18 JANUARY 1946, Page 14

Preservation of England kis to be hoped that the preservers

of England—the local rath.ei than

the central—will show some measure in their protests against the substi- tution of use for beauty. Now it seems to me (judging largely from local papers) that the outcry, against raising the level of Ennerdale has little

solid -ground, on account of the spoiled beauty, while the usefof the higher water would be great. On the other hand, the proposal,of the Leicester Corporation to destroy 3,000 acres of the best farmland at the

same time that they destroy a beautiful scene and do harm to a very wide area, as well as two beautiful rivers, the Manifold and the ,Dove. Nor has the need for this great new reservoir been made out, in any persuasive form. The Peak district is being regarded merely as an area for urban waterworks as our rivers, such as Tyne and Lea, are regarded as suitable for urban drainage.