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51
a larger main from the works at Horseferry Road, to supplement
the supply from the Kensal Works, which are inadequate for
the large district hitherto dependent on that source. I am not
without hope that when the new 24-inch main is completed some
of the causes of dissatisfaction to which I have adverted may be
removed, and that a sufficient and well-regulated pressure, with a
full supply of gas, will be obtained.
The dissatisfaction with the gas led your Vestry to adopt a
curious experiment during the current year, viz., that of burning
mineral oil with the Silber light in a certain number of street
lamps in the Kensington Road. I offer no opinion at present on
the comparative value of the two sources of light; but I may
mention the fact already well known, and referred to in my
monthly reports, that the lighting of the streets in this parish
is very unsatisfactory, inasmuch as we are still using burners
adapted to consume three feet per hour, as in the days of cannel
gas, whereas 4½ feet burners, at the least, should be employed. A
suggestion has been made that the average meter system should
be adopted in this parish, and it has my cordial approval—already
expressed in my monthly reports—as it is only fair and proper
that public bodies should pay for the gas they consume and no
more. The average meter system has been adopted in the
parishes of Paddington and St. Pancras. It has given entire
satisfaction, and in a very short space of time the first cost of
applying the meters to every twelfth lamp will have been defrayed
by the saving in expenditure on gas. In Paddington
the Vestry have undertaken all the necessary work of lighting and
repairing the lamps. The gas has been burned for a somewhat
shorter average period nightly, and a further large saving in
expenditure has thus been effected. With reference to the cost
of gas in this parish, I may be permitted to mention that
during the year the revenue of the Company was many thousand
pounds more than necessary to pay the ten per cent.
dividend—which, in fact, might have been paid without the increase
in the price of the gas, sanctioned by the Commissioners
appointed by the Board of Trade, in the month of January.
If, however, the price had not been raised during 1874, it is
probable that the price charged in 1873 would have been
maintained. But, in the face of the enormous over-taxation of
gas consumers in 1874, and the reduced cost of coal, the Company
could not apply to the Board of Trade for a revision of
the price in 1875, the result being that the charge reverted on
the 1st of January to the Parliamentary price of three shillings
and ninepence per 1,000 cubic feet.
I cannot conclude my report without special acknowledgment
of the assistance rendered to me by the sub-district registrars
of births, deaths, &c., during the past year, which has been
one of crisis. For many years the Registrar-General had