Punch (73.1877)

205

PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI. [November 10, 1877.

A FREE AND ENLIGHTENED MASON

STKIKING AT HIS OWN BREAD-AND-BUTTER.

" PLEASE TO REMEMBER THE NINTH OP
NOVEMBER."

In a few days the Loed Mayoe -will be celebrating bis call to tbe
office of tbe First Magistrate of tbe City of London by holding tbe
usual annual dinner within sound of Bow Bells. It would be no
very difficult task for Mr. Punch to prophesy the purport of the
various speeches that will be made on tbe forthcoming interesting
occasion. However, the Sage of Fleet Street prefers to be original,
and begs to_ predict what tbe speakers might, but certainly won't,
say on tbe night of the Ninth of November :—

The Loed Mayoe, in addressing bis guests, will be careful to
avoid all allusion to the Aldermanic veto. He will not boast of the
representative character of the City Institutions, and take for an
example the recent proceedings anent the "Ward of Cheap. He may
possibly touch upon the success of the Indian Famine Fund, but

will ignore certain meetings held in St. Thomas's Hospital. If he
has anything to say about Middle-Class Education, he will carefully
forget the existence of the Bluecoat School. If he boasts at all about
the dignified position occupied by the Corporation at the Central
Criminal Court, he will say nothing^ about the Ladies who grace (?)
the Bench when there is an interesting trial for murder.

The Soldiee who returns thanks for " The Army " will make no
unpleasant allusion to the relationship existing between the Com-
mander-in-Chief and the Secretary of State for "War. He will
say nothing about the Retirement Scheme, which still keeps vete-
rans past work on the active list, and sends officers in the_ prime of
life adrift. He will not attempt to defend the introduction of the
"Albert hat" into the British Army, and will say nothing about
the desertions from the Militia.

The Sailoe who returns thanks for "The Navy" will keep a
discreet silence about the organisation of our Dockyards. He will
not allude to the difficulties and differences between Sailors and
Engineers, or the combatant and non-combatant Officers of tbe