The Sun.
London, England, 1856-10-21 00:00:00

ASTLEY'S ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE.

Lessee and Macr.7.er, Mr. Win. Cooke.
'MIES EVENING,
igiith Night!) Shakspere's Tragely of RIC ITARD TUE TITTRD,
With Equestrian Illustratfqns by Mr. IV. Cooke's stud of trained
horses. Richard, Mr. James Holloway.
After which,
The SCENES in the CIRCLE.
To conclude with a Pot Pourri of Amusing Entertainments.
Commence at Seven. Box-oftice open from Eleven till Four. Stage
31anager, Mr. W . west. Equestrian Director, Mr. W. Cooke. Jun.

WATER. AT T.0.771101NT BRAWN%
rras DAY—Morn. 58 min. aft. G —Evening 36 min. sft. 7
T.,1-HOBROW—..l'iloru. 21 nun. aft. B—Evening 12 min. aft. 9

THE WEATITER—Sux OFFICE, OCTOBER 21.
THST:r2rOIifTER, IN TrIR Saara.
(39 -yee,,t norm y,r,terday.
34 —lowest this morning and during the night.
62—this dxy se noon.
PARO,r7r VP, 30.31.
WIND, W.S.W.—Light, with fine weather.

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f

that the difference in the rateable value of the
prcperly in the two districts amounts to no more
than 153,6971. The matter must be thoroughly
investigated, and if the allegations made are at
all substantiated, the City must be fairly assessed.
The doctrine with respect to "bearing one an
other's burdens" involves reciprocity of relief, and
let the City purists say what they may, by no
means countenances the throwing of City burdens
on the shoulders of the ratepayers of other
districts. The principle involved is susceptible,
we are inclined to think, of much more general
application, and when the drainage rate is in force,
if not before, we anticipate an equalisation of
assessment, at which sonic may grumble, but at
which all good citizens will rejoice.

The defence of the City of London Gas Com-
pany is now before the public. If it is not satis-
factory it is certainly not for want of variety and
boldness—we had almost said audacity—of asser-
tion. The witnesses were numerous, and their
testimony may be said to have ranged from zero
to blood heat. Fortunately it is not what men
gay or would have inferred the public in such
matters are unhesitatingly disposed to accept. The
case is one in which their own judgment can be
turned to account, and they must be expected to
come to that conclusion only which common sense
is likely to approve.
We by no means would have it inferred the
witnesses testified to what they knew to be false.
Interest (and the company have influence) will go
a long way towards the formation of an opinion,
and custom, ignorance, and perversity have in this
instance had their full weight. It is one of the
evils of an unhealthy locality that the offensive
and pernicious odours which load its atmosphere
cease in course of time to be offensive to the more
robust organisations exposed to them, withoutlosing
their injuriousness ; though there are instances
where the subject becomes as it were acclimatised,
and ceases to be perceptibly affected by them in
any way whatever. .The test of noxiousness is
not to be found in these. If you would know
whether the atmosphere of any given locality is
detrimental to health, the surest and most delicate
way of testing the matter is to ascertain what
effect it has on strangers. If these be bad on
individuals of delicate organisation, the case is
proved ; if robust men are stricken down, it is
impossible for demonstration to be more complete.
These things being considered, we attach but little
weight to the testimony adduced on behalf of the
Company. The broad, glaring, indisputable facts
remain unimpeached. The police on the beat
feel an offensive smell ; nausea and sickness, fol-
lowed by prostration of energy, are produced by it,
and some of them have to 'be removed elsewhere.
This smell, they assert, comes from the gas works ;
they have traced it there, and, in confirmation of
their assertion, it is not denied a smell like that
they describe is to be met with in the works,
which, if inhaled, would be productive of such
results. The only impeachment of the damning
testimony of the police is the assertion that the
offensive odour proceeds from the Fleet Ditch.
Why, if true, was there not incontestible evi-
dence of its truth forthcoming ? Nothing could
have been easier than to have adduced it, if it
were advisable. The public must be excused if
they believe it was not.
What adds to the weakness of the defence
is its absurd and contradictory nature. One class
of testimony disposes of the affair in the most
summary manner, kicks the police clean out of
Court. It is not a question with those witnesses
of is it good, or is it bad ? or—which is which ?
It is a question as to a primary fact—are there,
or are there not,. smells in thi Whitefriars dis-
trict? and, "nd such thing—there are nune,"is, in
effect, their reply. If theso people are right the police
must he March mad, or worse—they who support
their testimony pitiable victims of hallucination
and the court of inquiry, imbecile. The Fleet Ditch

