gbe Artetropolis.

Sir James Shaw has resigned the office of City Chamberlain, in con- sequence of ill health. He was elected Alderman of Portsoken Ward in 1798, Sheriff in 1803, and Mayor in 1805. During his Mayoralty the funeral of Nelson took place, and he successfully claimed precedence of the Prince of Wales in the procession. He was elected Chamber- lain in 1831. The election lies with the Livery. Sir William Heygate and Sir John Pine are named as candidates.

A Court of Alderman was held yesterday, to receive the Chamber- lain's resignation. Tuesday was appointed for a Common Hall, at which the Livery will meet for a like purpose, and to elect a successor. Alderman Magnay gave notice, that on the next Court-day he should move that Mr. Cope, the Governor of Newgate, be discharged from his situation, on account of his recent neglect in not acquainting a prisoner under sentence of death that she had been pardoned by the Queen, until nineteen hours after he had received the warrant. But the Alderman afterwards altered the terms of his notice ; and then withdrew it, until the report of the Prison Inspector should be published.

The weekly meeting of the Anti Corn-law League was held at Drury Lane Theatre, on Wednesday. The house was crammed in every part ; and the stage was crowded, with a goodly show of Members of Parliament. The Chairman, Mr. George Wilson, stated that the meet- ing would be the last held in that place, but not the last held by the League ; for if they could not procure the use of a room in London of sufficient size, they would build one, as they had in Manchester built one capable of holding 10,000 persons. He reported, that since they had last met, meetings bad been held at Hertford, Cambridge, Durham, Barnstaple, and St. George's Without : at Durham and Barnstaple the Mayor presided ; at Cambridge 1,500 persons were present, including 300 farmers. The Reverend Dr. Cox at some length vindicated the interference of religious ministers in the agitation. Mr. Cobden made a long speech. He alluded to the foremost topic of the day, education, and spoke of the Coro-law as the great bar to the moral improvement of the country. He quoted an account of proceed.. ings in Parliament in the reign of Elizabeth, when the people com- plained of monopolies by which they were oppressed, particularly the monopolies of woollen cloth, iron, tin, coal, glass, leather, salt, oil, vinegar, fruit, wine, Spanish wool, and fish. He began by quoting the speech of a Mr. Martin, the Cobden of the time, who spoke for a town the principal commodities of which were " engrossed by these blood- suckers of the commonwealth." Mr. Cobden proceeded amid repeated laughter— 'The journal goes on—' After the list of monopolies or patents had been read over, a Mr. Ilakewell (no doubt a Leaguer) got up and asked, " Is not bread among the number?" " Bread! " said one. " Bread !" exclaimed another. " That sound seemeth strange," said a third. " Well," said Mr. Hakewell, " mark my words, if order be not taken with these other things, bread will be there yet."' (Loud cheers.) And here, ladies and gentlemen, is what we are met about now. Bread has got there." Queen Elizabeth thanked her Parliament for drawing her attention to "those varlets" who had deceived her ; whom she likened to doctors' gilding a pill: an allusion greeted with laughter and shouts of "Tam- worth doctor r Mr. Cobden announced the presence of Mr. Latimore, a farmer who had taken part in the meeting at Hertford, and who had merely paid them a visit whilst passing on business into Surrey ; and Mr. Cobden predicted that the time would come when the farmers would join the manufacturers in besieging the House of Commons with demands for the repeal of the Corn-laws- " I want to know where the landlords will now go to obtain support for their system. I have fought them in their own strongholds. (Cheers.) I have en- countered them in Norfolk, in Hertfordshire, and in Surnersttshire. I am going next week to Buelcingbamshir. I am going the week after to Dorches- ter, and on the Saturday after to Lincoln. I make the announcement public. I know the landlords have not been unconcerned spectators of my former visits. I know they hare endeavoured, if not to prevent the people from attending my meetings, at least to induce them to create a disturbance. I tell them where I am going, and they dare not meet me."

