The Express.
London, England, 1868-01-07 00:00:00

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LONDON, TUESDAY EVINIIKI, JANUARY 7. 1868. DITAMPID, 14. AIIDITIOILIMO [TWOPENCE I
SHE LO GAB MONOPOL r. THE BRITISH unirairPAßN AT THE PARIS
•---
` din meeting was held in .—.4—.—.
' the
___,_ee etelett! A soiree was held yesterday evening at the
' elliee"___,2 who Cavendish Booms, Mortimeretreet, under the presidency of
Nirtna em,re'''• `4:, Mr. Outs, of the South Kensington Museum. The object
‘71.7,'"J'e_,,,_1 `• wee the presentation of an whine, to Mr. H. Pratt, the 1 i
,"•••.,„.,; ". ''''7'_,; vioe.president of the Paris Excursion Committee, from ,
li
*" `'"wommed; ea",: the workmen and others who bad availed themselves of
411
, ~7 the arrangements of the committee far the purpose of a
416
~Pa t_,..."'" visit to the Peri, Exhibition. Besides the chairman there
"" gu """ were present Mr. M. Pratt,D.Mesers. H. and C. Hoare Pat.
tenon Oliver, Howell,
,Hasebien, ha The eddies; bore
°l4arawri„,, ~..: 1,000 'signatures, of which 108 wire from the factory of
—""•'...., Items. Broadwood„ and 120 signatures from Yorkshire
'''''",. also testified approbation of the address, which was pre-
-1: meted in • handsome album. The address recounted the
difficulties which the committee had bad to encounter, all , 1
of which were surmounted mainly through the exertions
if Mr. Pratt. It concluded with a warm expression of
'sake to that gentleman.
'he address, having detailed the history of the Paris
erion Committee and the laboarsOf Mr.
_Pratt, pro-
to
to date that the committee had caused the erect
series of wooden houses close to the Exhibition,
...iodation in which, together with the fare from
t back, 30s. was charged to the workmen, 10s.
id for a mooed week. Under the saviors
`tee the artisans visited several French I ,
of which they were treated with the
5601"11"46., and of theThs."6"."."l"llßritish artisans visit- *'..—
- —....."‘"
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' number of British workmen who . I ''
A guarantee fund had been este. I I
if the committee, and it would i ,
be guarantors for a small quota I
tddime concluded with an ex.
'miry Hoare for having ad.
the committee. , ,
imervations on the ad. , 4
'rived from the visit of
\ad been taunted, he
'spews) of 100.000 f.
NW that if that : I
'tit of the work-
ieedingly well
the immense r t.
l workmen .
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IRELAND.

)IIDON GAB MONOPOLY.
Yesterday evening a public meeting wan held in
the lower ball, Exeter-hall, for the ' as stated hi
the advertisement, ed yelltficres peAhoent spied the
*dens gm bills promoted by the thirteen minpanias who
ara seekleg to create • perpetual mooopoly in gas ; of
sewing good gasat 25.9-d. per 1,000 athletes* ;of obtain-
inig the repeal al the Amalgamation AA of 1800 ; and el
petitioning =lament ia favour of the bill ramro
atd by
i
the of London to supply 18. ft gaa 3s.
per 1, feet, instead at the idswrefeth it le pa now
charged at the rate of 4s. per 1,009 feet.
Mr. H. Orme, daimon of the London Gas Canumers`
Armistice, on being galled upon to preside, stated that
he had already attended several meetings at this subject,
but it would be seapnary to hold many more before the
public could be successful in resisting the encroachments
of the tow pram who enjoyed the monopoly of the sue-
ply of gas to the metropolis. The promoters of this
sareeneat had no interim of interfering with
the vested rights of shareholders In
gas cam=
He believed that the groat majority of the existing
of shares had purcheassi at a gnat reduction once the
period when gas compares were in difficulties, end that a
three yews' dividend at the rote of 10 par cont. would
folly compensate them for all that they had paid. But it
was not proposed to go to that extent. The remoter of
this movement would be quite content to capitalise the
rights and interests of existing shareholder accoreng
the Interest derived by them at the present time Not
golf wee the enneettlin defiling aa *mire profit.
'deigns consumers of the country. bet the consumption of
pa was so increasing that the capital invested would be
virtually doubled in 10 years, and that which warn pro-
ducing • taxation of half a million beyond the honest
*re of the pa would he producing • taxation of en*
million. In Manchester pa was supplied at Is. 2d. per
thousand feet, with an illuminating power double that
of the London gas, and there remained a profit of 48,0001.
which went to the reduction of local taxation. (Cheers.)
