The Sun.
London, England, 1849-06-26 00:00:00

Alderman SIDNEY said, that last year two gentlemen
who had never pat up for the offic and rnwer expressed
a wi--11 to fill it, had been elected ehcrlffs without their
knowledge, and had been fined in the enorelons penalty
of GA. each for deelinin4 the honour.—(H gar, hear.)
Now, the Livery had that day elected twee gentlemen of
respectability to fill the office. It was his intention, if fur-
ther proceedings hal been adopted, to have voted for Mr.
Nicoll; but how did he know that it was Mr. Peto's wieh
to servo the office ? Before he caul.' think of calling a
man away from the engagements of his public or private
lite, he would, at any rate, inquire whether he could
accept th© office, at the moment, with all
its duties and responsibilities ?—(Hear, hear.) Now.
it happened that the office of sheriff was one of para-
mount responsibility, and it was no jest to thrust a man
into a situation in which he might be amenable for pro•
perty to the amount of upwards of 100,0001., at the mo-
ment that the eng2.gemente and circumstances might
present insurmountable impediments to the proper per-
formance of the duties. Were the Livery sure that Mr.
Peto would serve ?—(" If he will not serve he will pay.")
It was but fair to communicate with a man before he was
put in nomination. That was merely justice. If he bad
known that Mr. Peto was willing to serve, not one word
should the Livery have heard from him that day.—(Hear,
hear.) Mr. Mills, who had been returned last year
without his knowledge, bitterly complained of the fine
he had to pay for refusing to fill an office which he
never wished to occupy; and surely the citizens of Len-
don could gain but little honour by dipping their hands
into the pockets of those who did not seek the distinc
tion, for refusing which they were compelled to submit
to a monstrous tax. He had now explained his object
in coming forward. and he felt that he was justified.
Alderman HOMPHERY said that Alderman Sidney
might, if he wished, have demanded the poll in c"njunc
Lion with Mr. Bracher, but now that it was too late he
was anxious to excite confusion when all others were
agreed upon the subject.
Mr. Low said the Livery had exercised sound discre-
tion in electing Mr. Pato, win, if he had any objection
to serve, would certainly have no objection to pay the
fine.— (Cheers.) His opinion was that Mr. Peto would
willingly accept the office, and discharge all the duties of
it in an exemplary manner.
, Mr. WIRE said he bad a duty to perform arising
out of the occurrences of the day. An attempt had
been made to infringe on the privileges of the Livery,
and the meeting was peculiarly indebted to threo gentle-
, men for protecting their rights. He meant the Lord
Mayor, Alderman and Sheriff Finnis, and Sheriff Good-
hart. To these gentlemen then, for their firmness in re-
sisting the attack, he moved the thanks of the Common
Hall.— (Loud cheering.)
) The motion of thanks was carried unanimously amidst
f acclamation, and orthred to be advertised in the usual
papers.
The LORD MAYOR, in returning thanks, said it was not
for him to bring any charge of inconsistency against any
, of his brother magistrates, but ho certainly had too much
t regard for the freedom of his fellow-citizens to permit
any infringement of their privileges upon any pretence
whatever.—(Loud cheers.)
The SHERIFFS also returned thanks, and the Hall was
dizsolved.

FINANCIAL POSITION OF THE
CORPORATION OF LONDON.
The following account of the receipt and expenditure
of the Corporation of the city of London will be read
with interest, it being a draft of the auditors' report
for 1849:
" We, whose names are hereunto subscribed, elected
by the Livery of London in Common-hall assembled, en
the 24th of June, 1847, and the 24th of June, 1848,
auditors of the Charnberlaia's account of the Corpora-
tion and Gresham funds, and of the Bridge-house estates,
do report as follows:—That the report of the receipt and
expenditure of the Corporation of the city of London
laid before us to audit ts as the fourth account of Mr.
