The Express.
London, England, 1853-11-17 00:00:00

is union with the Society of Arta. It was hoped also that
an exhibition of educational apparels', foreign ea well as
British, might be opened when the present very interesting
exhibition of, "useful invections ' was closed. The ad-
dress °occluded with some allusions to the peasant exhibi- •
ties.
The address was loudly cheered, and
Mr. Tooke, who announced himself as • member Siete
1801, and • regular attendant ever elace, moved a vote of •
thanks. The speaker took occasion to allude to the import- I
eat feet of the affiliation of the various institutions
throughout the country, which he bad no doubt would lead
to the moat important results (Hear, ►ear.)
Mr. MURCHISON seconded the motion, which was carried
by seelsmation.
The CMAllltkll returned thanks; after which a lady
(Kiss Petit) exhibited the powers of a new musical instru-
ment which in its effects bears • strong resem►lance to the
musical glasses. The invention consists of • chromatically
areangen series of tuning forks, to each of which • piece of
glass le appended, and the sound is produced with the
wetted finger, as in the case of the ordinary musical glasses.
The sessie;was very sweet and pleasing, and was much ap-
plauded by the compaey.
The SICHITAIT (Mr. Faster) announced that bet ire
Christmas • collection would be exhibited of all the draw-
inp, which as young beginners, the greatest artists of the
presmt day ►ad at duff times sent in to the society.
The exhibition would he said be most interesting. and
would include specimens by persons who now enjoyed
Beropsan fame. The seance concluded with an inspection
of the various articles included in the present exhibition

CITY CORPORATION COMMISSION.

The Commission met yesterday, at 12 o'clock, in
the Privy Council Office, Mr. Lelmuchere is the chair.
Mr. John Caitlin gave the following evidence.—l am a
genera merchant of London, and am chiefly engaged an the
Ronan and East Indian trade. I am chairman of the
Leaden Dock Company. I have been connected with
the corporation of the City. I was take elected a common-
councilman, end was twice asked to accept as aldermanic
gown; but I have always declined to accept the offices
proffered to me. I was influenced to this refusal by the
consideration that I had too much tininess to attend to, and
could not spare time for the discharge of municipal duties.
My impression is favourable to the corporation. I consider
that the merchants of London have been fortunate in pos-
sessing such a body as the corporation of London, to carry
oa the municipal business of the City. I believe that under
the City magistracy justice has been dispensed as effici-
ently as under any other magisterial body in the
country. I prefer the City magistracy to a paid magis-
tracy. I believe it is better they should be unpaid, as
asemomy is thereby promoted. I take it for granted that
lbw gee mainly guided by their assessors, but et all events
Iladr &Ike we performed in my opiai•in se efficiently as
110 add dabs paid police magistracy of the metropolis.
A dhpseltles mists amongst the oolitic ti laugh at the
tins wesktracy, but I do not join in that feeling.
I it week bs impossible to induce the higher class
of merchants to take part in the management of municipal
business. The fact is they have not the necessary time at
their disposal to attend to sub business. In the London
Docks the City meters and gingers are employed, but the
employment of them is cot compulsory, end I have no
amplaiit to make on this head. I should wish to see a
Chamber of Commerce established in the City which might
serve as as accredited medium of communication between
the government and the mercantile body. I would
not proms that the Chamber of Commerce should
have say judicial authority. In my opinion the
eamicipal government of the City is on the whole satist.e-
Maly coadosted. The paving of the City is unequalled in
extethnce, sad the sewerage of the City is at least as good
as in any portion of the metropolis. I believe that the
neighbourhood of Moorgate-street, when I have my place
ofhasinees, is one of the most healthy in the metropolis.
The surrounding streets were well ventilated, were kept
clean, and well drained. I have ao special complaint to
make as to the mode in which the bunny* of the port of
Lsodon is conducted by the corporation. I may sometimes
think their charges somewhat too high, but on the whole I
think the duties are well performed. If lam asked what I
consider the best mode of managing the port of London, my
answer is that it would be through a committee composed
of some of the preseat harbour masters and some of the
City shipping merchants. Many of the harbour masters
are admirably qualified to discharge the duties entrusted
to them. With respect to tha police, though I think
something might be gained by the adoption of the system
of centralisation; still 1 think it would not be advisable to
completely incorporate the City with the Metropolitan
police, because the magnitude of the business transacted in
the City demands, I think, special attention and protection.
