The Sun.
London, England, 1849-04-26 00:00:00

THE CITY GAS QUESTION.

The following communication, addressed by the
Secretary of the Great Central Gas Company to the
Chairman of the Court of Sewers, was then read:
Great Central Gas Company, 48, Moorgate-street,
April 24.
" Sir,—The attention of this company has been called
to a letter signed P. J. Barham,' addressed to the Com•
missioners of Sewers, in which the City Gas Company
excuse themselves from giving their promised answer
respecting the reduction in the price of gas, on account,
as they say, of the promoters of this Company's Bill
having delayed its progress for six weeks.' lam de-
sired by the directors to lay Lefore you the accompany-
ing statement, just issued by them, from the concluding
paragraph of which you will perceive that the
delay which has taken place has been occa-
sioned by the old City Gas Company. In conse-
quence of an objection raised by their counsel, the com-
pany was compelled to ask for an adjournment, or to erect
their works within the limits of the City—an alternative
to which, as economists and citiz-n., they could not
under any circumstances consent. I am likewise de-
sired by the directors to state they are unacquainted pith
the objections to the mode by which their engineer, Mr.
Croll, proposes to lay the mains, upon which Mr. Bar-
ham desires to afford the commissioners some informa-
tion, and they respectfully request leave for Mr. Croll
to be present, if the purposed interview is to take place,
in order that he may receive and give the fullest infor-
mation upon this subject. By a clause to be introduced
in the Bill, as prepared by the officers of the commis-
sioirrs, this company's main will be laid under the su-
perintendence and crontrol of the commissioners; and
the directors are most anxious to acquire information in
the mode of effecting these necessary operations in a man-
ner which shall provide for the public convenience in the
most ample manner, and in conformity with the wishes
of your officers.—l have the honour to be, Sir, your most
obedient servant,

" T. P. BA.RITAM, Secretary pro tern.
" To the Chairman of the Commissioners of Sewers."
Mr. IVILLIAms said he considered that it was quite
right that Mr. Croll should have the opportunity of
being present at the meeting at which it was solicited
that the directors of the existing gas companies might
attend.

Mr. Deputy HARRISON moved that the letter
should be referred to a Committee for consideration,
and report as to what step it would be advisable to
take. lie was of opinion that the two companies had
not done what they ought to have done in the matter.
He contended that it was the bounden duty of the
companies to have sent an answer to the question of
the Commissioners. Irrespective of any other com-
pany, the old companies ought to have decided as to
what they intended to do. If the directors had done
so, the Commissioners would have known how to have
acted ; but now they were placed, as the representa-
tives of the citiaens, in a very peculiar position, and
from the mode in which they had been treated, he
did think that it was incumbent upon them at '
once to declare their adhesion to the new company,
and to give it all the support in their power.—(Hear.)
Mr. H. LOWMAN TAYLOR said it was quite no-
torious that the promoters of the new gas company
could not get their Bill at least in the present session.
They were not, in fact, at all supported by the public
—(Cries of " Oh, oh")—and they found great diffi-
culty in getting customers for their shares. He did
not suppose that they would ever get their Bill, and
he believed the commissioners pretty well understood
that such was the case.

Mr. STEVENS said the Commissioners understood
no such thing. He was convinced that the Bill had
a chance of being passed in the present session. At
any rate the delay would not go beyond the session.
It had been asserted, too, by Mr. Taylor that the
public did not support the Bill. That, too, he would
most positively deny. The public did support the
Bill, and he believed to the extent of taking all the
shares.—(Hear, hear.)
Mr. Deputy GODSON declared that the citizens
were deeply indebted to the company for attempting
to relieve them from a most extravagant demand.
Mr. Deputy LOTT said he belonged to no compa-
nies, but could see that the two old companies were
justified in entertaining suspicions of the new one.
He protested against complying with the request
contained in the letter.

Mr. STEVENS—The old companies have certainly
good ground for suspicion, and for apprehension of
danger to, from the new company, inasmuch as the
latter would supply better gas at 43. than the former
supplied at 6s. per thousand.
The letter was then referred to the General Pur-
poses Committee.
Annexed to the letter was a document which was
said to be of much importance, and which several of
the members wished to have published. Mr. H. L.
TAYLOR, however, strongly protested against the pub-
lication of what had not been read, and the Court
adjourned without deciding upon the question.