Anthony Brown, Chamberlain of the city of London,
from the Ist of January to the 31st of Decembe r (both
inclusive), which account we b.ave carefully anti
thoroughly examined in detail, and find that the bslance
of cash on the preceding acceunt was 26,490/. 15s. ;id.;
that the receipts of the year t 847 were 172,560/. 123. 4id.;
that the expenditure of the said year' as appeared by the
several vouchers laid befere us by the Chamberlain,
amounted to the sum of' 179,8911. 6s. 103 d. (including
2,265/. 24. 10d. applied in the purchase of securities,
and 4,8001 in the discharge of debt, leaving a
balance of cash upon the account of the 31st of De-
cember, 1847, of 19,160/. 13. lid. A brief statement
of the several heads of receipt and expenditure we
hereunto append. In the further prosecution of the
examination referred to us, we find that certain debts,
arrears of rent due, and interests on Government secu-
rities, were due and belonging to the Mayor and com-
monalty and citizens, on the 31st of December, 1847 ;
and that they were at the same time answerable for
debts, claims for interest,, charge in respect of public im-
provements, pensions, police, &c. We have, therefore,
directed a balanced statemeut of such assets and liabili-
ties to be annexed, by which it will be seen that there
was at that period a cash balance in favour of the Cor-
poration of 90,770/. 144. 6,1 d., after providing for all
claims and demands, without including the value of the
freehold and leasehold estate of the Corporation. The
Gresham account laid before us to audit was the fourth
account of Mr. Anthony Brown, Chamberlain, being the
produce and expenditure of the City's moiety of the
estate laid under the will of Sir Thomas Gresham,
Knight, from the 10. h of October, 1847, to the 10th of
Oetober,lB4B, which we also examined, and find that the
balance of cash due to the Chamberlain at the commence-
ment of the account was 8731. 3s. Old. ; that the ex-
penditure for the said period was 5,908/. 3s. Odd. ; that
the receipts for the same period was 4,8071. 18s. lid.,
leaving a balance of cash due to the Chamberlain, on the
account ending the 10th day of October, 1848, of
1,973/. 7s. lid. We further find that the City's moiety
of the estate was indebted at Michaelma9l 1848, in the
sum of 85,0001. borrowed towards rebuilding the Royal
Exchange after its destruction by fire in the year 1838,
and that it was also indebted to the Corporation 20,0001.
remaining of the sum advanced towards rebuilding the
Exchange after the fire of 1666, and a further sum of
1,6621. 10s. advanced in 1847. The account of the Bridge-
house estates, laid before us to audit, was the account of
Joseph Watson and David Gibbs, the Bridgemasters or
Wardens, from the Ist of January to the 31st of De-
cember, 1847, which we have also carefully examined,
and find that the balance of cash in hand on the 31st of
December, 1846, was 8141. 6s. lid.; that the rents of
the said estate, and other receipts of the year 1847, were
31,815/. 3s. llid.; that the disbursements during the
said year (including the sum of 26,039/. 15s paid under
the Acts 7th George IV. c. 40, and 4th William IV., c.
118), in respect of rebuilding London-bridge and re-
pairing Blackfriars-bridge, amounted to 32,4651. Is. lid.,
leaving a balance in hand on the 31st of December,
1847, of 1641. 84. nil In addition to the sai 1 balance
of cash in hand we found that there were rents due to
the account on the 31st of December, 1847, amounting
to 12,6701. 12s. 81,1., and a dividend amounting to 31.
9s. 6d.; also cash, stock, and securities, standing to the
credit of the Bridge house estates account, as under-
mentioned—namely. 2,3111. 143.3 d. Consols, in the name
of the Accountant-General of the Court of Chancery,
SOO/. Exchequer-bills, in the hands of the said Accoun-
tant-Gero rat, upon which he had 581.23. 3d. for interest;
also 2311. 17s. sd. Reduced Three per Cent. Annuities
in the names of the bridgemasters. We, the auditors,
in concluding this our report, desire to bear testimony to
the clearness and accuracy with which the accounts laid
before us are made out for our examination, and to the
attention displayed by the official gentlemen vsho attend
us in the discharge of our duties.
(Signed) • ‘• JAMES NIADDEN,
"LUCAS HOUGHTON.
" J. G. DUNN.
" WILLIAM WALLIS.
"Guildhall, June 21, 1849.

THE ARTILLERY COMPANY.
The annual inspection of the members of the Hon.
Artillery Company of the city of London took place in
their grounds, in Finsbury-square, yesterday, before his
Royal Highness Prince Albert.
A very large number of invitations had been issued,
and as the day was beautifully fine, the friends of the
members of the company strongly mustered early. The
spice in front of the artillery ground was crowded wish
elegantly-dressed ladies, who took very great interest in
the proceedings of the day.
Shortly after twelve o'clock his Royal Highness, cc-
compaied by Colonel Bouvorie and Colonel Phipps, en
tered the ground in one of the royal carriages, and was
received with a salute from the guns of the company,
which were drawn up in the front of the Artillery-house.
