This invention, which is generally considered as of modern date, contributes greatly to the convenience and safety of the inhabitants of large cities, as well as to the ornament of their streets. It is not probable that the streets of ancient Rome were lighted, since the Romans considered the use of flambeaux and lanterns to be so necessary in returning home from their nocturnal visits. It appears that such as walked the streets without these went home in darkness; and the return of Gito in the night-time, of which Petronius makes mention, clearly proves that the streets of Naples were not lighted. Such as have ascribed a remote antiquity to the lighting of streets, Lighting seem to have mistaken it for what are called illuminations, which indeed are of great antiquity. Egyptians, Jews, Greeks, and Romans, during the celebration of memorable festivals, were in the habit of illuminating their houses; but this is entirely different from the practice which we are now considering.

Paris was probably the first city in modern times, the streets of which were lighted, about the beginning of the 16th century, as they were very much infested by robbers and incendiaries. This occasioned an edict, issued in 1524, commanding the inhabitants, whose windows fronted the street, to keep lights burning after nine o'clock at night. In 1558, these were changed for lanterns, of a similar construction with those used at present. In 1671, the lanterns were ordered to be lighted every year from the 20th October to the end of March the ensuing year. Some time after this a premium was offered for a dissertation on the best means of improving the lighting of the streets, when a journeyman glazier obtained a premium of 200 livres, and Messrs Bailly, le Roy, and Bourgeois de Chateaublanc, 2000 livres. The lamps of Paris amounted to 5772 in the year 1721, and, in 1771, to 6232. The city of Nantz was lighted in 1777, and had no fewer than 500 lamps in the year 1780.

The inhabitants of the city of London were ordered, in 1688, to hang out lanterns duly at the accustomed time, which was renewed in 1690; and in 1716 it was enacted, that all those whose houses fronted any street, lane, or public passage, should hang out one or more lights, which were to burn from 6 o'clock to 11. By another act, the lamps were increased from 1000 to 4769, and afterwards to 5000. But as these were confined to the city and liberties, about one-fifth of the whole of London, the number of lamps could not be less than 15,000. The continuance of their burning was also increased from 750 to 5000 hours. In 1744, another act was obtained to regulate still farther the lighting of the city, and it was placed on the footing on which it stands at present. These are now so numerous, that Oxford street alone is said to contain more lamps than the whole city of Paris. Birmingham was lighted for the first time in 1733, with 700 lamps.

In 1669, Amsterdam was lighted by lanterns; the Hague in 1553 was lighted in a particular manner, but lamps were not fixed up in all the streets till the year 1678. The streets of Copenhagen were lighted in 1681, the plan of which was much improved in 1683. Berlin at present has 2354 lamps, kept lighted from September to May, at the expense of the sovereign. Vienna began to be lighted in 1687, and lamps were introduced in 1704. In 1776 their number amounted to 2000, which was increased to 3000, to be lighted at the annual expense of 30,000 florins. Leipzig was lighted in 1702, Dresden in 1705, Cassel in 1721, and Gottingen in 1735. A practice so beneficial to the safety and convenience of mankind, has been very laudably imitated by almost every city and town in Europe. Beckman Hist. of Invent.

By far the greatest improvement that has been made in the lighting of cities, is the application of coal gas to this purpose. Gas lights were used so far back as 1792, but they were not employed for lighting streets till 1811. In 1818 they were first used to a limited extent in the streets of Edinburgh. The light the gas gives is much more powerful and steady than is given by oil, and on a large scale it is also more economical. See Gas Lights, Supplement.