The Sun.
London, England, 1864-12-07 00:00:00

THE GIS SUPPLY TO THE CITY

Mr Diw, the principal clerk, laid before the Court a me-
morial from the inhabitants of the Ward of Cripplegate
Without, in which they stated that they felt themselves
aggrieved by the impure quality, deficient quantity, and
high price of the gas now supplied to the city of London,
which was inconsistent with the economical and improved
method now used in the manufacture of gas. The memo-
rialists prayed that the Commissioners of Sewers would take
such steps as might be deemed advisable to relieve the in-
habitants from the injurious monopoly under whioh they at
present suffered, in order that the supply might be in-
creased, the price lowered, and the quality improved.
The memorial contained the signatures of 199 inhabi-
tants of the ward.

Mr PICKERING, a member of the deputation which at-
tended in support of the petition, said the subject of the gas
supply was one that had been well ventilated throughout the
City, and that they did not intend upon that occasion to do
more than band in the petition, and leave the matter with
confidence in the hands of the Commissioners.

Deputy FARRAR asked the members of tho deputation
whether they could suggest any mode by which the Court
could accomplish the object they had in view.
Mr PICKERING said the memorial was presented with the
object of strengthening the hands of the Court in any steps
they might think it advisable to take, rather than to make
any suggestions to them. He apprehended that suggestions
could only be made by persons possessing a practical engi-
neering knowledge of the gas question, which could not be
expected from the petitioners. It was well known through-
out the City that the supply of gas was most unsatisfactory,
and Ma 11,110.111r7Oliafo 4„ .„k them to
obtain relief by application to Parliament or otherwise.

On the motion of Deputy READ, seconded by Mr H.
NIND, the memorial was referred to the special gas come
mitten to consider and report.

QUARTERLY REPORT ON THE GAS SUPPLY.

Dr LETHEBY laid before the Court the following report
on the quality of the gas supplied to the city of London for
the quarter ending Saturday, Nov. 26, 1864 :
" Gentlemen,—ln the course of the quarter 659 experi-
ments have been made on the illuminating power of the gas
supplied to the City by tho three companies, and in the case
of the City Company the average illuminating power was

13.62 standard sperm:candles; in that of the Chartered 12.89
candles; and in that of the Great Central, 13.33 candles. In
11 instances the gas of the Chartered Company was under
the requirements of the aot of Parliament, and in that of the
Great Central it was twice below the standard, while the
gas of the City Company had not in any instance been
less than the illuminating power of the act. Taking the
average of the illuminating power of the gas supplied to the
City by the Great Central Company and Chartered Com-
pany for ten years before the passing of the Metropolis Gas
Act, and bringing it up to the proportion which it would
have been had it been tested by the burner now in use, it
appears that the power of the Great Central gas was equal
to 14.47 standard sperm candles, and that of the Chartered
to 13'70. There has therefore been a great falling off in the
illuminating power of the gas since the passing of the Me-
tropolis Gas Act of 18G0.
"The chemical quality of the gas has been tested on 195
occasion, and the average amount of sulphur in the City
Company's gas has been 18.3 grains per 100 cubic feet : of
the Chartered Company 18.67, and of the Great Central
21.98 grains. Moreover, of the 65 occasions when the gas
of the City Company was tested, only four were above the
requirements of the act. In those of the Chartered there
were 17 occasions, and of the 65 occasions in the Great Cen-
tral there were 48 occasions, and the quantity of sulphur
ranged from 17 to 32 grains per 100 cubic feet.
(Signed) • "H. LETILERY,
Gas Analyst to the City of London."
It was decided that a copy of the above report should be
forwarded to each of the companies at present supplying
the City with gas.

STATZ OF THE PARISH CHURCH OP T. DIONIB. BACK

CH URCII.

