To The Editor Of The Time...
TADVERT I SEVNT iE T. I Sir,-As one of your leadingarticlesofSaturdaywasonthesubject of oil gas, to be supplied by a new Company, now in Parliament for powvers, &c., perhaps it will not be unacceptable to the pthlic anDd the members of the Legislature, to receive a few observations tendinz to facilitate the vie,vs of the proprietors, and to obviate an evil the public must necessarily be subject to, thould the Oil Gas Company obtain their act. I agree with you that universally competition proluces general good: indeed, it frequentlv creates additional demand for the arti- cles when at low prices, excites a stimulus tt effect the objects in more skilful and economical modes. and contributes ultimately to the welfare of the compvetitors. In this respect, then, I have no ob- jection to the proposCed Oil Gas Compasy. But the point I wish to call vour attention to is the inconvenience the public will be sub- jected in hy disturbing the paving a-d footpaths for laying down thc mains and services. I am not very willing to thrust myself or ty plans unnecessarily into aotice, but as in this matter the public at lare are to suffer, and as I am somewhat concerned as ouc of the number living in a crowded thoroughfare who'wiU be subject-e to the inconvenieneo, beirTg also the patentee of a method to prevent the frequent removal of the pavc:nent and carriage paths for laying tlown anti taking un pipes, &c., it will be a great dereliction of daty to the public and mnyself, u,der :hese circumstances, to remain tacit, and permit bv mv silen;e the evil to com-sence a.gain, and be carried through the w'iolc of thic great metropolis without calling on the public general- lv, to ititerefere and prevent it. '1 was only the other dLv that a Gas Companv was finclUoy Mtfr. Alderman Thorp for disturbing the paving in Thames..atrect * and at this moment the New River Cenipany are doing the same, frort the Old 'Uhange down to the sauwe street. upon a much larger scale. The Lord Mlayor has also, with laudaSle zeal, expressed his de. tern:iatioa to enforce the street acts. Thts is all well; but the evil r-m:-ins, in consequence of thie separatc acts of Parliament the W'Vatcrand Gs (,ompanies hatve obtained, authorizing them to'dis. turb the streets whlenever tliev please. This, then, is the precise momiient for the public to come forward, both in its corporate, paro- chial, and individual capacity, to petition the Legislature not togrgnt ledve to anu compan,v either for water, gas, or any other purpose, ;o ;nterfere with anrl break up tiie paving in the streets. The re. :medy i. easy, ouL only for London, hat fur every town in the king_ donm, which, by the ny, is threatened to be di)ne by another Comt pany, who are n:cw applving to Parliament for leave to -s:pply gas in an: vlace requiring it out of the iectropolis, and who, as their first mieasure, must necessarily disturb the streets in every ropltous city and town ihey enter; consequLItly all the strcets its ngland, shouMl t!.cse two comnpanies be empowe.&ed, wiL be taken tip in the course of the ensuing summer, to the g-cat annoyance of their inha- bitants, the nobili:y, gentry, and others who travel tirougIh them. The remnedy, vou will readi!l coiclude, is in conatmcting sub. ways to receive t4e pipes. Indeed ne pipes are now wanted,; fr the sub.ways may be lined wvith du:able or everlasting tubes, of the tame .materialS as t;ie bricks. worked into the totiom and sides of the sab-w.yvs, for watcr and gas to flow through, every tube being prowf against 3001b. pressure on the .quare inch from an hydraulic prress. Krici is the pamer required for proving iron. I am Sir. spectzul:yv vours, JO NS WILL1AMU. Uornfltil. April _ . TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES.