The Sun.
London, England, 1851-05-14 00:00:00

S NI7

County Franchise (Mr. Locke King), on second read-
ing, April '2, by 299 10 83—Commons.
BILLS WITIIDBAW.3.
Salmon Brood (Ireland—Mr. Anstey), March 12—
Commons.
Apprentices to Sea Service (Ireland) May I—Com-
mons.
Metropolis Buildings, May 2—Commons.
SELECT COMMITTEES.
Army and Ordnance Expenditure—Lord Seymour,
Mr. Secretarrat- War, Mr. Hume, Colonel Anson, Mr.
Walter, Sir William Molesworth, Lord Charles Welles-
ley, Sir James Graham, Mr. William Miles, Mr. Cobden,
Mr. Sidney Herbert, Mr. John Greene, Mr. Ellice, Mr.
Vernon Smith, and Mr. Bankes. Nominated Feb. 26,
on motion of Government.
Law of Partnership—Mr. L'ibouchere, Mr. Slaney,
Mr. Cobden, Mr. Sotheron, Mr. Ewart, Mr. Heald, Mr.
John. Ellis, Mr. ohn A13,-1 Smith, Mr. Anderson, Mr.
Morris, Mr. Chichester Fortescue, Mr. Glyn. Mr. Tut.-
nell, Mr. Tatton Egerton, and Mr. Roebuck. Nominated
March 25, on the motion of Mr. Slaney.
Customs—Mr. Mitchell, Mr. Cornewall Lewis, Mr.
Gladstone, Mr. Wm. Brown, Mr. Anderson, Mr. Forster,
Mr. Alderman Thompson, Mr. Goulburn, Sir John Yarde
Buller, Mr. Archibald Hastie, Mr. William Fagan, Mr.
Moody, Sir George Clerk, Mr. Macgregor, and Mr. Al-
derman Humphery. Nominated March '2B, on the mo-
tion of Mr. Mitchell. May B—Mr. Tennent added in
room of Mr. Fagan.
Steam Communications with India, &c.—Viscount
Jocelyn, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Edward
Henry Stanley, Sir James Hogg, Lord Naas, Mr. Cow-
per, Mr. Plowden, Mr. Scott, Mr. Willcox, Mr. Corry,
Mr. Divett, Mr. Henry Currie, Mr. Mangles, Mr. Bright,
and Mr James Wilson. • Nominated March 31, on the
motion of Viscount Jocelyn.
Ordnance Survey (Scotland)--Mr. Charteris, Mr. Fox
Mau' , Colonel Anson, Colonel Mure, Sir George Clerk,
Sulollet,t, Mr. Cowan, Sir William Morison, the
Earl of March, Sir Henry Davie, Mr. Dalrymple, Mr.
Mackenzie, Sir Philip Egerton, Viscount Melgund, and
Mr. Locke. Nominated April 10, on the motion of Mr.
Charteris.
Newspaper Stamps—Mr. Milner Gibson, Mr. Tufnell,
Mr. Yer Seymer, Mr. Rich, Mr. Stafford, Mr. Cubden,
Mr. George Alexander Hamilton, Sir Joshua Walmsley,
Sir Thomas Frankland Lewis, Mr. Chichester Fortescue,
Colonel. Mure, Mr. Shafto Adair, Mr. Ewart, Mr. So-
theron, and Sir William Molesworth. Nominated April
11, on the motion of Mr. Milner Gibson.
Laws of Mortmain—Mr. Headlam, Mr. Attorney-
iieneral, Lord John. Manners, Mr. Hutt, the Earl of
Arundel and Surrey, Mr. Fitzpatrick, Mr. Roundell
Palmer, Mr. Heald, Sir Robert Harry Inglis, Lord Harry
Vane, Mr. William Marshall, Mr. Anstey, Mr. Shalt()
Adair, Mr. Hardcastle, anti Mr. Drummond. Nominated
May 2, on the motion of Mr. lleadlam.
Church Rates Committee—Mr. Trelawny, Sir Robert
Harry Inglis, Mr. Henley, Sir David Dundee, Mr.
Bright, Mr. Pole Carew, Mr. Alexander Hope, Mr. Hors-
man, Mr. John George Smyth, Mr. Littleton, and Mr.
Hayworth. Nominated May 2, on the motion of Mr.
Trelawny.
