On Tuesday the London County Council rejected Sir Samuel Instone's
attractive scheme for running a motor-boat service on the Thames. The decision followed upon the unfavourable report of the Committee which had inquired into the proposal. The Committee was in favour of the principle of the scheme, but did not sec its way to fall in with Sir Samuel Instone's financial terms, and it laid down the guiding principle that the L.C.C. should not incur any expenditure which might fall ultimately upon the rates. Upon the question of the financial soundness or otherwise of Sir Samuel Instone's scheme we cannot enter, but we are not sure that we agree with the Committee in their finding that it could never be worth while for the ratepayers of London to establish an efficient boat service on the Thames, even at sonic cost to themselves. After all, a contribution to the problem of street congestion might save many times the sum which was expended on pro- viding the new service. At any rate, we hope that neither .side will be discouraged in the enterprise, which the L.C.C. has admitted is a desirable one in principle.
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