Mr. Latimore, the Hertford farmer, si as the next speaker. He spoke in the name of the farmers, and particularly of the well-enlightened and intelligent body of farmers ; and be said that they were a body of men who were becoming deeply sensible of the crooked and corrupt policy of the present Government. If the contest must come, and if the higher classes were determined to go to war with the middle classes, then this meeting might depend upon finding the sympathy of the farmers of England with them. The labourers also, he said, had suf- fered deeply. It had been said that the repeal of the Corn-law would throw the land out of cultivation : but what was the fact ? Under ex- isting circumstances, half the land in this county and those adjoin- ing was not one-half tilled at the present time. He attributed the very existence of the Corn-law only to the fact that the people were not re- presented ; and on the part of the farmers he repudiated "protection." If protection was necessary for any one, it was necessary for the land- lords ; and he would tell them too, that it was not necessary for them, if they would be only honest to their tenants and true to their country. Mr. R. It. It. Moore having delivered a speech, a.41 thanks having been voted by acclamation to the several speakers, the assembly broke up.

The Morning Post says, that the proprietors of Covent Garden Theatre have refused to accede to the offer of the Anti-Corn League for two nights' use of the theatre ; in consequence, as is generally understood, of an intimation from high authority that such a con- cession would be considered a virtual vitiation of the patent.

The rate-payers of Marylebone met on Monday for a twofold purpose : Joseph Hume duce, they carried "the Liberal list" of Vestrymen and Auditors, without opposition ; and passed resolutions against the Fac- tories Bill.

A meeting of electors and inhabitants of Southwark was held on Tuesday, at the Bridge-house Hotel, to consider Sir James Graham's modification of the Factories Bill. The Lord 3la3 or, Member for the bo- rough, took the chair, and avowed his intention to oppose any system of compulsory education. Several Dissenting ministers :Aso denounced the measure in strong terms. Mr. Benj min Wood, the other Member for the borough, declared his belief in the honest intention of Government, though they were ender the power of the Church (for which he was hissed); but he intimated his disapproval of the measure, and his readi- ness to oppose it, (for which he was cheered.) It was resolved to pe- tition against the bill. A meeting for the same purpose was held at Willies Rooms, in King Street, St. James's, on Wednesday : Lord Worsley was the Chairman, and an active opponent of the bill ; Mr. Charles llindley, M P., declared the modifications " immaterial "; Sir George Strickland, "a Churchman, but a friend to civil and 'religious liberty," pronounced the measure "the greatest failure he ever knew "; and other speakers were equally strong in their language. There have been the usual religious meetings at Exeter Hall this first week of May ; hut the pressure on our columns prevents our more than mentioning each. The Wesleyan Missionary Society met on Mon- day : the report stated an income of 98,2531., and an expenditure of 100,663L; but a surplus last year still gave a balance of 5231. The Church Missionary Society met on Tuesday : the King of Prussia has become a subscriber of 251. a year, with 100/. down : the income last year was 115,000/. The Colonial Church Society met on Wednesday ; the London City Mission and Sunday School Union on Thursday ; and yesterday, the London Society for Promoting Christianity among the Jews. In all the reports a favourable progress was announced.

"Friends of South Australia," to the number of above seventy, dined together, at Freemason's Tavern, last Saturday. Comprised in the title collectively applied to the guests of the evening, were, not only those who had a pecuniary interest in the particular colony, but members of other colonial interests, and those whose interest was in the general subject of colonization—merchants, Members of Parliament, and other public men. The characteristic of the meeting was the total absence of jealous rivalry, and a cordial union of these various parties. The Chair- man was Mr. Wolryche Whitmore ; whose conduct was distinguished by the fitness and propriety ot all that he said, no less than by the plain neatness with which it was put into words. The principal speeches, however, were those of Mr. David ISPLaren and Mr. Weir. Mr.. M`Laren made a strong impression with details of the progress and solid prosperity of South Australia, and his own experience of five years in the colony ; truthful, but pointed by humour or enforced with earnestness, Mr. Weir's was a speech of great power and com- prehensiveness, on the subject of extensive and systematic colonization ; on which he spoke in lieu of Mr. Charles Buller, absent through indis- position. In proposing the health of Mr. Whitmore as Chairman, Mr. John Abel Smith, alluding to the lamentable jealousy which some of his Free-trade friends had exhibited towards col mization. remarked,. as a living refutation of this error, that Mr. Whitmore, who was the chief founder of South Australia, and a zealous advocate of systematic colonization, had been for years the leading advocate of a free corn- trade in the House of Commons.

