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COURT OF COMMON COUVCIL.

Yesterday a Court of Common Council was held for
t'te election of aCommori Crier or City Serjeant-at-Arms,
?nd also f-r the election of h Town Clerk. The Court
was extremely crowded, the popularity of the candi-
dates for the first named office being very great. •
The report of the nature and duties of the office of
Common Crier or Serjeant-at-Arms was read. It stated
that the officer appointed become one of the four
E quires of the Lord Mayor's Household. He was
rest in rank to the Sword-bearer, who was the Lord
"layor's senior officer. It was his duty to make pro-
clamations on the Exchange, in Cheapside, and at St.l
Paul's, where the Crosses formerly stood. It was his
privilege to carry the City mace before the Lord Mayor
on state days. It was his duty to open the Courts of
Hustings and Common•hall, arid to adjourn them. It
was the opinion of the Committee that a number of
the fees belonging to the office ought to be disconti-
:-.lel The fixed salary they recommended should be
lA. per annum, which, with the fees, they thought
t!torild remain, would amount nearly to 500/.
the iteport was then adopted.
A Report of the Committee appointed to inquire into
the route and duties of the office of Town Clerk was
r ad. 1: stated that the most important duty was the
custody oldie City records and muniments ; and the
Corn-lime niadt a recommendation (one, by the bye,
strewed that they have formed an absurdly int-
p9.;ant opinion of the interest or value of their old
.I,,ers to the public) that no person should be permit-,
r) have access to the City records, except upon an
e.dcr from the Court of Common Council or the Court
rf Aldermen, arid that every person who made copies
in consequence of such order or permission, should be
convened to pay eightpence for every 72 words lie
copied. They re.ommended that the Town Cler k
should be compelled to give extracts gratis to the
Members of the Court. It was his dirty ri make eats ies,
riinutes, and indexes, of all the corporate proceedings,
and to give various notices. The Committee recom-
mended a salary of 3,500/. from which there would be
a deductioa of 1,5001. to maintain an establishment of
clerks, leaving a clear salary of 2,00 U. including an
official residence at the charge of the Corporation. Tire
Committee recommended the abolition of fees of office
as meat as possible, and that the stirnd should be fixed,
an‘i AS lade depeadent upon casualties as could be
regula•erl.
.slr. Deputy /locus moved that the Repsrt should be received.
Alderman L;nows was of opinion that an individual
of the highest character mi?lit be found who would
gladly mid. :take the duties of the situation at a far
:m.:l!er st.m titan what had been recommended. There
co;•1:1 nor he a doubt as to the individual cn whom the
choke of the Court would and ought to fal, but in the
present state of the City funds he thought the salary
was excessive. Be moved as an amendment that the
report should be printed, and that the election should
be adjourned, in order that the Court should have full
time to consider maturely the nature of the office, the
alterations that should be made, and the remuneration
•whiCh should be given to the person appointed for
his labours.
Mr. HURCOMSE opposed the amendment. The Court
was bound, ire said, to provide liberally for the person
who filled so, very high and important an office. He
did not doubt that thousands could be found who would
' execute all the duties of the office for one-half the sum,
*or Indeed for any sum at all; but was the Court there-
foie to diminish the profits? There was no situation
•ittat could be named for which candidates would not
start op at a tenth part of the pecuniary recompense,
but that, in his opinion, was no reason why a redaction
should take place, espt cially when the t ffice was or.e of
the most confidential nature, and in which talent and
unwearied attention la ere inoispensaible—(Hear).
Ali let man It:too/N.—You have misrepresented the
sour don which I have made the position. I say that
irthviduals of high character and talent, and of
high rank too, may be found to take such an office at a
smaller sum.
Mt. HURCOMBE said the Committee had given the
most serious consideration to the subject. They had
inquired into all the circumstances connected with the
office most diligently, and the Court, he believed,
would not hesitate a moment in adopting the report.
Mr. Jones said the Committee had been divided
amongst themselves upon the subject, and the Court
should be allowed to consider the matter themselves.
Mr. Deputy Daw did not see that any danger could arise from
fully considering the subject.
Air. OLDHAM thought the allowance of 1,500/. a-year
was by no means excessive for an establishment of
seven clerks requisite to assist the Town Clerk; but he
considered the entire salary ought to undergo some
reduction. He, therefore, supported the amendment.
The question was then put, and the amendment was carried by
a considerable majority.
EQUITABLE LOAN BANK COMPANY.

