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The Lord Mayor returned to the Mansionhouse on Saturday night, after an absence of six days "on the business of the Conservancy of the Thames."
So runs the official announcement. The detailed ac- count says little of serious " business," but mentions, that in obedience to an old custom, the Lord Mayor, with his wife and a party, went up the river as fin. as Henley, in civic pomp, and received and gave enter- tainments during their progress. The principal feasting was at Windsor. The Queen had sent orders that Lord Wilson and his lady should be shown over the Castle, even unto the private apartments of royalty ; and the townspeople of Windsor gave the civic party a dinner at the White Hart, They were received on their return at Magna Charta Island, by Mr. Harcourt, M.P., and with a salute of gams. Here, says the reporter, the "scene was exceedingly animated and exciting"— " From the door of the cottage to the water's edge a temporary landing had been provided, the steps of which were covered with crimson carpeting. On the last step stood Mr. and Mrs. Harcourt, and their youthful son, who held in his hand a large bouquet of flowers. On each side of the landing were placed 120 boys and guis of the charity school, dressed in the costume of King John's time, and holding baskets of flowers. The banks of the river were crowded with people; and in the front of the cottage stood the nobility and gentry of of the neighbourhood, and the surrounding villagers with their families. At a little distance stood Mr. Harcourt's labourers, with agricultural implements in their hands. The band of the Second Life Guards, stationed on the grounds, joined the Lord Mayor's band in playing the national anthem. The moment the Lady Mayoress landed, she was pre After these rural and aquatic and antiquarian enjoyments, we fear that even the gaud and the luxury and refinement of the Mansion- house must have palled upon the feelings of the civic dignitaries. At a meeting of the Court of Common Council, on Thursday, a bill was introduced for assimilating the number of Common Councilmen to be returned by the several wards to the relative number of inhabitants and amount of property therein. The bill is to he discussed at the next Court. Members of the Common Council, of all parties, have signed a re- quisition to the Lord Mayor to summon a Court to petition Parliament against any such "invasion of the ancient and salutary rights of local government" as are contemplated in the Birmingham Police Bill. By the death of Mr. Shutt, which occurred on Sunday last, the office of Magistrate at the 3larylebone Office became vacant.
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