The Sun.
London, England, 1849-12-07 00:00:00

THE CITY GAS QUESTION.
A very crowded meeting of the gas consumers of
London neis held last night et the London Tavern,
Bishopsgate-street, to consider the new promise of the
City Gas Company to reduce their charges to 4s. per
1,000 cubic feet, and the original propesal of the
Great Central Gas Consumers Company to be bound
' by Act of Parliament to supply gas of a greater purity
and higher illuminating power at a maximum price
of 45., with an obligation to reduce to 3s. 61, and
ultimately to reduce to 3s. as soon as an increased
consumption :hall enable them to do so.—Mr.
J. Dillon took the chair, and stated that in
February last a committee was appointed by a public
meeting to devise some means for obtaining a purer
gas at a lower price, and accordingly the committee
applied to the two gas companies who now possessed
a joint monopoly in the city of London, and those
companies, after a long delay, returned an answer
virtually refusing to make any reduction. On the
appearance of the proposed new gas company the two
old companies lowered their charges to ss. per 1,000
cubic feet, and at a more recent period, after
the presentation of a petition to the Court of
Common Council by the Great Central Gas Consu-
mers Company, the established companies again
offered to reduce their charges to 4s. Were these
bodies likely to act in good faith, and to benefit the
citizens more than the establishment of a new corn-
pany.—Mr. Deputy Stevens, in moving the first
resolution, observed that 25 years ago he presided at
a meeting assembled for the same objects as the
present, when gas was 153. per 1,000 cubic feet, and
at that time, and on occasions of every subsequent
reduction, the same pleas of ruin and loss to the gas
companies were urged.---Mr. Charles Pearson, ALP.,
affirmed that the Consumers Gas Company could
afford to sell gas at 33. per 1,000 cubic feet, and still
get a larger profit than was derived by the other
companies throughout the metropolis at 6s. per 1,000
feet. The proposed new company could lay down the
70 miles of pipes, and erect all the plant necessary to
furnish the citizens with 750,000,000 of cubic feet per
annum for a sum of 250,0001., as was proved by the
fact that several of the most eminent builders had
offered to perform the works for that sum. Mr. Croll,
the engineer of the new company, had offered to ma-
nufacture a purer gas at the expense of ls. 4kd. per
1,000 cubic feet. The small district in which
the customers of the new company would
lie would reduce the expense of distribution
and the costs of collection. After giving
a variety of statistics to show the advantages of the
new company, Mr. Pearson said that as soon as the
gas consumers signed contracts for 450,000,000 feet,
the price should be 3s. 6d., and when they contracted
to take 600,000,000 the price would be lowered to 3s.
A petition was to be presented to. morrow to the Com-
missioners of Sewers, as it was necessary that board
should know that the 9,860 gas consumers who signed
the former petition in fa-your of the Central Consu-
mers Company still favoured that company, although
the rival establishments had offered to reduce their
prices to 43. At present, 4,680 consumers had signed
stamped agreements to take gas of the new company
for five years at 45., subject to a reduction when the
profits would allow it.—Mr. Lindoch disapproved of
the uncontrolled power placed in the hands of Mr.
Croll, and thought that it would be most prudent to
accept the terms of the old companies.—(Groans and
hisses.) —The resolution approving of the Central Gas
Consumers Company was then ra,sed unanimously,
with one exec ption.—Sir A. Rothschild moved a
memorial to the Commissioners of Sewers in favour of
the new company, which
.waa likewise carried, after a
few words of explanation from Mr. Cie.ll.—The meet-
ing then separated, after paying the usual compli-
ment to the chairman.

NOTTING RAM, THURSD Y.—The floods, which

during the last tro or three days so imminently threat-
ened great portions of the railways in the midland
counties, are now fast subsiding, ar.d all cause for fear is
now removed. •

DESTRUCTIVE FIRE IN A LACE ESTABLISIIIIRNT IN
NorrINGHAN.—We regret to state, that about five
o'clock on Thursday morning, a lire was discovered in
the warehouse of Alesr,rs. Hill and Swanwiek, lace mann•

lecturers, Mary-gate, involving a considerable destruc-
tion of property. The flames penetrated and burnt
through Large ho:es in each story, but the upper room
was cempletely gutted, the roof having fallen in. The
greater part of the property consisted of lace goods,
which we arc sorry to say was destroyed and damaged.
No clue has yet been obtained respecting the origin of
the tire. The total loss is estimated at 2,5001,; about
1,500/. of the amount will fall on the Nottinghamshire
and Derbyshire Fire-office.
NORTH AND EAST LONDON BENEVOLENT
INSTITU-
TION.—A meeting of this valuable charity, founded for
the twofold purposes of granting pensions and medical
aid, was held on the sth instant. Henry F. Richardson,
Etq , F.L.S., one of the Vice-Presidents, was called to
the chair, and various routine business having been
gone through, Mr. Vine, the secretary, announced seve-
ral contributions, and the pleasing fact that the Lord
Bishops of Salisbury and Ripon had kindly consented to
preach in aid of the funds. The secretary further
stated, the arrangements for the festival, which Lord
Carlisle had agreed to preside at, were rapidly proceed-
ing, and amongst a long list of stewards he mentioned
those of the Marquis of Londonderry, the Earl of Aber-
gavonny, Sir John 11. Polly, Bart., A. W.Roberts, Esq.,
IL R. Wood, EN., &c., &C. The meeting then broke
up, having first passed a complimentary vote to the
chairman tor his constant zeal in the cause.
His Grace the Duke of Norfolk arrived at Ports-
mouth yesterday, from Goodwood, and proceeded in
the Fairy, royal yacht, Master Commander Welsh,
to Osborne. His Grace, after being honoured with
an interview by her Majesty and Prince Albert, re-
turned to Portsmouth the same evening.
WATERLOO-DRIDGE COMPANY.—The half-yearly
meeting of the proprietors was held yesterday, at the
Freemasons' Tavern, Mr. W. Anderson in the chair.
The report of the committee stated, that the tolls re•
ceived for the half-year ended on the 23d of August last,
amounted to 8,0811. I ls. 5d., and those for the corre-