The City itemembt aucer made some statement which
mentioned the intention of the Loan Bank Company to
apply for a charter. A resolution was then proposed,
to the effect that it should be referred to the Committee
of General Purposes to watch the proceedings of the
Equitable Loan Bank Company in any application
which they might make for a Royal Charter, and to
report to the Court thereon.
Alderman BROWN could not give a silent vote upon
the subject. He thought that Public Companies, except
for public purposes, which could not be effected by
individual capital, or individual exertions, were public
nuisances. The Corporation, as the landlords of a
great number of the shopkeepers, on whose prosperity
they depended for those rents which formed so large a
portion of the City revenue, were bound to use every
effort to defeat this combination against individual ex-
ertions. Combinations of this kind, if they succeeded,
must ruin a great number of the Citizens of London—
(Hear, hear).
Resolution agreed to.
The election of Common Crier was proceeded in. A ballot took
place, When there appeared for Mr. Beddow, 110 ; for Mr.
Raider, W. Mr. Beddome was declared duly elected.—The
Court then adjourned. '

Dispatches were yesterday received at the Colonial
° Major-General Sir C. Titania, at Sierra Leone.
Ittwithstanding the extreme heat of the weather,
ail the Summer Theatres in the Metropolis and the neighbourhood
have been better attended this season than for many years. As-
xot.n, at the Lyceum, has hithetto had overflowing houses, and
Mows, at the Haymarket, hat generally opened his Theaue to a
bumper, although London is said to be empty.
Two besotted disciples of Johanna Southcote, who
have lately been holding forth at Plymouth and other
places, made their appearance at Bath last week, and
preached at the bottom *of Bathwick-street. Both of
tl.em had beard, of immense length,and one carried an
iron rod and a ram's born—the latter of which, is, it
is said, emblematical of the horns spoken of in the
G.h of Ju.ilitt4

- • •
ALARMING FIRE. •
The neighbourhood of Temple-bar, inA the western partoof the
City, was thrown into considerable alum, in consequence of a fire
bre4ing one, last evening, in the Strand, near Temple-bar. About
half-past nine o'clock, one of the watchinen law the flames rising in
the interior of the house of Mr.. Harris, a tailor, of 222, in the
Strand. Tbe alarm immediately became general; and as it was
presumed no one was in the house, the watchmen and some stran-
gers, who were passing, burst open the doors. The watchmen state
that at that period the staircase appeared to be the only part on fire.
One of the Watchmen observed a bed in the back parlour, and as he
imagined same one might be there, and probably suffocated from
the intense smoke, he examined the room, but his suspicions
were happily groundless. In a very short time the flames
burnt through the floors up to the roof of the house, and
' burst with great violence through the front windows. The
house of Mr. Essex, the pawnbroker, was, as might reason.
ably be expected, it: a short time on fire, but it happened
very fortunately that the greater part of Mr. Essex's valuable pro-
perty was placed on the other side of the premises. The houses
destroyed are situateAlrectly in the front of Palsgrave-place, and
f-ars were entertained that the houses in that confined situation
would have taken fire. The glare of light which illuminated the
metropolis induced many to consider that net only Palsgrave-place,
but that Twining's warehouse, and other equally valuable establish-
ments were or: fire. The whole of the upper part of Mr. Essex's
house is destroyed, but his jewellery and other vaidable articles
have escaped the flames. The house of Mr. Price, an !umbreUa-
-maker, which adjoir.s Mr. Harris's house, is also very considerably
injured. Mr. Price was not insured; and, in the anxiety to save
his furniture, am. it was thrown front the windows into theittreet,
and was nearly broken to pieces. There seemed to be a good supply
of water; and, owing to the exertions of the firemen, the conflagra-
tion was prevented front spreading further than we have stated.
Considerable alarm prevailed among the poor unfortunates who
had goods pledged, but Mr. Essex lost no time in giving public
notice that all the pledges were safe.

BRADFORD CUMBERS AND WEAVERS.