The Sun.
London, England, 1854-02-10 00:00:00

TMPURITY OF GAS.
Lord TORRINGTON, after calling attention to the
impurity of gas supplied to the city of London which,
according to the report of Dr. Letheby, emitted in com-
bustion 21 grains of oil of vitrol in every 100 cubic feet,
mentioned that an invention, patented by a Mr. Leslie,
and lately introduced into the General Post-office, had
been successsful in destroying the noxious qualities of
the gas, and had likewise enabled the authorities to di.
minish the number of burners by 800, as compared with
those in use five or six years ago, and reduce the weekly
cost by 501. although the business of the office had of
late years greatly increased. When it was known that
gas had the effect of destroying books and papers, and
that it might seriously injure the decorations in this
house, such an invention could not but be of great value,
and he therefore wished to know whether the Post-
Master General would lay before the house such infor-
mation as he could supply with regard to the result
which had attended its introduction into his department ?
Lord CANNING bore testimony to the accuracy of
the noble lord's statement as to the saving effected by
means of Mr. Leslie's invention, but was not in pos-
sesion of any papers relating to its advantages in
a sanitary point of view. There was but one opinion
among the staff in the Post-office, as to the merits of the
patent, and that was highly favourable. He had no
objection to lay on the table the papers on the subject
asked for by the noble lord.
The Marquis of CLA.NRICARDE condemned the
mode of lighting and ventilating the house. Even by
day the natural light was excluded, and at night the
ventilation was extremely imperfect. He hope I, if the
matter was taken into consideration, the report of the
committee which sat two years ago to inquire into it,
would not be overlooked.
COUNT ORLOFF'S MISSION.
Earl FITZ WILLIAM said it appeared from the in-
telligence which had reached this country, that a Russian
negotiator had recently arrived at Vienna, and he wished
to give notice that to-morrow he would put a question
to the noble earl the Secretary of State for foreign affairs
whether the Government were in possession of any in-
formation which he could lay before the house relating
to the propositions which that negociator had made to
the German powers ?
The Earl of CLARENDON said he thought that, as
a general rule, the noble earl was quite right in giving
notice of such a question. In the present case, it would
certainly be inore con venient to postpone giving an answer
until to-morrow night, but he had no difficulty in
answering the question now, though he could nut say
what papers should he produced.
Earl GREY gave notice that to-morrow he would ask
the Government whether they intended to submit their
measure for representative reform to the other house
before the army and navy estimates.
REVISION OF THE STATUTES.
Lord LYNDHURST (who was imperfectly heard)
begged, pursuant to notice, to ask the noble lord on the
woolsack what course he intended to pursue respecting
the reports on the revision of the statutes. The first
starting of this question might be dated so far back as
the reign of Edward VI. At that time the statute
book was encumbered with a great number of super-
fluous acts, many of them of a tedious nature, and it
was deemed advisable that a consistent code should be
established which might be intelligible to the great mass
of his Majesty's subjects. How it happened that that
recommendation led to no result, he was not in a con-
dition to inform their lordships—perhaps it unfortu •
nately arose from the premature death of that deservedly
popular prince. Again, in the following reign, the sub-
ject was brought before the Legislature. There was no
difference of opinion upon it ; it was pressed in the
strongest manner upon the Government, and the Lord
Keeper (Sir Nicholas Bacon) was desired to draw up
some memorial on the subject ; but no other result fol-
lowed, and the subject was forgotten. Again the sub-
ject was considered in the reign of James 1., and the
speech of that monarch on the question to Parliament
was quite characteristic. He spoke of the superfluity
of the statutes, and of their constant cutting against
each other. The consequence was that Lord Bacon,
Lord Burleigh, and other persons in authority, were
appointed as a commission to inquire into and remedy
the existing defects. That also produced no result, and
they might account for it possibly by the subsequent
disgrace of that distinguished man, Lord Bacon. In
consequence, however, of the appointment of that com-
mission, they had a paper from Lord Bacon, in which
he referred with great perspecuity, and in a very cone
prehensive manner, to the subject. So much for what
had taken place up to that period. During the time of
the Republic—or, as some persons called it, the Com-
monwealth—a great disposition was shown to reform
the law, and amongst other things the revision of the
statutes was not forgotten. Two committees were ap-
pointed, but unfortunate as had been the efforts made for
the purpose under the monarchy, they were equally un
fortunate under the republic. Inquiry after inqui'-y
