The speaker then takes up the ground, that as wood, as a material for paving, is only recently introduced, it is natural that vested interests should be alarmed, and that great misapprehension should exist as to its nature and merits.  On this subject he introduces an admirable illustration:—­“In the early part of my life I remember attending a lecture—­when gas was first introduced—­by Mr Winson.  The lecture was delivered in Pall-Mall, and the lecturer proposed to demonstrate that the introduction of gas would be destructive of life and property.  I attended that lecture, and I never came away from a public lecture more fully convinced of any thing than I did that he had proved his position.  He produced a quantity of gas, and placed a receiver on the table.  He had with him some live birds, as well as some live mice and rabbits; and, introducing some gas into the receiver, he put one of the animals in it.  In a few minutes life was extinct, and in this way he deprived about half a dozen of these animals of their life.  ‘Now, gentlemen,’ said the lecturer, ’I have proved to you that gas is destructive to life; I will now show you that it is destructive to property.’  He had a little pasteboard house, and said, ’I will suppose that it is lighted up with gas, and from the carelessness of the servant the stopcock of the burner has been so turned off as to allow an escape of gas, and that it has escaped and filled the house.’  Having let the gas into the card house, he introduced a light and blew it up.  ‘Now,’ said he, ’I think I have shown you that it is not only destructive to life and property; but that, if it is introduced into the metropolis, it will be blown up by it.’”

We have now given a short analysis of the speeches of the proposers and seconders on each side in this great debate; and after hearing Mr Frodsham on the opposition, and the Common Sergeant—­whose objection, however, to wood was confined to its unsuitableness at some seasons for horsemanship—­granting that a strong feeling in its favour existed among the owners and inhabitants of houses where it has been laid down; and on the other side, Sir Chapman Marshall—­a strenuous woodite—­who challenged Sir Peter Laurie to find fault with the pavement at Whitehall, “which he had no hesitation in saying was the finest piece of paving of any description in London;” Mr King, who gave a home thrust to Sir Peter, which it was impossible to parry—­“We have heard a great deal about humanity and post-boys; does the worthy gentleman know, that the Postmaster has only within the last few weeks sent a petition here, begging that you would, with all possible speed, put wood paving round the Post-office?” and various other gentlemen pro and con—­a division was taken, when Sir Peter was beaten by an immense majority.

Another meeting, of which no public notice was given, was held shortly after to further Sir Peter’s object, by sundry stable-keepers and jobmasters, under the presidency of the same Mr Gray, whose horse had acquired the malicious habit of breaking its knees on the Poultry.  As there was no opposition, there was no debate; and as no names of the parties attending were published, it fell dead-born, although advertised two or three times in the newspapers.