The Express.
London, England, 1853-09-06 00:00:00

THE SURREY GAS CONSUMERS.

Yesterday evening a public meeting was held at
the Bridge House Hotel, London-bridge, to hoax an expla-
nation of the final settlement of the cheap gas question by
the several companies; Mr. J. THRA ITER in the chair.
The CHAIRMAN slid the meeting had been called to bear
an explanation of the position of the Surrey Gas Con-
*mann' Association, and the course it had recently taken
for the attainment of the object for which it we/established.
The association was originally formed, not for the purpose
of waging a reckless war against existing companies, but
simply on the principle of self-defence. In its formation
the promoters unavoidably incurred great responsibility ;
bat they rellel on the promises of support which they re-
ceived from the inhsbitants of the district. Ile regretted to
say, however, that after the arociation had been formed
many parties who had pledged themselves to support it
almost went the length of denying their own signatures.
(Hear.) Nut one in twenty who pledged themselves to take
the gas of the association redeemed their pledge what ap-
plied to; and he regretted to say that High-street, South-
wark, was msst conspicuous for this breach of engagement;
while Deptford—a comparatively poor district—bad sup-
ported the company, although an old company in the Bo-
rough offered gas at a lower rate. There had been nunoun of
late that tho trustees of the Consumer's Association bad sold
the inhabitants; and, strange to say, the men who had bees
moat active in circulating this statement, were those who
had falsified their own pledges. He had very great plea-
sure in stating that the new company had not told itself.
(Cheers.) The companies would remain perfectly distinct;
all that the new company hal consented to was the forma-
tion of districts. Wnen • proposition for districting WY
made by the old companies, the trustees replied that any
arrangem-nt of that kind must be accompanied with coo-
taro conditions, as they could 12.. t consent to sacrifice the In-
terests of the consumers. They stipulated that if
there

coals reee W e veep high price, if , were any
inerease, ie the we of materials, or freight
or labour, the price should ►e fired upon the basis of 1802.
In 1852 the cost of cool, freight, and labour, was at a cer-
tain point ; and gas having tnen been sold at 4s. per thou-
sand, should the cost have increased in 18.54, 1855, 1856, or
1860, • proportionate amount was to be charged. Could
anything be more honest or straightforward than gull an
artinaspancut f (Herr, h►er.) With this .aceptinn, the
three old companies had entered into • guarantee not to
raise the price of gas above 4s. per thousand ; and
they bad also agreed that two officers should be ap-
pointed to inspect the quality of the gas, and to cor-
rect the measurement. This arrangement applied to

all the town districts, and, as it -appeared to him,
effected a settlement of the whole question oo a permanei.t
basis. The only partite who could possibly be injured by
it wen thaw who bad entered into temporary contracts for
the supple of gas at 36. or 36. Gd. Such parties now had
staring them in the face the earful fact, that they would
probably be obliged to pay for their gas the same prim as
their neighbours. (Laughter.)
Mr. HILL, of Lambeth, moved a resolution, declaring
that the meeting, having heard from the chairman a f.O
and satisfactory statement of tee recent gement taste
by the several gas companies, considered that arrangement
calculate Ito afford permanent advantage to the consomme
at large, nd at the same time • fair and equitable retain
for the eapiial invested ; and that the thanks of the en e-
sumer' were due to the trusteis for the care with whisk
they had guard, d the interests of the consumers. (Chien.)
The resolution was carried unenimosoly.
Mr. BAILIT moved that the names of the persons whis
bad broken their pledges to the new company ehould b.
published.
The CHAIRMAN deprecated such a step as tending ta
smite ill feeling ; and oh-erred that the feeling manifested
by the meeting WAS a sufficient punishment
After some discumism, the resolution was altered to send
disapprohation, ad la that form was carried.
The proceedings tonaiestal with • vote of thanks to tie
chairman.

