The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-05-22 00:00:00

IRISH PAPERS.

-The fArl of DARNl.Einoled.f.;; certain returns relative to'
Ireland, and amongst them, for a document respecting the Derry
CathedraL The Noble Karl, being then .m his legs, took the op-
portunity of oengratulating their hon'ships en the appointment ni
the Com:nines to inquire into the nature of the disturbances in
districts under the operation of the Insurrection Act. lie was of
opinion that-It would do mach good.—The Returns were ordered.

•
OItitIZIMI. GAS LIGIIT CMIP.LNV BILL.
Earl HAREW(B/D presented a petition form a place, the name
of which we could not hear, praying that the General Gas Light
Company's Rill may not name into • Law.
The Ladd ROtsSfeliN presented similar petitions front the Gas
Light (kip ponies of Worcester and Wolverhampton, which were
severally laid on the table.
On the egad reading of the General Gu Light Company being
moved,—
The Earl of LAIIDERDA LE proposed an amendment, that
instead of its being then read a second time, it should be read a
second time that day six months. The Noble Earl observed, that
there was Audi, any !own that had heard of the progress of this Bill
through their Lordah pa' House, that had itat petitioned swinge it.
lie thought It could not he necessary to "hew their Lordship' the
impolley, upon general prineiples, of granting charters to corpora-
tions foe the purposes of trading; but respecting the. measuute he
had specific objections to *. , independent of the general feeling lie en-
tertained against chartered companies. The object of the projectors
of this bill, es well as dust all others similarly situated, was to
get a good aterest for their capital, and on that account it behoved
their Lordships to WA with peculiar jealousy to their proposal.
This comparty,so anxious were they to make good interest of their
money, ?equated to be pail for lightinr the streets, when it 13113
nOtOrOtill that all local core panics lighted the streets gratis, ex-
pecting to be paid sufficiettly for the employment of their capital
by lighting the shops. He entreated of their Ironishipa to reflect
that by this 11111 the subscribers were not obliged to advance •
adnN before the extraordinary powers that the WICIIMITC contem-
plated were given to them; and when they h id gut thew powers they
small go to the Stostk Exchange and sell their shares at six and
tares per rent. profit. The proper mode, in his opinion, was to
allow those interested in lighting a town with gas to be clod con-
Merton. The Noble Earl concluded by moving that the 11111 be
rtid a second time that day six months.
The Earl of LI31I;Itll.K oh .uurved„ that this Bill had been in.
uoductd to the consideration of the other House tit' Parliament so
early as February, and no opposition was made to it, neither was
any petition presented against it. He slenied that this Bill catuld
interfere with other Companies. or act as a monopoly. 'rite clause
that :tad been so much objected to, relative to the liability
.21 the
Company to be suet fir debts, he would propose to be altered, so
as to make the Company responsible for debts, like any other char-
ter:sr Corpotat ion. The projectors of this measure were also ready
to exempt soy town from the operation of the Bill, which should
feel itself aggrieved by it. Ile did nut think that any strong ob.
jct.:ion had been made to the principle of the Bill, and he hoped'
their Lordships stoul4l let it go into a (011111Ottee.
The Earl of ROSS'S N could not see the prudence or rap e-
dieacy of encouraging Joint Stock Compar.ier, excepting in ex-
[tuna:tory and special cases. Ile particularly subjected to that
dense which compelled executors to pay up the balance of sub.
scriptiona due from deceased persons, before they paid any other
debt, and even to the pr, jt dice of the heir. Ile did not like the
mode proposed In the Bill as to suing tor debts. The Company
would be empowered to levy • distress for debts, as landlords sued
their tenants, which he thought a highly objectionable clause.
The Ead of LIMERICK explained.
fhe IAMill) CHA NC ELIA flt quitted the Woolsack, and said
Ice thought a more objectionable Iltll could not he intrisl.tced to
their Lordship: notice; and that it wax considered so by the coun-
try was proved by the number of petitions presented against it.
There was a practice gaining ground, which he thought called
loudly far legislative prohibition. Persons were in the habit of go.
tag about this town I . get incorporated charters; and their object
was to oiler shares of them for sale before they hail any character
or stability, making a bubble to serve their own purpose. lie had
his iloubts whether It would not be right for Parliament to make
hull and void such contracts, sad prevent them from taking place
in future. The present Bill was alit sweeping nature, for its ope-
ration was to extend to all pans of the kingdom excepting bon-
Jon and places ten miles mood it, and the two Universities,. It
had been said that this measure had passed the other !louse of Par.
haunt without opposition, or without a petition being presented
against it. That was certainly extisionlinary, for the uonuent the
BM got into their Lordships Howse, the table was covered with
petitions against it. He would particularly call their Lordship:
at:anion to one clause, that very magnificently stated the capital
WAS cut to exued • million, hut whether the Company was to pos-
ausse one farthing capital, neither this nor any other claitse in the
Goll informal their Lordships ; hue it could nowhere be timn.l that
any quantity of capital must be invested. It was true there were
siseriptisen papers handed about, with the names of subscribers
or one side, and the sums they subscribed on the other; but their
Lordships would recollect that subscription and payment were
two very different things. to laugh.) The clause which ren-
dered it obligatory on executors to pay the balance of sub-
ecriptions of persona deceased, who had entrusted them with
cared their property, was to his mind moat injurious and un-
just. All the creditors of the deceased, and even his heir. was to
be prejudiced for the beetle of this incurporation. Ile did not
approve of the mode proposed for any injury the 'onipany might
exne.nice from individuals. They were not to be taken before a
Dlagistrate, but the persona were to be involved in total darkness,
which was not only injurious to them, but to the public. The way
in which the l ompany were to be sued was highly ob.!ce-
tionabls. Their creditor, would have • riot .t of distress twin
the:r property ; and should any of their Lordships ever become
creditors of this Incorporation, he believed the plan prof-used for
the recovery of the debt would distress then more than the legal
peaces" would distress their debtors i for they could levy a distress
oil) against their garsimeters, portable and inflammable air, and
serparatue of that description. But then it was said, Oh, hut the
subscriber see liable to the amount of their subscriptions." But
be would ask how could execution be taken against the subscriptions.
It was many years before he ventured to propeme to their Lordships,
land he took credit to himself for having proposed it,i that these
joer.t stock companies should sue and be sued by their treasurers.
But If the treasurer of this new corporation amulet have no treasure,
east could be done ? There ought to be a retool of the names of
all th.: suireceibera, and they should be individually liable. In fu
sure. whenever Parliament empowered the Crown to Inert' these
join stock owtspanies, it should take care that they were made for
the benefit and not to the detriment of the public. It was • most
hoportant question, whether these joint stock companies were for
t!ur Ira exit of the public or not; and coasequently, whether they
au.glit to he created ? In particular rues they might be fur the in.
ter: ss. tit the public ; but iefinite care should be taken that these
c etiolation* were not instituted to the ruin of individuals. It was
t .r their Lordships to say whether the Bill could be so improved in
the Committee as to be a fit Bill to pass, or whether it must be sent
Lack to the projectors, to be by them so altered as to make it, on a
future occasion, a feasible measure. 1
The question was then put on Lord Lauderdale's amendment,
wlioth W 33 carried without a division. The Bill was in consequence
hue.