Kafir Tribes Committee—Mr. Secretary-at-War,
Marquis of Granby, Sir Edward Buxton, Mr. Edward
Henry Stanley, Colonel Thompson, Mr. Cardwell,
Viscount Mandeville, Mr. Evans, Mr. Mackinnon, Mr.
Bonham Carter, Sir Joshua Walmsley, Mr. Booker,
Colonel Estcourt, and Mr. Hawes. Nominated May 8,
on the motion of Government.

COURT OF COMMON COUNCIL.
Yesterday a numerously attended Court of the Com-
mon Council of the city of London was specially held
in the Council Chamber, Guildhall, in consequence of a
requisition to consider a motion by Mr. Thomas Dakin,
which stood upon the business paper as follows:—" That
this Court do petition the House of Commons, praying
the House to pass a Bill to incorporate the Great Central
Gas Consumers' Company, to as to insure to the citizens
of London a permanent supply of cheap and pure gas."
The Right Hon. the Lord Mayor took the chair at
one o'clock precisely, at which period a large number
of members were present. Throughout the whole of the
proceedings, which listed upwards of three hours, the
strangers' gallery was crowded, the most intense inte-
rest appearing to prevail during the entire sitting.
The memorial to the Lord Mayor, which was signed
by 85 members of the court, having been read by Mr.
Woodthorpe,
Mr. DAKIN said that he regretted that a matter of so
much interest to the citizens of London had not fallen
for its advocacy into better and more able hands. The
question was, however, of deep importance. The Bill
for the incorporation of the company had been read a
second time in the House of Commons, and on Thursday
next it was expected that it would be committed.—
(Hear, hear.) He regarded the members of that court
as the representatives and guardians of the citizens ;
and, therefore, in order to show the necessity
which existed for the adoption of the proposition he
had had the honour to make, he would briefly trace the
history of the gas movement. It was first in that
court that he had become acquainted with the grievances
of the citizens with regard to the price of gas, and
feeling the truth of the featements which were made,
he had become identified with the movement. Sub-
sequently came the reference of the matter to the Court
of Sewers—the calling in of the City solicitor, the re-
port made by that gentleman recommending the C.m
inissioners to purchase and manage the pips, in case the
then existing companies would nut come down, and the
refusal of those bodies, though most respectfully re-
quested by those etnponered to make the applicstion.—
(Hear, hear.) That was at the latter end of the year
1848. In February, 1849, a was held
at the
London Tavern, presided over by Mr. Dillon, when it
was decided to apply agate to the companies. Still they
'refused; and on the sth of April next following it was
.tared that they could not efford to reduce the price per
thousand.—(Hear, hear.) Finding that there was no
',chance of redress unless the consumers took the matter
into their own bands, steps for that purpose were accord
inely Wien, and if that had not been dune the struggle
for monopoly would hate been kept up even to that
hour. What was the first answer given by
the companies to the Court of Sewers ? That
they (the directors if the companies) could not
reduce the price of thesrivate lights without adding
to that' of the public riots. What followed? Why,
when they., found that. the new company was making
head, they consented tereduee it to 4s. per thousand;
and when they still further saw the danger arising from
tneir folly, they further.offered a reduction from 4s. to
3s. 6d., raid to 35., so soon as their surplus profits enabled
them, after paying a dividend of 10 per cent. Any one,
however, who considered that if in 1847 there was a re-
turn of 200,0001., and, in,1849, 300,0001., the additional
100,0001., at 10 per Gent., would effectually make the
45., both minimum and maxim/me. Thus it would be
found that by clingiN to a stated capital, even to this
hour, anything like fair terms had been prevented from
being come to.—(Hear, hear.) Then, with regard to
the proposal to bind themselves by Act of Parliament
to carry out the agreement with the Commissioners of
Sewers for five years; why this was an insult to the new
company, and also to the gas consumers, who sought a
permanent reductiOn.—(Hear.) The proposed " amal-
gamation" had turned upon the words "undertaking"
to be valued, instead of " works" and good-will, by as-
certained rule. With regard to the Great Central Gas
Consumers' Company, all he (Mr. Dakin) need say was,
that so far as their private interests, as shareholders,
were concerned, they were perfectly satisfied.—
(Loud cries of Hear, hear.") Their capital was
raised and their works erected; they had with them a
large body of the consumers, and their profits
were so ample that,, after paying in future 10 per
cent. they would have a handsome surplus in hand.
