The National Register.
London, England, 1817-03-31 00:00:00

t`. THE LORD CHIEF JUSTICE.

The only offices in the Court of King's Bench which
fall within the description of the resolution of the Ho-
nourable the I.louse of Commons of the 28th of Feb-
ruary last, arc the offices of the Chief Clerk, and of the
Clerk of the Errors of that Court.
The office of Chief Clerk is held in trust for me, and
subject to my appointment, as to its emoluments by my
eldest son, the Honourable Edward Law, and Osborn
Markham Esq. and the survivor of them ; and the net
profits of the office are applied to my use.
The annual amount thereof, upon an averag' of 12
entire years, from the yeip 1803 to the present ye:lr
1817, is 6,3071. 9s. sd. The profits of the office have
'risen very considerably beyond their former amount
during the last six years.
The several particulars relating to this office, its
nature and duties, and its connection with that of the
Chief Justice (to whom the right of appointment there-
to has immemorially belonged) have lately been stated
in several returns made to the Commissioners sitting
under the commission flir inquiring into the fee; of the
officers in the courts of law and equity.
The present Chief Justice understands himself as en-
joying the benefits of the office of chief clerk, so held
in trust for him, in precisely the same manner in which
it was enjoyed by his predeemors the Lord Chief Jus-
tice Holt, the Lord Chief Justice Lcg. and Lord Mans-
field, at the times when the teed office became subject
to their respective nominations and appointments, upon
vacancies occurring at the several periods when they
respectively 11114 the office of Chief Justice of the Court
of King's Bench.
The office of Clerk of the Errors is .not properly so
much a subordinate office in the Court of King's Bench
held in tru:t for the present Chief Justice, as one, which
by ancient usage, is annexed, in respect of his eenolu-
ments, to the office of Chief Justice for the time being,
appears by the statement and documents on that sub-
ject lately submitted to the Commissioners sitting under
the commission above-mentioned.'
The annual net receipts of this office, upon an average
.of 14 years, amount to 2,6781. 17s. 8t1; upon an aver-
stp of the first 7 years, to 2971. Is. 101.1.
The only salary or allowance which the Chief Jus-
iii e of the King's Bench ruclvei nut of the public reve-
nue, i; the annual sum of 4,0001. payable at the Tree-
sury, which was first granted to Lord Hardwicke, the
then Chief Justice, in the year 17:3::, subject to the
!ail tax, place and pension taxes, and the late tax
upon offices, and to the property tax, whilst that tax
voutinued, which then reduced its amount, in point of
actual busieficial receipt, to about 2,9001. per annum ;
ss :ILI salary is farther reduced by the charge which
the Chief Justice is subject, of furnishing most of the
offices of the Coen with stationary and parchment rolls
used in those offices, amounting to about `t 501. per ann.
and ry the txpenee of two Circuits, which amount to
the further sum of 3001. and 6001. per ann.
' This salary from the public revenue has never been
increase; during the period which has elapsed since 1733
!although that of every judicial officer in the Courts of