TUE RAILWAY BRIDGE ACROSS THE TAMAR AT
SALTASH.—The preparatory works fur this stupendous un-
dertaking, the eoetrast for the erection of which has been
taken by Mr. C. J. Marc, of Blackwell, are being prose-
cuted with great vigour. Already the once quiet spot
known as &skein Passage is converted into a place of
bustle and business. Extensive workshops and smithies
have been erected. Steam machinery of every description
for planing, rolling into shape, cutting, drilling, and
punching the mares of iron to form parts of the bridge, is
n full operation. The smiths shop contains eight forges,
worked upon the principle or exhaustion, or what is com-
monly called fan bellows, driven by steam. A long slip,
similar to that used fur shipbuilding, has been laid down,
for the construction of the cylindem, intended to be soak in
the river, for raising the centre pieces of the bridge. The
one now being built is to be 36 feet in diameter, and 80
feet deep ; when completed it will be launched, and sunk
into its position, end being closed at about thirty feet from
the top, will, in fact, be a huge diving bell, and the men
working within it supplied with air, on the same principle
as that adopted with the croinary bell. The work alto-
gether will be one of great interest, and the bridge, when
completed, will add another to the many attractions of the
neighbourhood.
lIEDKEO.S YOR RAILWAY ACCIDENTS.—The late
verdict in the case of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Rail-
way converts what should be the certain remedy of the
law into* most uncertain chapter of accidents. It teaches
the company not to rely upon invariable care, and not to
dread certain punishment for proved offences, but to trust
to chance that no rich merchant or valuable peer is among
the goods they carry. A foolish mother takes no notice of
her child's playing ball in the drawing-room, although he
has been repeatedly forbit.den ; but when he breaks the
window he is punished, not for the disobedience, but for the
accidental injury. The railway authorities are not Pia'
Welted for having rotten rails, had servants, or silly rules; •
but if, by chance, they kill a lord, they are punished for I
the "accident." Instead of this "wild justice," careful
goitrous, nt supervision should see that every railway is
in a fit state, and that all its agencies are complete. If the
most trifling accident occurs—an a cident causing no hurt
or injury to any one, and damaging co property—an in-
quiry should be instituted; and should the railway autho-
rities or agents be culpable, the fine should be as heavy as
if fifty bishops wen killed. By this means the punishment
would he regular, and rigidly applied. Any departure,
from the proper laws of precaution would to punished at l
once, and inuocence would consist, not in the chance es-;
rape of a rich man, but in a constant care over every part
of the I ine.—Cmil Soviet Gazelle. .

A NEW MAIL REGULATION.—The American Post-
master-General has sent a circular to the various railroad
companies carrying United States mails under charge of
route agents, pointing out the necea-ity for their proper
accommodation and for the security of their charge; de-
manding too, that they shall all strictly empty with the
common clause of their specific contracts, binding them to
have cars exclusively for mails. He furnishes them with a •
diagram, showing his view of what is necessary; first, for
their due security, and next, to facilitate the labours of the'
mail agents in assorting and delivering mails from trains. !
He also points out the necessity for in future preventing
any ens excepting United States mail agents from having
teems to the body_ of the mail ear.
OXFORD, WORCESTER, AND WOLVERHAMPTON,
•ND SOIITFI ISTA/lOaDeNlaa RAILWAYS.—At a meeting
of representatives of those companies just held at Dudley,
the subject of the erection of a joint station at that town
underwent discussion, and it was ultimately deter-
mined, instead of referring the matter to the railway
commissioners, that the;South Staffordshire should lay their
proposals for the purpose before the Oxford, Worcester and
Wolverhampton.

MONDAY Itufrues.
The market for home railway stocks showed a
rather improved ton'.• in the earlier part of the daYf
but flatness sD;*equently prevailed, in sympathy I
with the decline in Consols, and the market closed
with a dull appearance. The final quotations, how-
ever, seem to have been fully as grood as those of
Saturday, and York and North Midlands show an
impr:orement. Bona Me business in this department
etratinues very restricted.