took place, but no satisfactory result followed. In-
quiries were also made on the subject after the restora-
tion, but the inquiries then made were not attended with
any beneficial result. The matter was allowed to
slumber for many years. In the year 1806, a commis-
sion recommended the appointment of a very distin-
guished person (Me. Hargreave) to write a memorial
upon the subject, and that house came to very strong
resolutions on the question, which were set down to the
other house of Parliament fit their concurrence, but
nothing effectual was dune. In the year 1831 a coin
mission was appointed on the subject, and everything
connected with it was to be found in the report of the
commission, but no steps were afterwards taken to give
it effect. A new commission had been now appointed
by his noble friend on the woolsack, and under his su
perintendence ; and they should take care that he did
not slumber on his post, or they would have another
failure to add to those failures to which he had already
referred. They must exercise a perpetual watchfulness
over the proceedings of this commission, and from time
to time inquire what progress has been made. (Hear,
hear.) Let them look to what had been done in the
state of New York. Their lordships probably knew
that the inhabitants of that state had imported every
code or statute of the laws of England as they existed
up to the time of the declaration of independence. Since
that period there had been a great accumulation of sta-
tutes arising out of their new position, and they were in
as unfortunate a state with regard to them, as this
country now stands. About the year 1835, three gen-
tlemen were appointed by the Legislative State of New
York to revise the statutes, and in two years from the
time of their appointment the object Nee accomplished,
and in such a way as to be quite satisfactory, not only
to the legal profession of that country, but to the general
public. The state of Massachusetts had followed the
example of the state of New York ; and with respect to
their code, they had reformed it in time same way and
with the same satisfactory result. It would he a shame
to theta if they (lid not follow the example of their
brethren at the other side of the Atlantic, who had
so successfully performed this duty. It was a
very remarkable circumstance that governments ge-
nerally proceeded so slowly when compared with the
vigour that was displayed by private individuals. He
might undertake to say that if they could make it worth
the while of any two or three of the most distinguished
publishers in London to publish a revised code, well per-
formed and executed, by some of the most able men of
of this metropolis directing attention to the subject, it
would be accomplished in the course, at most, of two or
three years. (Hear, hear.) When private enterprise
was found to do so much for the public interests, why
should not Governments be able to do so. As a proof
of the result of private enterprise, he might observe that
the noble earl the Secretary of Foreign Affairs could
now converse with the Earl of Westmoreland in Vienna
with the same facility as if they were sitting side by side
in his office in London. Their lordships would be sur-
prised to see what a mass of absurdity was contained in
the statute book. When he had the honour of holding
the Great Seals, he had brought forward two or three
measures for the purpose of wiping away some of those
cruel and absurd provisions that were directed against
Roman Catholics. (Hear, hear.) What would their
agricultural friends say when he told them that at this
moment no person was allowed to keep more than 2,000
sheep, under a very severe penalty ? In fact, there
were upon the whole upwards of 16,000 public anttl
general statutes, nearly 14,000 of which couldh beee swep
mass
away without the slightest inconvenience: Trmodesdeal-
in
been pointed out by previous commissions for
waslea arenedximofuriseetdoeken
ow
SOUTHAMPTON AND WAR.- SOUTHAMPTON, THURS- iwnh4iChwintfhthtehsies
R.N., woolsack intended to adopt? In the first place, it was
underhere
required
DAY.—During this morning Captain Austen, r h tt bok•fitht
modes his
annedhleheeed the
purilfch he had referred, and with respect
Admiralty superintendent of packets at this port, and proposed to ex ge .rom t eccsloatansssuotihiedeantieo
Lieutenant D'Arando, R.N., have been, in accordance ; of rubbish to w
distinct
like The second mode was in manner to strike
with an order received late last night, busily engaged in to the restbofoltehtee ssittaattuutetess
inspecting two ships belonging to the Peninsular and heads.toto
Oriental Company, and to report thereon to the Board off those
heados to amend them where they
of Admiralty as to their capabilities for the conveyance
distinct and where statutes
ndinent,where so connected
of troops to Malta, or elsewhere if required. The ships amendment,
the common law as to be
inspected are the Ripon, engaged on the Alexandria with
ted from it, to reduce those incapable
of
being
line, and fitting out to take the heavy portion of shep
araommon law into st t ta u e aw.
particular parts of
the East India and China mails on the 20th, and t e
cthird mode, which (Hear, hear.)