In the Court of Queen's Bench, yesterday, Cooper and Richards, the Chartist leaders, received sentence on their conviction of sedition at Stafford—Cooper to imprisonment for two years ; Richards, an aged man, for one year.

At Union Hall, on Monday, Stephen Hudson, a bricklayer, was charged on suspicion of inflicting a dangerous wound on Robert Barnes,. a stone-mason. They were with others at a publichouse in the West- minster Road on Saturday night, when there was a quarrel, in the course of which Barnes was knocked down. He was picked up-, turned out of the house, and he went towards his own house. He reached home near midnight, and his wife let him in. He fell down in the passage, and groaned very much. Blood was seen on the floor, and his waistcoat was found to be saturated with blood at the back. His wife and sister helped him to bed ; and on undressing him, they perceived what appeared to be a button sticking to his skin. His wife pulled at it, and with great difficulty, using both her hands, she drew out a stone- mason's chisel, which had penetrated his body, straight in, to the depth of about seven inches. Blood poured forth ; a medical-man was summoned ; and the sufferer was conveyed to Guy's Hospital. On examining his clothes, it was found that his waistcoat and shirt were pierced, but not his jacket ; in the pocket of which were three other chisels. One of the witnesses said something of seeing a weapon in the hand of a person who struck Barnes ; but there was no confirmation of the statement, which was very vague, and no evidence whatever that Hudson had struck Barnes. Ile was released on entering into his own recognizances to appear again. It is conjectured that a chisel in Barnes's own pocket had been forced into his back in the fall.

We copy from the new number of the Westminster Review the follow- ing account of the salary and emoluments of the office of City Cham- berlain, written prior to the resignation of Sir James Shaw. It helps to explain the active contest now carried on in the City by the two candi- dates aspiring to be his successor ; a contest in which many thousand pounds will probably be spent, as the election lies in the Livery, and a

very extensive canvass will be required.

" We would say nothing to pain the feelings of the present Chamberlain; a very amiable and honourable man, suffering, we regret to learn, from ill health. We grudge not a handsome provision for any man who enjoys the (stem of his fellow-citizens ; and it is only because that handsome provision cannot, alas, be made for all deserving it, that we should have hesitated to place the emoluments of Sir James Shaw upon a footing of equality with those-of Sir Robert Peel, the First Lord of the Treasury, or those of the President of the United States.•

"The return of Sir James Shaw to the Sub-Revenue Committee of the Court of Common Council, of his salary and emoluments for the year 1833, will be found below.t The amount was 5,473/. as. 6d., subject to expenses of office, stated to amount to 963/. 19s. ltd.

• " The Snit Lord of the Treasury, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and the three Secretaries of State, receive each 5,000L per annum. The salary t the Piesident of the United States ir, we believe, the same; but the amouut may vary, as it is reconsi- dered and fixed before every new election."

Accouut of the Salary. Fees, Liveries, and other Emoluments of the Office of Chamberlain, for the year 1843. From the Corporation Estate - X s. 4. Allowance in lieu of house, per order Common Council, 17th Novem- ber 1799 100 0 0 An ancient bill of fees, viz.— s. 4

Clue year's aucient fee 50 0 0 A. Renter-General 15 0 0 Fur reward at the audit 10 0 0

Fur overseeing Bbinchappletou lauds 1 tO 0

For two liveries 5 6 8

Fur potation. money 2 13 4 For livery as Renter-General 3 4 0 Fur riding charges 7 o Additional allowance for himself and the clerks in his office, per order Common Council. 2d December 1802 500 _02

Sundry payments, chargeable on estates bequeathed to the Corporation-

694 14 0 For gathering the reuts or Sir John Itainwell's lauds, his bequest 6 13 4

