It

single story, adorned with Ionic pillars, busts, and allegorical relievos. The architect was Samuel Wyatt. has the advantage of a rising ground, and a large open space in front. It is governed by a corporation, consisting of a Master, Deputy-Master, thirty-one elder brethren, and an unlimited number of inferior members. Their business is to superintend lighthouses and sea-marks, examine the masters of the Queen's ships, and appoint pilots for the Thames. To visit the Trinity House, application should be made to the Secretary, or one of the elder brothers of the Corporation.

TOWER HILL, is a handsome stone building designed by Sir Robert Smirke. It consists of three stories, having a centre and wings; the former ornamented with columns and a pediment displaying the royal arms, and the latter with pilasters. The building is well adapted for business. The machinery used for coining has been, by successive improvements, brought to the highest state of perfection. The Mint can be seen only by an order from the Master, which is not transferable, and is available only for the day specified.

THE EXCISE OFFICE,

BROAD-STREET, (City,) erected 1768, by the elder Mr. Dance, on the site of the Almshouses and College

founded by Sir T. Gresham, is of plain design: the business connected with this branch of the Revenue-tea, soap, malt, and other excisable articles,-has, since 1848, been transacted at Somerset House, in what is called the Inland Revenue-office.

THE HALL OF COMMERCE,

THREADNEEDLE-STREET, was erected by the late Mr. Moxhay, at an expense of £60,000. The interior, which is at once spacious and elegant, consists of a hall of assembly, with every accommodation for the transaction of business; a reading-room, supplied with British and foreign newspapers, maps, charts, &c., and private apartments; at the grand entrance is a clever statue of Whittington executed in Malta stone.

THE COMMERCIAL HALL,

MINCING-LANE, is an elegant structure, raised by subscription, as an Exchange Market for all colonial produce. The front is ornamented with six columns, between which are emblematical bassi relievi, representing Commerce, Britannia, Navigation, Science, and Husbandry.

THE COAL AND CORN EXCHANGES.

THE New Coal Exchange, Lower Thames-street, was opened 1849, with great splendour by Prince Albert, the Prince of Wales, and the Princess Royal. The façades of the building are of bold and effective design; the circular tower is 109 feet high and twenty-two feet in diameter. On first entering the rotunda, your attention is arrested by its extremely novel arrangement, having three stories or galleries, with suitable offices. The beautiful workmanship of the flooring, and the coloured decorations of the various panels around the entire building, representing the different machines used in Coal Pits; also the Colliers with their numerous tools, lamps, &c., used by them in the collieries; the various coal plants, &c.; are worthy of close inspection.

The Corn Exchange in Mark-lane is conveniently adapted Both these buildings are confined to the

for its purpose.

general wholesale business.

KING-STREET, Cheapside, is the principal seat of City legislation. Here courts and meetings of the livery and freemen take place; elections are held; and City feasts given on memorable occasions. The building is irregular, and the work of different periods. The latest is the Gothic front finished 1789; in the centre are the City Arms. In the east wing are the City courts of law; and opposite is the justice hall, where an alderman sits daily to hear and decide on complaints,-charges, misdemeanors, &c. To the right of the entrance to the Hall, are the library and museum in apartments contiguous to the main building; they contain a valuable collection of books, tracts, works of art and antiquity relating to, and belonging to the City; and a signature of Shakspeare is to be seen here. In the great hall, which is 153 feet in length, forty-eight in width, and fifty-five in height, are chosen the Lord Mayor and Sheriffs, and Members of Parliament to represent the City. The hall, which is at all times open to strangers, is enriched by

splendid monuments, raised to perpetuate the fame of Chatham, Pitt, Nelson, and Beckford. The windows at each end have the Royal Arms, the insignia of the Bath, the Garter, St. Patrick, and the City Arms, beautifully represented in stained glass. In the screen at the east end, are statues of Edward VI., Queen Elizabeth, and Charles I. At the west end, raised on pedestals, stand two colossal figures, called Gog and Magog; they are said to represent an ancient Briton and a Saxon. Models of them have occasionally made part of the Lord Mayor's Show. In the Guildhall, on November 9, the new Lord Mayor and Sheriffs dine with the citizens in great state. Ascending the steps opposite the entrance to the hall on the right, is the Chamberlain's Court, in which is a set of prints by Hogarth, and a fine portrait of Sir James Shaw, Bart., by Mrs. Charles Pearson; also a collection of the numerous votes of the freedom of the Corporation to the heroes who signalized themselves in the defence of their country; these documents are framed and glazed, and splendidly illuminated on vellum. The Court of Common Council, approached from the hall by a corridor, contains several interesting pictures, presented by Alderman Boydell and others. It also contains a fine statue of George III., by Chantrey, and a beautiful portrait of Her Majesty, (painted by Hayter,) presented to the Corporation to commemorate her visit in 1837. Adjoining, is the Court of Aldermen's apartment, which has a richly decorated ceiling. The apartments may be seen by applying to the hallkeeper.

THE GENERAL POST OFFICE,

ST. MARTIN'S-LE-GRAND, is a magnificent building, erected in the latter end of the reign of George IV., from the design of Sir Robert Smirke, R.A.; and was opened for public business the 23d of September, 1829. It presents a striking proof of the amazing extent of our intercourse with the world; foreigners and strangers will regard it with pride and wonder. But however it may impress by the grandeur and beauty of its architecture, its interior arrangements

are no less surprising, and well deserve attention. The several departments communicate with the great hall, which forms a splendid thoroughfare from St. Martin's-le-Grand to Foster-lane. An illuminated clock is placed under the portico. This hall, eighty feet in width, sixty in length, and fifty in height, is supported by six Portland stone columns of the Ionic order. On the north side are the

newspaper, inland, and foreign offices; on the south side are the receiver-general's and accountant's offices; at the south-eastern end, in a line with the foreign office, is the London post department; and at the western, on each side of the grand entrance, are boards, containing lists of persons to whom letters have been addressed, and whose abodes are unknown. A person seeing his name has only to write his address, with a pencil on the remainder of the line, and the letter will be delivered at his residence on the following day.

North of the centre, is the hall where the letter-bags are received from the mails; and this hall communicates with the inland sorters'-office, and letter carriers'-office. These offices are upwards of 100 feet long, and the