The Sun.
London, England, 1838-05-17 00:00:00

THE CORONATION.

Yesterday a deputation of the tradesmen of the west-end of the town
Consisting of Messrs. Dinneford, Webb, Town, Sparks, Barrier, Law.
rence, Hay, Gould, Clark, Brown, Fisher, Rarwise, Parker, East, and
Miller, had an interview with Lord Melbourne, at his apartments in the
Treasury, for the purpose of impressing upon his Lordship the great
loss they would sustain by an early Coronation, and the eonsequen.
propri2ty of its postponement until August.

His Lordship received the deputation w;th great affobilit y and courtesy.
Mr. DINNEFORD said the deputation had waited upon his Lordship,
not from motives of factious opposition, but for the purpose of ex-
pressing the general feeling of the people on the subject of the Corona-
tion. Last season the business of the metropolis was prematurely put
an end to by the lamented death of his late Majesty, and the
tradesmen had been -looking forward most anxiously to the present
season ; but unless the Coronation was postponed the season
would be again curtailed, and the consequences to tradesmen be most
serious. An opinion had gone abroad that the august ceremony
was to be much curtailed. If, however, a walking proces.
sion was adopted instead of that already proposed it would occasion
thousands of pounds to be put in circulation. It would give employ-
ment to mechanics and artisans, now in a state a destitution and star-
vation. The short notice given was also a circumstance of great in-
convenience, as it prevented tradesmen from executing the orders
which were given them. The matter was one also in which our national
importance was immediately concerned. A Noble Duke had informed him
that unless the present arrangements were materially altered, he
should quit London in a few days before Vie ceremony took place,
and several of his Noble Friends intended to adopt the same course.
Lord MatmounNr —Have you any petitions on the subject ?
Mr. Gonou said he held in his hand a petition which had been signed
by several thousand persons within the last last few days, and many snore
signatures would be attached.

Mr. DINNEFORD, in continuation, hoped the interests of so large a
body as the tradesmen of the metropolis would be taken into the serious
consideration of the Government.

Lord MELBOURNE--We have made up our minds on the subject,
therefore you must get the House of Lords and the llouse of Commons
to make the alteration.

Mr. GottLn said he had been informed on very good authority that
5/. advance upon each suit of clothes for the Yeomen of the Guards had
been agreed to be given in consequence of the shortness of the time al.
lowed for their completion. He had also been given to utulerstand
that the banners and clothing for three regiments of the Household
Cavalry could not be completed by the 2Sth of June. But one con-
tractor would undertake to get them ready by that time, and he would be
compelled to have the greater part of the enter executed in France. He
had himself waited upon a nobleman a few days ago, who had informed
him that if the Coronation was upon the present plan it was the in-
tention of himself and several of the nobility (on whom the tradesmen
looked principally for support) to leave for the country a few days pre-
vious to the ceremony taking place.

Lord MELBOURNE observed that the Coronation would only affect a
locality.

Mr. CLARKE replied, that in the opinion of the tradesmen generally
the Coronation was not a local question, as it was well known that the
families who came up to town would expend a large sum in their own
neighbourhoods in the provinces, solely to appear in a style suitable to
such an occasion.

Mr. GOULD said he had received communications from various parte
of the country where petitions were in the course of signature, and were
shortly expected in town, praying for a postponement.
Mr. LAwRENce begged to impress on the mind of his Lordship the
necessity of a further postponement, as the demise of the Crown last
year, in the height of the season, was the means of leaving on hand, in
the different warehouses of the City and elsewhere, a large quantity of
manufactured goods, which had not been sold this year without a ruin.
ous sacrifice.

Mr. Bnmw►ay hoped, at all events, that if the Coronation was not
postponed, a walking procession and increased splendour would be
dopted.

Lord MaLnounNE (shaking his head)—That is, you are asking us to
spend an extra 80,0001. or 100,0001. of the public money.
Mr. DINNEFORD—We will raise the money by public subscription.
I will undertake to raise it in one day in the parish alone in which I
reside, St. George's, Hanover-square. At all events, my Lord, let the
Coronation be solemnized with such splendour as becomes our national
importance, and any sum that may be expended above what has been
fixed upon we will be answerable for.

After some further remarks from Mr. BanwisE and Mr. CLARKII,
Lord MEtnouttrin (who listened with politeness and great good hu-
mour to the observations of the deputation) said that the Government
had :nade up their minds as to th• manner in which the Coronation
was to be conducted, and that they had not done so without mature
deliberation; and he was sure that the deputation, as men of sense,
must see the inconvenience of altering the intended plan, without
stronger reasons than those which had been offered. If Parliament
should be induced to interfere, then of course he (Lord Melbourne) and
his colleagues would be bound to view the matter differently.
The deputation then withdrew.

A second deputation from the City of London on the same subject,
headed by Mr. Alderman Copeland, was then introduced to Lord Mel-
bourne, when, after a very short consultation, his Lordship reiterated
the same sentiments he had a few minutes before addressed to the former
deputation, and the deputation immediately retired.