the Manilla, intended to leave on the 27th, for The
ehensive measure, was t was
a far more corn-
Constantinople, with ship letter bags, cargo, &c. pr
the common o put into one code and
class all law and all the statute law of
The estimated number of troops which these vessels
the realm. The first of these
are capable of conveying will be from 800 to 1,000,
bein
very
unsatief t modes he would pass by
each man being provided with sleeping room, &c. Should
formatgon of a ac ory. The third mode—viz., the
necessity require it, by the fact of a regular watch being , cornplete code of the statute and the com-
kept, double the number of men may, of course, be con- mooa would
law—wouldconsume an immense extent of time,
veved. Other vessels—viz., the Sultan and Euxine— a d require an amount of prudence and caution,
well as
belonging to this company, may also be brought into as of critical acumen and legal precision, which
use for the purposes above stated ; and with the Royial f
ifey:,epaedrsons would be found to possess ; and he doubted
Mail Com any's steam-ship Medway, and the Aust.fa a- , 't option would give satisfaction to a great proper-
sian and Pacific Royal Mail Company's screw-ship Emu, I tion of the legal profession and the country. The prat- '
means may at once be provided at this ort alone. by teal course, therefore, would be to adopt the second
which several thousands of men may be Conveyed ina znode, namely, to expunge all that class of statutes to
which
of time to their required destination. Such he had referred, to arrange the remainder under
short space the addi- distinct
is the perfect state of each of the vessels that. heads, to consolidate and amend them, and
tion of a few guns is all that would be needed in render- where they were inseparably connected with the coin-
ing them fit for such service. moo law, to incorporate parts of the conunon law with
nt sends us the ' the
MARGATE, Feb. 9.—Our corresponde
mstatute law. Indeed, he found that to a certein ex-
following :—For your information, I aystate that all tent this latter system had been acted upon, partially at
the coast-guard men belonging to the
different stations least, viz., first by Sir Robert Peel, in two remarkable
in Kent, muster here and leave by the express train statutes—one on the su: ject of the law of larceny, and
(7.10) to-morrow morning (Friday), for Portsmouth. the other with regard to offences against the person. In
They will muster 4,000 able-bodied seamen, and a finer these instances the statute law hail been consolidated
body of men never was inspected. The officer in corn- under. distinct heads and amended, and time common law,
mend at Westgate station is busily engaged in entering where it was connected with it, had been modified ; and
pensioners and landsmen for the cod-guard service, I these two changes he believed had met "ith the Appro-

At the Horse Guards and at the Admiralty, at the
Ordnance Office and Somerset House, the work of pre-
paration is incessant ; early and late the officials are to
be found at their posts, and everybody seems to be
working "double tides,"—we trust with adequate re-
muneration for their extra services.

It is now well known that a considerable number
of troops are to be sent to the Mediterranean and
Constantinople forthwith. As we have stated, the
authorities have been in communication with several
steam navigation companies as to the steam power
they might be enabled to furnish to convey the
troops. Mr. Cunard's Company, we believe, cannot
spare any of the ships of their line ; but, as
will be seen by the following, from our Southamp-
ton correspondent, the Peninsular and Oriental Com-
pany are likely to supply the Government with one or
more of their splendid ships. The Ripon, it is said, will
be one of the number. The great screw-ship Himalaya
is expected back in a few days from Alexandria, and it
is not at all improbable that her services will be put in
requisition at the earliest moment.
There are also available, if required, a couple of the
2,500 tons new screw ships of the General Screw Com-
pany, the Jason and the Golden Fleece, and these four
ships alone, it is believed, could conveniently take 7,000
men. Give the Himalaya 2,000, the Jason and Golden
Fleece 1,800 each, and the Ripon 1,400, and these four
ships, with their efficient steam power, will, at the pre-
sent day, do more service than 30 of the sailing trans-
ports of the olden time.
We have stated that a battalion of Guards are under
orders for service in the East. Report sends them away
on the 18th instant. The precise army force, however,
we believe is not yet determined upon ; but the Com-
mander-in-Chief, Lord Hardinge, and the First Lord of
the Admiralty Sir James Graham met to consult on the
subject, at the Horse Guards, yesterday.
It has been also whispered that three battalions of
marines, if so many can be mustered, are to be sent to
tine eastward, whether to relieve the troops of the line at
Gibraltar, Malta, and Corfu, so as to send 1,500 men of
the line farther up the Mediterranean, or to be distri-
buted amongst Admiral Dundas's fleet, for the sacking
of Sebastopol is uncertain. We incline to the belief
that the marines will take the place of so many battalions
of the line at the three garrisons above-mentioned ; for
it is ~nly fair that the army should do regular shore
work, especially if the British forces are to be brigaded
with French troops.
The stores of the Royal Arsenal, Woolwich, are now
being picked out and fitted for active service. That
which was Mr. Cobden's horror, the great number of
guns and gun-carriages in store there, is now the country's
best protection.
The navy, it will be seen, has a treble duty. Not only
ships and sailors have the Admiralty to provide, but they
have to furnish marines, coast forces, and transports for
the conveyance of the army.
The coast-guard force is being collected from the re-
spective stations, and berthed on board the ships at pre-
sent fitting out at the ports. Clothing, hammocks, kit,
&c., are to be provided for this fine and most efficient
body of gunmars and sailors. Here is the nucleus of the
complements of ten efficient ships of the linb. No
country in the world—Russia included—can match the
ability, skill, steadiness, and pluck of these fine fellows.
To replace these men in the coast-guard the Green-
wich out-pensioners are to be enrolled. They will serve
on the coasts, and will be supplied with the necessary
clothing. Fifteen hundred only, we hear, are to be en-
rolled at the present time, and we think it will be rather
difficult to scrape even this number up, the majority of
the most able men being in good private service.
The fleet, it is well known from our daily reports, is
being equipped with the greatest possible haste, and we
trust very soon to see in the Downs or Yarmouth Roads
such a specimen of the gigantic strength of England that
will delight our countrymen, astonish our foreign friends,
and make the enemies of the peace of the world tremble.
—Morning Paper.