116 Water Supply. [March 17, 



there was " an urgent need for a survey at once comprehensive and 

 in detail of the water supplies and water needs of the country, and 

 for the adoption of measures for conserving the supply and disposing 

 of it to the best advantage." 



This, again, seems a dictate of common sense, and will probably be 

 disregarded by any Government which is in, or comes into power, for 

 Governments naturally look more to the conserving and disposing of 

 votes than of waters, even although it seems certain that in the past 

 we have, like a spendthrift nation, been playing ducks and drakes 

 with our water capital. Here I find myself in eager agreement with 

 that parliamentary voice crying in the wilderness of contemporary 

 politics. I know, however, that it is not in the graveyard of the 

 lobbies, but in the streets of public opinion, that reforms are inaugu- 

 rated and pushed forward. It is because there is a real Referendum 

 to public opinion — and because public opinion makes an echo which 

 reverberates futilely for a time in St. Stephen's, but when the diapa- 

 son becomes loud enough makes itself heard even in these lethargic 

 quarters which think not of the necessities of the nation, but of the 

 loaves and fishes of office — that I thought it worth while to appeal to 

 you to-night upon this great matter of our national water supply. 



WEEKLY EVENING MEETING, 



Friday, March 24, 1911. 



His Grace The Duke of Northumberland, K.G. P.C. LL.D. 

 F.R.S., President, in the Chair. 



Sir David Gill, K.C.B. LL.D. D.Sc. F.R.S. Pres. R.A.S. M.R.I. 



The Sidereal Universe. 



[No Abstract.] 



