Island from their superabundance, which was granted; and a contract was contract was accordingly made, which went into effect on the first of the present month. This arrangement, it is thought, will sufficiently relieve the draught on Lake Cochituate to meet the demand for some years to come, and at the same time enable the citizens of Ward 1 to have a larger supply at at a much higher level.

During the past year great complaint has been made on account of the loss of head on the high service in the city proper, and the Water Board have now under consideration several plans to remedy this evil. The arrangements already made for the high service in Wards 13, 14, and 15, by means of the stand-pipe on the old fort, are nearly completed, and will be in full operation before the close of the present month.

The work on the Chestnut Hill Reservoir has been pushed forward as fast as was prudent, and is now so far advanced as to leave no doubt that it will be finished, and dedicated to the use for which it has been constructed, during the present year. Only a small portion of the main bank remains to be built. The Effluent Gate House is now up to the level of the top

of the bank, and the forty-eight-inch main is already connected with the present mains near the Brookline Reservoir. The portion of the driveway around the basins, already finished, has been a great place of resort during the past year, and appears to have met the decided approval of the citizens. The remainder will be completed early

in the spring.

The income from this department has not been sufficient to meet the expenses and interest on the water debt, which, on the first of May last, amounted to eight million eight hundred and fifty-six thousand six hundred and eighty-seven dollars seventy-one cents. Several changes have been made in the water ordinances, allowing the Water Board to charge the Fire Department for the use of the water, and for the care of the hydrants, and also to charge all the other departments for the water used by them. These charges, it is hoped, will be sufficient to enable the department to meet its expenses and interest.

Since the introduction of water, in 1848, over a million of dollars have been added to the water debt by the deficiency of income over the interest and expenses; and if the several departments had been charged for the water used by them, this increase

would have been prevented. It may, perhaps, be well for you to consider the expediency of transferring from the water debt to the regular city debt an amount sufficient to meet this deficiency.

The total number of water takers now entered for the present year is thirty-one thousand three hundred and forty, being an increase since the first of January, 1869, of one thousand six hundred and two. The total income received the past year has been five hundred and ninety-six thousand seven hundred and twenty dollars eighty-three cents; and the estimated income for the year 1870 is seven hundred thousand dollars.

POLICE.

The city is much dependent upon a well ordered police for the proper management of its affairs; consequently much interest is always had in reference to it by the citizens, who, together with their property, are protected by means of its officers. These have much more to do than has generally been supposed. The officers have to patrol every part of the city and harbor during the day and night. They are employed in the recovery of lost and stolen property, and in the prevention of crime and the detection of criminals; in the

execution of the laws and ordinances of the city council, and of the orders of the Board of Aldermen. Their attendance is required at all public gatherings; and on all occasions they are required to protect life and property, and to preserve the peace. They have the care of the City Hall, station houses and city prison, and a general supervision of all licensed carriages, wagons, junk shops, pawn-brokers' shops, intelligence offices, building permits, and the like matters. It is their duty to take notice of all nuisances, and all defective drains, water-pipes, gas-pipes, gas-lights, streets and sidewalks. They take notice of street openings, obstructions and defects. They look after the city clocks, city telegraph wires, and dangerous places and buildings. They extinguish fires in their incipient state, without alarm when practicable; and, when not, give fire-alarms, and are present at all fires. They assist in all sanitary measures, both in the city and in the harbor; they board all vessels arriving, and distribute harbor regulations. They have a watch over the powder-boats in the harbor, and prevent the removal of gravel from the islands. The care of the public bath-houses is intrusted to them; and they carry messages for all the departments,

three times each day, to all parts of the city, and have a general care and watchfulness over all of the numerous city interests. These are but a

small part of the duties of a good policeman, for his employments are exceedingly numerous. He therefore, should be a man of intelligence, of good habits, of the strictest integrity, and of great firmness of character; for frequently he is called upon to notice matters of the greatest delicacy, where promptness and decision, together with discretion and intelligence, are absolutely required. Gentle and respectful, yet firm and decided, he should always be in the performance of his duty; and in no instance should he ever forget what becomes a gentleman in his intercourse with others. Decorum, decency, and an orderly behavior are especially essential to a good officer. Boston is fortunately favored with the possession of a force which embraces these cardinal requisites, and its department is noted throughout the country for its excellence and efficiency.

At the commencement of the last year, the department consisted of nine police districts, and four hundred and twelve men, supposed to be an allowance of one officer to about six hundred inhabitants. During the year a tenth district was