The Sun.
London, England, 1864-02-26 00:00:00

COURT OF COMMON COUNCIL.

A Court of Common Council was held yesterday, the Lord
Mayor presiding.
His Lordship, at the commencement of the proceedings,
announced that he had received a communication relating
to the Royal Hospitals, which he considered advisable to be
taken into consideration with closed doors.

The public consequently retired, and the Court was not
opened to strangers for nearly three hours. It was under-
stood that, after the subject alluded to by the Lord Mayor
had been disposed of, the members were engaged in making
arrangements for presenting the address of congratulation
agreed to by the Corporation to her Majesty, upon the
birth of a Prince to their Royal Highnesses the Prince and
Princess of Wales, at Windsor. It appears that the Lord
Mayor has received'a notification from the Home Secretary
to the effect that, regard being had to various circumstances
her Majesty can only receive 30 gentlemen connected with
the Corporation at 'Windsor upon this occasion, and that
a written answer only will be given. Some membets of
the Corporation appear exceedingly dissatisfied at the pro-
posed course of proceeding, and it oozed out that during
the debate some observations to that effect were made by
various members of the Court. A ballot then took place, to
elect the members to compose the allotted number of thirty,
and this occupied a very considerable time. When the public
were re-admitted,
Alderman J. C. LAWRENCE presented a petition from the
Thames Angling Preservation Society, signed by Mr.
Stephen Potter, and Mr. Frank Buck!and, M.A.., as the
representatives of that society, asking for a grant of money
in aid of their funds.

The petition set forth the great exertions made by the so-
ciety to increase the supply of fish in the River Thames, as
a source of healthy and innocent recreation, and also as cal-
culated to procure a larger supply of wholesome food ; and
the Court unanimously agreed to refer it to the Coal, Corn,
and Finance Committee, for them to consider and report
what should be done.

Deputy BOWER also presented a petition of the like nature
from the committee acting on behalf of widows and orphans
of Barking fi4hermen. lie said the Court would remember
that during the fearful gale that occurred last September, a
great many of the Barking fishing boats were lost, with all
hands, leaving a great number of widows and orphans to
deplore the loss of their bread-winners. A committee, cone•
posed of the owners of fishing boats and others, had been
formed to provide for their relief, and a considerable amount
of funds had thus been raised, to which the salesmen and
inhabitants of Billingsgate, as also a number of other cha-
ritable persons, amongst whom ware Miss Burdett Coutts
and Baron Rothschild, had contributed; and the Corpora-
tion of London, which had ever shown itself ready to come
forward and assist in such cases, were now asked to take a
share in the good work.

This petition was also referred to the Coal, .Corn, and
Finance Committee,

CITY LANDS.

Mr. R. J. CHAPLIN, the Chairman of the City Lands
Committee, brought up a report from that committee, which
recommended, inter alio, that the interest of the Corporation
in the Wesleyan Chapel, City-road, which comprises a term
of three years and a half, should be disposed of to the trus-
tees of that chapel for £6OO.
This subject was brought forward for discussion at the
last Court, but no decision was arrived at. The recom-
mendation of the committee was opposed on the ground that
£6OO was not a sufficient amount to be paid, the more espe-
cially as the late Mr. Bunning, the City architect, had made
a report to the effect that £l,BOO ought to be paid by the
trustees for the interest remaining to the Corporation in the
propel ty, and Mr. Allen, another Corporation officer, had
estimated the amount at £1,500. Acting upon this view of
the matter,

. Deputy ELLIOTT moved that the subject be referred back
to the City Lands Committee for further consideration, which
motion was seconded by Mr. 11. L. TAYLOR.
Alderman Lust and Alderman J. C, LAWRENCE sup-
ported the report, the former stating that it appeared to him
that if the Corporation exacted a large sum of tho trustees
of the chapel, it would look very much like taking advantage
of their necessities, knowing that they would be bound to
keep possession of the building, and the latter stating his
opinion, as a practical man, that the interest the Corporation
had in Le property was not worth more, if so much as £GOO.
The report was eventually agreed to, upon a division by a
majority of 27.

TITHES IN THE CITY.
Deputy BURNELL brought up a report from the Special
Tithes Committee, approving of the general principle of the
London (City) Tithes Bill in Parliament, the object of which
is to relieve certain of the City parishes from the payment of
the exorbitant impost of 2s 9d in the pound for tithes, but
recommending that the committee should be authorised to
represent a petition to Parliament, if necessary,
againstpp.
ire and
certain clauses of the bill, and to prosecute the same
as they may ha advised.
The report was agreed to, and the Court adjourned,