THE FUTURE LONDON WATER SUPPLY.

Southland Times, Issue 655, 10 April 1867, Page 3

THE FUTURE LONDON WATER SUPPLY.

This subject will in all probability receive full consideration between the present time and the opening of the next session of Parliament. In addition to minor schemes afloat, and likely to be set afloat, two gigantic proposals are now before the public. In November, 1865, John Frederick Bateman, C.E., issued an able pamphlet (with plan) on the subject of the water supply to London from the sources of the .River Severn. His project is a bold one, namely, to bring water from the Welsh hills, at a distance of 183 miles, at a cost of £8,600,000. Mr Bateman states— " No scheme, in my opinion, is worthy of attention which would bring in less than 200,000,000 gallons of water per day, at an elevation which would supply nearly the whole of the metropolitan district by gravitation, without pumping.'* Mr Bateman's lecture at Burlington House, which was' honored by the presence of the Prince of Wales, will be fresh in .our readers' recollection. . Another pamphlet (with plan) has just appeared on the future water supply of London, by George Willoughby Hemans, C.E., and Eichard Hassard, C.E. . This project is still mote gigantic— it is to turn the Lakea of Haweswater, Ulswater,. and Thirlmefe* in Cumberland and Westmoreland, into greater reservoirs, and to convey 50 vast a body of pure water to London that there would be ample to supply certain towns in Yorkshire on the road ; and the works would begin tb pay from their commencement. ! The clistMnce from London would be 340 miles, "and the. eosi £10,000,000. The authors of this pamphlet state t — " Although involving an* apparently larger outlay in the first instance than Mr Baleman's, this scheme will, from the absolute certainty of the, rainfall, the extraor^i-

nary purity of-fche water, the facilities afforded by tbe existing lakes for tbe construction of immense reservoirs, and from the revenue which may fairly be expected from the sale of water in the districts traversed by the aqueduct, be found the best and cheapest which has* yet been proposed, and that ultimate economy would arise from its selection." Mr Hemans's name stands high in the engineering profession, and Mr Hassard designed the extensive waterworks now being carried out for the city of Dublin, which will be supplied from the source of the river Vartry and the lakes in the Wicklow mountains. "Various projects were brought forward for the supply of Dublin with water, but so puzzled were the Corporation of that city that they wisely de^erminedto call over Mr Hawkshaw from England, and take his decision as umpire. Mr Hassard's plans were selected and adopted. It is to be hoped that members of both Houses of Parliament will give full consideration to all schemes proposed for London before any legislation is attempted. — "Times."