So that in London, where the population *a ten times
that of Manchester, • saving might be effected of nearly
half a million. (Hear, hear.) During the period of com-
petition which existed up to fifteen years ago the
public, for the advantage they gained, had to submit
to the inconvenience of having the streets cosnantly
broken up, sad then from 1850 to 1857 the prindpho of
conspiracy prevailed, and the apportioning out of Lorin
into districts was confirmed anti substantiated by the ad
of 1850, which, however, impend upon the pa companies I
certain condition', one of which wan that they should not
go
divide more than 10 er oent. but th any brancis
to aranue feed, op at of which theyit wan enabled should•tory a
dividend of 10 per cent. for the six years antecedent to that
time. Several committees of, the Hors of Commons had
sat upon this subject, and there were now three bills about
to be brought before parliament, with reference to which
the meeting would be called upon to express a decided
opinion. By the Metropolis Gas Bill of led pillion the
Bond of Trade reposed that at Is. sd. • thousand feet
the companies might pay a dividend of 7 per cent., with
an increase of dividend in proportion to the decrease in the
price of pa, but that was retard, and the thir-
teen companies were now intending to introduce
• bill which, is all in emintial classes, was in direct op-
position to the ex opinion of the committee of last
year, the proposal being that they should have six months
for deliberation to propose • scheme for the regulation of
the amalgamated companies, with the alternatives that a
commission should be appointed for theire, or that
matters should remain in gets quo. He the meeting
to oppose this bill is a measure which w aggravate the
evils of the existing monopoly.
Mr. G. FUSTOrr, C. 1., said that, when 20 years ago
be was proposing before a provincial audience • scheme
for cheap gas, and told his hearer that gas could be sold
for 3a. per 1,000 ours feet, he woe looked upon as • madman
or a fool ; but years had rolled on, and hundreds of towns
now obtained gas at that rate. (Cheers.) And he believed
that 20 years hence gas of nearly double the Illuminating
power of the present supply would be sold in the metro-
polis, not for Is., but for ie. per 1,000 cubic feet. (Re-
newed chum.) The gas 'mammal in the metropolis
[ annually met 1,754,620!., and the ratio of increase wan
we-fifth in every two years. The quantity of gas sold
in 18,93 was 8,500,000,000
inncbic feet, and as this
resumption doubled ones about eight and a half
years, no pipe that wadi ever yet, manufactured
wield be large enough tic:otos the gas whir% would be re-
fer the metro • in 30 or 40 years' time. In
elderpor the consumption had doubled in 6l years, the
reason for the greater rate of isomer there being that gas
ef doodle the illuminating power of that provided for
London was supplied at Is. per 1,000 cubic feet. Been
stub high prim and bad gas the consumption of gas in
1874, calculating at the present ratio of increase, would be
16,417,000,000 feet ; in 1886, 34,334,000,000 feet ; and in
1893, 91,667,000,000 feet, or ten times the present con-
empties ; but if gas were sent into the hour of the poor
r well se the rich, the consumption would be almost in-
salooloble. Supposing the price were reduced to 2s. per
thousand, the gas of the metropolis would cost in 27 years
9,166,7001. This was the great question of the day—the
water question was nothing to it—and he urged that
thelead of leaving the supply in the hands of irresponsible
ponces, it should be placed under a local board, to be
suited from year to year. (Hear, hear.) The saving in
the cost of management and pensions, and the lower rate [
of interest at which money could be borrowed, would allow
of such a reduction is the prior, that It need not be dearer
in London than is was at Walsall, where the price was
from 2a. 2d. toga. MI per thousand feet. The companies
did not act in their own interest when they maintained the
present prices, because all experience proved that low prima
would greatly Woman the consumption, and would double
and tredde the profits of the produce's. le the 204 trees
where the battle had beesfght. and the comes hod
bra compelled to giro the trade had sopani increased
that in no instance bail the profits been lees than they
WIN before. A ton of coal produced 9,200 feet of gas, and
when the gam bad bees extracted there would be left a
diadem of coke, 10 gallons of tar, sad 10 gallons of am-
our water, which would fetch altogether 12s. lid. a ton,
se that taking the price of coal at lye. rid. a ton, which was
a high estimate, the cost of the raw material for 9,000
feet of pa would be 3a., sad the coat of the fuel would be
a fraction under 9d. And there never could be any ma-
terial variation consequent upon the difference in the
piss of coal, because when coal was dear, ooke became
dear also, and the difference in the price of labour in
London as oomporad with provincial towns could not be
[ more than • penny or threelalfpenos per thousand cubic
feet. The Corporation of London had come forward in
I the most open, strailthderward manner to fight the battle
which the local authorities, outside the City had not the
(feeds to engage in, and he hoped that the move-
ire thus set on foot would be supported by
thieves mass of the gas consumers of the me-
t • (Cheers.) He concluded
hat the bill now in ours of promotion by
meat of tby the thirteen pa companies the metropo • for
their analpunatiou and future management, is a pleasure
circulated to velveteen and extend the operation of • per-
, minus monopoly la the trade of gas making, which imposes
• burtheesenie tax upon the community, and that as such
It ought to meet with the most *rums opposed's of gas
1100MIONAS and the public at large."
