGliek, Chase, Champion, and Baker took de-
cded stand against this attempts to force An I'M
tested and high-priced meter upon the water
consumers Of Washington, and il failed great
~ to the loss Of temper Of some OF its over
jealous advocates. This leaves the WATER meter
subject "a II was very properly placed by the
Previous action of the Boards, whereby the
Water Department was instructed to test
various kinds OF meters in use. This Is being
dose, and the Moore meter Is amongst the mum
Der selected for trial.
We trust this will be the last e4o-. IN
force Job through the Councils tor the
benefit OF any particular meter. There ia M
intrinsic value in any wster-meter to iustifv
the taxing the water consumer heavily bv
their enforced purchase at q high price. Oar
conviction is that the use of the water-peter-
n used at sll-should be restricted to points
where there II exceptional waste, a. At manu-
featuring establishments, hotels, livery stables
railroad stations, &c, and we believe that less
man hfiy meters would cover all that could be
rrohtsbly employed in the city.
Spirit and gas meters necessary bee suse
spirit and gas are costly products, and com
meree in them demands precision in measure
ment Moreover, the wasteful flow of spirit
and OF gas would be pernicious, while the abun-
can't dow Of water IL desir sble under al most All
circumstances. Gas meters are OF simple and
cheap construction, and wear well. Spirit me-
tiers are too costly for enlargement to the capae-
titles Of water meters. Water and air should be
30 freely supplied to all animated beings As to
reject the restraints Of measurement. A river
flows by our city which the thirst of the ertire
world could not exhaust. The Increase OF its
flow through this city, 80 as to render meters
unnecessary, will cost less IN the meters. I'm
recent official paper in the records of the
Patent Ofhce, the following suggestive passage
occurs:
The water meter is In the domain of mschau-
ical Invention peculiar In this that its staple or
yield IS void OF all intrinsic cost or value Free
and inexhaustibly abundant rs the air wa
breathe, water Is accessible to every one who
VIII take the trouble to dip Ii from the riyer
the esteTn or the we'll. The water rates or
rents OF cities represent nothing more than the
servants wages required for its Transportation
whether this transportation be effected by the
steam engine, the water wheel, or the distant
dam and aaueduct- Considering that the cost
OF such consolidated water-freisnt, under SIKH
ful mechanical arrangements on a large
scale. Is comparatively a small function Tor
negative power) of the quantity carried-
every city should be provided with the con-
Veniert avery OF this Necessary element in
such abundance a. not only to render the well
ascertained percentage Of waste Q matter of
entire indifference, but to secure a constant
current in the mains by the ceaseless flow from
pubic fountains. II IL be said that this has
rarely been attained. then to this extent has
there been great lack Of an intelligent and
economical providence on the part OF municipal
Authorities, and want OF engineering compre-
hensiOn on the part Of hydraulic projectors: and
the resort 10 water meters is but poor and
most Objectionable remedy for the IMPROVE
dence. A very simple calculation will show
that the aggre gate cost OF any dur4b and re-
sabie form OF water meter all the Consumers
OF any considerable city would furnish in Der
ietuitv an increase OF supply. rendering such
meters worse than useless.
IL IL TO be hoped, notwithstanding recent agi-
"a, OILS, that the day l. very tar distant when
water l. TO be accurately doled out by fire
pIrt. a. IN besieged and starving town No
matter how cheap the rate, il would Initiate a
most lamentable form OF economic training and
TestTi, ton 20 make the poor man feed that the
very cup OF water for his family was a special
charge upon bis pocket, and that every time he
Teirained from washing his hands he had ssyed
the los. The alleged inequality OF the ordinary
water rents y a trivial inconvenience in conn.,
pariton, ana i sum GENTLY compensated by the
and characters OF supply. If there be any force
N these considerations, no special stimulus
should be offered to patentees in this line by the
RTstuitous, extension OF any patents for water
meters All the varieties of oscilIatipg re.in-
Iccating rotary, and diaphragm meters have
Tor long time been pm bile property, and the
numerous existing patents in these different
Ciasses embrace but minor improvements in
arrangement and notifications in the details of
construction.
The wonderful diplomatic mares-nests that
the Washington correspondent of the New York
Post discovers so frequently are quite uniformly
vOuched for "by two prominent gentlemen hold
fDg high oficial positions, whose word will be
freely accepted by the country, but whose
names Am for the present not allowed TO use
These two mythical gentlemen OF high position
and unavailable names are as familiar TO ths
readers Of the Post as we're James two SOLITARY
hOrseu the Dnval nf
ago, and we would suggest to this correspondent
that il would help his style and give picturesque
mesa and vraisemblance to his narrative to vary
this form occasionally.
The EASTERN QUESTION SErrLEp.-In the
British House OF Lords last night Earl Granville
announced the conference on the Eastern ones
tion closed. The treaty had been signed AZ the
Foreign Once, sbrogating the restriction on the
adm. ssion OF foreign men OF war into the Oar
darelles and BosphOrus. The Porte NAV. in
times Of peace, admit into those waters the
naval vessels Of friendly powers whensyer
needed 70 enforce the treaty Of lS5o. The Danu-
ban commission is prolonged twelve years The
Protocol expressly declares that no power can
relieve itself Of the obligations Of the treaty
without the consent of all the signatories
-Ss>
The Emperor William has set of from Yer
ssiiies on his return to Berlin, accompanied by
large and brilliant sUite OF princes officers of
the army and representatives OF the German
government party. They reached Epernay. i'm
France, AZ noon yesterday, aud we're received
with great enthusiasm BY returning troops. with
whom the city vas crowded. The journey viii
be direct, the condition OF the Emperor's health
rendering il insxpedient for him to len0then
the trip By visit to any OF the Princes OF the
empire
Graft Brown having been elected Governor
OF Missouri, as a boiler from the republican
party, by the democrats, now finds himself am
barrsssed by being called upon to define his
Political status. He says he is q republican. but
not partisan republican, and thus he pleases
neither side.
New Hampshire leads of in the spring stats
elections to-day. A Governor, three members
OF Congress, i've Councillors and the Lssisia-
tuTe are to be chosen. The canvas hss been
active, and the republicans are confident Of
success.
This has been rather q poor week for Nsth an