Star.
London, England, 1818-02-24 00:00:00

LATH HAS LIGHT BILL.

Mr. DICKENSON having moved that the Gas
Light Bill be read a second time, '
Colonel PALMER opposed the motion. He was
instructed to state, by the Mayor and Corporation of
Bath, that they did not object to the principle of the
measure, but that as the guardians of the interests
of their fellow-citizens, it appeared to them that as
there was much difference of opinion with respect to
the merits of the Gas Light, as there was no neces-
sity for the immediate adoption of the invention in
Bath, and as improvements Were every day making
in the preparation and management of the Gas it-
self, it would be better to wait the result of those
improvements, than to take a hasty step of which
they might afterwards repent. It had been said by
the friends of the Bill, that it was the universal wish
of the inhabitants of Bath, that it should be carried.
The fact was, however, that a great majority of the
owners of property in Bath were adverse to it. The
promoters of the measure were shareholders and
other interested ,persons. The. Corporation, on the
contrary, had no interest in it, but were actuated
solely by their zeal for the convenience and prospe-
rity 4.the city. He pledged himself, that whenever
it should appear to be the real wish of the majority
of householders, and other inhabitants of Bath, to
have the Gas introduced, the Mayor and Corporation
would not only consent to its introduction, but aid it
by every means in their power. There was one
clause of the Bill to which he wished the attention
of the House to be particularly directed, as it clearly
manifested the contrariety of opinion which existed
on the subject in Bath ; he meant the clause by which
the property of one of the principal land-owners in
Bath, the Earl of Manvers, was exempted from the
operation of the Bill. The Corporation would of
course claim the same exemption in favour of their
property, as well as Lady Rivers, another great
land-owner, who objected to the Bill. A very small
part of the city would therefore be left open to them,
and if they should think it worth while to obtain a
Bill for lighting it, the whole'city might be injured,
should it prove *nuisance rather than a benefit. He
had been one .of the warmest advocates'of the gas
light himself. No man could observe its beauty
without being so. But within the last two days he
had heard some circumstances which rather shook
his opinion. .It there was.any one place in the king-
dom in which it was zo be expected that the Gas
would be in the best state, it was to be the spot on which
they were, as it was naturally the interest of the Con-
tractors to take care that it should appear to advan-
tage under the observation of the Members of the
.Legislature. He happened lately, however, to be in
company with a Gentleman who resided in the im-
mediate vicinity of that House, and who declared,
that frequently for days, and sometimes for weeks,
the smell of the Gas was abominable. He had also
been informed by another Gentleman at Chelsea, that
having been at the expense of fitting up his whole
house with Gas Lights, he had found the effluvia so
intolerably offensive, and so injurious to the health
of his children, that he had been ccnnpelled' to have
the apparatus removed. On all these grounds, he
moved as an amendment, that the Billbe read a see
cond time that day,

Mr. GOR DON thought that the Bill should at least have a'
second reodiv; ssin'eltV Cblimittee trotdd be inaar Ott-
portunities of discussing its merits. It could not be iiTd that
the Bill was disapprosOdby.the inbabiliftilt Bath, when it was
known that 30,0001. hid already' been subscribed by them to
carry the measure into affect. The rear fact vras, that the Corpo-
ration, finiing that the 'speculation wislikNyToproveploftpble,
wished to undertake it tbeittselves.

Mr. M c:TRIEN stated, that. the landy oL Prelnnen who
were concerned in the present., in.eintrewo:of so.respectable a
2 nature, as to suffer nothing, 'entito comps with with tb Cor-
poration of Beth. • • •
_ _ _

Mr. CURWENobservoillothit the clause relpecting the-EMI'
of Nlanvers was copied from the Corporation 4:10414.h0d
a communication with the Corporation of Bath, on the subject
of the propoied measure, and although he lyni offered. a Ord
the intents of that Corporation.li the Bibs, by every practicoble
prbvision, he was not listened. to..butavas:toild that they,yreuid
depend on the strength of noses in, the nettle of Commas*
Lord J. THYNNE opposed the Bill, and M.r..PILQW4Er,
ROE supported it.,
Mr. BARRETT-Observed. that She expesweelstUd in 1.2ri115
measure be regslsted by the pri of coals. ... •
Mr. P. MOORE said that he irished she )3ill shoolsi UZI
a• Committee. as be would then diFee.t. attention to the
price which was-now charged for Gas Lights. When the subieet'
had originally been investigated by a Committee, it had been
stated in evidence 'that the lighting of a whole house in all its
branches With gas would not come to more than et, a year, ands
now that was the cost of a single light; so that parish lights.,
which formerly cost 255. a piece, were now paid for at the rate
of 41. He should, in the. Conunittee, propose some clause to
regulate the price of Gras

The House divided. For he Bill, 79.—For the Aisseadaseot,,
31.—Majority for the Bill, 41.
The Bill was then ordered a second time.
.I!ANIC NQTES.

. Sir J. MACKINDOSH said that if there wererno.
objections to the following motions he would imme-
diately make them, otherwise he would give notice
of his intention to make theM to-morrow : •
lit. That there be laid before the, Howe an ACCalint of the num-,
berof persons appjehended for forging Notes of t./0, Rank of Ent-
land, and for knowingly ulternis and' possessing forged Timm,
from the Ist January, 11316, to the present time, diainguaing
tie number of persons who had been convicted, and the number
wbo had suffered death.

Id. That there be. laid before tba.liouse an Account of the
number of personi convicted of forging notes of the Bank of
Pngland, and of knowingly uttering and possessing forged notes,'
who suffered death for the twenty_ years preceding the suspen-
sion of eaels payments by the Bank of England in 1797 ; tobether
with a klse•accOabt from 1797 to the present time.
3d. That thite be laid before the House an Account of the
wholestapettse incurred by the Bank of &gland in the prose-
ciAion of perfonefor forging notes of the Bank of England, and
for knowingly uttering and possessing forged notes, for the years
preceding 'rlat.osi'df cash payments by the Bank of Eng-
land io I'HYSV -• with a late • account from 1797 to the
:present ficke.7l -•
-..• The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER sug-
gesting to the Honourable and Leained Gentleman
the expediency of contenting himself 'with giving his
notice of his motions, - •

•.• Sir J. MACKINTOSH -accordingly gave notice
for to:niorrow.

.
.•
BUIRWET'S pIIIIIIART.
Istr,JlANYLESkasta-petisien to pieset4 respecting
;an addition to the British Masan"... :He observed,
dm it was most probably known to most .31crubers

,that the literary world had sustained a great i„s!3,
be decease of the late Dr. Burney, who had 10;
lam eminent as a collector of the. meat
arialts, in the purchase of which he st as not snl
in price. The improvements that had been
in the arrangements of the British Museum wen. tyci
known, and satisfactory and beneficial to the
since now all could hare au easy oppcetunitiy of*
siting this great depository of literature, ans. ael
curiosities. The object of the petition was to be el,
abled to purchase the valuable library of the ha
Dr. Burney, to be deposited in the Musenna-is
object which appeared highly desirable. &ire mai
had occurred, because it had been thought siyi.talnr
to ascertain the value of the library, and to
every proper inquiry. The Honourable Mernixt re.
eluded by moving that the petition from the In*
sees of the British Museum should he brought up.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCIIEQUER sa4
that the petition came at that time razhet
pectedly. He thought, on the whole, that it Z4a
matter that required consideration; it would be tit
best mode of proceeding to refer the petition to
Committee, which might examine into it. Be Ira
rather inclined to think well of the tnnsartiat, a
the library was likely to become a very
quisition, and it was not probable that