Star.
London, England, 1831-08-27 00:00:00

THE UORONATION.

It is already known that the Lord Mayor and
Aldermen are dispensed with as attendants upon
his Majesty, in the capacity of butler and assis-
tants, at the approaching Coronation. They are,
however, to have seats in the Abbey during the
ceremony. The presence of the Masters of the
twelve Companies, who at the Coronation of George
IV. accompanied the Lord Mayor and Aldermen,
has been altogether dispensed with. Indeed, the
claims of the Masters of the Companies to wait
upon his Majesty have been altogether disregarded.
The circumstances which led to the denial of their
claims, which had been lung considered of high
authority, are rather remarkable.
Before the Coronation of George IV. the Lord
Mayor and Aldirmen, transmitted their claims to
the Court, and were afonce admitted to have esta-
blished them. A contest, however, took place
between certain persons of :he City, as to who
should accompany his Lordship and his brethren.
It happened that four of the Masters of these ex.-
elusive Companies were not in office at the time of
the preparations, and those who were substituted
for them insisted upon performing service to the
King, and made the necessary application in due
form as Masters of the twelve principal City
Companies. To their surprise and grief, how-
ever, the Garter King at Arms informed them
that they were Wholly unknown to, the Court of
Claims, and that the Lord Mayoh• and Aldermen
might appoint any 12 of their fellow-citizens, with-
out reference to any of the Companies, to attend
and perform service at the Coronation. In order,
however, to prevent confusion and discord on so
important an occasion, the Lord Mayor and Alder-
men appointed the Masters of the twelve Com-1
panics to assist them, and the' ceremony passed 1
over without a civic quarrel for precedency. A
Committee had been formed to examine the Re-
cords, in order to support or oppose the application
of the twelve Companies on future occasions of, a
similar description, and it appeared to that Com-
mittee that the absence of privilege which the
twelve Companies had established fur themselves,
by endeavouring to confirm their monopoly to wait
upon the King as civic Commoners, was sanc-
tioned by ancient usage.
At the time it was supposed the coronation of
his present Majesty would take place under the
usual forms, and that there would be no reduction
in the number of servants at the ceremony, a com-
mittee was appointed to draw up a report upon the
claims of the twelve companies. The research
was, we understand, made by Mr. Woodthorpe,
Mr. Tyrrell, and Mr. Newman, and who have
drawn up the Report, which corresponds with the
sentence of the Court of Claims, and fl itly nega-
tives their claims. The report exhibits great in-
durry and talent. The gentlemen who drew it up
were obliged to extract largely from the it re-
cords, at Guildhall, as well as from with irities at •
the British museum.
It is a source of regret Toongst the citizens of
London, that his Majesty has determined to dis-
pense with the service of the chief butler, as the
exclusion of that important officer argues a very
uncitizen-like mode of conducting ceremonies.--
Indeed, some go far as to say, that his Majesty's
object is to encourage that sort of abstinence for
which his Civic sihjects have never been very
famous. however that may be, it is certain that
the chief magistrate will not have to perform the
duty of handing the gold cup to the King, iltboagh
it is generally believed that he will be emit ed to a
gold cup, by virtue of his mike of butler.
At the last coronation, Alderman Thorp. then
Lord Mayor, performed the service as butler, and
received an unusually sp:enditl gold cu.! as his per-
quisite. SeveralClaiins, it is said, will be made for•