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To the Hon. the Chairman and the Commissioners of the Court of Sewers of the City of London.

GENTLEMEN,—The communication of your Clerk, Mr. Daw, of the 29th ultimo, having been forwarded from the Works to the Secretary of the Commercial Gas Company, who is at Deal on leave of absence, it has by him been enclosed to me, as the Chairman of the Company, and, I regret to say, has reached me too late for me to arrange a Deputation of my Board to meet your Honourable Court; and a long-standing engagement of importance will, unfortunately, render it impossible for me to be present.

I beg, however, on my own authority, to inform you (presuming you may require such information),—

That the Commercial Gas Company was established to protect the interests of the consumers of Gas of the Eastern parts of London.

That the Company sought to supply the whole of the City of London, but were, unfortunately, not successful in their application to your Honourable Court.

That, notwithstanding the great care and economy exercised in the erection of their Works, and the low price of materials, their Proprietors were for several years without any Dividend; that they have never paid more than Six per cent., and have never given any Bonus.

That the Commercial Company believe they can supply Gas as good and as cheap as any Company, and are prepared to do so.

That they are willing that the price to be charged to their consumers, the Citizens of London, shall be regulated by the Board of Trade, or any Government Commission, feeling assured that any such Commission will, after a careful investigation of the merits, afford proper protection as well to the consumer as to the manufacturer; and they also feel assured that the Commissioners of Sewers of the City of London are only anxious to do justice between the consumer of Gas, and those who have embarked their capital in a business of so hazardous and speculative a character.

Trusting the information herein may be useful to your Honourable Court in their consideration of this important question,

I have the honour to remain, with great respect,
Your very faithful and obliged Servant,

December 3, 1849.

CHARLES SALISBURY BUTLER,

Chairman of the Commercial Gas Company.

FOURTH DIALOGUE

Between (Mr. P.) CHARLES PEARSON, ESQ., and (G. C.) a GAS CONSUMER of the City. April 18th, 1850.

:

G. C. This is an unexpected pleasure, Mr. P., for I had not any idea of seeing you until the ceremony of laying the first stone of our new Gas Works, at which I had made my arrangements to attend; for I am sorely troubled about one or two things.

Mr. P. That is a pity; but I trust you will be present when we lay the first stone. I assure you it will be very interesting.

G. C. Yes, but what will be the use of the first stone now you cannot get your pipes through the Middlesex and Essex Roads to Whitechapel, for I hear you were soundly beaten-though they tell me the Chairman of the Company made a capital fight, and the Banker flared up a regular flash in the pan. The numbers are reported as 54 to 23, and that notwithstanding "A Card" which presented all kinds of ammunition against the Trustees if they did their duty fearlessly.

Mr. P. Ah, the "Card" was expected to have been a capital dodge, for we threatened the Trustees with damages and costs; and then we had a Memorial of the undersigned Inhabitants, &c., and we put in cleverly the names of several of the Trustees, but they did not tell somehow. As to the leave of the Trustees to lay the pipes, we can do without it very well, for they will never think of looking after us at night, when we can easily do it, and pretend we are the Commercial or British

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Gas Company, and we shall proceed triumphantly to lay the first stone.

G. C. Yes, that may be, but how is all this work to be done, for I have been puzzling my head sadly about the matter? Where is the money to come from? What in truth is the AMOUNT SUBSCRIBED? the return in the Joint Stock Registration Office shows £84,000, but in this there are Mr. Croll and Mr. Glover, who I hear is his Partner, and they are to supply the Meters to the Company; but you surely do not expect them to pay up £17,500, nor Mr. Bovill £4000; and then I perceive some have become bankrupts, and I fear some never were able to pay, and then your own £500, but, however, that will doubtless disappear in the testimonial which is to be presented to you at the dinner. Seriously, can you give me any idea of the amount subscribed by bond fide and responsible persons, and the amount paid, for several who are well able to pay, are said to refuse, and set the Company at defiance.

Mr. P. Your enquiries surprise me, I always thought you a person of sound common sense! Why of course sufficient is subscribed, or you could not suppose we should go on. We are all men of business.

G. C. That was just the very thing that increased my difficulty, and especially with Mr. Bradbury, of Aldermanbury, among you. Then I will conclude you have enough paid up to go on. Let me see, I will deduct your own £500, Mr. Croll £12,500, Mr. Glover £5000, Mr. Bovill £4000: then say 10 per cent on £89,400, the amount subscribed for bankrupts, and 10 per cent. for empties (persons whose pockets have not and never had the means of paying the 20s. deposits); this will leave about £50,000. Ah! I perceive, you trade on a very small Capital. Admirable management !!

Mr. P. Experience does it, Sir. I assure you all calculations may be assumed. Be satisfied.