They bad, therefore, nothing to gain by procuring
as Act of Parliament, in a pecuniary sense he meant; but
they felt it to be their duty to the citizens of London to
ak for such an Act of the Legislature, because as they,
the shareholders, had the advantages of the position they
had been permitted to take, the directors of the company
thought it to be but fair that the benefits of the company
should be secured by such an Act 'to the consumers,—
(Cheers.)` lir. Cardwell, the chairman of the committee
on the 13111,"hed, on the phaert of that Committee, said
preamble to the a
that the " qUestiou
proved, hid been putht that
tridt agred to, and that theldWee.B
sion of the Committee was unanimous.". This being the
case the' did not labour undAeret_th_,,erhiseleigerhpteesrtetdieonubt
with-
outbut
that thPy should obtain the
they dig, however, would that
for that purpose.
thfEculty. Supposing
adcho their protts? No; lt was
Would it increase their power orfreedom. of action?
would not, for it was a highly-restrictive Bill.—(Herat`'
hear) They could not increase the price beyond 4s. pei
1,000 cubic teat; the dividend could not exceed 10 per
cent. If the profits exceeded 10 per_caint., the price of gas
was to be reduced. There was a penal c ause (No. 35)which '
provided that if they
were found furnishing gas of anht
be amerced in a fine
ohs
Inferior quality, the parties mi
of 1001. for every such offence. The corporation also
the aof
were to appoint persons to testas;
!bile the purity of the gment as—
to appoint also inspectors of gp y
such persons would fall upon the Great Central Com-
pany.—(Hear.) The Bill, be (htr. Dakin) would re-
mind the Court, had been agreed to by the officer of
the Court—the Remembrancer, whose instructions were
that nothing inconsistent with the interests of the public
were introduced into it. As to the way 'in which the
had performed their directors of the pro-
mises,company he might say they had stone so faithfully,—
(Hear.) Their object upon the present occasion as to
protect the citizens—not to multiply their own profits,
nor increase their own means of aggrandisement. Hsi
therefore begged the Court to petition in favour of the
33i11. The memorial in its favour had been signed by
.10,500 gas consumers, while the petition against it had
Only received 100 or 200 signatures.—(Hear, hear.)
He had now (very imperfectly, he feared) discharged
his duty; still he hoped that what he had said would
be sufficient to show that the Bill, in favour of which
he asked the Court to petition, was one in which
great public interests were involved, and that was
a protection of the rights of the citizens.—(Hear; hear.)
Strife and contention he abhorred; they were not genial
with his nature; and it was to him a great comfort to
know that such things, with regard to gas matters at
least, would soon be put a stop to. He trusted the Court
would agree with his motion, and that they would join
in mutual friendship. All be asked for the anxious
hollows .of the last -two years (wee the aywathy of those

.

11.0111. At s 6^.

with whom he had the happiness to act. If he secured
that, he should feel amply repaid for all his services ren-
dered in cOnnexion with this long-contested question.
M 7. RICLIARD TAYLOR rose with pleasure to second
the motion. He had never heard a stronger case made
out. The old companies had neglected a good opportu-
nity. They had 'spent a great deal of rnhney in endea-
vouring to upset other companies, and he was convinced
that they had reigned with despotic sway over the eiti-
z-qls with their high prices much too lorg, while he re-
joiced
to find that the' effort of the new company had
proved so successful. He was much gratified to find
also, that the petition did not seek the.advantage of the
conpany only, but that it was intended by, the incor-
poration to secure those advantages to the citizens of
London.
. . . .

Mr. ANDERTON said that it was his intention to move
" the previous question."—(Hear, hear, and Oh.) The
question before the Court involved a great principle, and
he would advise the Corporation to take care how they
agreed with the proposition. He readily admitted that
the old companies had acted very foolishly in not coming
down in their prices in the first instance; but in that
affair it was not for them as a corporation to interfere.
