GAS-LIGHTING.

A rateenrser has been sent to us for notice, entitled "A Letter to the Lord Mayor," which we certainly think worthy of notice, though probably not in the way in which the author intended it. The subject of gas-lighti leg is now beginning to be well understood by most persons connected in any way with scientific researches, and ought to he equally well understood by the public generally, since it forms so considerable a feature in our domestic and civil economy. We therefore feel it incumbent on us to examine a few of the opinions and statements of the author of this letter, Mr. Matthews, in order to prevent the public from being diverted from a very laudable effort to procure both a supply of gas and of water from the respective joint stock associations in sufficient quantities, and at moderate prices. It is rather singular that Mr. Matthews, who professes to write a letter to the Lord Mayor, in answer to another from an engineer of a gas company, as to the practicability of supplying a portion of the City with gas light twenty or thirty per cent, cheaper dem the price charged at present, should add a long postscript to his letter in favour of the present water companies. As the author says he is perfectly disinterested, we are bound to believe him ; but it is " a curious coincidence," that he should have mixed up fire and water in the same pamphlet. It certainly shows his elenzentaig knowledge in a stronger point of view than his notions of civil economy, to write a long letter about gas-light, and conclude it with an equally long postscript about water ; and it is curious that this gentleman should in both cases advocate the vested interests of great joint stock associations, instead of the interest of the community at large. Wc 51411have nothing W say (nor will the Chief Magistretei to whom this

letter is addressed) to the personality which pervades Mr. Matthews's pamphlet against Mr. Hedley, as we know neither of the parties, and look at the question only as one of great public interest. The author remarks, "that the great difference in the price of gas for public and private lights, is the subject on which Mr. Hedley first descants ;" and it is that to which we shall chiefly confine ourselves. It is pretty well known, that in the earlier stages of gas-lighting in the metropolis, the coal-gas companies, in order to induce the public to adopt the use of gas, contracted to light certain parishes and districts at about the same price as was previously charged for oil ; indeed, without such an en- gagement, the parochial authorities would not have been justified in adopting the new mode of lighting streets. The companies, however, indemnified them- selves by charging in many cases a double price for private lights, thereby show- ing how far public spirit, instead of pecuniary advantage, dictated their opera- tions. The principal point of complaint at present is, that, while the great coal-gas establishments have been enriched by the patronage of the public, the public do not, owing to impolitic acts of Parliament, participate in the advantage by a reduction in the price of gas. lu the earlier establishment of

gas-lighting, the whole expense of the manufacture of coal-gas was from 55. Gtt. to frs. per thousand feet, and the Chartered and City Gas Companies

charged time public at the rate of 15s. per thousand*. This, allowing for waste awl every contingencv, must be considered a tolerable profit on capital: but, owing to the present improvements ill the process, the best coal is capable of yielding from 12 to 14 thousand feet of gas from every chaldron ; which if we even allow the highest estimate for coals and manufacture, wouldreduce the cost of production front 5s. to 4s. 4d. per thousand feet. It is also worthy of notice, that, in proportion as the rental of a gas company

extends, and, consequently, the greater the quantity of gas that can be manu- factured on the premises, the greater must be their profits. The real ground

of complaint, then, is this—that the Chartered Gas Company,(more especially,) which has extended its rental over one-half of the metropolis, should, in con.. sequence of the monopoly which is secured to them by Act of Parliament, still charge the public the same price for gas as in the early stages of its introduction, when the manufacture cost them more by '20 per cent., and. when their rental was not one-third of the present extent.

