The Sun.
London, England, 1865-02-10 00:00:00

Court of Common Council,

A Court of Common Council was held yesterday at
Guildhall ; the Lord Mayor presided.
THE CITY COMMISSION OF SEWERS.

Mr. lirpwric, upon the question that the Commission oi

Sewers be sealed, said he felt it his duty to protest against
the commission as at present constituted, and expressed his

opinion that it was an anomalous body, and that every one
of the representatives in the Court of Common Council
ought to be a member of the Commission of Sewers, and
that until this was done their proceedings would not be
satisfactory to the citizens. (Hear, hear.) At present, ho
said, however, all that he proposed to do was to protest
against the sealing of the commission, and at some future
day he should again endeavour, as he had done already, to
obtain a reconstitution of the commission.

Mr. DE JERSEY, the chairman of the commission, replied
with some warmth to the observations that were made by
Mr. Medwin, and said he felt satisfied that if the sugges-
tion made by Mr. Medwin, that every member of this
Court should be upon the Commission of Sewers, was car-
ried out, it would be found to be utterly impracticable in
its operation, and the important matters they had to deal
with would be thrown into inextricable confusion.

The motion for signing the commission was then put,
and agreed to almost unanimously.

THE LATE BURGLARY IN CORNRILL.

Deputy FRY asked the Lord Mayor whether he could in-
form the Court if there was to be any inquiry in reference
to the conduct of the police in connection with the exten-
sive robbery committed a few days back in Comhill ?

The LORD MAYOR said that he could inform the Court
that a committee of,aldermen had been specially convened
for the purpose of considering the subject alluded to by
the hon. deputy. (Hear, hear.)

THE IRISH SOCIETY.

Mr. Alderman RosE, M.P., was re-appointed Governor
of the Irish Society, and Mr. Deputy Burnell was proposed
to fill the office of Deputy-Governor.

Mr. H. L. TAYLOR said before the latter motion was car-
ried he should be glad to be informed whether a rumour
that the Irish Society intended to have the assistance of six
former members in their deliberation's, in addition to the
number of members of which the society wa's 'legally com-
posed, was correct.
Deputy BURNELL intimated that the society intended to
obtain such assistance, but stated at the same time that they
would only be empowered to assist in the deliberations Of
the Court, and would not have the right of voting.
Mr. 11. L. TAYLOR expressed his opinion that such a course
of proceeding, if not absolutely illegal according to the terms
of the charter under which the Irish Societywas incorporated,
was at all events unnecessary and unjustifiable, and he con-
tended that the Irish Society ought to be quite competent
to manage the affairs intrusted to them, without calling in
the aid of any of the former members. It appeared to him
that the course proposed to be taken might be productive of
much mischief to the interests of the Corporation, and he
concluded by moving as an amendment, that Mr. Burnell
be appointed the deputy-chairman of the Irish Society, but
that it be an instruction of this Court to the society, that
no alterations should be made in its constitution until such
alteration should have been first submitted to and approved
of by the Court.
This led to some discussion, but eventually the amend-
ment was put and carried by a large majority.

THE OAS QUESTION IN THE CITY.

Deputy C. REED presented a petition from the inhabi-
tants of the Ward of Farringdon, complaining of the opera-
tion of the Gas Act of 1860, and the bad quality and dear-
ness of the gas supplied to the City by the different com-
panies, and praying the Court to take some steps to relieve
them.

Mr. J. LUSHER, presented a similar petition from the in-
habitants of Farringdon Within.
Mr. J. H. HEEPS also presented a petition of the same
nature from the ward of Bishopsgate.

Deputy FARRER, in the absence of Alderman Gibbons,
likewise presented a petition to the same effect from the in-
habitants of Castle Baynard Ward.
A number of the petitioners were present, and several
questions were put to them by members of the Court.
Mr. ROWE asked how the petitioners came to the conclu-
sion that the gas was of bad quality.
They replied, by the evidence of their eyes and noses.
(Laughter.)

Mr. ROWE inquired whether they had procured the ser-
vices of any scientific gentlemen to test the quality of
the gas.

They replied that they had not, and did not consider it
necessary. The gas was most offensive in smell, and pos-
sessed no illuminating power.
The LORD Mayon observed that any one who passed
through the streets of London at night, after the shops
were closed, could easily see that there was something
wrong in the lighting, without asking for the opinion of
any scientific men.