[ Mr. LOLL seconded the resolution.
Mr. W. DAIL who described himself as a gaefitter, de-
sired that Mr. Fliatoff had not correctly stated the facts
of the ease, and, imbed, knew nothing shoat the question.
He expressed himself reedy to prove his stateinwels, but east
with great interruption, and ultimately, open an appeal
from as chairman, the meeting declined to bear hire.
A gentleman in the body of the ball doubted whether
thou warn leint en the part of the London cou-
nt**. ant 12 lights, which did nee eoet men than
si nos a week each.. end he row thee at Limited* Bs.
• feet, and in Hertford 6e. a times* was the
Dl r. a larrooneoMinnier ill the district supplied by
the Chartered Gas pry, mid he had bad roars to
econplain of the Warier goal* et his gne, aid • prom
who cense to him from the compay had told him that
they had received no leis than 70 lotion of complaint the
eine ming. (Cheers.
Theine resslullsa was carr
ied unanimously.
It was also nerved, oit the motion of Kr. Leers,
secooded by Mr. BWADT :—" Thai the Corporation of the
City el Load*, le manna forward with • bill to enable
thwe to supply gm of a *perk" quality to that now pro-
vided by the Illeiropelltaa eempanies at a considerably
lower prim, re sham wirenally In a reduction equivalent
to upwards of 40 per ant., have Silken • 11,11 p in the right
direction, sod set an example, the principled which might
to he followed by the load authorities Omagh** the
btu wusi essaplinent wee then rased to the theinean,
and the meeting sewer&

A soiree was held yesterday evening at the
Cavendish Rooms, Mortimer-street, ander the presidency of
Mr. Outs, of the South Kensington Museum. The object
wan the presentation of an addrese to Mr. H. Pratt, the
vies-president of the Paris Excursion Committee, from
the workmen and other who had availed themselves of
the arrangements of the committee far the purpose of a
visit to the Pans Exhibition. Besides the chairman there
were present Mr. H. Pratt, Mears. H. and C. Hoare, Pat-
hos)°, Oliver, Howell, Hamblen, ha. The address bore
1,000 signatures, of which 108 were from the factory of
Messrs. Broadwood, and 120 signatures from Yorkshire
also testified approbation of the address, which war pre-
sented in a handsome album. The address recounted the
diffioulties which the committee had bad to encounter, all
of which were surmounted mainly through the exertions
of Mr. Pratt. It concluded with a warm expression of
thanks to that gentleman.
The address, having detailed the history of the Pula
Excursion Committee and the laboarepf Mr. Pratt, pro-
ceeded to state that the committee ha caused the e-
tion of a series of wooden homes close to the Exhibition,
for accommodation in which, together with the fare from
London and back, 30e. was charged to the workmen, 10e.
more to be paid for a second week. Under the auspice'
of the committee the artisans visited several French
in all of which they were treated with the

utmost Courtesy and DORIMISMR/1.-Fams
rectorial visited was 550, and of the British artisans visit-
ing, 700. The total number of British workmen who
visited Paris was 3,200. A guarantee fund had been esta-
blished for the purpoes of the committee, and it would
be necessary to call on the guarantors for a smell quote
towards the expenses. The addriw concluded with an ex-
pression of thanks to Mr. Henry Hoare for having ad-
vanced 400/. for the purposes of the committee.
The CHAIRMAN made a few observations on the lid-
vantages which this country had derived from the visit of
the British workmen to Paris. He had been taunted, he
said, for having put the country to an expense of 100.000/.
for the Paris Ethibition, but he contended that if that
money had had no other return but this visit of the work-
men to Paris the money would have been exceedingly well
spent That visit had opened their eyes to the immense
advance which was being made by continental workmen
in all the useful arse. In conclusion he called upon the
meeting to endorse the committees address to Mr. Pratt.