His Royal Highness proceeded on to the ground upon a
beautifuly•caparisvned charger, and the review com-
menced.
The corps were put through their evolutions by Ad-
jutant Snell. They marched past the Prince in slow,
quick, and double quick time. They then loaded with
cartridges and performed platoon exercise, in column,
line, and squ tre—the last extremely well managed. The
regiment then advanced in parade order, and at the con-
clusion of the review his Royal Highness complimented
the officers upon the manner in which the members of
the corps had conducted themselves in their military
exercises.
His Royal Highness left the ground shortly after one
o'clock.
The review was most satisfactory in itself; we wish
we could extend our praise to the arrangements for the
accommodation of the visitors.

LADY LISTER RATES NEW WORK, " BRITISH
HOMES AND FOREIGN WANDERINGS," in 2 vols.' is
published this day by Mr. Colburn, and may be had of
all booksellers. Also, just published-2. Mr. Disraeli's
" Coningsby," cheap Standard Edition, with a new Pre
face, 1 vol., 6s. bound. 3. Adventures of a Greek Lady,
the adopted daughter of the late Queen Caroline, writ-
ten by herself, 2 vols., 21s. 4. Captain Marryat's new
novel, " Valerie," 2 vols. 5. King Arthur, by Sir E.
Bulcver Lytton, 2 vols., 15e. 6. Mrs. Trollope's new
novel, " The Lottery of Marriage," 3 vols. 8. Lady
Alice; or, The New Una, 3 vols.
PRESENT FROM THE IMAM& OF MUSCAT TO THE
QUEEI.7 OF ENGLAND.—The ship Artemisia, Captain
Htmmett, arrived in the London Docks on Saturday
from Zanzibar. Her mid-deck is fitted up a temporary
six-stall stable, which contains five Arabian horses, four
greys and a bay, of a small, but singularly perfect make,
although somewhat out of condition from a long sea
voyage. These horses, with another which died on the
passer, were sent over for presentation to her Majesty
from the King of Muscat, and will be landed this day
and sent forthwith to the royal stables at Buckingham
Palace. Whilst at sea their provender was oil-seed and
dates. The Artemisia has been brought here by an
Arab crew, assisted by an English boatswain. The dress
and appearances of the Arabs is very picturesque, con-
trasting strangely with that of our seamen in the same
docks. This ship and crew have excited much Interest.

THE NAPIER, ALAREI3I
(From the Exam; ner.)
It is some time since we heard ene of Sir Charles
pier's lota notes of alarm, for Sir Charles Napier ins
been employed, an I when employed his mini is always
at ease, and untroubled with vain fears; but when the
period of command ceases, the want of oceup itien is
pregnant with dissatisfaction and paeie, a 3 idleness pro-
verbially is with miechier. An experimental squadron
or station is a thing to calm the gallant Admiral, and to
assure him of the sarety of the country; perhaps becateos,
when he finds himself entrusted with an active plea of
the duty of guarding it, he feels the best guarantee for
is security, and can cheerfully pronounce an all well'a.
But just now all's ill. Tha Admiral is not afloat, and
everything is out of order at home and menacing abroad,
as appears in a terrible fee-fa-fum epistle in the Tidies,
beginning, rationally enough with the defects in the
construction of steamships, and the causes thereof, but
ending with all sorts of wild alarms, doleful representa-
tions of our weakness, and appalling ones on the other
side, of the strength of the French. Our sole comfort is
that we see on the other side of the water statements the
precise counterpart; setting forth the insignificance of
the French naval force and resources, and the over
whelming superiority of the British.
The signature of this dismal letter is a key to its lan-
guage. "Late Commander-in Chief of the Channel
Squadron" signifies that of late things were not so much
amiss, or that the Admiral when occupied with his com-
mand had not the leisure to survey the disorder in our
dockyards, or the threatening aspect of foreign affairs.
France has sent an army to Rome, ergo France may
send an army to Landon. The French went to Rome
without telling the Romans they were coming, and so
the French may come to London without telling the
Londoners they are coming. Such are the sage views
of Sir Charles Napier; who perceives that no distinction
is to be taken between the powers of Rome and the
powers of Great Britain, and all that can be done with
impunity to a State the most weak and distracted may
be done equally to one the most united and potent.
