The Sun.
London, England, 1864-10-26 00:00:00

City Sewers Commission.

The Commissioners of Sewers of the City of London as•
sembled yesterday at Guildhall, under the presidency of
Mr Deputy and Under Sheriff de Jersey.

THE GAS SUPPLY IN THE CITY.
After the despAch of several applications of minor

importance,
Mr R. T. CHAPLIN rose to propose the following motion
of which ho bad given notice, namely—" That it be referred
to the Special Committee to confer with the gas companies
supplying the city of London, with a view to obtaining a
reduction in the price of gas to that which was charged by
them, from the passing of the Great Central Gas Company's
Act in 1851, until the year 1860, and in the event of the
committee failing in that object, to consider and report as to
the advisability of applying to Parliament for powers to
obtain a reduction in the price; and further, to secure to the
citizens of London the advantages in respect to gas supply
they formerly possessed, and any other powers which may
be generally beneficial to the ratepayers and gas consumers
of the City." Mr Chaplin said he thought the duty he had
undertaken to perform was a comparatively light one, as the
Special Gas Committee which had been appointed by the
Court, had already had the whole question of the gas supply
before them. It would not in the first place be necessary for
him to show that the gas supplied was of an impure quality,
for that had been well discussed, nor that the quantity of
sulphur contained in it was in excess of that sanctioned by
Parliament, for that had been shown by the weekly reports
of the medical officer. What he desired to show was
that they ought in the City to obtain a much cheaper
gas than that supplied at the present moment. Mr Chaplin
read from a statement showing the contract prices at
which the companies supplied the gas to the City between
the years 1851 and 1862. In the former year the price
per lamp per annum was as follows :—City Company, £4
4s ; Chartered, £4. 4s ; and the Great Central Company
£3 17s Gd. And in 1852:—City Company, £5 ss; Char-
tered, £1 8s; and Great Central, £4 103. In the present
year the charge was Chartered, £4 14s Gd; Great Central,
£4 13s 6d, additional charge of 15s per lamp per annum
being made in each case for cleaning, &c. lie had com-
pared the charges for gas outside the city, and he found it
iiiiiied7l.fritieli;eiffet=nces—he thought showed that it
was the duty of the Commissioners of Sewers to take mea-
sures to bring about a more satisfactory state of things, and
he thought the mode he had suggeEted was the best that
could be adopted. In the City, where the consumption of
gas was so large, the question of supply was one of very
great importance, and it should be regulated as to meet the
requirements of the consumers. He was quite prepared to
give the Great Central Company credit for the steps they
had taken in reducing the price; but by their joining the
other companies in raising the price a greater monopoly
than ever had been created, whilst the supply, both as re-
garded quantity and quality, was, to say the least, most
unsatisfactory to the citizens. lie therefore felt it his duty
to move in the terms of his motion.

Deputy BOWER seconded the motion. No doubt the
citizens of London were very much obliged to the Great
C entral Company for coming into the City and lowering the
price of gas, but the effect of the establishment of that com-
pany had been not to break up the monopoly which existed,
but rather to perpetuate and extend it. He thought it was
the duty of the Court to do something to remedy the evil,
and believing that the course proposed was the best that
could be adopted he should give it his hearty support.
Deputy FARRAR, whilst desiring that the gas supply
should be more satisfactory than it was at the present time,
put it to Mr Chaplin whether it would not be for the pre-
sent better simply to instruct the committee to negotiate with
the companies on the subject. The Court could afterwards
decide whether it would be advisable to apply to Parlia-
ment for powers to carry out their object. It seemed to him
that it the motion were adopted it would appear rather that
the Commissioners wore holding out a threat to the com-
panies, and he considered that they should avoid doing
anything of that kind. He would move as an amendment
that the latter part of the motion, suggesting an application
to Parliament, should be omitted.
Deputy BONE seconded the amendment. _ _ _

