New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-09
ENGLISH PROBLEMS.
LIGHT RAILWAYS PROJECT-RAD-
ICAL CONSERVATISM

London, February o.
II now seems probable that the Municipal Par
lament OF London will Cooperate with the Sails
hurry Government in practical attempt to solve
,he water question The Queens Speech has
foreshadowed legislation on this subject, and the
two parties, which are nearly equally divided in
the London County Council have promptly
adopted measures for effecting a compromise
There may have been ground for apprehen-
sion lest the Government should be induced to
form, q general water trust for taking charge OF
the plant Of eight companies in the metropolitan
district and guaranteeing to the shareholders
the payment of their present rate of dividends.
Not even Unionist Government with an unprec-
edented majority in the Commons would have
the hardihood to propose so unpopular a policy.
But there is reason to believe that an alternative
for purchase has been considered. and that It
he's been the control and administration of the
properties and privileges OF the water COM
panies by public authorities outside the SUPER
vision Of the London County Council. This men,
ace from the Imperial Parliament has alarmed
the factions Of the Municipal Parliament. They
heve adopted this week a resolution in favor of
the revival of the projects for the purchase Of the
existing water rights.
These projects brought forward by the
Progressives or Liberals in the second Municipal
Parliament in which they were strongly repre-
sented; but the proposals were hung up six
months ago in the new County Council, in which
the Moderates or Conservatives have one or two
votes to spare in a close division. This was done
by margin Of single vote, and the political
deadlock subsequently remained unbroken. the
two factions presenting resolutions and endeavor-
ing TO outmanoeuvre each other. The Moderates.
having no alternative for purchase except the
so-called Staines scheme for proonging the privi-
leges Of monoposts for long period, have con-
sented at last to the revival Of the purchase
bills and may even be induced to take up an
other week the plan for obtaining new water
supply from Wales.
MUNICIPAL wATERWORKS.
London Is the only great English town which
does not control and own its water service One
fifth Of the municipal Indebtedness OF England
and Wales represents investments in water
works The earliest measures for the improve
ment OF local government Of cities taken after
the passage Of the Municipal Reform act OF 1885,
were in the direction Of securing control over the
existing plant and then Of enarging the water
supply. even il 1t were necessary to so far afeld
for It, Birmingham. Manchester Glasgow. Liv-
erpool. Bradford, Cardiff, Sheffield and all the
largest towns outside London have adopted this
policy The rights Of water companies have
been purchased everywhere else. and. with Few
exceptions, long time ago; and the Original
supply has been in some instances quadrupied
BY the acquisition Of watersheds In high, unln-
habited regions Meanwhile tie London cor
porations have been pumping water from the
Thames and the Lea or from wells close at
hand, and the metropolis has had scant supply
while making no adequate or systematic attempt
10 anticipate the requirements Of the future. IN
this as In all other respects. London has Deen
81 III English cities.
From a sanitary point of view the water lords
Of Iondon have not done badly. Thames water
after filtration is pure and wholesome and Lea
water is equally good. Even the well-water
from the chalk region east Of the city can be
safely subjected to the most rigid tests OF ana
lysts London would not be the healthy town
which unquestionably 1t is unless its water
supply were uncontaninated and pure Inc
water barons. moreover. have succeeded fairy
well In meeting the requirements OF rapidly
Increasing population. The daily consumption
OF metropolitan London. with its population OK
$500 600 approaches 200,0Oo.000 gallons, the bulk
Of which comes from the Thames and the Lea;
and experts employed by Parliamentary commas
sions and municipal investigating committees
II they have not convinced the puphc' nave
demonstrated TO their own satisfaction that the
supply can be doubled during the next forty
years for a population nearly twice as great
without exhaustion Of the present sources Inc
water companies willing to take the contract
for supplying London for half century WIN
out an aoueduct from the Welsh mountains or
the tapping Of any subsidiary sources OUTSIDE
the Thames and the Lea districts. AS optimists
these water lords unrivalled among munic-
ipal calculators; and they have succeeded in
coloring the reports Of all the commissions
which have been appointed
1t is on the economic side that the water COM
panies are most vulnerable. These eight cor
porations Of which the Oldest dates from the
reign Of James !, while the youngest has ex-
listed at least ninety years, are allowed by their
charters to levy rates based upon the assessed
rental Of the houses supplied. Their receipts
enable them to pay good dividends upon an ag-
eregate capital larger by a third, If not half.
than the actual value OF the plant. Water rates
advance with the rentals. and not irfrequently
,ncrea &c as the supply diminishes; and notwith-
standing the energy shown by some Of the com
NAMES during recent years in removing public
grievances there Is a general belief that water
taxes In London arc double what they ought to
be- Certainly 1t cannot be disputed that the
water supply Is a matter of paramount i'm
nortance and that It ought to be brought under
municipal control and administration
PURCHASE AT ANY COST.
This Is the question Wnlch the edhsDU! To'-
eminent has undertaken TO solve on It's own ac-
count unless the two factions OF the LONDON
County Council can agree in supporting some
nractical scheme of negotiating with the COM
nanies and purchasing the plant That the price
which will have to be paid will be extortionate
the municipal reformer readily comedies; but he
considers any method Of purchase as more salts
factory than the establishment Of composite
water trust with guarantees for the future pay
ment OF dividends to Shareholders Indeed the
London water question in its present phase IS
a striking example Of the folly and danger OF
nrotracted inaction In graphing with an ad-