There were questions which involved grave considera-
tions to the citizens of London, and this was one of
them.—(Hear, hear.) Did they not oppose with all
their might Perkins's Bill for the establishment of Isling-
ton Market? Did they not spend thousands upon thou-
sands of pounds for the purpose of preventing its pass-
ing? And justly so, too.—(Hear, and No.) The gas
companies were placed in the came position upon, that
occasion.—(No.) He said they were. The gas compa-
nies stood upon their chartered rights; they stood upon
an Act of Parliament, as the Corporation had rightly
done. Was the case of the opposition of the muni-
cipal body to the bringing of the Blackwell Cern-
pan)'s line into the City of a similar character?—
(Yes, and No.) What would they say if the Govern•
meat were to come down upon them, and say you
are fond of free trade, give up to the citizens your tolls
and your taxes: on coals. Would they do that?—
, (No.) - No,. he not; -they-would be fools if they
did.—(Laughter.) He did not say they ought not to
have their Bill; but he did sarthat it was a matter with
which the Corporation bad no right to interfere.—
(Hear, and laughter.) He had no doubt that if they
got to the House of Commons with the 'Bill it would
have full weight—weight beyond that of the counter-
petition with its 200 or 300 signatures; but his opinion
was, that if they went there, they would only be cutting
their out throats and establishing a dangerous -prece-
dent. He should therefore move the previous question
and divide the Court upon it, even if it stood alone.
Mr. H. L TAYLOR rose for the purpose Of seconding
the amendment of Mr. Anderton. He would give the
proposer of the motion (Mr. Dakin) great credit for
sincerity of purpose, and there were members of the
Great Central Company for whom he entertained the
highest possible respect. With Mr. Anderton, he (Mr.
Taylor) would say that the difficulties which had been
overcome by the promoters of the new company had re-
quired the greatest assiduity, and be (Mr. Taylor) was
ready to give them credit for all that they had done,
which it certainly was far more than he had ever ex-
pected to see.—(Cheers.) The promoters had by some
means or other—to a great extent at least—suceeededi
in inducing the public to believe that the statements made!
by them were correct, and in doing this they had had,j
undoubtedly, a very difficult game to play.—(Hear4
He would not say exactly that they had " gulled" the
public, but they had represented the company as
being in the most prosperous state; that they had been
most successful in all their undertakings; and that they
could pay 10 per cent., and have besides a handsome
surplus.—(Hear, hear.) Did it not appear on the face
of their annual statement that they could only allow
5 per cent.?—(A voice—" How long?") Were there
any proprietors there? If this were so, he must say
that they were unfortunate, as being among the unfor-
tunate shareholders.—(Great laughter.) This was one
of the ways in which the public had been and were now
" gulled."—(No.) He would not say the accounts were
wilfully misrepresented, but certainly—he hardly knew
what to call it—they were misarranged.—(Mr. Brooks—
" Cooked.") Mr. Taylor—" Aye, cooked."—(Great
laughter.) There had been a system of " cooking" the
accounts, and in order to show to the public some sem-
blance of a good case, they had been compelled to do so.
He for one would like to know if all the outstanding
debts bad been paid? Had the accounts shown the
amounts owing? Instead of a dividend and surplus, as
stated, he believed that they could not have shown 6d. in
the pound. It was notorious that large claims remained
yet unsettled. There were large sums to lawyers, and
to Messrs. Rigbys, contractors; and Mr. Chadwick, the
pavior. (Deputy Holt—Mr. Chadwick has received all
he has applied fur.) It was not pleasant to name thesci
things, but he (Mr. Taylor) felt it to be his bounden
duty to do so. Then, as to the question of amalgamation,
he could assure the Court that the statements and the
broad assertions which had been made to the effect that
the City Company were the first to make overtures with
regard to the proposition for an amalgamation, were not
true, and yet these statements had been not only thus
broedly asserted, but printed published and circulated.
(Hear, near.) He could assure the Court, on in ques-
tionable authority, that the City Gas Company were nos
the first parties to the proposition, nor would he say
ahe was, but this he would say, that the negotiation,
after it bad taken place, was broken off, not by the City
Company, but entirely through faith not being kept by
the directors of the Great Central Gas Consumers' Com-
pany.—(hear, hear.) This he was at any time prepared
to prove, and that he would do if a committee was
granted for the purpose.—(Hear, and cheers.) After
some further remarks of a similar character, Mr: Tay-
lor concluded by seconding the amendment of Mr. An-
derton.
Deputy LOTT said that he was glad that upon that oc-
casioa ho was nut met upon his rising, as he had been
upon a former one, with hooting and hissing, associated
with sounds of a truly unearthly character. He should
nut say much, but he must say that the efforts of the
Court of Sewers, in the preparation of their Bill to Par-
liament, lied been befit d by certain parties in that Cur
—parties who had emasculated and mutilated that 13014
—(Hear, hear, and No, no.) He thought that certain
statements which had been made with reference to the
state of the company in some of the public prints ought
to be answered at once, so that the credit of the party
or parties charged might be maintained, and their cha-
racters rescued from damage.