Dr LEVIER; the chemical examiner of gas, said, in an-
swer to a question, that there was an increase in the illu-
minating power of the gas now supplied, of 67 percent. as
compared with the average supply of the eight or nine
preceding years.
Mr S. GREEN, as a member :of the Gas Committee, ex.
pressed a hope that,the motion as proposed by Mr Chaplin
would be agreed to. The question was one that deeply
affected the public, and it ,behoved the Commissioners to
show them that they were in earnest, and were determined
to take measures to remedy the present disgraceful state of
things. If they regarded the price of the gas, or the quality,
they could not, as citizens, but feel ashamed, on walking
through the streets at night time, to find the public Amps
so imperfectly lighted. In answer to Deputy Farrar, he re-
minded the Court that the motion did not pledge them to go
to Parliament at once. What they were asked ,was to
empower the committee to negotiate with the companies,
and afterwards to consider whether it would be advisable to

seek the aid of Parliament in bringing about a more satis-
factory state of things. Ile sincerely trusted the motion
would be carried.
Dr LETHEBY stated that the average illuminating power

of the gas supplied to the City by the City Company during
the past week had been equal to 13.67 standard sperm
candles, that of the Chartered Company to 12.14 candles,
and that of the Great Central to 13.41 candles. The amount
of sulphur in the gas was not excessive, except in the gas of
the Great Central Company, where the amount ranged from
22 grains per 100 cubic feet to 26, the average being 23'6
grains. In the Chartered gas the average was 20.5 grains,
and in the City gas 19.6 grains. The average pressure of each
company's gas was about ono inch and a third of water.
Mr Cox said he quite sympathised with the object of the
mover in introducing this important subject to the notice of
the Commission; and he thought there must be perfect
unanimity upon the point, and that was that the supply of
gas in the City at the present time was most deficient in
quantity and quality. He might mention that the night
previously ho had endeavoured, by the aid of a public gas
lamp in Newgate-street, to read a portion of a newspaper,
but was quite unable to do so ; but on trying the same ex-
periment at Islington he found it an easy matter. He
alluded to this to show that the gas supplied out of the City
was of better quality than that supplied within it ; and such
a state of things was, he thought, most diaereditable. He
felt inclined to consent to the matter being referred to the
committee to negotiate with the gas companies, although
he feared that the negotiation would not be productive of
any good results.
Mr GEORGE WALTER thought it must be admitted on all
hands that the present supply of gas in the City was most
unsatisfactory, and that was clearly proved by the loud
complaints made by the inhabitants of almost every por-
tion of the City. He could speak with some authority upon
the question, and he could say fearlessly that the gas sup-
plied both at the east and west end of the town was, both
as regarded quantity and quality, considerably better than
that supplied to the citizens. (Hear, hear.) Indeed. he
would go so far as to say, that if the light supplied by the
City companies was equal to 13 candles, as stated by the
medical officer, then the light supplied out of the City was
equal to 26 candles, or more. (Sear, hear.) Ile could not

PRICE ..4d.
STAMPED ....sd.

but help feeling that the gas companies had humbugged the
House of Commons in regard to ,the question of illumi-
nating power, or the powers at present possessed by them
in that respect would have never been sanctioned. He
trusted the subject would go to the committee, with full
power to consider is in all its bearings, so that an improve-
ment might be made for the future.
Dr LETHEBY sail he had examined the gas supplied by
the Imperial Gas Company at Islington during the pas
week, and he found it to be equal to 15.09 sperm candles.
Nr CHAPLIN briefly replied and the motion was ulti-
mately carried.

SANATORY CONDITION OF THE CITY.
Dr LETITEBY, the medical officer of health, reported on
the state of 273 houses that had been inspected during the
week, and he submitted a list of 53 places for sanatory im-
provement. He also submitted certificates of the overcrowded
states of four houses in the eastern division of the City, and
recommended that the necessary steps should be taken for
having them registered as common lodging houses.
The markets and slaughter houses had been dulyinspected,
and the officers had condemned 2,3711 be of meat as unfit for
human food. Most of it was diseased, and it consisted of 14
sheep, 28 pigs, and 12 quarters of beef.
There were registered in the week 52 births and 50 deaths,
the number being close to the average for the corresponding
week of the last n;_ne years; 20 of the deaths were among
children less than five years of age, and 13 among persons
of 60 and upwards. There were six deaths from scarlet
fever during the week, but with this exception the returns
did not indicate an unsatisfactory condition of the public
health.

The Commissioners, after transacting some other buil-
net s, adjourned.

Mr, M. D. Hill on the Treatment of

Criminals.