In answer to further questions put to the petitioners,
they stated that they had observed a great pressure of at-
mospheric air in the pipes which acted upon the meter, so
that they paid a great deal more for gas than formally, while
the amount of light was much reduced. They also expressed
an opinion that one course to be pursued was to apply to Sir
G. Grey, and endeavour to obtain a Parliamentary inquiry
into the mode in which the gas companies carried on their
business, and endeavour to ascertain thq.actusl amount of
capital that was employed, and which was made applicable
to the minimum dividend of 10 per cent., and if they failed,
to endeavour to take the question of supplying the city of
London with gas into their own hands. (Hear, hear.)
In answer to a question put by one member, the peti-
tioners stated that they did not attach the slightest impor-
tance to the reports that were periodically made upon the
illuminating power of the gas. They also said they were
in a position to inform the Court that in some of the subur-
ban parishes much better gas was supplied at 3s. Bd. per
1,000 feet than that furnished by the City companies at a
great deal higher rate.

The whole of the petitions were eventually referred to
the General Purposes Committee for them to examine and
report to the Court.
UTILISATION OF THE SEWAGE OF THE METROPOLIS.
Deputy OBBARD presented a petition from the ward of
Farringdon Without praying that a select committee of the
House of Commons might be appointed to inquire into the
plan of Messrs. Hope and Napier adopted by the Metropo-
litan Board of Works, before that plan was carried out.
The LORD MAYOR announced that he had received a copy
of a resolution agreed to at a large public meeting at Wool-
wich, disapproving of the plan adopted by the Metropolitan
Board of Works for utilising the sewage of the metropolis,
and at the same time expressing strong approval of the
course that had been taken by the City of London in en-
deavouring to obtain delay, in order that so important a
subject might be considered carefully, before any plan was
finally adopted. •
The petition was referred to the Coal, Corn, and Finance
Committee.

Mr. LAWLEY then brought up a report from the Coal, Corn,
and Finance Committee upon the same subject. The report
recommended that an endeavour should be made to obtain a
select committee of the House of Commons, for the purpose
of having all the plans for utilising the sewage of the metro-
polis carefully considered, and that the committee should be
empowered to oppose the Sewage and Essex Reclamation
Bill, supported by the Metropolitan Board of Works, which
waa now before Parliament. He said that as the report had
been printed, and a copy sent to every member of Court, he
should merely move that it be agreed to.
Mr. H. L. TATLOII/4 while admitting the importance of the.

LONDON AND BLACKWALL.
The directors of this company state in their report that
the gross revenue for the half-year ending Dec. 31, with a
balance of £362 for the previous account, amounted to
£70,131, and the expenditure to £23,126, leaving a net profit
of £47,005, from which the interest on debentures, amount-
ing to £10,055 had to be deducted, leaving £36,952 available
for dividend. With this balance the directors were enabled
to provide for the dividend on the preference stock, amount-
ing to £5,626, and to recommend the payment of a dividend
on the ordinary stock at the rate of £4 2s. 6d. per cent. per
annum, leaving a balance of £1,233 to the credit of the
current half-year. The dividend for the year 1864 amounted
to £3 17s. 6d. per cent., as compared with £3lss. per cent.
in 1863. The amount of capital expended during the past
half-year had been £11,228, making the total expenditure
£2,168,261. The total receipts amounted to £2,165,656,
leaving a debit balance of £2,606. With regard to a pro-
posal for leasing the company's railway to the Great
Eastern Railway Company, the report states that arrange-
ments have been made with the Great Eastern Railway direc-
tors that, subject to the approval of the proprietors the Great
Eastern Railway company should take a lease of the under-
taking for the term of 999 years, at the net annual rent of
£4 10s. per cent on the capital stock of the company, with-
out any deduction whatever, excepting for property or in-
come-tax. In pursuance of those arrangements a bill had
been introduced in Parliament to enable the company to
grant, and the Great Eastern Company to accept, a lease of
the London and Blackwall Railway on the above terms.
Acting in concert with the Great Eastern Railway Com-
pany the ylirectors had renewed their application to Parlia-
ment for powers to construct a railway in the Isle of Dogs.
During the past ten years the rate of dividend on the ordi-
nary stock of this company was as follows :—ln the year
1855, £2 14s. 10d. ; in 1856, £2 17s. ; in 1857, £2 14s. 10d. ;
in 1858, £2 18s. 6d. ; in 1859, £3 7s. 6d. ; in 1860, £3 10s. ;
in 1861, £3 25.6 d.; in 1862, £3 lls sd; in 1863, £3 15s;
and in 1864, £3 17s. 6d. per cent.