people, or people who, not having the fear of the

Fleet before their eyes, endeavour to exculpate the
gas works at its expense simply illustrate how
needless a nose is to give positive evidence on
smells. The least irrational of all are those who
admit the smells and deny the noxiousness or
unpleasantness of them. The last point is a mat-
ter of taste—the former of science and fact ; and
when an individual is found with a taste so de-

praved--sas the great majority believe—as to like

the smells, they must be pardoned the presump.

tion that his judgment is not to be counted on as
to their quality. A fourth class remains—this

consists of those who, with a sublime audacity,

admit the smells—express no doubt as to their
origin, and leave the question of taste out of con-

sidoration, but authoritatively pronounce them
wholesome—absolute preventives of cholera ! It

would argue an insane belief in hoinceepathy, in.
deed, to give credit to these people. Most of us,

one way or other, unfortunately know what cholera

is, and it really is too much to be told that
a violent and depressing evacuant can either be
wholesome or good for a disease heralded by
a depression of vital energy, and terminated by
utter prostration. We make the Company a
present of Mr. CHILDS, who appears to be too
amiable to disagree wholly with either party.
elt all events, the Company are welcome to his
testimony so far as the public are concerned, who
only seek after the truth, and don't admire being
mystified by witless contradictions, or rather sta-

tistics, on which the compiler admits he cannot

dopend. The Company would have been better

off with fewer and more reliable witnesses. They
have fallen into the error of getting up too strong

a case, and the result is it has no coherence, and

can command no belief. It may. be individuals
have lived long at gasworks—men have lived

long under the most unfavourable circumstances,
and where there is a free current of air in an open
space gasworks may not be very injurious ; but

in a confined area, overhung by a humid atmo-
sphere, breathed by thousands, the smells of gas-
works canuot--we persist in saying—fail to be

prejudicial to the public health. All the denia'

in the world will not overturn an easily ascertain-

able fact.

COURT CIRCULAR.

WINDSOR, OCT. 20.

Her Majesty and his Royal Highness Prince Alberta
accompanied by his Imperial Highness the Hereditary
Prince of Tuscany and four elder members of the Royal
family, walked on the East Terrace yesterday afternoon,
attended by the Ladies and Gentlemen in Waiting.
His Royal Highness Prince Albert, with the Here-
ditary Prince of Tuscany, went out shooting this morn•
ing.

The Princess Alice rode on horseback.
Prince Arthur and the Princesses Helena and Louisa
took a carriage drive.
M. Pacheco had his first audience of the Queen this
day, and delivered his credentials as Minister from her
Catholic Majesty the Queen of Spain. His Excellency
was introduced by the Earl of Clarendon, K.G., the
Queen's Principal Secretary of State for Foreign
Affairs.

Lord Dufferin and Lieutenant-General Sir F. Stovin
were the Lord and Groom in Waiting.
Tie Spanish Minister remains on a visit to the Qneen.
Viscount and Viscountess Palmerston have been in-
vited, and are expected this afternoon.

don yesterday morning
Viscount and Viscountess Palmerston arrived in Lon-
left town in the afternoon for Windsor Castle.
from Broadlands, Hants, and

rnE SUN, LONDO', TMESDA 'ET-EWING OiCrOBIEIR 21; 1856.