The above being the actual state of the questionbetween the two principal gas companies and the public, and one of the minor gas-light establishments having offered to undertake the supply of a part of the City at a reduction of twenty-five or thirty per cent. It appears to us astonishing that Mm'. Matthews, or any other man, should be found voluntarily advocating " the rights" of such gross monopolies as the Chartered Gas-light Company. The impartiality of the author may be judged of by the following statement of facts. " The quantity of light now supplied to the public by the gas of the street-lamps is more than ten times that which they had before gas was introduced. if the Companies were to reduce the quantity to a little above that supplied formerly, they would comply with the provisions of their act of incorporation ; and if they were so disposed, might be indifferent about the

unpryitable contracts with the commissioners ; but have they ever shown any disposition to act upon so dishonourable a plan ? Would the public be

reconciled to any reduction of the present splendid light of the streets, after having been so long accustomed to it ? And can they then justly cherish any oilier feelings than those of admiration and respect on viewing the con- duct of those Nvho have not only meritoriously exerted themselves to im- prove so important a branch of the public service, but have actually been the chief means of affording to the public what is not merely a benefit, but even a gratification ?" But how does the author prove his statements as to " ten times the light," or sustain flits eulogy on a joint stock association for their " disintesestedness?"

A public meeting was held in the parish of Bishopseate just previous to the appearance of this pamphlet, when the British Gas Osompany offered to con-

tract for supplying that district with gas at 25 per cent, under the price now charged by the Chartered Company ; but this proposition was defeated by the good understanding- between the Commissioners of sewers and the Chartered Company, an officer of the former board being a proprietor and director of the latter. The precise machinery by which these things are accomplished, is known to all who are conversant with what is termed parish jobs.

The author, having in his own mind settled the question in favour of City monopoly in the supply of gas, next calls the attention of the Lord Mayor to

a district in which his lordship has no more influence than Sir Geoffrey

Dunstan, the late Mayor of Garrett. "Having made (says the author) the observations I deemed necessary upon the subject of purer and cheaper

gas being supplied to the citizens of London, allow me, my Lord, to direct your attention to a scheme which has recently made its appearance, and has for its professed object the supply of gas to the western part of London." Mr. Matthews then proceeds, in no measured terms, to dissect the prospectus issued by the few respectable gentlemen who have projected a new gas company for lighting a part of the south-west district of the metropolis, at ten or fifteen per cent, less than the prices charged by the chartered company. In this, no less than in the former case, Mr. Matthews shows a maximum of zeal for the interests of monopolists—his sympathy for the public is not by any means so obvious.

The author's " POSTSC nnIT in defence of the Water Companies, we must

defer to another opportunity. es.

Snips FOIL IxntA.—The East India Directors have made the following arrange- ments. The Buckinghamshire and Herefordshire, for Bombay and China, and the Bridgwater and Lady Melville, for Bengal and China, to be afloat on the 21st No- vember, sail to Gravesen d on the 7th of December, stay there thirty days, and be in the Downs on the 12th sfJatltlary 1829. The Farquharson and Inglis, for Bengal and China, and General Icycl, for St. Helena, Bombay and China, to be afloat on the 8th of December. sail to Gravesend on the 21st of December, stay there thirty days, and be in the Downs on the 20th of January 1829. The Duke of York and Hythe, for Bengal and China, to be afloat on the 22nd of December, sail to Gravesend on the 5th of January 1829, stay there thirty days, and be in the Downs on the 10th of February. The Duke of Sussex and Atlas, for Bombay and China, and the Keine Castle, for St. Helena, Prince of Wales' Island, and China, to be afloat on the 5th of January, sail to Gravesend on the 19th of January, stay there thirty days, and be in the Downs on the 24th of February. The Thames, Windsor, and Repulse, for Madras and China, to be afloat on the 19th of January, sail to Gravesend on the 3rd of February, stay there thirty days, and be in the Downs on the 12th of Starch. The Vansittart, Waterloo, and Scaleby Castle, for China direct, to be afloat on the 5th of March, sail to Gravesend on the 20th of March, stay there thirty days, and be in the Downs on the 25th of April. 'The Lewther Castle and Charles Grant, for China direct, to be afloat on the 10th of March, and sail from Gravesend at the ex- piration of forty days from that period.

* Vide Peckston on "On Gas-lights," anti the new Farliameatary " Avon on, the Met pelit an Oil Gas