A very brave man remarked that he was not bold
enough to be afraid. But when brave men do take
fright there is no fright like their fright. A Napier
knows that he may be afraid to any degree of irrationa-
lity without any hazard to his established repute for
dauntless courege. He has carte blanche for panic.
Nay more, he relies upon the argument, that when so
brave a man is in such a fright we ought all to be quak-
ing in our shoes, or shaken with a delirium tremens.
Sir Charles strongly recommends Lord John Russell
to be vehemently alarmed. He desires the Premier to
remember many things he possibly never knew, such as
that our fleet might have been beaten by the French in
Syria.
" Has your Lordship forgotten the affair of Syria,
when war was on the point of being declared, and our
ships were lying for months at Spithead waiting for
men, and the French so superior to us that we might
have been beaten in detail? If your Lordship has for-
gotten it, I have not. Has your Lordship forgotten the
affair at Otaheitie, when we were powerless, and even
leveed to patch it up, and I doubt if the indemnity is
paid to this day? Has your Lordship forgotten that we
sent a fleet to Copenhagen and stole the Danish fleet in
profound peace; without declaring war? Has your
Lordship forgotten that we sent a squadron to intercept
the Spanish galleons, without declaring war? Has your
Lordship forgotten how this country was bamboozled by
France about the Spanish marriages, and that by a
regular Government, notwithstanding the entente coy-
dude ? and has your Lordship forgotten the Duke of
Wellington's letter, in which he exposes the defenceless
state of the country?'
As for the present aspect of things, Sir Charles, see-
ing that all Europe has run mad, thinks it suitable that
we should run mad too, and put ourselves in a state of
preparation against French invasion. He to this end
west tully instruc s the Premier; neglecting no details,
but directing him as to all he should do for the protec-
tion of the country; not only informing him that he
should man the Blenheim and the Ajax to save us, but
how they should ba manned from the Excellent. We
were about to say that one grand measure of precaution
was omitted in these instructions, namely, the appoint-
ment of Sir Charles Napier to the commend of our fleets;
but on consideration it seems better that he should re-
main unemployed at present, in which state he serves on
the look-out, detects all defects in the naval manage-
ment, discerns all dangers abroad, and has ready cut
and dried the infallible means of averting them. If a
command were given to the Gallant Admiral, we should
forthwith be deprived of the inestimable benefit of these
revelations and recommendations; and Lord John
Russell would be without a counsellor, the gain of the
fleet in one way being the Minister's loss in another.
Excellent, however, are the uses of our Napier; inas-
much as when employed we have in him one of the bravest
and best officers, and when not employed, a watchman
not to be surprised by any danger, inasmuch as he an-
ticipates all, and does not trouble himself aheut degrees,
but signals them all as of the first magnitude.
But let us hear the warning and the exhortation:—
" It may be said I am exposing the nakedness of the
land. The Duke of Wellington's letter has done that
already; but his Grace's letter was not necessary. The
French Government know just as well as we do the
force of every ship of war in the service, the station of
every regiment, the number of our guns, and, I dare say,
the number of the muskets in all our arsenals. I may
be called an alarmist. I confess it; lam alarmed at our
defenceless state; and I hope to God I shall alarm the
Government, the Parliament, and the People. Let Mr.
Cobden and his party arbitrate if they will. Let them
go to Paris now, and ask the French to withdraw from
Koine—ask them to reduce their enormous army—and
no man will be happier than I shall be to see all our
establishments reduced. But, until he has got his arbi-
tration into play, let us, for God's sake, take care of
ourselves.
" Your Lordship may say we have already a reserve
steam force which has cost the country millions. That
is true. But what a contemptible force it is—a force
that is quite unequal to contend with France.
" Your Lordship may ask what I propose. I will tell
your Lordship. Put the whole strength of your dock-
yards on the steam-vessels (such as they are) now on
the stocks, and get them ready for service.
" The Queen has been commissioned—man her and
fit her out as fast as possible; complete the crews of the
Superb and Ganges; man the Blenheim and Ajax screw
steamers out of the Excellent; fit out and arm your best
steam-vessels; and do this at once, before your sailors
go to Denmark and Germany; let this squadron assemble
at Spithead. You will then be in a position to arbitrate
or remonstrate if you will. Watch well the progress of
events in the Mediterranean, and if any war take place,
order the fleet home for the protection of our own shores.
