Mr Jones next turned his attention to the arithmetical statements of Sir Peter; and a better specimen of what in the Scotch language is called a stramash, it has never been our good fortune to meet with:—­

“We have been told by the worthy knight who introduced this motion, that to pave London with wood would cost twenty-four millions of money.  Now, it so happens that, some time since, I directed the city surveyor to obtain for me a return of the number of square yards of paving-stone there are throughout all the streets in this city.  I hold that return in my hand; and I find there are 400,000 yards, which, at fifteen shillings per yard, would not make the cost of wood paving come to twenty-four millions of money; no, gentlemen, nor to four millions, nor to three, nor even to one million—­why, the cost, gentlemen, dwindles down from Sir Peter’s twenty-four millions to L300,000—­(hear, hear, and laughter.)

“If I go into Fore Street I find every body admiring the wood pavement.  If I go on Cornhill I find the same—­and all the great bankers in Lombard Street say, ’What a delightful thing this wood paving is!  Sir Peter Laurie must be mad to endeavour to deprive us of it.’  I told them not to be alarmed, for they might depend on it the good sense of this court would not allow so great and useful an improvement in street paving to retrograde in the manner sought to be effected by this revolution.  I shall content myself with moving the previous question”—­(cheers.)

It is probable that Mr Jones, in moving the previous question, contented himself a mighty deal more than he did Sir Peter; and the triumph of the woodites was increased when Mr Pewtress seconded the amendment:—­

“If there is any time of the year when the wood pavement is more dangerous than another, probably the most dangerous is when the weather is of the damp, muggy, and foggy character which has been prevailing; and when all pavements are remarkably slippery.  The worthy knight has shown great tact in choosing his time for bringing this matter before the public.  We have had three or four weeks weather of the most extraordinary description I ever remember; not frosty nor wet, but damp and slippery; so that the granite has been found so inconvenient to horses, that they have not been driven at the common and usual pace.  And I am free to confess that, under the peculiar state of the atmosphere to which I have alluded, the wood pavement is more affected than the granite pavement.  But in ordinary weather there is very little difference.  I am satisfied that, if the danger and inconvenience were as great as the worthy knight has represented, we should have had applications against the pavement; but all the applications we have had on the subject have been in favour of the extension of wood pavement.”