Mr. TARRSON read the address, and begged to endorse
every word of it from his own personal knowledge and ex-
perience.
Mr. HOWARD seconded the address, and bore warm tea.
timony to the advantages which he amongst other English
working men bad derived from the labours of the excur-
sion committee. He should primer es long as he lived
pleasant recollections of his visit to Paris. He had learnt
there that they had much to learn from the French work-
men. The Frenchman went all for beauty, the Englishman
for solidity, and each had therefore something to learn
from the other. He believed that the Peace Society could
not have desired any better precaution against war than
the visit of the British workmen to Parks (Cheers.)
Mr. HRIBERT supported the address, which was pre.
seated to Mr. Pratt. That gentleman returned thanks,
and expressed his acknowledgments to Mr. Henry Hoare
and his friends for the guarantee feed, without which the
objects of the committee could never have been carried
out.
Shortly after the conclusion of Mr. Pratt's observations
the proceedings terminated with a vote of thanks to the
chairman.

Mrs. Yelverton (or Miss Longworth) has raised a
new action in the Edinburgh Court of Session for the
purpose of setting aside the judgments in the former liti-
gations in the Scotch courts in the House of Lords. The
point upon which she relies is that the Scotch courts bad
nojuriscliation to pronounce their judgment, Major Tel-
vadat having never had a Scotch domicile.
DEATH or Ma. J. BIRD' THE CORONIIR.—EarIy
yesterday morning Mr. James Bird, the Coroner for the
Western Division of Middlesex, died rather suddenly at his
residence. Pbosnit-lodge, Brook-green, Hammersmith.
The deceased gentleman had been prominently before the
public fora number of years, and besidespossessing a lucra-
tive practice as a solicitor, he was clerk to the Assessed
Tea lbsonadesioners for the Kensington district.
THE LATE FENIAN TRIALS AT BIANCHESTIR.—
At the Salford Quarter Sessions held yesterday the
county magistrate. unanimously pared a vote of thanks
to Mr. H. 1.. Trafford, chairman of Quarter Storms, for
his admirable management of the arrangements necessary
few safely escorting the Fenian prisoners backwards and
forwards between the New Bailey prison and the assize
marts during the sixteen days over which the trials ex-
tended.
THE TRAINING SHIP CHicitawrlE. On Thursday
last, at the New Year's dinngiven to the boys and girls
of the Refuge for Homeless Destitu Children -Mr.
the secretary, announced that the &nth
Eastern Railway Company had, at the request of the com-
mittee, agreed to take the friends of the Chichest3r boys
to Greenhithe and bask, yesterday, foe is. tid., in order to
visit the vessel. Some of the boys said their parents or
friends were in the workhouse, and could nut pay the fare,
low as it was, and in these cases Mr. William' promised to
defray the expense of the railway. Accordingly, yester-
day morning, notwithstanding the inclemency of the
weather, many of the friends of the boy. assenibled at the
Charing:cross and Cannon-street stations, and proceeded to
Greenblatt' by the train which leaves Charing-cross at
11. W. a.m. When they orrived at Greenhithe they were
eenveyed to the Chichester in boats manned by the lads,
and were treated to an excellent dinner and tea. The
visitors left the ship in the evening grateful for the hospi-
tality extended to them and thankful for the refuge
given to their once almost lost young relatives.
MYSTERIOUS DEATH.—On Sunday afternoon the
body of Mr. John Sarah, of Plympton, was found in the
water at the higher part of the river Lairs, between the
grounds immediately adjacent to Saltram-house and the
railway bridge of the South Devon Railway crossing the
Lairs. Mr. Sarah has been for many years uuder steward
to the Earl of Morley, managing the Saltretu property,
sad was much respected in the surrounding district. He
resided at Merrifield Farm between Underwood sod the
fieltram-house grounds, and was seen about ten o'clock
on Sunday morning proceeding along the Lairs embank-
ment on the Satre= side, apparently returning from Ply.
mouth to his own residence. He was over sixty rare of
age, and unmarried. The rent audit of the Sal
pro-
perty was to come off on Wednesday next. Various
rumours are afloat as to the sons of the decreed's death,
but none of those which suggest any other cause than pure
accident appear to have any reliable foundation. At seve-
ral points the broad footpath passing through Salaam
Woods immediately abuts on cliffs of from fourteen to
twenty feet overhanging the water. Neither of these
places, however, could apparently be considered den-
, germs, except to children or persons unacquainted
with the grounds paring along in the dark.-- Western
'Weenies News.
