The Express.
London, England, 1859-10-14 00:00:00

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II 0/11.110N. FRIDAY, OCZ 14.

mit columns yesterday contained • report of a
meeting of deiegates from various metropolitan
Vestries to consider the supply of gas to the metro-
polis. If the gentlemen who have taken this matter
in hand can pin the relation of the Goa Companies
to the consumers upon anything like a proper foot-
ing, they will deserve the thanks of thousands
of householders and confer a benefit upon every
member of this metropolitan community. It is com-
puted that in one way or another London pays near
2,000,0001. • year for about 7,000,000 cubic feet of gas,
obtained by the distillation of 840,000 tons of coals.
Thus it is not • petty interest which is now in
question. In • dense civic population gas may In
reckoned among the necessaries of life. Within
doors it is one of the most convenient sources of light
and warmth, and for our thoroughfares by night it is
an indispensable element of comfort and security. At
present, however, we do not make of it half the OM
we might it it were accessible, pure, and abundant.
It is often toe foul to be admitted into the best
rooms of the hots*, and so dear that the number of
public lamps is decreasing in some of our best streets.
The population and latent of the metropolis cannot
increase without necessitating an increase in this
quantity of gas annually made in londont bat,
owing to various causes, the consumption of the
article is still dieproportioned to the capacity of the
public.

In the cue of most saleable commodities, we may
safely rely on competition to beat down all kinds of
factitious checks to extortion. Difficulties which
to the manufacturer or merchant seem insuper-
able, are speedily surmounted in presence of a rival.
Economy is studied, improvements are made, price is
reduced, quality raised, until finally the fair reward
of the producer or vendor is sacertained. For a long
time this principle was relied on in London, as else-
where, to provide good and cheap gas. The Char-
tered Gas Company, the first of the Metropolitan
companies which obtained an act of parliament, was
incorporated in 1810 to light the cities of Louden
and Westminster, and the Borough of Southwark;
and the City of London Company, the next to be
incorporated, obtained powers to light exactly the
same districts. Bo of other new companies, although
formed in some outs to meet the wants of new dis-
tricts, they obtained Parliamentary power to light
streets and houses which had been previously as-
signed to former bodies. This competition has
not been without fruit. The price of gm has been
steadily lowered in London. In 1831 the Imperial
Gas Company was charging 13s. 6d.; in 1833, 12a;
in 1836, 10s.; in 1838, 9s. ; in 1844, 75.; and now
it is charging 4a. Bd. per 1,000 feet. Bat the direct
competition of Gas Companies in the same district is
certain speedily to attain its limit and thence-
forward to diminish until its principle is altogether
superseded by that of a community of interests. The
institution of a new Company to correct the abuses
of the old one is a remedy which cannot be often
applied. Even if the probable demand is each as to
justify the outlay involved in as additional set of
mains and new works, the streets cannot receive an
indefinite number of pipes. The practical limit is'
soon reached, and then, if not before, coalition
begins. The London and the Equitable Companies,
each of which was founded as a competitor of the
Chartered Gas Company to supply the West-end
parishes, were seeking to amalgamate in 1860, and
endeavouring to obtain an Act which would
have put an end to competition in their
common district. A joint-stock Company,
the Western Gas Light Company, was permitted, as
a competitor with these monopolists, to lay down its
pipes, although it had no parliamentary powers.
Lea year even this Company appeared as the leader,
of a grand combined movement, with the object
of establishing a more comprehensive monopoly than
the metropolis had before seen. In 1849 the discon-
tent against the two Companies which supplied
Southwark was so great that, aa the result of a
public movement, the Surrey Gas Consumers' Caw
puny was formed, and the price of gas was reduced
from tie. to 4.. per 1,000 feet. Two years after;
wards the new Company and the old come to an
arrangement, not only pat an end to competitioo, but
divided the district between them, each agreeing set
to supply gas to the customers of the other, of course
raising the price of the article. In 1537 the various
Gas Companies appear to have considered that the
time had come w hen merely partialcumbination should
be superseded by a general arrangement in the in.
tenet of the proprietors of Gaa shares. Negotiations
took place between the various Companies on the
north aide of the river for a reappropriation of dis-
tricts, of which the withdrawal of certain
companies whom competition had existed was
to be one of the results. They were cooductsd
to a successful termination, and the conse-
,,...r.ces soon became apparent to the public.
I -.par,.es re fused to tender for the public lighting
of ~.•ries in which they had formerly been comps-
titor•. and the vestries were left to make such terms
as th. y could auto those to whom the monopoly had
been abindoutd. Richer terms were demanded far
lighting stret• lamps. Private consumers were
required to submit to new and arbitrary terms of
supply, or to have their gas cut WE By new revs,
lations respecting meters, deposits of money se
security for payment, payment of arrears deo by
former tenants, and other vexatious and aphasiac's-
like conditions, the householder was made to feel
that ha was Do low a free pp/chaser of gas 31 the

market, bet the halplese victim' et a powertal sad
kreepasible &societies.

It is too late, even if it were worth while, to com-
plain that the old gourantee of fair treatment for
the Om Consumer is gone. Competition, which left
the gas companies in the position of tradesmen
striving who should win most custom by producing
the best article was a geed thing while it was possible •
' but it hes disappeared, and cannot in this case be
restored, at least net in its old form. Were the
arrangements for supplying London with gas to
make anew, it might be wise to °lnsider the plan
of competition for the field which Mr. EDWIN
CLAIM lux has recommended asapplicable to all mass
where competition in the field is undesirable or illl-
- The plant required for distributing the
gas might be the property of the public, and the
privilege of supplying gas aught be entrusted
to contractors, under proper guarantees, for terms
not too long to exempt them from responsibility to
the representatives of the public. The practical
question, however, now is how to provide those
securities for the consumers' interest which com-
petition has heretofore more or less supplied. The
delegates of the metropolitan vestries have under.
taken to answer it. They say truly, in the words of
Mr. BIAL, " The existing Om Companies having
" obtained their Acts of Parliament on the distinct
" basis of competition, and having, without the sane-
, " tion of Parliament, by a mere private compact
" amongst themselves, removed the competing basis
I" and divided the metropolis into districts, the light-
-1 e mg of which is confided to one company, we most
" now demand the enactment of such re-
"striations against the abuse of the power as Puha-
" meat inserts in all provincial acts establishing a
monopoly to light a district, and such as it cer-
" tautly would have imposed could this newly created
" monopoly have bean foreseen." It is impossible to
deny the reasonableness of this requirement. What
those restrictions should be we most further examine.