The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1847-02-09 00:00:00

all along been scrupulously inc

.dueing a variety

ics, and stating

accounts had been regularly filed with the Cleric of the
Peace, he stated that the company had well and faithfully

carried their mains to the poor as.we

in unprofitable districts. They had already expended a
large sum in additional works, and they were, therefore,

Jr powers to ,raisea

;her cam

gas from Bs. per 1000 feet, in 1841, to 4s. bd. at the pre-
sent time. The committee in the Commons laid down
the maximum price at 4s. 6d. from the Ist of January,
1846, but the company he represented had by anticipation
reduced the price to that moderate sum from the previous

July. He believed the gas supplied by them was the most
brilliant, and the cheapest, yet produced by any company
extant. All their accounts had been duly audited, and

what they were now about to apply for was to raise a
further capital of £200,000, in 2000 shares, at £25 each,

carry ou

ks for the benefit of the town and neighbourho,

Mr. CARSON then called Mr
clerk of the Liverpool Gas-light Company
Mr. MILLER said he had filled the situation about 17

. . _ .
of £lOO. The Company had expended £193,190, by the
time they went to Parliament in 1841, when £lOO,OOO was
capitalized into 1000 shares, giving two shares to each pro-
prietor. He then explained that half of the new shares

wemium

To Mr. EVANS

-The whole of our capital, £263,534

has been expended in the works. Of this, £200,000
bears interest at 10 per cent. In 1841, before Parliament,
the Company proposed to raise £llO,OOO, but was only
Hewed to raise £50,000. The sum of £143,000,

The first act obtained did not limit thtm with

regard to profits. The charge for 1000 feet of gas was
then 15s. About 16 years ago, this was reduced to 12s. 6(1;

next reduction was to

next to Bs,

and then to is

The value of the shares in the market was now about
£2OO. The total expenditure of the Company for the
respective years 1843 to 1846 inclusive, was £60,112.
The witness was not prepared to say what expenses had
been incurred in works beyond the Parliamentary borough.

gs. 6d. The gas rental was at the
same time £42,904 4sr. Od., making in all £42,064 6d. 6d.
Deducting bia debts and collectors' salaries, the income
left was £39,614 Os. sd. The Company provided fittings
for the tenants, and in 1846 the profit on this item was
£594. In 1844, and again in 1845 the Guardian Gas
Company went to Parliament ; and ;the Recorder sug-
gested a reduction in the former year, which was com-
plied with, the price being reduced to 4s. 6d. per 1000
feet, which was a loss. We cannot produce gas at that
price, and are several thousands short, in consequence, in
our dividends. The average, dividend on the whole capi-
tal of £263,534 was, per share £7. 11s. 9d.
Mr. CROOK. an accountant, said he had examined the
accounts under the act. He found that the Company
could not afford the gas at 4s. 6d., and (as we understood
him), that £4924 had to be taken from the reserved fund,
but by a reduction stated the loss was reduced to -e'
He did not think 4-

and for 1846, £H62

lid. a,paym

price, and the increase

the deficiency

Mr. WILLIAM CLEAVER, C 1(

•k to the guardians of all

the out-townships (with the exception of Garston and
Crosbie) gave interesting statistics of the comparative
population in each in 1841 and in 1846. The total of the
whole nine townships was 123.984. He also gave the

number and rateable value of the houses, which from 1841
had increased from 3128 houses to 5212 ; and in value
fra.m..-£77,317 to £114,052.

Mr. SHAW, overseer of Everton, and Mr. PARNELL,
overseer of Kirkdale, and EILBECK, of Walton, also fur-
nished statistics, showing a great increase in the number
of houses and the population of their respective districts.
Mr. Dickenson spoke in' like manner of Toxteth-park,
and Mr. Booth as regarded Litherland.
Mr. H. WALKER said that in the parish of Liverpool
there were of rateable houses and buildings in 1841,
in 1846, 42,106,—rateable amount in 1841,
7,059; and in 1846, £1,021,089.

,
Mr. ALFRED KING, of the Old Gas Company, was next
examined at great length, and gave his testimony in a
very clear and lucid manner, as to the quantity of gas
made by the company, &c. t appeared that in 1844 they.
made 153 million cubic feet of gas, and in 1845, 178 mil-
lion feet, an increase of 241 millions. In 1846 they made
211 - millions—being an average increase on these years of
17 38-100ths. The quantity of gas required would be
doubled in 4i years, and trebled in 7 years. Taking the
estimates altogether, £151,981 would be required within
five years from this date for extensions, &c. and in aliort

