The Sun.
London, England, 1848-11-24 00:00:00

SUPPLY OF GAS TO THE CITY.

Mr. Deputy PEACOCK presented the report of the Com-
missioners of Sewers relative to the supply of gas to the
city of London.
The report, to which were appended the statement of
the City Solicitor, already published, and the report of
the Committee of General Purposes of the Sewers on the
subject, concluded with the order—
" That the itemembrancer do prepare the necessary
notices to be duly advertised and served according to the
standing orders of Parliament, that this Court will apply
in the next session of Parliament for leave to bring in
a Bill to etlrct the objects recommended in the report of
the said committee."

The report alluded to, it will be recollected—
" Recommended to the Court of Sewers, as the only
probable means of obtaining a reduction in the cost of
gas, that notices be at once prepared, ard advertised as
required, that the Court would apply to Parliament for
power to erect gas works, and to lay down pipes ard
mains within the city of London and the Liberties
thereof, with power to puuchme the works, pipes,
and
mains of the Existing gas companies, or of any other
gas company hereafter to be established within such

Mr. ANDERTON apprehended that an imputation might
be fixed upon the City in consequence of the Remem•
brancer's advertisement in the papers relative to the
notices adopted by the Commissioners of Sewers on the
subject of the supply of gas. thought that the ad-
vertisement looked like a notice that the City intended
to trade in the article.—(A laugh,and cries of " No,
no.") He thought it would bea cheaper more wise to go to Par-
liament for power to obtain aepr supply of water,
a necessary which the poor required
they needed that about which the much more than
Commissioners of
Sewers seemed to be so anxious.
Mr. Deputy ORDIRD said, the water question would
in a few days come on before the Cr nnssioners
Sewers.—(Hear, hear.) All the differenceom of
was, that
the gas question, which nobody could deny was an im-
portant one, happened to come on first.
Mr. Deputy HARRISON represented the necessity for
agreeing to the report of the Commissioners of Sewers,
and repelled the insinuation, that there was a disposition
to trade in the article, which they wished to obtain at a
less enormous cost. When the Gas Bill was first intro-
duced into Parliament a clause was introduced to give
the City the power of preventing exorbitant charges for
the article, but unfortunately that clause had been sur-
reptitiously removed in the progress of the measure, and
thus the inhabitants had been left to the mercy of the
two companies. It was to recover the power thus sur-
reptitiously taken away that the Commissioners desired
to apply to Parliament. They wished to obtain for the
inhabitants of the city of London gas at the price at
which it was supplied to the large towns throughout the
country, and they were pursuing the course best calcu-
lated to lead to such a result.—(Hear, hear.)
After a few observations, from Deputy Stevens, Mr.
Norris, and Mr. R. Taylor, who were all of opinion that
the city of London would, through the exertions of the
Court, be soon supplied with cheaper gas and cheaper
water,
Mr. Deputy Peacock's motion, that the Court agree
with the report, was adopted.
SANITARY REGULATIONS—THE CITY OF LONDON.
Mr. Deputy PEACOCK then brought up the following
report from the Commissioners of Sewers:—
" Resolved—That the Chairman, with the medical
officer of health, be requested to attend the Lord Mayor,
and express the opinion of this Court that it is expedi-
ent that a board of health should be at once formed by
the Court of Common Council, with power to act, in
case of need, as they may be adviEed."
The LORD MAYOR said, that the chairman of the Com-
missioners of Sewers, and the medical officer of health,
had waited upon him and represented that although
they had the gratification to be able to state that the city
of London had never been in a better state of health than
it enjoyed at the present time, still they considered it
necessary to take precautions in the event of the ap-
pearance of a disease which could not be contemplated
with indifference. His Lordship then adverted to the
course adopted in 1831 when the cholera was appre-
hended, and left it to the Court to decide whether it
would or would not be prudent to act upon the principle
which influenced them upon that emergency.
Upon the motion," that the Court should agree with
the report, and appoint a committee accordingly,"
Mr. ANDERTON said he considered that as the Com-
missioners of Sewers were to have the power over the
sanitary matters of the City by Act of Parliament, it
would be inconsistent, and might be injurious for the
Court of Common Council to interfere by appointing a
committee, for a time might arrive at which the two
committees might act against each other.—(hear, hear.)
As the Commissioners of Sewers Wore to have tbo

authority, they must be held respcnsible, and they
could easily appoint a board of health amongst them-
selves.—(hear, hear.)
Air. Deputy OunAnn said the Commissioners did no
more than their duty in passing the resolution, and were
satisfied to leave the matter entirely to the Court.
There was no case of cholera in the city of London—
(Hear, hear)—and he knew of a hospital the managers
of which had sent about to look for a subject without
avail.—(A laugh.)
Air. Alderman LAWRENCE said, he had on Tuesday
mentioned in the Court of Aldermen that there had been
no case of cholera in the city of Lonnon but that of an
old woman who lead been drunk for three days, and was
supposed to have died of the disease produced by that
excess. It had been supposed that when he spoke of the
absence of cholera from the city of London, he meant
the absence of the disease from London generally. He
did not pretend to know anything 83 to the prevalence
or existence of cholera elsewhere, but he certainly knew
that it was not in the City.—(Hear.) He hoped that
the übssrvation he consider, d it his duty to make would
he publicly noticed, in order to remove the impression
likely to be made by a misapprehension of his meaning.
The opinion of the Court being decidedly against the
appoit,tment of a board of health, the motion was. ne-
gatived, and it was ref,rrt d back to the Court of Sewers
to carry their recommendation into effect upon their own
responsibility.