The Sun.
London, England, 1859-12-01 00:00:00

quences which had resulted from a previous " dis-
tricting" carried out in Southwark about the year
18M, and which Parliament refused to sanction, by
the companies who had been parties to it.
Mr. E. JAMES, Q.C., M.P., stated that, having
been counsel for the Government in 1852, as inti-
mated by Sir J. Shelley, he had many communica-
tions with Sir G. C. Lewis, and contended that a
perfect analogy existed between the two cases of
gas and water supply. The same circumstances,
therefore, which then justified the interference of
the Government in the water question would now
apply to the case of gas.
Dr. BACIIIIOFFNER described the injurious effect
of the districting upon the consumers generally,
and more especially with reference to the public
lighting, increased charges for which had been
made in Marylebone and many other parishes.
Mr. J. BEAL (the honorary secretary) pointed out
the disadvantages under which the metropolis la-
boured owing to the absence of municipal institu-
tions ; in consequence of which the vestries were
said to be unable to apply any portion of the rates
to a matter of this vital importance. He complained
that the metropolis in this respect was in a worse
position than any corporate town in the kingdom.
He proceeded to adduce numerous instances of in-
creased charges for public lighting since the dis-
tricting, and dwelt on the arbitrary and unjust
conditions which the gas company insisted on in-
troducing into recent contracts. He alluded more
especially to the case of the very parish in which
the Board of Trade was situate, where it had been
seriously contemplated to light with oil rather than
submit to the conditions of the company. The bill
about to be introduced sought to regulate the qua-
lity and price of gas, and, among other things, to
abolish the vicious system of " deposits," whereby
the companies were enabled to provide themselves
with capital at the expense of their customers on
the pretence of securing themselves against imagi-
nary losses. He called on the Board of Trade espe-
cially to interfere, as this was a matter essentially
affecting the trading interests of the community.
Mr. S. HUGHES (the honorary engineer) called
attention to the anomalies which at present existed
both in the price and the quality of the gas supplied
throughout the metropolis. The price for common
gas might be said to range from 4s. per 1,000 feet
without meter rents, to Cs. per 1,000 with meter
rents. Similar irregularities existed with reference
to quality, the cannel gas supplied by differeit
companies ranging in illuminating power from 18
candles to 25. He had recently tested the gas in
many parts of Scotland, and found that the quality
was very superior to that usually supplied iu
London. He had been informed by Dr. Fyfe, of
King's College, Aberdeen, who had devoted pro-
found attention to the study of gas, that the ave-
rage and common quality of the gas supplied in
that city was at least equal to 30 candles.
Sir J. DUKE, M.P., although a gas director, could
not refrain from complimenting Mr. Beal ou the
fairness and candour of his statement. He denied,
however, that the gas companies had raised their
prices since the districting—(loud cries of dissent
from all parts of the room)—and asked what com-
panies had done so in this and the adjoining parishes.
(Several delegates immediately quoted instances in
which the Chartered, the Equitable, the London,
and the Western Companies had raised their prices
for the public lamps.) He considered that no per-
fect analogy with reference to Government inter-
ference existed between the cases of water and gas.
The former was not a manufactured article the cost
of which depended on the price of the raw mate-
rial, whereas it is well known that the price of gas
was largely affected by the cost of coal.
Mr. ROUPELL, M.P., contended that the analogy
was perfect between water and gas, and that the
former was as much a manufactured article as the
latter. The water as taken from the Thames had
to be purified, pumped up,and stored in covered re-
servoirs before distribution, and all these processes
contributed to render it to all intents a manufactured
article.
Mr. WILLIAMS, M.P., followed to the same
effect.
After a few words from Mr. WYATT, the Parlia-
mentary agent,
The PRESIDENT of the BOARD OF TRADE (who
was attended by the vice-president and the secre-
tary), said that he had listened with great interest
and the most earnest attention to the statements
which had been made to him. Of course he could
give no opinion as to the merits of the question
without first hearing those who represented the gas
companies. He was, however, quite convinced,
from what he had heard, of the vast importance
attaching to this subject, and he promised that it
should have his most anxious and serious attention.
It might be a question, should the Government de-
cide to take up the subject, whether the interference
should originate with the Board of Trade or the
Home Secretary ; but he was quite sure that in any
case the whole circumstances would receive due at-
tention from the Government.
Sir J. SHELLEY, in thanking the right hon. gen-
tleman for the patient attention with which he had
listened to the deputation, said it was their inten-
tion to wait upon the Home Secretary, with the
view of making similar representations to that de-
partment of the Government.