त upon the places of the sea shore, or uplands sons; the successors of whom are to be called Elder Brethren, and all the rest of the seamen and mariners belonging to the guild, and their successors, to be called Younger Brethren. Such was the constitution of the corporation under the charter of James I.; and such is its form at the present day. The Journals of the House of Commons contain many entries relating to the corporation, to which reference is made in the years 1643-1644-1647; in which last year the charter of James was dissolved, the members ing ing of certain persons, brethren, and the wives of brethren, of the said guild, fraternity, or brotherhood, which are fallen into decay, misery, poverty, and need; and also for the relief of other poor mariners, or seafaring men, such, as by them or their successors, shall be thought meet and necessary therewith to be relieved." Except by the general directions in the charter of Henry VIII. in respect to performing works of piety, this is the first public authority by which the application of any of the receipts of the corporation is distinctly defined and prescribed. Notwithstanding the act of the 36th of Elizabeth, it appears that a grant had been made by letters patent in the year 1672, of the right of ballastage, to colonel Carlos, which having been litigated by the corporation, was surrendered and restored to them, and further confirmed by a grant of king Charles II., in 1675, which was intended to put an end to doubts respecting the soil and waste grounds to the river belonging; and it further grants the rights of ballasting all vessels passing between London-bridge and the sea, and the fees, perquisites, and advantages thereunto belonging, for the use and benefit of the poor aforesaid, and to no other use, intent, or purpose whatso ever. A short time before the demise of Charles II. the corporation of the Trinity-house, in imitation of many other corporations, and in proof of their loyalty and devotion to their sovereign, surrendered into his hands their charter, which was regranted to them by his successor in the year 1685, and is the charter under which the corporation at present enjoys and exercises its several rights. This charter, after declaring the purposes of the corporation, appoints a master, wardens, and assistants, and eighteen elder brethren by name, prescribes the form of election, and declares that all the rest of the seamen and mariners belonging to the guild and fraternity shall be called Younger Brethren. Amongst other duties it declares, that the masters, wardens, and assistants of the corporation shall examine and certify the abilities and fitness of such children of the new royal foundation in Christ's Hospital, who are, or shall be admitted, and initiated into the practice of the art of navigation. Then follows the power of appointing pilots and loadsmen in and out of the river, subject to the approval of the lord high admiral. The grant of the ancient fees of loadmanage and primage, as defined by the charter of Charles II.; the power of holding courts for the affairs of the corporation, and after declaring that the profits of the court are to be kept to and for the use of the corporation, for the better maintenance and preservation thereof, prescribes, by a subsequent section, "That all sums of money received by decrees, orders, agreements, fines, and forfeitures, or otherwise, &c. shall be for the use of the guild, for repairing the Trinity-house and almshouses situate in Deptford Strond, and for finding of certain poor persons, brethren, and the wives of brethren of the said guild, which shall have fallen into decay, misery, and need, or hereafter shall fortune to fall into decay, misery, and need, and also for relief of other other poor mariners and seafaring men, and other public purposes.' It concludes with confirming a former exemption to the master, wardens, and assistants of the corporation from the service of the militia and various civil duties, and giving them powers in certain cases therein specified. Under these charters, the only monies granted to the corporation appear to be those arising from ballastage and lastage, and by decrees, orders, agreements, fines, forfeitures, or otherwise, the application of which is strictly defined and prescribed by the grant of king Charles II., and the charter of James II., last adverted to, and the ballastage since regulated by act of parliament, 1 and 2 Geo. IV. The surplus pilotage, which is a collection of extra pilotage on foreign vessels entering our ports, is granted by the 52d of George III., c. 59; the produce of which is directed by the 56th section to be applied to the relief and support of such pilots as shall have become incapable of discharging their duty, from age, accident, or permanent infirmity. The act of the 2d of George III. gives the power of licensing boats on the river Thames, and directs that certain monies received under its authority shall be applied towards the relief of the poor of the corporation. By these acts and charters, which give to the corporation the power of levying monies, the application of the surplus of the monies so levied (after providing for the necessary expenditure) to charitable uses, is alone expressly authorized and directed. It will be observed, that among these the light dues, the principal source of the receipts of the Trinity corporation are not mentioned. Of these a comparatively small part is collected under acts of parliament, the remainder under patents granted by the crown, upon the petition of persons offering to pay certain sums for the erection of lights; which dues the crown authorizes the corporation to receive, as a compensation for the erection and maintenance of the lights required. CHINA. The following is the chop, or of ficial document, by which the trade with China has been reestablished on its former footing: "Uang, the late Panyu-heen, and Chung, the Tung-Kuang magistrate, hereby issue an order to the Hong merchants. "We have now respectfully received a reply from his excellency the Governor of Kuang-Tung and Kuang-se, in' the following words: "The treasurer and the judge have stated in an authenticated form what Huang, the late Penyuheen, had stated to them, the substance of which was contained in a Chinese document delivered to him by the Hong merchants from the English chief, Urmston, and the others, and was founded on circumstances stated by the Hong merchants in behalf of the chief and the others. It appears that the man of war has already taken away in her the foreign murderers, and has run away back to her own country; and the chief at this time, indeed, appears not to have any means of ordering the delivering up of those murderers. But it is authenticated, that the chief and the others have presented an official document, saying that they will take all the circumstances of this affair, from first to last, and write home, that it may be examined into and managed." Further, The said treasurer, judge, and others have, founded on circumstances, requested and entreated that the trade might be opened, and that indulgence might be shown, and, as in former edicts, permission be given to all the ships to open their hatches and carry on commerce. Uniting these circumstances, I, the governor, hereby direct the treasurer and judge forthwith to act in obedience to the tenor of this, and transmit an order to the Kwang-Chow-Too, and to the officers deputed to arrange this affair, to issue an edict to the Hong merchants, that they may promulge it to the chief, Urmston, and the others, to return immediately to the foreign factories, and transact business; that all the merchant ships, without exception, are permitted to open their hatches, and take goods on board, to enable them to avail themselves of the proper season, and set sail to return home. This is an extraordinary favour, arising from tender regard to foreigners, in me, the governor, and they ought universally to feel grateful. |