time' afterwards the full amount of £200,000 woulc

require for stations, extensions, &c. Witness, in reply
to a question, said the company had now to call for
£150,180. They had already about 150 miles of mains
laid. The largest were 12-inch bore, (witness described
the whole from 12-inch to traversing the streets,
with the respective miles). The waste or unaccounted
for gas was about 10 per cent. in the pipes, &c. Of the
£200,000 now sought to be raised, £50,000 would be dis-
posable in shares to the public, £50,000 would go to the
company, and £lOO,OOO would have to be raised on interest.
,If the present companies were amalgamated, the price of
gas might possibly be reduced. He considered a plurality
of companies injurious to the public. He thought the
Guardian Company mistaken in supposing that the ex-
tension of his (witness's) company would be injurious.
The Corporation had thought of purchasing the two com-
panies, but had declined to do so from the great expense.
Of 1364 streets in Liverpool, 1006 were lighted with gas.
The charge for each public gaslight or street lamp was

£4 2s. 6d, except the lamps:- The coal used in making
the gas was exclusively cannel coal, and now cost 15s. a
ton, or nearer 15s. 6d. A ton of this produced 9,600
cubic feet of gas in an hour's working, and 13 cwt. of
coke, which was sold at 10s. a ton.
Mr. KING, in reply to a question from Mr. Evans, said
the number of private lamps in the town did not exceed
14, paying not more than £2O per annum.
Mr. MILLER wasthen called and re-examined. He stated,
in reply to the 26th requirement, that the cost of the pre.
raises and works of the old company was £203,019 Is. 10d.
That included lands, buildings, general apparatus, mains,
and branch pipes. The lands alone cost £52,833 12s. 3d.';
the buildings £20,975 ls. ld. • the general apparatus
£47,473 15s. ld. ; gas metres £20,012 18s the mains
and branch pipes £107,879 19s. ,id •
penses £4031 16s. 4d.parliamentary ex-
Mr. EwsoN.--That is a general statement of the
whole expenditure, and not the annual ? .

havenliVen you includes the

ELLISON.—WeII, will you now give us the original
ftture of the Company ?

MILLER

The 'buildings cost £20,285 6s. Bd. ;

£10,479 2s. 9d. ; mains and branch pipes, Z8;3,902 lbs. in ;
parliamentary expenditure, £728 17s. 4d. ; making a total

he annua

!:LLigorr

expenditure ?
MILLER.—AS regards the income and expenditure
for last year. the income from all sources was £44,683 14s.
and with reference to the expenditure, I will give the con-
tracts and the manufactures separate. The cost of canal,
and the manufacture of the article, come to £22,914 18s.
3d. We charge wages and every other part of the works
to the particular class or item to which it belongs. For
wear and tear, that is the necessary repairs to be made in
the works, the cost last year was £2348 6s. Bd. The next
item is under the head of general expenditure, which
amounted to £4319 45., making a total of £29,582 Bs. 11d.
Mr. ELLisoN.— You have made no estimate of the
annual income and expenditure under the new act ?
Mr. MILLER.—That will depend on cirnstances.
The rate may be reduced by the recorder, wheffit reaches
above a certain amount.
Mr. ELLISON.—What is the maximum of the rate ?
Mr. MILLER.—It can be reduced by the recorder after
it reaches 4s. 6d. in the pound.
Mr. ELLISON.—.Then your dividends are limited ?
Yes, sif.

Mr. EVANS then aged that he had a few observation
.0 make on the bill which was then before them. Ho

ed on the present occasion, as he had done on
ieveral previous occasions, the consumers of gas within
the borough of Liverpool. He should render but com-
mon justice to the company to whom he was opposed,
when he stated that he had received from them every
kindness and accommodation in their power to afford him.
Every account and any information they had called for
had been willingly given ; but still there was a limit be-
yond which he could not, if he could help it, allow them
to go. According to the 4th Vic., eh. 2, and sec. 8, this
company was for the first time restricted in the amount
of interesVhey were to raise of their capital ; and accord-
!rig to the3d clause of the same it was enacted that any
justice might examine a witness on oath touching the
truth of their accounts, and if such a witness should
swear, and distinctly prove that the income of the com-
pany exceeded 10 per cent. per annum, it should be in
the power of such justice to make a fair and equitable
reduction in the price of gas. They had it in evidence
that the capital of the company at present amointed to
£264,000, of which £200,000 was producing interest ;
and, in addition to that sum, they now sought for

terest at the

the year after
the company

.e though
efficiently large

tat the capital

for all their

exertions if they confined themselves within the limits of

the parliamentary borough, and also that they were not
justified in seeking new capital for the extension of their
works when they had made no attempt to carry into effect

He wound s

in conclusion, that for the

which they soug

)oses for

lore was no

before the court to entitle them to

recieve it.
Mr. ELLISON.—Do you wish to call any witnesses, Sir ?
Mr. EVAN S.-No, Sir.
Mr. SWIFT then rose, and said that he would state very
shortly the case of the Guardian Gas Company, for whom
he appeared. He was opposed by his two learned friends,
who always opposed every person.
Mr. SHUTTLEWORTH said that he appeared on behalf
of the Town Council, to watch the inquiry. In his op-
position, however, he would be strictly guided by what
might take place during the proceedings. He did not
wish to have it understood that he came there to oppose

Feb. 0,1847.

