Custom House.S. Wale delin.B. Green sc. Oxon.
Custom House.S. Wale delin.B. Green sc. Oxon.
Custom House.S. Wale delin.B. Green sc. Oxon.
This edifice is built with brick and stone, and is calculated to stand for ages.It has underneath and on each side, large warehouses for the reception of goods on the public account, and that side of the Thames for a great extent is filled with wharfs, keys, and cranes for landing them. The Custom House is 189 feet in length: the center is twenty-seven feet deep, and the wings considerably more. The center stands back from the river; the wings approach much nearer to it, and the building is judiciously and handsomely decorated with the orders of architecture: under the wings is a colonade of the Tuscan order, and the upper story is ornamented with Ionic columns and pediments. It consists of two floors, in the uppermost of which is a magnificent room fifteen feet high, that runs almost the whole length of the building: this is called the Long Room, and here sit the Commissioners of the customs, with their officers and clerks. The inner part is well disposed, and sufficiently enlightened; and the entrances are so well contrived, as to answer all the purposes of convenience.
Though we cannot call this a very beautiful building, yet from its great utility, and the conspicuous place in which it stands, we thought a representation of it by a print could not be omitted.
It is observable that in the year 1590, the customs and subsidies in the port of London inwards, were let to farm to Mr. Thomas Smith, for 20,000l.per annum, when it was discovered that they amounted annually to 30309l.so that Queen Elizabeth lost every year 10,309l.but by the vast increase of commerce since that time, they at present bring in above an hundred times as much, the customs now annually amounting to above two millions, and yet this immense business is transacted with as much order and regularity, as the common affairs of a merchant’s counting house.
The government of the Custom House is under the care of nine Commissioners, who are entrusted with the whole management of all his Majesty’s customs in all the ports of England, the petty farms excepted, and also the oversight of all the officers belonging to them. Each of these Commissioners has a salary of 1000l.a year, and both they, and several of the principal officers under them, hold their places by patent from the King. The other officers are appointed by warrant from the Lords of the Treasury.
Custom Housecourt, Beer lane.☐
Custom Housekey, Thames street.☐
Custom Housestairs, Thames street.☐
Custos Brevium, the first clerk of the court of Common Pleas, whose office is to receive and keep all writs returnable in that court, and to receive of the Prothonotaries all records ofnisi priuscalledposteas. He holds his place by patent from the King, and has the gift of the second Prothonotary’s place, and of the Clerk of the juries. This office is in Brick court, near the Middle Temple. SeeCommon Pleas.
Cutlers, a company incorporated by letters patent granted by King Henry V. in the year 1417, and afterwards united to the haft and sheath makers. This fraternity is governed by a Master, two Wardens, and twenty-one Assistants, with a livery of 110 members, who upon their admission pay a fine of 10l.They have a neat and convenient hall in Cloak lane, Dowgate hill.
Cutlersstreet, Houndsditch.
Cuttersrents, Gravel lane.
Cut-throatlane, 1. Cock hill, Ratcliff. 2. Upper Shadwell.
Cuttingalley, New North street.