The Press.
London, England, 1858-10-02 00:00:00

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THE ELECTION OF LORD MAYOR RS successor to
Sir R. W. Carden, whose term of office will expire on
the Bth of November next, took place according to
custom on Michaelmas Day, when the Livery of the
City of London assembled in the Guildhall for the
purpose of nominating a chief magistrate. The
natal formalities having been observed, the choice
fell on David Williams Wire, Esq., the senior alder-
man and innholder. The Lord Mayor elect having
been invested with the civic chain, thanked the
Livery in appropriate terms.
THE NEW SHERIFFS FOR LONDON AND MIDDLE.
SEX, Mr. Hale and Mr. Conder, entered on their
duties on Tuesday, the usual ceremonies, preceded
by a splendid breakfast at the Tallowehandlers'•hall,
having been gone through. On Thursday the newly-
appointed sheriffs attanded at the Mansionhouse,
and from thence proceeded, with the Lord Mayor,
Lord Mayor elect, Recorder, Aldermen, Lord Mayor's
Chaplain, anu corporate officers, to Westminster, for
the purpose of going through the ancient ceremonial
of presentation to the Barons of the Exchequer. The
civic functionaries were received by Mr. Walton, the
Queen's Rem mbrancer, who performed an the °cm.
sion the duty which has devolved on one of ti e
Barons, since the abolit:on of the office of Curaitor
Baron. The Recorder, Mr. Russell Gurney, Q.C.,
having presented the sheriffs, the Queen's emein-
brancer, in the name and behalf of the Queen, inti-
mated her Majesty's approval of the selection made
by the Livery, and then congratulated the late
sheriffs on the manner in which they hat discharged
their duties during the year of office. The Queen's
Remembrancer then made the followin7, interesting
remarks on the origin of the ceremonial itself :

It was now 700 years since the city of London had
purehsaed for the King's fee of 100 marks, the right of
appointing their own sheriffs, subject to the approbation
of the Crown, and he nould find but one instance during
that period where the Crown bad interposed—not to object
to th" selection of sheriffs, but to impose a condition upon
the City before the sheriffs elected were permitted to
assume office. It appeared that in the fortieth year of
the reign of Henry the Third, the Treasurer and Barons
of the conit were directed by the King not to admit the
sheriffs until the citizens hail satisfied a debt owing to
Luke de Stucker, and the Lord Mayor and sheriffs gave a
bond to the extent of twenty marks of gold in payment of
the debt, which was afterwards satisfied. It was not, in
fa* a debt due by the City, bat by the Crown, and that
was the only instance where the Crown had declined to
approve of the sheriffs elect. It was satisfactory ;bat
during so many centuries the Livery hail so well dis-
charged the trust reposed them.
The various warrants connected with the acceptance
of office by the present sheriffs and the retirement of
their predecessors were then read and duly filed and
recorded. Then followed that portion of the cere-
mony which, though invested with all the weight
derivable from ancient custom, is by no means cal.
culated to impress on the public mind very elevated
notion of judicial or corporate dignity. The Common
Clier of the court then made the following procla-
mation :—" Oyez ! Oyez ! Oyez ! Tenants and occu-
piers of a piece of waste land, called the Moors, in
the county of Salop, come forth and do our service
upon pain and peril that shall fall thereon." Then
Alderman Carter, the senior alderman below the
chair, took two sticks from a bundle lying before him
on the table, ono of which he cut with a hatchet and
the other with a bill-hook. The Crier of the court
then made • second proclamation as follows :
" Oyez ! Oyez ! Oyez! Tetants and occupiers of a
certain tenement, called the F:rge, in the parish of
St. Clement Danes, Middlesex, come forth and do
your service." Then the same alderman counted
some horseshoes laying before him, and was ques-
tioned by the Queen's Remembrancer tints :
Remembrancer: How many have you ?—Alderraan :
Six shoes. Then the alderman counted the nails.
Remembrancer: How many have you?—i!derinan :
Sixtyone.—Rembrancer : That is a good numoer.
These important matters having beam disposed of,
the Recorder invited the Queen's Remembrancer to
dine wish the sheriffs, and that functionary nodded
his assent. The Corp crate authorities and officials at
the close of the prooeedings retired from the mutt,
and returned in procession team City. In the even-
ii.g the sheriffs gave a splendid banquet, which was
largely attended.
THE THIRD QUARTER. BELL ion THE WEsTNINSTER
CLOCK, which was required by the referees to be re
cast, has been delivered by MtbSIS. Warner, and the
whole peal approved by the referees. Mr. Turle,
the organist at the Abbey, states that " he lies no
hesitation in giving his opinion that these bells are
now all that can be desired both iu tune and quality
of tone." They are to be hoisted immed'ately, and we
hope no further mishap will delay the long-expected
completion of the clock.
THE CITY SEWERS CORMISSIoN held their meeting
on Tuesday at Guildhall. In reference to the fall of
houses in l'ilgrim.street, it was alleged that the
culpability lay entirely with the owner ut the property,

954

and that these had been no neglect on the part of
any officer of their court. A resolution affecting the
ventilation of sewers was passed, ordering that the
reports of the medical officer and engineer on the
subject should ho referred to the improvement com-
mittee, to consider if any of the plans should be tried,
and to estimate the cost.

THE CONTROLLER OF THE CIRCULATION DE-
PARTMENT IN THE GENERAL POST.OFFICE, acting
on the authority of the Postmaster-General, has
addressed a letter to the London letter carriers
in which he takes them very seriously to task
for their agitation to obtain 'redress for their
alleged grievances. He insists that there are other
and more legitimate means by which they might
have made their complaints known with the cer-
tainty that any injustice would be remedied. He
states that measures for the further amelioration of
their condition are now under the consideration of
the Postmaster• General, but that any repetition of
the public agitation on their part will lead to the
entire abandonment of the contemplated improve-
malts. _

THE RETURN OF THE REGISTRAR GENERAL exhibits
a favourable condition of the health of the metru•
polis. The deaths declined last week to 955, which
is less tban the average number by 150. Scarlatina,
however, is still very prevalent and fatal, the deaths
for the week having risen to 1'25. The number of
births was 1,657. Dr. Letheby also describes the
health of the City as most satisfactory, and the
number of deaths much below the average.
SOUTH KENSINGTON AIUSEVI was visited during
the week ending September 25th by 10,397 persons.