NOTHING Nzw.—Although most of the ancient
Greek Unite of simplicity have been tnuisferred in modern
times to Irishmen, the Scots have come in for a share, not
only taking the joke, but naming a Scottish individual ss
the lore of it. One of the ancient stories in Hierociee is
thus ■ppiepriated in the north :—" Duncan M'Oirder
wanted to ass his mars, by degrees, to live withoutroost,
and jest as be had pet her on • straw a day, the poor thing
died." This is the Hier:des story which was appro.
priMed and made a fable of by the writer who is known to
us as „Eels, and which has been transplanted into every
country in the world. There would really seem to be nothing
new; tramways are found inThebes and Memphis ; the bal-
loon files in idea through many a classical story ; the tele-
graph, under another form, embed intelligence from one
district to another of the ancient world ; and even our
choicest classical traditions have various home.. When
Europeans first arrived among the New Zealanders, they
found Hero and Leander a local legend, with the slight
difference that it was the lady who dashed through the
flood to meet the dusky lover, who quietly held the lamp
to guide her to the tsysting-plase.—Argosy for January.
AWKWARD PaenEs.—We most of us, know
what are at a dinner take ; the silent influence
indsadseems, somese, to set almost like • spell. Every-
body wants to Week it, but nobody ass sauteed in
so ;or almost do, it is m 4 for a Whenshort ginned
with is immediate Mame. some one gifted
with extraordinary nerve dens to make • remark the
tbs
midst of one of urns awful pets.. what a mead= there
is ! All the members of that afDicted compeny look up
eagerly they sash at the new subject, as the ducks do at
a morsel of roil when it is throws into their pond. They
ranee upon it, tear it into little bits, which each cantle
off with him and makes the most of in his own corner.
And then! to centime tier simile, just se lt sometimes
happens that the object sast tate the deck-pond is nee •
pinye of bread, but a screw of paper, or • cork, or some
ether worthless object *sown in by • bystander out of
sera idleness, and from whisk *be duke turn :iirreazali;
disgust, so it is very cam with tits subject so
upon by these famished guests. It turns out not to
rubalebijoct really, to be • mere noticing when isted
closely, and is, preslatis thrown aids as unavail—
Corakiii Mammas ter January.
[Advertiesinental—wsHOLLOW•w'S PILLS. The
°roo Wander ad Thms.-May correct tiliewesest.
moativ=meo litMeir,tho quire,
wpm=
intents the areas, and/Meisel IM week. 'Die &mend tor
Ow thaeuttoot alshe oubuthhes *retyped,.
dim thit *lto lise hihileit steel to Hollos
sormogios Iliessmoloblevlithowelselastol to the homole •
They sre Weed a leitketftM sliktett. aud a
bewh te=
who war ben ory sur.liderhe cot extitnal. Mkt
Wien ot Nook assE ter SININPIPINSS vimovel at vishot
mistier frost the se. loom aid lholt gent% sake es the
bowels, are the woes el the motive powers of Hollowly's OW

-----
DWI( os PIZ)INDAILY BLAND. The death is
easeesoold of the Rat Lies Slam& • ammo withal fee a
leaft sateswien of yews pest Mt brae • hetweloill wed at
Otaktitidge. Ile was edaoeAlii with Atleatawirritit, the
poieseuetagiclogy, Swittetak theltool, MM ►ant-
waded to St.
isJolua' Whim Ostelmilae, wham
they orwasseed midtown Mit fit. Sinai toot his
Sti dame itt 1808, when he wee mooed yowler. Mt
Ilithassteth, afterwe Lord le .10. Wes the seder
lIIIIMOshr of the year. Mt. Ihtte theme& lilatio
lei lawita, the think Mt. Sodswiek the SAL la tie
was yam ha yea shied • Pailew .1 St Jells% awl is
INS awa tact ariterat tetw. la 1112 S be
* wiles al Lam raw Ulm. whisk le=
,^to the thee al ewer la ISIS be wee yosesiblat lay
DithoLlaw to • arabeeSel maR Welh thahabet
ins • NAMaI 8/1141161, the Seises of A
, it
mai Nammamistwiar the
wake of wawa teetittwaiitak sad viola
Sijs hest katataitack is "Skate
ClatWirat PAWL Oms Day...
3111MDAY. JAL ca payatest, 1,761 ;
alb by mum *hate, 1,017 ; told Athos. ;778.