The Sun.
London, England, 1842-01-17 00:00:00

The member of the Committee, bearing the glass
bottle, then held it to Prince Albert, who placed therein
the coin which he received from Sir James Shaw, Bart.,
Chamberlain of London, Joseph Thomas Pooley, Esq.,
Master of the Mercers' Company.
His Royal Highness having deposited the same in the
well of the stone, the member of the Committee bearing
the English inscription, incrusted on glass, then pre-
sented the same to his Royal Highness, which, being read
by Mr. James Barnes, the clerk of the Committee, his
Royal Highness also deposited in the well.
The Latin inscription, together with the translation,
was then read by the architect, who delivered the en-
graved plate to his Royal Highness, which his Royal
Highness deposited.
The Chairman then addressed his Royal Highness on
presenting him with the trowel. His Royal Highness
then proceeded with the ceremony, spreading the mortar
with the trowel.
The following is the order of procession, which left
Guildhall about two o'clock :
Police officers cleared the way.
City Marshalmen.
Water Bailiff's Watermen in state liveries.
Banners of the Arms of England.
Banner, Mercers' Company. Banner, City of London.
Banner, Royal badges. The Union flag.
The Lord Mayor's Beadle in state livery.
The Lord Mayor's Bargemaster in state dress.
Bargemen with Sheriffs' banner.
City Watermen with colours.
Captain of the Navigation Barge.
The Principal Assistant Water Bailiff.
City Waterman with colours.
Junior City Marshal on horseback.
Band.
The Contractor, Mr. Thomas Jackson.
The Architect, William Tite, Esq., F.R.S.
Solicitor of the Mercers' Company—George Frederick
Prince Sutton, Esq.
The Clerk of the Mercers' Company and Joint Gresham
Committee—James Barnes, Esq.
Police Officers. The Under Sheriffs. Police Officers.
The City Solicitor.
The Remembrancer.
The Comptroller.
Police Officers. The Two Secondaries. Police Officers.

The Four Common Pleaders.
The Common-Sergeant.
The Town Clerk.

Police Officers. The Chamberlain. Police Officers.
Members of the Joint Gresham Committee.
Under Beadle, Masters of the Upper Beadle,
Mercers'Company.M ercers' Company.Mercers'Company.
Joseph Thomas Pooley, Esq.,
Accompanied by the Chaplain.
Chairman of the Joint Gresham Committee.
Richard Lambert Jones, Esq.,
With the Trowel.
Mr. Sheriff Rogers'in his State Chariot.
Mr. Sheriff Magnay in his State Chariot.
Aldermen who have not passed the chair.
The Recorder.
Aldermen who have passed the chair.
Banner of Prince Albert. The Royal Standard.
Banner of the Lord Mayor.
The Suite of his Royal Highness Prince Albert.
Upper City Marshal on horseback.
Gentlemen of the Lord Mayor's household.
The Lord Mayor.
The Right Hon. John Pirie,
HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCE ALBERT,
In the State Carriage,
Attended by
The Chaplain, Swordbearer, Water-Bailiff, and Common
Crier.
Four City Watermen.
Four Water-Bailiff's Watermen.
Police Officers.

The trowel which his Royal Highness used is of silver
gilt. The handle is fluted, terminating at the end with
the Royal Crown, connected with the blade by flowing
ornaments of beautiful chasing, which is continued round
the edges. On one side are the Royal arms and sup-
porters, with an inscription referring to the use to which
the trowel was applied, and on the' other an elevation
of the west front of the building, with the three shields
of arms of the Mercers' Company, the City of London,
and Sir Thomas Gresham.

The mallet is formed of a block of beautiful oak, pre-
sented by the Chairman, and was part of one of the
great -bourns of the old Exchange. It is the full size of
a mason's mallet, turned and moulded into an elegant
form, with a wreath of oak leaves and acorns carved
round the- base of it, and the Royal crown terminating
,the hapaie., ;There is a silver plate inserted at the end,
with art inscription similar to that on the trowel.
• The block of oak from which the mallet was made had
been actually burnt through in the fire; and -it is an in-
teresting fact that the stain has extended almost thcough
its substance, although it appears to'be as hard- stS-'the
most solid metal. The level and the iilumb rule are of
polished Spanish mahogany.
All the coins of the realm were deposited in a glass
bottle, which also contained a medal, with the head of
her Majesty on the obverse, and an inscription on the
reverse.