Mr. J. C. Goodell examined—l have been for many years
a yachtsman and draughtsman, and am prepared to give
evidence as to the mode in which the corporation discharged
their duties as coosenaton of the Medway. I believe that
they neglect their duties in this respect, and that such
neglect is likely to prove injurious to the interests of the
country. They have not preserved the embankments of
the Medway, and the consequence is that the future
existence of Chatham Dockyard is endangered. I called
the attention of the Admiralty to this matter in 1860. They
caused a survey of the river to be made. I don't think the
corporation can do anything at present to remedy the evil.
The fact is, the mischief that has been done as, in my
opinion, irreparable. I have no practical measure to sug-
gest to the oommission on the subject.
Mr. Sheriff Wallis, examined—l am one of the sheriffs of
the City. lam also a freeman and liveryman. I am an
election agent by profession. The office of sheriff in the
City has of late years fallen into great disrepute, in conse-
quence of certain jobbing transactions en the part of the
under.sheriffe. Severalof the leading public men in the
City requested me to accept the office for the present year,
and I did accept it, but very unwillingly. ln fact, I may
say, I made myself a stop-gap, rather than have the QUOSS'S
authority unrepresented. The objections to the acceptance
of sheriff is owing, first of all, to the great tiptoes attending
it ; and next, because it is shorn of all dignity or respectabi-
lity. The sheriff has no voice in the Court of Aldermen,
unless he happened to be himself an alderman. Neither
has he any voice in the Court of Comma Canal. He sat
decked oat as an official, without Livia any Meissen to
perform beyond that of keepiag, or being_eappmed to keep,
the keys of the city prisons. The aboll, however, had se
power to great orders to visit the primes, although he is
said to be respossibla for what peson within them. I
think the sheriffs ought to be alpojkio osentbsre of the
Court of Aldermen and the Court et-Condon Cowie. At
present a sheriff hadscarcely any real duty to perfecto ex-
cept the very unpleasant one of ening the last sentence of
the law executed on criminals. The office is attended with
consideral expense. I have known sheriffs who spent
3,0001. or 4,0001. ' • but the meal expenditure is about
2,5001. I-believe that is the smallest mm that could be
spent by a sheriff. I have had much experience of Maim
for civic otiose during the last ID years. The elections in
the City for the blew appoWtniense ware not in general
oondacted with rutty. I- Idled that lame sums have been
expended for the eines of Lard KINSIR, Chamberlain, and
Alderman. I had knows as sand as 10,0001. to be watt
on the part of two eandidates Om ulcerative civic disc I
do ad, however, believe that all the City 'leaded we
:Ns%oeadneeed. I haw smell caused same=
ea the essitos fw
gown. Ilene el that:eery woe gives es num setae to
ad mere an been spent in treating. The swede
had re
far the aldermemle gown was in dew saw in
my own knowledge 1,5001. I believe that bribery and treed
ing have diroseed st Citedons side tbe asniset
Laurie and Loy. I don't Oat meek ownwiles takes
place at slatted of camas wasellass, became there le
not mach se light for. Holism *el money bee ked em-
ployed to intones every dosed of elsemberlein which
has taken pled in my time. Added hove sonsidorable
opportnity of providing Is. relatives. I disk the
franchise under which ationsen sad senmson coun-
cilmen are elected is very imperfect. Some of the Welds are
too largo and othen are too small. I would equal-
ise the wards, but I would sot ritrelaish their
number. The most important franchise in the City, an
urel d
the one which, with a slight exception, Wes more ten
exercised as that of liveryman. Oat of 13,000 liverymen,
there are probably 12,500 beyond the reach of corruptioa,
but the remaining minority of 500 are those who most
regulcrly attended the Common-Hall. I would propose
Out the liverymen and the occupiers of tenements in the
City should be amalgamated into an electoral body. I
would thus form the future constituency of the City. 1
would, however, only matins' the liverymen during the
lives of the present members of that body, and after that 1
would have a burgess roll, composed exclusively of occu-
piers who should have fulfilled certain conditions. I think
the Court of Aldermen ought to be swept away, and 1 would
propose that fur the present corporation, there should be
substituted a Lord Lieutenant of the City of Lon-
don, who should be elected by the Minns gene-
rally, and who should have the amistanos of
twenty deputy lieutenants, to be appointed by crown.