The attention of our readers has upon two or three occa.
sions been drawn to the proceedings which have taken place
in reference to the repairs to the parish church of St, Dionis,
Backchurch, in Fenchurch-street, and the subject was
again to-day brought under the notice of the Court. Some
months since the district surveyor, J. Young, having
examined the structure reported that the north wall of the
church was in a dangerous state, and the Commissioners
issued the customary order upon the parochial officers to put
the same into a proper state of repair. A considerable
number of the inhabitants, however, entertained a contrary
opinion with regard to the state of the church, and have
contended that the expenditure contemplated, in order to
carry out the order of the commissioners, was unnecessary.
It was, however, decided at the meeting held a fortnight li
since that proceedings should be taken against the parochial
offinera to oufvace the carrying out of the order. The sum-
mons was heard before the Lord Mayor, when it was stated
by the district surveyor that he found a crack existed in the
north wall about seven feet from Lime-street, which he con-
sidered rendered the structure highly dangerous; acd added
further, that there was a hole there through which he could
run his arm. The Lord Mayor, after hearing the evidence,
ordered that the repairs should be executed within 14 days,
A numerous deputation of inhabitants of the parish at-
tended the meeting of the commissioners upon the subject.
The rector of the parish, the Rev. W. H. Lyell, M.A.,
on behalf of the congregation of the church, as well as him-
self, desired to state his opinion that the order of the Lord
Mayor ought at once to be carried out, and the repairs exe-
cuted without further delay.
Mr T. A. HANKEY, on behalf of the deputation from the
parishioners, complained that the rector had attended the
Court in opposition to them, without giving them notice
that he intended to do so. He went on to say that the inhabi-
tants as a body were opposed to the carrying out of the re-
pairs in question, believing them to be quite unnecessary.
The question was as to the state of the wall of the church,
and they had abundant evidence t) show that it was not of
a dangerous character, and that the summons had been
issued by the commission under an erroneous impression of
the circumstances of the case. The Court was therefore
asked to modify or suspend their order, so that all the cir-
cumstances might be clearly ascertained.
Mr SCOTT, an architect, having personally examined the
wall of the church, strongly denied the statement of the
district surveyor that there was a hole there through which
he could run his arm.
After a lengthened discussion it was resolved to postpone
the decision on the application until the next Court.
THE ACCOUNTS OF THE COMMISSION.
The CLERK laid on the table the commissioners' accounts
for the year ending at Michaelmas last, as audited by the
accountants appointed by the Court of Common Council.
It was decided to certify the same on the 20th inst.
The Treasurer's account 3 for the same period were referred
to the General Purposes Committee to examine and report.

SANATORY CONDITION OF THE CITY.
Dr LETHEBY presented the following report of the sana-
tory condition of the t ity :--
"Gentlemen,--The inspectors returns which are before
you relate to 265 houses that have been inspected during the
week, and I submit a list of 28 places for sanitary improve-
ment.
"The markets and slaughter-houses have been duly in-
spected, and the officers have condemned 2,0281bs of meat
as unfit for human food, most of which was in a diseased
condition, I have also to bring under your notice the fact
that on the 2d inst. two sheep and a calf, which had died
and had not been slaughtered, were condemned by Inspector
Wylde at Newgate-market, and from inquiries made it ap-
pears that the animals had died in the layers of the New
Cattle-market, and were dressed in the slaughter houses of
the market, and then sold to a jobbing butcher, Mr Hawks,
who brought the carcasses to market for sale. The car-
casses were brought to Guildhall, and were ordered to be
destroyed by Mr Alderman Waterlow. I have brought
these facts under your notice because it is an uncommon
thing for diseased meat to be dressed for human food in the
slaughter houses of the New Cattle-market, and then sent
to the City markets for sale as food; and I submit that the
case here referred to be placed in the hands of the solicitor
witlia view to further proceeding., and that a copy of this
report be sent to the authorities having control over the
business of the New Cattle-market, with a view of stop-
ping the source of supply of diseased meat to the City
markets.
"The mortality returns for the week show a large in-
crease of mortality as compared with the returns of the
preceding week, and also with the average number for the
corresponding period of the last nine years.
"Last week the number of deaths were 79, whereas the
number in the corresponding week of the last nine years is
67, and in that of the preceding week only 50. The excess
of deaths was chiefly among old persons, and was not due
to the existence of any preventible disease. The chief causes
of death were as follows :—Phthisis 6, bronchitis 11, mesen-
teric disease 2, hydrocephalus 2, continued fever 4, scarlet
fever 4, whooping cough 2, croup 1, and diarrhea 11, making
together 10 deaths from tubercular diseases, 11 from inflam-
matory affections of the lungs, and 12 from diseases of a
sxmotio character.

" I remain, Gentleman,
" Your obedient servant,
(Signed) " HENRY LETHEBY.
" Guildhall, Dec. 6, 1864."
The report of the medical officer was agreed to, and the
solicitor was instructed to take the necessary proceedings
in the case referrad to. In addition, a copy of the report
was ordered to be forwarded to the Markot Committee of
the Court of Common Council to whom the management of
the affairs at the Metropolitan Cattle-market is entrusted
by the civic body.
The Court, after disposing of some other business, ad-
journed.