The General Quarter Sessions of the Peace for
the borough of Birmingham commenced on Monday
morning before Mr M. D. Hill, recorder.
The usual royal proclamation having been read,
the recorder proceeded to deliver his charge to the
grand jury. He said :—" Gentlemen of the Grand
Jury,--Since the last session the Legislature has
made important changes as regards the punishment
of felons, and the Executive Government, in har-
mony with the spirit which dictated those enact.

ents, has introduced improvements equally im-
portant in the regulations which govern the treat-
ment of criminals. The main features of these
alterations are set forth in the circular which I hold
in my hand. It is addressed to me as Recorder of
Birmingham, and bears the signature of Secretary
Sir George Grey, who, as you know, holds the seals
of the Home Dapartment. Such a document must
of necessity have received my careful attention, and
I think it will be profitable to invite yours, and,
indeed, that of all persons who, by their intelligence
and social position, exercise influence upon the ad-
ministration of the criminal law, to its contents.

"The principal change," writes Sir George, "in the
law which is affected by this statute is the abolition
of sentences of penal servitude of four and three
years, leaving the sentence of five years as the
shortest that can be passed in any case, and autho-
rising it in those cases where only sentence of four
or three years could have been passed before.
This will have the effect of increasing the severity
of the penal law, which, owing to the very frequent
nee of th© short sentences referred to, had, in the
opinion of the Royal Commissioners who lately in-
vestigated this subject, become too much relaxed.
With the same object another very important pro.
vision is added; that a person convicted of a crime,
punishable with penal servitude, after having been
previously convicted of felony, if the judge, in his
discretion, thinks that the punishment of penal ser-
vitude should be inflicted, shall not be so sentenced
for a shorter period than seven years. It will be ob-
served that in all these cases the alterfiative sentence
of imprisonment is not interfered with. In that re-
spect the law continues as it stood before the pasting
of the late statute. The remainder, and by far the
larger portion of the act, refers to the granting to
convicts under this sentence licenses to be at large
before its expiration,- and introduces various regula-
asen ILM purpose ut preventing sue unbuouutzta
such persons between the time of their release, and
that at which they would have been by law entitled
to their liberty. "I do not think it necessary," be
says, " to occupy your time with any observations on
this part of the subject, except to remark that,
amongst other safeguards of the public, it is enacted
that the conviction of a license-holder upon indict-
ment for any offence, involves not merely a revocation
of his license, but it remits him to his original sen-
tence as it stood when his license was granted, and
this in addition to any punishment to which he may
be sentenced upon such indictment. In accordance
with the strong recommendation of the Royal Com.
missioners," Sir George Grey continues, "an impor-

taut notification is about to be introduced into the
convict system, in reference to the granting of re-
missions. Instead of these being granted as a re•
ward of general good conduct, as heretofore, they
are now to be earned by industry alone. General
good conduct—such as implicit obedience to all
prison rules—will be as indispensable as before, but
will of itself count as nothing towards the obtain-

ing a remission of a portion of the sentence. That
can only be gained by steady and laborious indus-
try, the degree of which will be measured and re-
corded every day by the assignment to each convict
of a certain number of marks. A maximum amount
of remission is fixed (as hereafter stated) as the ut•
most which can be attained by perfect industry,
and the number of marks is so regulated that a cons
vict must obtain the maximum number of marks
every day, without any deduction for misconduct,
in order to get the maximum remission. The sen-
tence therefore, is absolutely certain up to a cer-
tain point, but may possibly extend beyond that
point, and will inevitably do so unless the convict
persistently and strenuously exerts himself." The
principle adopted in the scale of remissions of in.
dustry and good conduct gives a maximum reduc-
tion of somewhat less than one-fourth part of the
sentences upon men, and one-third part of the sen•
tences upon women. Wholesome- restrictions have
been introduced, it appears, in the quantity of food
allowed, and also in the amount of gratuities given
on their discharge to convicts adjudged to penal
servitude. Thus, gentlemen, you will perceive
that the new provisions are characterised
by augmented severity, and when you learn that
they are made in conformity with the views not
only of the Legislature and the Executive
Government, but that they echo as it were the opi-
nions of public bodies charged by authority, or who
had charged themselves with the duty of careful
investigation into the working of our criminal law,
I think you will agree with me that our new-Penal
Servitude Act forms an epoch in our legislation.
Half a century ago the criminal code ot England
was conspicuous among those of the civilised world
for its tremendous denunciations against crime, To

