ancient Carthage, than Venice in its glory, than all the celebrated Hanse Towns, or than the pride of industrious Holland, Amsterdam, could ever boast. .......... 5,887 Charrington and Co. . 13,151 | Hale and Co. Fish, Poultry, &c. The quantity of fish consumed in London is comparatively small, on account of its general high price; and this is, perhaps, the most culpable defect in the supply of the capital, considering that the rivers of Britain, and the seas round her coast, teem with that species of food. There are, on an average, 2500 cargoes of fish, of 40 tons each brought to Billingsgate market, and about 20,000 tons by land-carriage, making a total of 120,000 tons. A company, with a large capital, has been formed in 1825, to supply the metropolis with fish. Poultry, is not often seen at the tables of any but the wealthy, the supply being, owing to the state of agriculture, inadequate to a general consumption, and the price exorbitant: the annual value is about 60,000l. Although Game is not sold publicly, the quantity consumed in London is very considerable, and it finds its way by presents and even by clandestine sale, to the houses of the middling classes. Venison is sold in London chiefly by the pastry cooks, at a moderate rate; but great part of the whole Consumption of this article (which is considerable) is at the tables of the proprietors of deer parks or of their friends. It may be added, that, as not less than 30,000 horses for pleasure and business are kept in and near London; an im. mense supply of Hay, Straw, Oats, &c. for their consumption, is therefore constantly required. 71 CHAP. III. The Municipal Institutions of the Metropolis: its Civil and Military Establishments. THE CORPORATION. THE entire civil government of the city of London is vested, by charters or grants from the kings of England, in its own corporation or body of citizens. It has, properly speaking, its own legislature, called the Court of Common Council, consisting of the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Common Councilmen. The corporation consists of - 1. The Lord Mayor; 2. The Sheriffs; 3. The Aldermen ; 4. The Common Council. The Lord Mayor. The chief magistrate is chosen annually, in the following manner: — On the 29th of September the livery, in Guildhall or common assembly, choose two Aldermen by show of hands, who are presented to a court, called the court of Lord Mayor and Aldermen, by whom one of the Aldermen so chosen (generally the first in seniority) is declared to be Lord Mayor elect; and on the 9th of November, following, he enters upon his office. This day is commonly spoken of by the citizens as Lord Mayor's Day; and the procession and ceremonials on the occasion are worthy the observation of all strangers. The Lord Mayor proceeds from Guildhall to Blackfriars Bridge in his state coach, attended by the Sheriffs in their statechariots, by the Aldermen in their carriages, and by the Livery of the several Companies in their gowns. At the bridge, his Lordship, the Sheriffs, &c. embark on board the state-barge belonging to the Corporation, and the several Companies embark in their own magnificent barges, whence they proceed to Westminster. This part of the procession is seen to great advantage by spectators at the Adelphi, the Temple Gardens, Westminster and Blackfriars Bridges. At Westminster, the Lord Mayor, Sheriffs, Aldermen, Recorder, &c. &c. go in procession to the Court of Exchequer, where the Lord Mayor is sworn in, and solemnly addressed by the Chief Baron. The proces sion afterwards proceeds to all the other Courts, the Recorder inviting the Judges, &c. to dinner. On returning to the barge, the whole of the splendid regatta row back to Blackfriars Bridge. Hundreds of boats usually join the aquatic procession, and both sides of the river are lined with spectators, who hail and salute the barges as they pass. Nothing can surpass the scene in civic splendour and effect, whether the attention is turned to the magnificence of the various barges, the bands of music on board them, the occasional salutes of artillery on the shores, or the number and gaiety of the spectators. On relanding at Blackfriars Bridge, the procession, swelled by a number of horse and foot men in suits of polished armour, &c. &c., returns to Guildhall; where a grand dinner and ball are given, at which the various Ministers, the great Officers of State, and many of the nobility are frequently present, besides at least one thousand of the most opulent citizens, male and female; all of whom sit down to dinner in the great hall, which is fitted up for their reception. The whole of the proceedings are conducted by a Committee of the Corporation. Tickets of admission to this grand civic entertainment are at the sole disposal of the Lord Mayor and Sheriffs, who jointly pay the expense-half being defrayed by the former, and the other half by the latter. The total expense of this feast is generally about 3000l. The Two Sheriffs are chosen annually by the Livery, both for the city, and for the county of Middlesex; the same persons being Sheriffs for London, and jointly forming (legally considered) a single Sheriff for the county: it is their duty to inspect the prisons, summon juries, keep the courts of law, and execute all writs and judgments. They enter into office on the 28th of September. List of the LORD MAYORS and SHERIFFS who have been chosen during the present century. LORD MAYORS. SHERIFFS. SW. Champion, Esq. 1801. Sir William Staines ... B. Liptrap, Esq. SHERIFFS. SJ. Perring, Esq. T. Cadell, Esq. Sir R. Walsh, Sir J. Alexander. Sir William Leighton, Sir J. Shaw. G. Scholey, Esq. W. Domville, Esq. J. Ansley, Esq. Thomas Smith, Esq. Sir J. Miles. Sir J. Branscomb, H Christ. Smith, Esq. Sir Richard Phillips. J. J. Smith, Esq. Sir C. S. Hunter. John Atkins, Esq. Matthew Wood, Esq. Sir W. Plomer, Samuel Goodbehere, Esq. Samuel Birch, Esq. W. Heygate, Esq. John Blades, Esq. Michael Hoy, Esq. Christ. Magnay, Esq. T. C. Marsh, Esq. Joseph Leigh, Esq. John Reay, Esq. Sir Thomas Bell, John Thomas Thorpe, Esq. Robert Kirby, Esq. George Bridges, Esq. Francis Desanges, Esq. George Alderson, Esq. Lawrence Gwynne, Esq. Thomas Roberts, Esq. Richard Rothwell, Esq. Joseph W. Parkins, Esq. Robert Waithman, Esq. John Williams, Esq. Officers of the Corporation of London for 1826. Right Hon. Wm. Venables, Lord Mayor, Newman Knowlys, Esq. Recorder. T. Kelly, Esq. Alderman Crowder, Sheriffs Richard Clark, Chamberlain. Timothy Tyrrell, Remembrancer Thomas Denman, Esq. Common Serjeant. N.Browne, and W. Wadham Cope, Gents. City Marshals. The Aldermen are chosen for life, by the householders of the several wards, being freemen, one for each of the twenty-six wards; except that of Bridge-Without, or Southwark, on a vacancy for which, the senior alderman, or, as he is commonly called, The Father of the City, is removed to that ward, and a new alderman is elected for the ward which he vacates. The Aldermen are the principal magistrates in their respective wards. There are various courts in the city for trying the civil causes of its inhabitants, by judges who are members, or officers of the corporation. The Lord Mayor, the Recorder, the Common Serjeant (the principal law officer of the city), and the Aldermen, are judges of Oyer and Terminer; that is, they are the king's judges to try. capital offences and misdemeanors committed in the City of London and County of Middlesex; and the aldermen are perpetual justices of the peace for the City. |