Deputy HARRISON said that he was fully prepared to
show that the parties connected with the old companies
had been the most foolish in the business. In the ear-
liest part of the movement with reference to that ques-
tion they had so acted; They had from the first been
obstinate—even from the first time that the cheirreen of
the two companies had waited upon the Commissioners
of Sewers, when they said they could not reduce be-
low 7s. per thousand. Meeting after meeting was held,
but the directors were inexorable, until they were so
fixed by public opinion and the perseverance of those
in office, who considered the charges unjust, that they
were compelled to give way.—(Hear.) Deputy Har-
rison then proceeded to narrate fully the steps taken by
the Commissioners of Sewers up to the period when the
directors of the old companies, who had said they " could
make no further reduction," expressed themselves ready
to reduce to 4s. per thousand cubic feet. These state-
ments having from time to time appeared in the morn-
ing journals, it is not necessary to repeat them here. As
to Mr. Anderton's reference to Perkins'a Islington Mar-
ket, why, the thing was perfectly dissimilar; in the one
case, that of the gas, there would be a saving of 70,0001.
per annum to the citizens; in the other, there was likely
to have been considerable loss.—(Hear, hear.) That
gentleman had also said that the Government might
say, " You are going for cheap gas; have you not got
tolls? Why not takeoff your tolls?"—(Mr. Anderton—
" Quite right.") Why, did they not know that their
tolls were mortgaged, and the money spent in improve-
ments within the City? From these improvements the
whole of the citizens received benefit.—(Hear, hear.)
The worst of this matter was, that gentlemen on the
other side only saw half the question, and that evidenced
the hollowness of their argument.—(Mr. Anderton, " I
say so still.") Then it had been said that the peti-
tion from the Corporation would have but little
weight. Weight! Did such parties imagine that a peti-
tion, from the Corporation of the city of London, on such
a subject, and signed by 10,500 persons, would not have
weight? No, the Corporation had not come to that yet.
—(Laughter.) It was entitled to have weight, and
would tell when laid before the Legislature.—(Cheers.)
As to Mr. Taylor's speech, he (Mr. Deputy Harrison)
contended that that gentleman had most unfairly at-
tacked the Great Central Company by saying that the
accounts had been " cooked." lute this question he
(Deputy Harrison) would not go, however, as that
would come before another tribunal, and be explained
no doubt by the chairtnan in his reply.—(Hear, hear.)
As to the Bill, what was their intention in submittieg
that? Simply that the consumers might be guaranteed
gas of a superior quality, the appointment of competent
parties to inspect that quality, and to regulate the ser-
vice and the meters, and thus protect the consumers.
(Hear.) As to the accounts, it was absurd to
fa ct eay
that
that
they could be " cooked." Why, was it not the
caoupnutbslic
wouldaud be,itor was it was to
ebreea,pnpsoillentcr
4aant h
d thaartin the rac
8-
to be read by the whole world?—(Hear, hoar.) The
whole proposition was in fact fair and honourable, and
Court.deserving
)tehpeu
ty rt
rsiue
°pap o riot
aodf eve
ine rayn y me
morem b
re
ofm atrhtkas,
and finally sat down amidst loud cheering.
Alderman LAWRENCE remarked that the Court, in
taking the step it had done that day, had put itself into,
were about tWhat
aw
as positiont
he
quoe
sf t
iwo
nh i cbhe
fho
ree wt
ha se
mv y
They
yh
tition Parliament for something—to do some act. What-
for? For whom? Was it for the Corporation? No
such thing. The Corporation had nothing to do with it.
—(Hear.) Tho matter solely belonged to the interests
of a private company. Suppose they resolved to petition
they could not do it through the Sheriff—they would
have to sneak up with it to the Private Bill-office, and
that be had learned upon the authority of their officer,
the Remembrancer.—(Hear.).. c2nsidered any Web'
course as highly derogatory to the character and dignity
of the Corporation of that groat city.—(Hear.) Such a
course would damage them materially. As to the gas
question, he contended that with that they had nothing
to do, though, if they were to believe some of the state-
ments, any body might think that the parties could make
pa for uutbiugy and get mao ohmage out,(Laughtor.)

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