The Sun.
London, England, 1853-05-18 00:00:00

THE EXCISE OFFICE.

The sale of this important property on Thursday at the
Auction Mart for 108,0001. has already been stated in
this journal ; but its history is worthy a passing notice,
not only as interesting in itself, but particularly as
affording a good specimen of the results of corporation
jobbing. The site of the Excise-office is well known to
have been once Gresham College, and in the particulars
of sale the title is deduced from that fact. Sir Thomas
Gresham built a splendid house on this spot, and at his
death, in 1579, left it (after the decease of his wife) for
the purposes of a college for the city of London. He
made the corporation of London and the corporation of
the Mercers Company joint trustees, and in order to
endow it he gave to the trust the Royal Exchange with
all its rents and profits. In 1596 the trustees took
possession, and, having consulted the authorities of
Oxford and Cambridge, appointed, at their recom-
mendation, some of the most eminent men of the
day as professors, who under the terms of the will
were to have residences on the premises. Courses of
lectures were regularly delivered, and in term time, the
same bell that was rung in the 'Change for the mer-
chants assembling announced the fact of a lecture
to be commenced in an hour at the almost adjoining
college in Broad-street. There was thus laid the
foundation of an establishment which might have
rivalled the best schools of science in Europe. Henry
Duke of Norfolk in the latter part of the 17th century
presented a library of 2,000 volumes ' • a museum of great
value was formed, and all went well. About the year
1658 Sir Christopher Wren was professor of mathe-
matics, and, after his lecture, it was the custom of
the philosophers who attended it, to assemble in his
chambers, and such meetings laid the foundation of
the Royal Society, established by charter in 1663.
The society continued to hold its meetings at
Gresham College until their removal to Arundel House
in 1710. The college was spared at the Great Fire,
and the Courts of Aldermen and Common Council,
with the Mercers Company, were conveniently accom-
modated in its spacious chambers, while in the courtyard
the merchants assembled (as on a more recent occasion),
and the shopkeepers of the 'Change were established in
temporary stalls round the area. After this evil days
came on the college ; the corporations neglected duties
as trustees, the buildings became dilapidated, and
Parliament was several times petitioned, but in vain,
to allow .of the desecration of this time-honoured
and valuable establishment. At last, however, these
faithless stewards succeeded ; for, on the 17th of
March, 1767, it is recorded that "Mr. Dance, the
city architect, accompanied by all the city members,"
waited on the Lords of the Treasury and offered
that " antient and useless building, Gresham Col-
lege," to their lordships for an Excise-office. The
arrangement was confirmed at a Court of Common
Council on the 22d of May following, and in 1768
an act of Parliament (5 George 111., chap. 32)
was passed, vesting the property in the Crown, and
charging its revenues " with a perpetual rent of
5001. per annum for ever." The professors .were
compensated for their loss of residence, and the lectures,
delivered in a dirty room in one of the corners of the old
Exchange, were soon forgotten. The Crown after this erect-
ed the heavy brick building in Broad-street, and removed
the Excise establishment from their first offices in the Old
Jewry—anciently the house of Sir John Frederick,
and now occupied as Frederick's-place. The two
corporations the City of London and the Mer-
cers' Company— trustees of the will of Sir Thomas
Gresham, thus parted with their birthright for
a penalty of 500/. per annum, or, as it may be put,
sold for about 15,0001. in present money, that which on
Thursday, as mere land and materials, realised more than
eight times that sum. The auctioneer stated that theVhole
area occupied by the premises is no less than an acre and a
quarter. We are informed it has been bought by Mr. Tite
and some gentlemen in the city who intend to pull it
down, and to erect on the site a new establishment for
Lloyds, who have outgrown all their present accommo-
dation in the Royal Exchange. The front towards
Broad-street will have an entire line of banking houses
and public companies, which, with the new Marine
Assurance-office now erecting between the City Club
and the Excise-office, will quite change the character of
this part of the city.

TRIUMPH LOCK.-CHALLENGE TO ALL THE

WORLD.

The following appeared in the Miners Magazine of
Saturday last :

