The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-09-19 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE GAS AND WATER TIMES.

Sir,—l have no doubt the enquiry instituted by the spe-
cial gas committee of the corporation of Liverpool into
the state of the meters manufactured and supplied by the
gas company, and my report thereon, will be still fresh in
the recollection of your readers.
I now think it incumbent upon ma to make some fur-
ther observations in connection therewith. This I shou'd
not have done had not the gas company denied the accu-
racy of my statements, in their reply to the report of the
special committee in ecember last.
It is stated on page 9of the company's reply, that the
directors cannot admit the correctness of the charge that
the examination of the meters had been neglected by their
officers, although my examination proved the meters to
be seriously overcharged with water, and this by the
company's officers, or by the consumers at the request of
those officials. _ _

I have now before Tine the balance sheet of the gas
company for the year ending Juna 30, 1856, and I find
this important fact stated, "that the rental of the com-
pany for this year as compared with the last, has fallen
off to the extent of £3,381," and this too, be it remem-
bered, with an increase of consumers ; for in the report
these significant words occur—" The directors submit to
the proprietors their report of the affairs of the financial
year ending the 30th June last, and it is satisfactory to
them that they are enabled to state that the business of
the company has increased to some extent during ,the

year."

Now, it will be observed that in the year 1855 there
was an increase upon the former year of £3,900, and this
with a reduction of 6d per 1,000 on the first six months of
the year. It is only fair. therefore, to conclude (things
having gone on so well and smoothly) that the increase
of the year 1856 ought not to be less than the former year.
The gas consumers of Liverpool are, therefore, much in-
debted to that special committee for their great exertion
in saving them at least 87,000; and I have not the least
doubt in my mind that those consumers who have gained
any information by that investigation will not in
future allow their meters to be filled above the proper
level. Indeed, I think, if some of the meters
were now to be opened, they would form an amusing con-
trast with regard to the indications of the water-line of
this time last year, and the only cause of a reduced rental,
(and not the pressure of an income tax, the pressure the
Liverpool gas consumers so justly complained of,)was to he
found in their meters being charged with water ; for it is
clear that they had less to complain of in 1854, when gas
was 4s 63 per 1,000 cubic feet less than in 1855, when it
was reduced to 43. But the gas consumers of Liverpool
must not lose sight of this fact, that in this year (1855) the
Liverpool United Gas Company also became a water
company, and the consumers. were charged with water
measured instead of gas. lam now glad to find that the
company, in order to let things go on smoothly, have to
some extent abandoned some of this trade ; and •I hope
they will also see the necessity of :giving up the meter-
making monopoly, and allow free competition. Were it
not for parties interested in their manufacture, this would
have been done long since.
I cannot but observe that it is not a little gratifying to
me to see that in less than twelve months the Liverpool
Gas Company should folly corroborate my report.

FREDERICK ADOLPHUS TAUNTON.
London, September 2, 1856.

ROYAL INVALIDS.--A letter from Berlin states that
Prince Arialbert of Prussia is not yet able to walk, and
on arriving at that city he had to be conveyed to his own
After the marriage cf the

sedan-chair

enco in a

Grand Duke of Baden with the Princess Louisa, the Prince
intends going to his palace at ErdmannsdorLf, in Silesia, to
remain until he shall be completely cured,