The Express.
London, England, 1855-02-14 00:00:00

CITY COMMISSION OF SEWERS.

Yesterday the first court for the ensuing year was
held for the despatch of public business.
Oa the motion of Deputy flora, seconded by Deputy
CHRIST'S, Deputy Pincocz. was unanimously elected
chairman of the commission, an office which be has filled
for the last 10 years.

CITY GAB-Wolll[ll.
The M ,dical Officer's report on the above works, addressed
to the Commission, stated that the two principal sources of
nuisance were the contamination, directly, of the river,
and, indirectly, of the air, from the daily discharge of foetid
sulphurets from the wet lime purifiers; ani, secondly, the
contamination of the air from ammoniacal liquor and tar.
The wet HIM purifier was still in use, but arrangements
were in progress for the abatement of this and the
second nuisance, which, in the opinion of Professor
Taylor Ind himself, would do much to obviate
existing. causes of complaint. Pending the completion
of the alterations, however, it was impossible to speak with
confidence as to what improvements might still remain
necessary, and, therefore, till the success of the remedial
works had been tested by sufficient experience, the present
position of the City Gas Company before the law—the
position of having confessed judgment in regard of the
various nuisances imputed to them—must be fatal to their
acquiring any further claim on the locality they occupy,
and except on unequivocal testimony that the repetition of
these nuisances has become impossible, the honourable court,
as guardians of the public health against evils of this dr
scription, could not do otherwise than protest against any act
of legislation which might tend to perpetuate an offensive
trade within the city. The reporrconcluded by expressing
a hope that under these circumstances the Gas Company
would refrain from pressing their bill during the present
session. . .

---
Mr. Rose moved that the report be adopted. The Gas
Company's Bill stood for reading on Friday neat, and it
was neeemart that the court should determine to arrest the
nuisance in tp present stage. (Hear, hear.) He had his
doubts as to the efficacy of the remedies mentioned. The
company having confessed judgment, and admitted the
eziatenoe of the nuisance, until they could prove that it
was entirely removed, it was the undoubted duty of the
court, as guardians of the public health, to petition parlia-
ment against the proposed bill. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. ABRAHAM, in seconding the motion, said that the
volumes of dense filthy smoke issuing from the gas works
were a sad nuisance to all persons living within the range of
a quarter of a mile. There were between 700 and 800 fur-
naces always burning, and these being drawn and charged
eve'y six hours, created an offensive and insufferable nui-
sance. . _

After sunder remarks from other members of the court,
the motion was put and carried unanimously.

TEI CITY CEMETERY.

A report of the Improvement Committee, recommending
the court to apply to the Common Council for the loan of
25,0001., in addition to the 50,0001. already borrowed, for
the perm* of completing the new cemetery, was read, and
referred back for more ample information.

BTBABT CLIIA.NBINO.

Several coutractonioToleans ingtiestreets were fined for
negligence; and one contractor was fined 51. for suffering
his men to sweep mud down a gully-hole.

DECIMAL COINAGE. —At the ordinary weekly
meeting of the Society of Arts this (Wednesday) evening
the subject to be discussed will be the basis for a decimal
system of money for the United Kingdom. Those who
have thought of this subject et all are well nigh unanimous
that the decimalisation of our coins and accounts, as well

as, subsequently, of our weights and measures, is a most
desirable object, but there still exists much diversity of
opinion as to the unit or basis of the system. Papers will
be mad by, 1, Mr. J. A. Franklin, advocating the
pound ; 2, Mr. F. J. Minaso, in favour of the penny ; and
3, by Mr. Hugo Reid, in favour of the florin, or two-
Pieelh