" Sir,—Now be it known to Hobs, Nobs, or Mobs,
that I have just patented a doer-lock which I challenge
all creation to pick uninjured. As a simple mode of
testing my' opinion, I will wager any person that they
do not succeed in opening these locks under the follow-
ing reasonable conditions, which, to prevent all quib-
bling as to terms size, time, &c., I will mention
beforehand :—That the lock I submit shall not exceed
six inches square by one inch in thickness ; it
shall not contain more than four distinct parts—viz.
the case, bolt, security, and key, consequently there are
no tumblers, screws, wards, or other confusicatory move-
ments ; being comprised of such simple parts, I think
16 days sufficient for any attempt.-2. If any fail to
perform the first stipulation, I will give them another
chance of 12 days longer to perform the following ad-
vantages : Allow them the free use of the said
lock unattached, with all the tools the lock was made
with, to do what they like with, except unrivet the cap.
—3. If not yet successful, I have no objection to allow
the said cracksman to help to mike the said lock in all its
formations ; also, when thus made, I will place the same
in his hands seriatim one item each day, for eight days
more, so that he may have every opportunity to make a
key to succeed in Opening the same. 4. To satisfy the
most sceptical that I feel as secure as my locked bolts,
I will even double the bet that no person can pick one,
and I will go so far as to allow the operator to have the
original key in his possession to make as many
duplicates at he can in four days additional ; as
nothing can open these locks but the proper
key doing its duty, without injury, any attempt to
make others must prove abortive under the above con-
ditions. Nevertheless, although I cannot pick my own
invention, I can cause to be made as many keys to each
lock as I think proper ; I also can make one key to open
a dozen different locks without any alteration, yet not a
duplicate of any other key or lock in existence. If any
doubt my seriousness to abide by what I have asserted,
I shall be most happy to refer them to my agents ; or
if any are 'cute enough to fix me to my bargain, I here-
with give my address, where any further information
may be obtained from the inventor and patentee.—G.
F. GOBLE, C.E. : 7, Trinity-street, Borough, London,
May 12.

THE PARIS EXHIBITION OF 1855.—The following
official announcement has been just issued by the Board
of Trade Department of Science and Art :—.‘ The Lords
of the Committee of Privy Council for Trade have re-
ceived a communication from the Secretary of State for
Foreign Affairs, transmitting a copy of a letter from
Count Walewski, the French Ambassador at the Court
of London, in which it is announced that, by a decree
of the Bth of March last, His Majesty the Emperor
has ordered that a Universal Exhibition of Agricultural
and Industrial Products shall take place in Paris
on the Ist of May, 1855. The French Ambassador
states that exhibitors of those countries who answer
to this appeal will meet with every requisite facility,
both as regards- the Customs' regulations, and the
reception, arrangement, and security of their pro-
ducts, in the Palace Industry. A later decree, which
will be communicated without delay, will determine and
specify the conditions of the Universal Exhibition, the
rules under which goods will be exhibited, and the dif-
ferent kinds of products which will be admitted. Count
Walewski expresses a hope, on behalf of the Government
of His Imperial Majesty, that the British Government
will do all in their power to direct the attention of Brit-
ish manufacturers to the intended Exhibition of 1855,
and that they will answer to the invitation which is now
addressed to them with the same ardour as the French
' manufactures responded to the invitation of England in
1851. In accordance with the request of the Earl of
Clarendon, my Lords desire to give the widest publicity
to this measure, in order that no effort may be spared in
furtherance of the intentions of the Emperor of the
French as regards the exhibition of British agriculture
and industry.—HENßY COLE and LYON PLAYFAIR
(Joint Secretaries), Marlborough-house, 10th of May
1853."

- _
Nov LOSING MIL—Two women, defendants, we
suppose, at our county court, on Tuesday, says the
Leicester Mercury, employed themselves vigorously
during the -sitting, while waiting for their cases to be
called on—the one in seaming hose, and the other in
making brace-ends.
A SENSIBLE RESOLUTION.—The villagers of Beauly
in public . meeting assembled, feeling highly indignant
with the Chancellor of the Exchequer, for his proposal
to raise the duty on whisky, and yet more grievously
incensed at the publicans of their own village for making
what is reckoned a more than corresponding advance in
its price, have resolved to eschew the use of all distilled
liquors for the next six months. If they keep their
pledge, and once get habituated to the custom, may not
its operation be extended for an indefinite period ?
Edinburgh. Witness.

MELANCHOLY SUICIDE BY A CLERGYMAN.—Great
consternation was created at Horncastle in consequence
of a report that the Rev. J. T. Clark, the respected
vicar of the parish, had committed suicide. The rumour
upon inquiry unhappily proved too true, It appeared
that the rev. gentleman had been for some time past
suffering from a desponding state of mind, for which no
rational cause could be assigned, Upon the recommen-
dation of his medical attendants, he was advised by his
friends to try the effects of change of air and scene, and
consequently he had been absent from his parish for
several weeks. On Saturday morning he returned home,
and in the course of the afternoon be shot himself. This
distressing affair has naturally created a feeling of the
most intense excitement in the town and neighbour.
hood, where the lamented gentleman was highly re-
spected, not only for his extensive learning and clerical
abilities, but also for his charitable and benevolent dis-
position. In him the poor have lost a kind and active
friend. He leaves a. wife and large family to lament his
sad end. The unfortunate gentleman had held the liv-
ing for not more than five or six years.
The Egyptian yacht which was run into in the Chan-
nel, and was obliged to put into Southampton about a
week since, was docked yesirerday at that port to ascer-
tain the damage. - She bolo ngs to an unele of the Pacha
of Egypt. Her whole framework about the spot where
she was struck was literally twisted with the force of the
concussion. Had she not been built of iron she must
have sunk. Her costly and magnificent furniture, such
as sofas, chairs, &c., have been taken from her much
damaged, and are now in the possession of Mr. Buchan,
the ornamental carver of Southampton,- to be repaired.
The tassels of the sofas and °titer articles of furniture are
of gold.