94 14 0 For overseeing the said lauds For gathering the rents of Mr. J. Carpenter's

3 ladds, his bequest ° 1 3 4 For overseeing his children 0 6 8 1 For gathering the rents of Sir John Philpot's lands 3 6 8 For overseeing said lands 0 13 4

4 100 150 50

From other sources—

Allowance of 12s. 64. per cent on the receipts of London Bridge Approaches fund 566 18 Fees paid by persons made free of the City 86 12 From the investment and advances of money 3,518 2 Fee as trustee of Mr. Wilson's legacy 4 14 Ditto on seals of Ho.pital leases 19 8 Ditto on leases and assignmeuts of leases 30 17

Expenses of Office—

Salary to clerks 690 0 0 Two freedoms to Junior Clerk 50 0 0 Stationery 126 17 9 Expenses of engrossing rental 49 17 Sundry other expenses 47 4 8 963 19 11 Patronage — The Chamberlain has also a buck and doe from the King's forests. £4,473 3 6 Appoint ment of Collector and Assistant-Collector of the Tolls of Smithfield market. Ditto of Upper City Labourer. The above is from the Report of the Sub-Revenue Committee, page 152.

" We need add nothing to this statement, but a remark upon the singular but authorized source from which these emoluments are derived. Two-thirds of the amount are the profits of investments of bitlances 13ing idle in the hands of the Chamberlain, of which he is permitted to enjoy the interest; and part of that interest is the interest of the money lent by the Chamberlain to the Corporation out of their funds. The money passing through the hands of the Chamberlain is collected by the officers of the Corporation ; is kept by him in the form of sixty different accounts, which of course leave large balances in his hands ; but some of these accounts are always overdrawn, and then the money advanced by the Chamberlain, out of the aggregate balances, is ad- vanced as an investment for the time being, bearing interest, which interest is the Chamberlain's perquisite. Thus, if the Police-rate be in arrear, the Cham- berlain Invests whatever sum may be required in the Police-fond; if the Consolidated rate be in arrear, the Chamberlain invests the amount deficient in the Consolidated-rate account, always charging and receiving interest. The sum thus temporarily invested by the Chamberlain in overdrawn accounts, as they stood on the 31st of December 1841, was 13,1881. 13s. 5d. ; the aggregate balance in his hands of all the sixty accounts amounting at that time to 130,545/. 4s. 9d.

" A stranger to the City would probably assume, that whenever the office of Chamberlain shall become vacant, the Aldermen and Common Council will not fail to be struck with the large annual sum that might be saved to the citi- zens out of these emoluments, by a different arrangement. There are probably a dozen bankers in Lt,ndon who would keep the whole of the City accounts gratuitously; paying their own clerks, finding security for the money, and allow- ing the City two or perhaps two-and-a-half per cent on the monthly balances. With the labour thus saved, 400/. would be an ample remuneration to a treasurer for the mere duty of countersigning checks; and thus a clear fund of 5,000/, or at the least of 4,000/. per annum, might be gained for purposes of public improvement. Less than this sum would educate a thousand children!

" The stranger, however, would be deceived in his anticipations. Reductions in salaries and emoluments are made from time to time as offices fall in, but seldom to any serious amount; for, indeed, that is not the time when they can be made with effect. Before an officer is dead, when he is only supposed to be dying, an active canvass has commenced for his successor. If his friends form the majority, they carry his election; and then, which of that majority will commit the unfriendly and even imprudent act of proposing to curtail the re- sources of that hospitable table to which, in grateful return, he will soon be invited?"

2 0 10 0 The annual gift of the Court of Aldermen, per order 18th October 1720 fix freedoms voted by ditto TAO ditto. per Junior Clerk For managing Smithfield tolls, per order Common Council 15th De- cember 1731 Allowance for Stationery, per order 17th February 1741 For overseeing lands, the bequest of Lady Wych 0 0 15 0 100 0 0 100 0 0 £1,210 9 4 5 4 10

0 0

3 8 9 6

11.

4,226 14 1 £5,437 3 5