spondieg period of the preceding year, to 7,0671. 9s. 61,
showing an increase of 1,0141. Is. I Id. in the last half-
year's receipts, of which increalse 695/.lBs. 10d. was for
the horse•toll receipts, and 3181. 3s. ld. for foot
passengers. After defra)ing expenses and providing
for the interest of the company's bonds, the committee
recommended a dividend of 3s. in the pound to the an-
nuitants, in, place of 2s. 10d. agreed upon at the last
half-yearly meeting. The report was unanimously
adopted. _

AMERICAN CITIES.—The growth of American cities
is unparalleled in the history of the world. Already
half a million are embraced within the suburbs of New
York; and more than half that number within those of
Philadelphia. New Orleans contains about 150,030,
Boston 130,000, and Baltimore 105,000 inhabitants. The
sec and child born in Cincinnati, it is said, is still living,
and has not reached the middle age of life, while the
city has a population of 100,000. The population of St,
Louis was about 1,600 in 1810; 16,000 in 1840; 40,000
in 1845; and is probably now not less than 60,000.
Buffalo contained 2,412 in 1825; in 1346, 22,773; and
it now contains about 45,000. In 1828, the population
of Lowell was 3,532; it is now mor. than 30,000.
Chicago, a place scarcely known on the latest maps, has
already reached a population of 18,000; and Milwankie,
of still more recent origin, is rivalling it in its growth
and population.—Eliza Cook's Journal.
ACCIDENT ON THE MEDWAY.—On Tuesday even-
_ _

ing a frightful accident occurred on tho river Medway,
occasioned by the Victoria steam-vessel running over a
small boat. The steamer was on its way from Sheerness
to Chatham, and cn its passing Chatham Dockyard, with
its usual speed, a ferry boat containing two persons—
William Britten, a watt roan, and Lieutenant E. W. J.
Knox, of the 75th Regiment, came suddenly in front of
the steamer from behind the stern of a ship lying in or-
dinary near the sheer hulk, and so sudden was the col-
lision that there was not time to give alarm from the
steamer, and, melancholy to relate, the boat was smashed
to fragments, and the officer and waterman immersed in

the river. The captain of the steamer ordered the
engineer to back astern, and fortunately both were saved.
Both the men, however, \me picked up in a very
exhausted state, and the watermau was dreadfully
mangled, having one arm smashed, and a thigh and a leg
broken. The efficer was very much hurt,
and it was thought that some of his ribs
were broken. He was conveyed in a carriage to
Chatham barracks, and the waterman was taken to his
residence on the Brook at Chatham. It appears that
Lieutenant Knox was in charge of a detachment at
Upnor Castle, and had taken the boat at the new stairs
for the purpose of being conveyed to Upnor when the
accident occurred. Dr. Pink, surgeon to the Provi-
sional Battalion, immediately attended Mr. Knox, and
the report this morning is that Lieutenant Knox, is
very much bruised about the body, but there is nothing
to apprehend from the injuries he has received. With
regard to the waterman, great fear is entertained for his
recovery.
MELANCHOLY SUICIDE.—GRAYBSEND, DEC. 6.
The inhabitants of this town were this morning thrown
into an extraordinary degree of excitement, by the
announcement that Mr. James Sylvester (horticulturist
and cultivator of watercress at Spring-head, in North-
fleet) was found dead in a bower in the Tivoli Gardens,
having, as it was assumed from every indication, put an
end to his existence by blowing out his brains with a
brace of pistols, one of which was found clasped in each
hand of the deceased. Tl:e deceased was a gentleman
very much esteemed and respected in the town, and his
dreadful death caused a sensation commensurate to the
etteem he was held in. His age was 67. At half-past
six o'clock in the evening an inquest was held on the
body before G. E. Hiller, Esq , the nowly•appointed
coroner for this-Aorough, end a respectable jury, when
evidence wastiM that left no doubt whatever on the
minds of ther4atey that deceased was of unsound mind
when he commita.d the fatal act. A verdict was given
accordingly.
DEATH OF Mx. JAMES SCOTT OF THE "
GREE-
NCCIL ADVERTISER."—This gentleman died at Greenock
on the Ist inst. lie had been connected with the Ad.
vcrliser since 1831, and from that time the editorial
duties chiefly devolved upon him till about four years
ego, when heavy affliction laid him totally aside. Mr.
Scott possessed a large amount of in!orma•ion on the
hi,tory, civil and ceclesi istical, of his native country,
and was deeply embued pith Whig principles. Mr.
Seal t's first connexim with the press was with the
Glwyow Chnmicle. Ile subsequ:ntly joined the Monti ea 1
Herald, which, under kis charge, gained much of the
high character which it new posse: es.— Greenock
Advertiser.