more than 150 different offences it attached the

punishment of death, and its minor inflictions were
of proportionable gravity. At last the public mind
revolted against these rigours, and a strong tide set
in, which, in the course of years, not only swept
away a multitude of severities, but brought the law
into a greater state of leniency than could be just
tified by a due regard to the general interests of the
community. And yet the law, mild as it became,
was outstripped by the laxity with which it was
administered. In this state of things it was to be
expccted that the tide which had so long been
flowing should at last begin to ebb, and it appears

to me that the time has arrived when the reversal
of the current can no longer be doubted. Gentle-
men, I not augur from this change the loss of any
real benefit to criminals. The impulse which wrought
the mitigation of our criminal code was rather of
sentiment than of reflection. We revolted from the
pain inflicted on ourselves through the sufferings
of the criminal, and our own feelings once re-
lieved, we forgot to ask ourselves whether we
were treating the object of our sympathy so as
to promote his permanent advantage. We forgot
that to discharge him from prison while the coer6
cion of false principles and evil habits was to leave
him in a state of slavery more surely incompatible
with hie welfare here and hereafter than any state

which could result front the harshest rig/fait% of s
human jurisprudence, It, then, the charges which
have been lately made ate Erich es to promote his
reformation and ensure: his persistence in the right
path after it has been recovered, true and genuine
mercy will be far from receiving any shock by what
has been done. And this, I humbly believe, will be
the consequence should the new spirit breathed into
the treatment of criminals permanently senate all
who take part in giving effect to our laws. You
must have been struck, gentlemen, with the com-
plete change of principle on which remission is
henceforth to be granted. Passive obedience to
prison rues, however indispensable it may be to
good order, has little tendency to reform the
character, and will therefore do little to ensue an
honest coarse of life after ditcharge. Industry is

the ground on which we must build, and, in order
that industry practised in the gaol may c3ntinue
after the priscrer is at large, it must be will.
ing industry, and hence the value of the remission
which is held up to him as its reward. W.ereas

industry produced by fear of punishment, even
is the cohoparatively few instances where it is
so produced, will, by the painful associations
with which all memory of it must be accom•
'Allied, relax itself and fall into desuetude when, by
regaining his liberty, the convict has left his fears
behind him. The extended duration of his send
teßce will afford him a sufficient time to make his

industry habitual, and it is to confirmed habits we
must mainly look to protect him against relapse.
Thus we see that the interest of the criminal has
been as carefully considered as the interest of
society ; both moving onwards band in hand. But

the benefit to each do not rest here. The hour of
discharge arrives, and the well-disposed prisoner,
having now to meet his greatest peril, is not aban-
doned. Ho takes his gratuity, which preserves him
for a time at least from the overwhelming tempted
tion produced by want. He has to report himself
to the head of the police in the district to which he

.esorts, and he thereby establishes a relation be-

tween himself and a public cfficer, who, both by
duty, and, speaking from experience, I will say, also
by inclination, will befriend him, so long as his con-
duct deserves it, and who will exercise over his
actions the powerful influences of hope and fear. It
is often assumed that the vigilance which it is the
duty of the police to exercise over discharged offen-
ders is necessarily of a hostile character; but that
is not so. A ticket-of•leave man, when his ticket
becomes what it ought always to have been, a testi.
monial that the holder is a person who has given
earnest desire to do well, and of his possessing the
requisite qualifications for pursuing a honest course
of life, will find the head of the police in his district
a protector against ill-founded suspicion, to which
an ex•convict is naturally ever obnoxious ; and
when, in addition to the testimonial which the
ticket-of-leave man brings from his prison, he can
safely refer to the police for a certificate that he has
continued to deserve the remission which has been
granted to him, surely he must thus obtain faci:ities
for procuring employment which will constitute
new and valuable privilege ; while, on the other
hand, his consciousness that any breach of the con-
ditions on which he holds his license to be at large
will, the moment it becomes known, ensure his
being forthwith deprived of his liberty, must give
additional force to his good resolutions. The inters
val then between his discharge on ticket of leave,
and the expiration of the sentence pronounced upon
him by the judge, is made a season of regulated re-
sponsibility. It is an additional stage of probation,
furnishing motives to good conduct which will only
cease to act when, such probation being fully ac-
complished, he regains the footing of his neighbours,
who have never fallen into that miserable adversity
which is the offspring of crime. Gentlemen, the
circular to which I have drawn your attention offers
many other topics for observation, but I have al-
ready occupied much of your time, and the duties
you are now about to commence will detain you
from your homes and your pursuits longer than
may be convenient to you. I therefore now
conclude.