The Sun.
London, England, 1853-06-08 00:00:00

THE OFFICE OF CHAMBERLAIN.

The LORD MAYOR informed the court that he had
received the following letter from Sir John Key, Bart.,
the newly-elected Chamberlain --

"Guildhall, June 7, 1953.
"My dear Lord Mayor,—The office to which my brother
liverymen have lately elected me induces me to tender to
your lordship and my brother aldermen my resignation of
the seat I have had the honour of holding amongst them
for more than thirty years.
" I cannot perform so painful a duty as that of separat-
ing from those with whom I have for so many years lived
on terms of friendship and regard without sincerely thank-
ing them for the kind feeling they have manifested towards
me, and although on many occasions different views may
have been taken on public questions, the difference of opi-
nion has caused no diminution of private friendship, and I
hope I retire from the court in the full possession of the
esteem and respect of its members. I am, moreover, com-
forted by the recollection that, although separated from
them in the relation in which we have hitherto stood, the
position to which I have been elected will afford me fre-
quent opportunities of meeting them ; and it will be my
constant endeavour, by every means in my power, both by
the manner in which t shall perform my public duties and
by all the courtesies of life, to cement and perpetuate that
esteem and friendship which it is the highest object of my
ambition to deserve.
I have the honour to be, my dear Lord Mayor,
Most truly yours,
(Signed) " JOHN KEY, Chamberlain.
" The Right Hon. the Lord Mayor."
Upon the motion of Alderman WIRE, the resignation
was accepted by the court, and Sir John Key's letter
was ordered to be entered on the minutes.
The LORD MAYOR then said that having ascertained
that Alderman Thompson, the senior alderman, was de-
termined not to accept the gown of BridgeWithoutWard,
vacant by the resignation of Sir John Key, it became
the duty of the chief magistrate to put the question to
the other aldermen, according to seniority.
Aldermen Sir Peter Laurie, Farebrother, Copeland,
and Kelly at once and peremptorily refused to leave
their wards except at the summons of death, or of the
almost as powerful authority of the law ; but Alderman
Wilson, the next in rotation to. Alderman Kelly, upon
being asked whether he would accept the office, said,
without hesitation, "I do accept it."
Upon the motion of Alderman SIDNEY, a precept was
then issued for a wardmote, for the election of an alder-
man to serve in Castle Baynard Ward, in the room of
Alderman Wilson, appointed alderman of the Ward of
Bridge Without.
ANSWER OF THE QUEEN TO THE CORPORATION ADDRESS.
Her Majesty's most gracious answer to the address of
the corporation upon the birth of the infant prince was
read, and ordered, upon the motion of Sir P. LAURIE, to
be entered in the minutes of the court.
Sir .T. KEA' (the chamberlain of the city of London)
nominated Mr. B. Scott for his clerk, and Mr. W. W.
Walker for his cashier, and the court confirmed the no-
mination unanimously.

ELECTION OF A DISTRICT SURVEYOR.
Mr. Edmund Woodthorpe was elected surveyor for
the northern district of the city of London, in the room
of Mr. James Montague, deceased.
The election of a surveyor of the eastern district of the
city of London, in the room of Mr. Edmund Wood-
thorpe, was appointed to take place on the next court
day.

SURETIES FOR BROKERS.
Alderman WIRE presented a petition from Mr. Pike,
against whom the City Solicitor is proceeding for penal-
ties by the direction of the Court of Aldermen. The
petitioner states that when he became surety for John
Morgan, he had a full belief in his honour and in his in-
tegrity. That subsequently, when he heard that John
Morgan was in pecuniary difficulties, the petitioner
applied to him to be relieved from his bonds, but that he
could never induce John Morgan to grant that request.
The petition was referred to the General Purposes
Committee.

STEAM-BOATS.
The report of the committee, to which the question of
the overcrowding of steam-boats was referred, was
brought up and agreed to. It stated that the committee
were of opinion that the same officers who had so
efficiently performed the duties of inspectors during last
summer should be appointed to perform similar duties
during the present season, and that the City Solicitor be
instructed to proceed against all parties complained
against for overcrowding.
The report was unanimously agreed to, and ordered
to be acted upon.

The City Solicitor was instructed to defend the City
Commissioner of Police in an action brought against
him for interfering with the auction in the Poultry.
The court then adjourned.

STEAM COMMUNICATION WITH AUSTRALIA.

Sixteen steamers have left England for Australia since
steam navigation has been established with that country.
The first steamer which went out, the Chusan, took 79
days to get to Sydney. The Australian took 95 days,
the Formosa 76, the Sydney 104, the Great Britain 98,
the Sarah Sands 97, the Cleopatra 120, and the Mel-
bourne from Lisbon only 79 days. With regard to the
steamers Osmanli, Antelope, Harbinger, Adelaide, and
Argo, and the steamers which took out the Australian
mails Southampton in March and May last, some
cannot yet have reached Australia ; with regard to others,
sufficient time has not yet elapsed to hear of their arrival
out. An idea of the delays which these steamers have
met with at the coaling depots, may be gathered from
the fact that both the Australian and Sarah Sands were
detained at the various ports of call 151 days each ; and
the Melbourne was detained 121- days between Lisbon
and Sydney. Since the establishment of steam naviga-
tion between England and Australia, the sailing ship
Beegapore has made the passage between England and
Sydney in 84 days. News also has reached Sydney via
New York, Panama, and San Francisco, in 92 days ;
and the Marco Paulo has made the voyage to Mel-
bourne quicker than any steamer. Two steamers
are going out to Australia this month, and one
of the steamers belonging to the Australasian and
Pacific Company will be ready in August. She
will, however, go out via the Cape, so that it will be
next year before the Panama route can be tried. The
chief causes of the failure of the Australian Mail Packet
Company were the engineers' strike, which caused the
company's steamers to be hurriedly constructed, and the
imperfect arrangements at the coal depots, which chiefly
arose from bad weather and the scarcity of shipping.
Still, with all these excuses, the partial and temporary
failure of steam navigation to Australia is discreditable,
and there is not much doubt that if America were as
intimately connected with Australia as England is,
she would have made more energetic and successful
efforts to establish a quick communication with such
valuable regions than has been done in this country.
For the future Australia will present two important
points, at which efforts must be made to establish a ra-
pid communication, viz., Melbourne and Sydney. The
_ _

former can be reached best by way of India, and the lat-
ter by way of Panama. In the Panama route, New
Zealand will be comprehended, which, according to last
advices, has turned out a gold region. It appears that
the Peninsular and Oriental Company have offered to
establish a communication with Australia in 57 days.
The terms on which they will do this have not trans-
pired. The advantages, however, of a monthly CORlUM-
nication in such a short space of time cannot be over-
rated at the present juncture. That the company could
effect, if they pleased, such a communication by way of
Marseilles and Ceylon or Singapore, there cannot be a
doubt.

PRINCESS'S THEATRE.—Haynes Bayly's farce of Per-
fection, was presented here last evening, and most favour-
ably received. Miss Carlotta Le Clerect personated
Kate O'Brien with charming vivacity and expression,
and by her appearance and performance elicited universal
admiration. The capital acting of Mr. Walter Lacy
and Mr. Addison afforded extreme amusement, and Mr.
Saker contributed with credit to the copious fund of
mirthas . The popularity of Marco Spada continues in
the cendant. The house Was very well attended.