The deputy-lieutenants should be merely advisers of the
lord lieutenant. I believe that there are ridiculous WOW*•
tions connected with the office of hod mayor which would
prevent the highest clam of merchants from consenting to
occupy the Maneion.house under that title. There were
some expensive contests for the office of lord mayor. I
should say that there was spent altogether, in two or three
contests fur that of a sues of 16,0001. There could be
eo doubt that some of that money was spent in direct
bribery, and certainty seas in treating. livery election for
'chamberlain during my time has been an expensive one.
The salary of the chamberlain is 2,6001., but I. cannot tell
1 what are the actual emoluments of the office. As much as
10,0001. have been expended by the two candidates at an
election for the chaniberlaiaship. I cannot say where
the funds cur conducting these elections were
obtained. 1 cannot say whether any portion of
' the funds of the corporation his been so employed.
' I have been informed by a candidate, at an election which
I 1 conducted, that a sum of 1,9001. was subscribed by the
aldermen of the Mansion.house in order to secure the re-
fturn of a brother alderman. I believe that sums of money
, have been taken fur the admission of persons to trials in the
I Central Criminal Court. lam decidedly opposed to that
practice, and I hope that with the assistance of the No-
! corder a stop will be pat to it for the future. In a retorted
caporation I would leave the Court of CJMUIOII Council
pretty much as it was, and I would propose that that court
hould give in a statement of their accounts to the deputy-
lieutenant, whom I would have appointed by the crown. I
would continue in the hands of the Common Council the
duties of sewerage, paving, and likehting, which they had at
present to perform, but I would amalgamate the whole
pollee force of the metropolis. I would suggest that the
lord-lieutenant of the City should be elected for three
years. I would appoint four stipecdiary magistrates for the
performance of magisterial duties with in the City. I would
have these magistrates appointd by thli mown. and their
salaries paid out of the monscipal hinds. ; could never get

as iatelligible account of the revenue sad espenditure of
the corporation ; but I pal any particular attention
to that subject. I would sever the oonnezion between the
City and borough of Southwark. Ido not think it would
be desirable to extend the present limits of the City.
Mr. Oro Hyde, examined—l have been for 17 years •
citizen of London. lam 'imaged in trade in Fleet-street, I
las • sealii•gewax manufacturer and stationer. I em not a ,
• member of the corporation, but I have paid some attention
I to the working of the City constituency in the election of
the Lord Mayor and other civic officers. I believe '
there are considerable defects in the preseat eye-
tem. I do not think that the liverymen af-
. forded the bent element for a franchise. I would give
the franchise to every occupier who paid rates. I would
retain the Court of Aldermen, but I would make them
eligible for only three years. I would maintain their
magisterial duties. I would reduce the 23 wards to 12
wards. The radical defect of the corporation is, 1 think,
in the franchise. lam a freeman of the City, but not a
Iliverymen. 1 believe the aldermen discharge their magis-
terial duties very properly. I would destroy the connexion
betiseen the City and Southwark. I think there are too
many corporate officers, and that their aggregate payment
is too high.
Mr. J. Jones examined—l am a watchmaker in the
Strand, and a liveryman of the City, but I never dwelt
within its limits. lam one of the members of • committee
appointed to oppose the attempt of a portion of the corpo-
ration to reform the municipal institutions. The corpora-
tion at present allowed any one who paid a certain sum of
mosey to obtain the freedom of the City without
becoming connected with any of its companies. I disap-
prove of that practice. I would prevent any person from
being • freemen who was not a member of a company. I
think that a liveryman cone ought to possess the right of
voting at the election of aldermen and other higher officers of
the corporation. I believe the livery is the most valuable
livery in the kingdom. The formed the chosen of all the
1 trades. I wish to see the companies restored to their
1 ancient potition, end to see the connexion between them
and the different trades revived. That is the principal
1 point to which I wish to direct the attention of the com-
missioners. 1 would reduce to a small sum the charge •f
admission to the companies, so that working men might be
' able to join them.
At the conclusion of Mr. Jones's evidence the commission
1 adjourned to twelve o'clock this day.