I £200,000 more. £lOO,OOO of which was also to be'sr in- IMPORTANT FROM THE PENINSULA.
"ate of 10 per cent. _ There was also another

MACILIONELL.
(From Yesterday's Morning Herald.)
The Iberia, Oriental and Peninsular Company's steam'
ship, Captain Meehan, arrived on Saturday with the usual
Peninsular mails.

£lO,OOO, a great portion a which bore interest at 10
per cent. also ; and while he was on the subject of capital,
it would be vain for him to close his eyes to the fact that
a third company was also. in the field with capital to the
amount of £133,000, so he thought that, taken altogether,
there was no lack of capital to produce gas for the people
of Liverpool. The committee of the House of Com-
mons, when the Guardian Gas Company were before them,
endeavouring to compel the two existing companies to
amalgamate, did not think proper to either force them to
amalgamation or to give that company their bill. If they
had compelled them to do so, it would have required less
capital to supply the town and district with the necessar

amount of gas ; but no attempt had been made by either
company, so far as he could learn, to accomplish that
object, for they had,it in evidence also, although it was
given somewhat reluctantly by Mr. King, that the present
company, by confining itself to the boundary of the par-
liamentary borough, would have realised a greater amount

of profit than they have done by extending their exertions
to the districts surrounding the town. If the clause to
which he alluded was not a delusion altogether, its effect

TES AND DEATII OF OENERAI'

must be to confine the amount of the company's capital,
and also to fix their dividends within a circumscribed
limit ; for if they could get a capital as large as what they
sought for; the day never would come when the public
would enjoy a reduction in the price of gas. If the exor-
bitant demand of an additional- capital of £200,000 were
to be now acceded to, he. would ask what guarantee they
had that next year a demand fully as extraordinary would
not be made, and that a larger amount would not be

The Iberia brings news of the total defeat of the Alive'
lite portion of the rebel army, ruder General Macdonello
at Soborosa, and the death of the general, who has been
hewn down by one of the Queen's troopers. The only
information respecting this affair is contained in the fol-
lowing communication, which was forwarded from Oporto
just as the Iberia was leaving :

" " Oporto, Feb. 2.
The Miguelites in Tras-os-Montes have been com-
pletely dispersed by Vinhaes and Lapa, General Macdo-
nell being killed, and many other chiefs, at Saborosa,
above Villa Poua d'Agmar."
I hear from private sources, that thi
has somewhat

anexpeeted defeat
the rebels concentrated in Oporto,
although it has in no wise damped their ardour for the
forthcoming struggle. Every possible preparation was
being made to give the Queen's troops a warm reception.
The strongest fortifications werebeing prosecuted with all
expedition and vigour ; and all capable of bearing arms
had enrolled thwaselves, and were ready for the conflict
that will decide the fate of thousands. The last accounts
from Saldanha were, that his quarters were at Agueda,
about 30 miles from Coimbra, and therefore it was un-
likely that he would march towards Oporto so early as
was at first anticipated:
I am just inf-

ned that a decree is to appear in a da)(
or two, taking off the double decima from the foreign
debt. This information, lam Assured, can be fully relied'

The Cork Examiner says that some of the men em-•
• ight's delay, have
the other week's
hat people die of

ployed o

Peek's wages, anc

rvati on

here any wonder t

The Rev. :Charles Welsh, curate of Clones, county
Monaghan, begs to acknowledge, with most sincere and
grateful thanks, the• receipt of £lO on. the 24th Jan. and
£lO on the 31st Jan., remitted to him by the St. Jude's
Irish Relief Committee, on behalf of the starving poor of
the parish of Clones.

The celebraTteCiTna.rriage of Mr. H. A. Browne, of Dub-
lin, to a daughter of Mr. Copeland, manager of the Royal
Bank in that town, has been annulled by the Dublin
Court of Delegates ; the court being of opinion that the
case of Mr. Browne was a concocted one, and founded
on perfury_and corruption.

In the House of Commons on Friday, Colonel Sibthori
gave notice, that if no more competent member would
bring in a Bill for the better regulation of Railways, be
should on an early day move for leave to bring in a Bill
to compel Railway Companies to give ample compensation
to the survivors of those persons who should have lost

their lives by accidents on railways

IRISH RELIEF

—What is to be the end of it ? The
last week witnessed the introduction of three Irish mea-
sures, involving an outlay of some £23,000,000, besides
What is this week to develop ?„, Expectation is
,se A --LI,