great attention bestowed to ensure their safety, but also to prevent accidents.*

It will perhaps not be improper to notice that Sir William Congreve was also questioned respecting his authorities for the different accidents which he had related, when it appeared that the principal disastrous circumstances had been communicated to him in conversation, not as facts which the persons had seen, but as reports they had heard. Mr. Jacob Davis, the engineer of the Manchester gas works, and Mr. John Watson, the superintendent of those at Edinburgh, were examined

* In the course of Mr. Clegg's examinations on this occasion, being asked if “ every possible care was taken to avoid explosive mixtures in the gasometers," and if "the chance of such an accident happening at any well-regulated work was not almost impossible," he replied, "I think quite impossible; I should as soon guard against the falling of Waterloo Bridge from an earthquake as guard against any explosion of that sort." And again, “I should have no objection to my bed being placed on the top of one of them; I should sleep just as sound there as in any other place." When the question was put to Mr. Lowe, whether he considered "the danger of explosion being so remote as to render any precaution unnecessary, except ventilation, " his answer was, "I consider it to be very remote indeed; if it were otherwise, I should feel great personal want of security in my present situation, and I feel none myself." "I consider the chances as ten thousand to one."-Minutes of Evidence, 1823.

concerning the accidents which had occurred at those places, but they both stated them to have been productive of very little mischief, and did not resemble in their injurious effects the statement made in the report. The investigation was carefully, attentively, and candidly conducted; opinions and circumstances were minutely scrutinized, and the evidence adduced proved so satisfactory to the committee, that their report was calculated to dispel those alarms which had been unnecessarily, if not improperly, excited. Thus terminated an inquiry of great importance to the gas-light establishments; the result, however, evinced how highly important it is to the peace and welfare of the community, that the person who may be invested with even very limited public authority should possess a sound, discriminating judgment, with adequate information and resolution to discharge the duties attached to his office, so that, in all cases, there should not be a shadow of suspicion that his decisions are not equally impartial and disinterested, and the effects of proper and enlightened views.

* The report of this committee will be found in the Appendix (F). It was printed, with the evidence annexed, by order of the House of Commons, and the latter affords much interesting information.

CHAPTER XVI.

REMARKS ON THE RESULT OF SIR WILLIAM CON

GREVE'S REports. MR. M. RICARDO ON THE

ADVANTAGES OF OIL-GAS

ESTABLISHMENTS.

THE FORMATION OF THE LONDON AND WESTMINSTER OIL-GAS COMPANY, &c.

Though the reports of Sir William Congreve led to the introduction of the Bill for the general regulation of Gas establishments, and produced some uneasiness among the proprietors, perhaps the consequences were advantageous from the investigation which they occasioned. The measures recommended were of such a nature as seemned in general to be unnecessary, and therefore they made upon inquisitive minds an impression rather unfavourable as to the motives which suggested them. They might be laudable and disinterested, but some of them appeared to want the character of being the result of impartial and minute observation. It is deserving of remark, too, that the

* What effect the result of this investigation may have produced to increase the perspicacity and vigilance of the public inspector of gas works is not exactly known. However, it is a fact that no other reports have appeared on the subject on the same authority.

inspector was one of the Committee of the Royal Society who visited the Gas works in 1814; and, during the intervening period, he had enjoyed peculiar opportunities for obtaining correct information on every point relating to them. But the tenour and substance of some of the statements in the reports, and of provisions in the bill, were adapted to produce the inference, that in the course of eight or nine years the efforts to improve the processes, apparatus, and machinery, had been comparatively trivial; in short, that, in 1822, they remained nearly in the same imperfect state as in 1814, when it was well known to every one who had observed the progress of Gas-lighting, that during that time all the great and essential improvements had been introduced, and at an incalculable expense to the different companies for effecting them.

But whatever might be the feelings or views which actuated the inspector, it was evident that his representations were not to be ascribed either to a very impartial or attentive examination of the real state of gas-light establishments at the time of their being made; and a silent acquiescence under such implications could hardly be expected from those whom they tended seriously to affect. The parliamentary inquiry was, therefore, essentially serviceable to them, inasmuch

as it afforded occasion for eliciting and diffusing a great mass of useful information on all the points which concerned either their interests or reputation; and it also enabled them to obviate the unfavourable impressions which the reports were calculated to produce. The publication of the evidence satisfactorily proved how carefully, anxiously and constantly attentive the managers of such establishments were to every circumstance relating to the public safety and convenience; and that they readily availed themselves of every opportunity of improving their processes and machinery, regardless of the trouble or expense. In the course of the inquiry it also appeared that several of the regulations, which it was the professed, and seemed to be the principal, object of the Bill to introduce and enforce, were already in practice; and that such others as were useful, practicable, and which circumstances might render necessary, would be adopted with alacrity, from the dictates of interest or prudence without legislative interference. The facts disclosed, moreover, shewed upon what slight and insufficient grounds the prejudices of the timid had been roused, so as to alarm their apprehensions with respect to the risk and the dangers of explosions.

It must, however, be observed, that the prin