Parliament cannot object to this; Mr. Cobden could not
object to it. It is a precaution; it will not be an expen-
sive precaution. If you do not want to press for money
at present, you may suspend works in progress in the
dockyards that are not pressing. Search closely into all
your departments; ransack the dockyard);' and you will
find means of saving thousands and thous2nds of pounds;
appoint a committee of experienced steam-officers to
decide how your future steam. vessels shall be built; give
up cutting and carving and changing ships' bows and
sterns; give up converting good sailing ships into bad
steamers at an enormous expense; and look more strictly
at the expense of your dockyards; and you will have no
eccasion to go to Parliament for more money.
" I remsin your Lordship's obedient servant,
" CHARLES NAPIER, Rear-Admiral,
" And late Commander-in-Chief of the Channel
Squadron."
The one thing needful, to put the whole strength of
the dockyards on the steam-vessels on the stocks, is
somewhat inconsistent with a preceding argument, that
the right mode of constructing a steam-ship has yet to
be devised; the plans of the engineer and the shipbuilder,
and the views of the practical seaman, never having been
brought into harmony and concert, or attempted to be
brought into harmony and concert. According to S'r
Charles's representation, how would the efficiency of our
navy he improved by adding to it a number of steam-
ships unable to carry or to work their main-deck guns?
The miscarriages in beilding are certainly a disgrace
to the service, but we deny the assertion of Sir Charles
Napier, that the same reproach does not attach to our
neighbours; and detective as our steam-ships are, they
are generally vsstly superior to the French, and incom•
parably lets liable to disasters.
To improve our navy to the utmost on its scat-, not to
extend it, is the proper course now; and egregiously are
we mistaken. if Sir Charles Napier can frighten the
Government, the Parliament, and the People," out
of their wits and out of their money by his exaggerated
statements and preposterous apprehensions. The coun-
try is every now and then ready to be frightened. L:ke
Ally Croker, it has its moments when it hugs some
chimera "to make it uneasy." But it had the quaking
tit two years ago, and the period is not come for a return
of the ague. Sir Charles Napier will not fled a singe
old woman afraid of the French at this juncture; we are
all of us much more afraid for them than of them.
John Bull must not have practised upon him the tricks
that were played off upon Sancho Patina in his island,
when an alarm that the isle was attacked frightened him
into a suit of mail; incased in which, like a hog in
armour, he was knocked down atcl kicked and cuffed
about by the defenders of his domiuions, trampling upon
Sancho most mercilessly while they were clamouring
about the protection of his person and property.

B NDAEsynAmtG ioN,ERThATLIOI..NsIGATEti
00u PORTSMOUTH
Yesterday afternoon Captain H. D. Chads, 0.13., of her
Majesty's ship Excellent, exhibited some very important
narivteor
an advancing party. The boom was
,igaugheneurpy
bolpuezetdiounps
rtiovesrhsoworthienlmetos,dewhoefrefoorcbisntrgoaotpioanss-
might be offered to.
formed of the masts of a line-of-battle ship, lashed to-
gether by chain and other gear, so as to form the repre-
sentation;Pothrtissmboouotrah
harbour), and at a given signal a boat party, comprising
the attack and defence squadron,
eths
scene
commencedene of
th approache
obpeietyrsroantduties.idont
sh)e,
pbrooacteepdaerdtytoutahreiedresttirienctpioronteoctriot
boom,sThhi whilst
waspe l
oa nide
di
(aboutof
nef f
e4Ft
thoodeouen3dia Fountain
supposed
Lake
( a
tributary i
nheolflinthderanschei,vaandguthnes
dislodgment of the enemy. This was effected by the
placing a 'use connec'ed with a large quantity of sub-
merged gunpowder in a favottrab!e place under the
1:03n1 for blowing it up; the fuse then, with much ap-
parent intrepidity, was ignited, and in three minutes,
or thereabouts (allowing ample time for the destruc-
tion party to regain the cover of their ship), the
charge was exploded, destroying the boom, which was
burstfree p
asunderand
or blownthe
navigation into tohfe
theui assaulting party;r, and clearing a
forming a highly instructive nautical manoeuvre, which
was witnessed by a large concourse of spectators on the
water, and a gallant array of naval and military officers
on board the Excellent, amongst whom were Lord Fitz-
clarence, the Governor of Portsmouth; Sir John Bur-
goyne, Inspector-General of Fortifications; Admirals
Colonel Lewis, B. E., &c. .
Capel, Prescott, Dacres, &e.; Sir Wiliam Parry, lint.,

CE.