Proofs of the medal have been struck in gold for the
Lord Mayor, and in silver and copper for the Committee
and distinguished visitors. Upon the bottle containing
the medals and coins was placed a glass brick, on which
an inscription has been imperishably encrusted. The
brick was covered by a polished zinc plate, on which is
engraved the inscription in Latin and English, composed
by the Bishop of London.
At half-past two o'clock the shouts of the assembled
multitude without the tent announced the arrival of his
Royal Highness and the other distinguished guests,
and shortly afterwards the head of the procession
entered the tent. Among the Cabinet Ministers we
observed the Earl of Aberdeen, the Earl of Had-
dington, the Earl of Ripon, Lord Fitzgerald and
Vesci, Sir Robert Peel, Lord Stanley, Sir James
Graham, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and
Sir E.Knatchbull. Shortly afterwards, the Right Hon. the
Lord Mayor, accompanied by his Royal Highness Prince
Albert and suite, entered the tent, and were received with
loud and hearty cheers.
His Royal Highness, who was in plain clothes, looked
extremely well, and stood in front the Ministers,
beside the Chair of State that was placed for him.
His Royal Highness was attended by Mr. Anson,
and Colonel Bouverie. Upon the entry of his Royal
Highness all the asssmbly rose, and the band struck up
the National Anthem.

Mr. Lambert Jones, the Chairman of the Committee,
then handed the coins to his Royal Highness, by whom
they were deposited in the glass bottle.
Mr. J. G. Cope, one of the Committee, then handed
,to his Royal Highness the glass pillars which were depo-,
sited by his Royal Highness at the four corners of the
cavity in the stone.
The Architect, Mr. TITE, then read the inscription
on the Plate in Latin and English, which was
then placed on the stone.
Mr. L. JoxEs then presented the trowel to his Royal
Highness, and said, " May it please your Royal Highness,
the Committee appointed by the Corporation of
the City of London and the Mercers' Company,
have deputed me, as their Chairman, to express
to your Royal Highness their profound sense of
the obligations you have conferred upon the
Citizens of London, by attending on the present occasion,
and we trust that this building may remain a monument
of your Royal Highness's kindness and conde-
seeosion, that it may be conducive to the
commercial interests of this great City, and
not unworthy of the wealth and commerce of the
metropolis of the world. lam also deputed to present
your Royal Highness with the trowel to aid you in car-
rying your iLtentions into effect, and I trust that, when
completed, it may stand as a monument of the libera-
lity and good taste of the citizens of London."
His ROYAL HIGHNESS then took the trowel and
spread the mortar over the face of the stone in a very
neat and workmanlike manner, which elicited the most
enthusiastic cheering.
The stone was then lowered to its place, under the di-
rection of Mr. Thomas Jackson, the contractor ; when
the members of the Committee, bearing the level and
mallet, presented them to his Royal Highness, to adjust
and set the stone.

The City state sword and mace was then placed cross-
ways on the stone, after which the Rev. Henry Thomas,
A.M., Chaplain to the Lord Mayor, offered up an appro-
priate prayer, and the children belonging to the charity
school of the ward of Broad-street sang the national
Anthem. _ .

The Lord Mayor, with his Royal Highness and the
invited guests, then proceeded in their carriages to the
Mansion-house ; the Lord Mayor and his Royal High-
ness going first.
During the day the crowd had increased to a
frightful extent, and the streets fora considerable dis-
tance around Cornhill were literally impassable. The
police arrangements, however, were such as to preserve
comparative order among the dense multitude, and we
heard of no accident of a serious nature.

We cannot close mr hurried account without expres-
sing our acknowlegments to the gentleinen of the Com-
mittee for the admirable arrangements made by them
for the accommodation of the press.