Inauguration Of Bros. W. A. Higgs & Major Davies As Sheriffs Of London & Middlesex.

INAUGURATION OF BROS . W . A . HIGGS & MAJOR DAVIES AS SHERIFFS OF LONDON & MIDDLESEX .

The installation in office of the new sheriffs of London and Middlesex , Bros . W . A . Higgs and Major H . D . Davies , took place on Wednesday , with the accustomed ceremonial and more than the accustomed splendour . It has generally happened that the procession has been confined within the precincts of the city , and that the breakfast which follows has been held at some well-known city hostelry . But on this occasion , and with a view ,

no doubt , as has been suggested in other quarters to give a more Metropolitan character to the event , the procession started from a point without the sacred limits of the city proper , and returned to its usual festivity at an extra civic hotel . As a matter of course , this change gave additional eclat to the proceedings , the pageant was on a more ambitious scale than in

previous years , there were greater crowds of spectators along the line of route , and on this account the reception accorded to the new Sheriffs was of a more imposing character . The arrangements provided for a general gathering at the Hotel Metropole , Whitehall , at half-past eleven , of all who were to take part in the ceremony arid at noon the start was made under favourable conditions as regards

the weather , and amid the hearty cheers of the crowd which had gathered together . First came a detachment of the 3 rd Middlesex Artillery Volunteers , headed by their band , followed by the drums and fifes of the 1 st London Artillery Volunteers , and the banners of the leading members of Shipwrights , including those of Bro . the Lord Mayor , Bro . Lieutenant-Col . Sir Alfred Kirby , ex-Sheriff . Lord John Manners , and

Bro . Major Davies , Sheriff elect . Next came the Loriners , with the band of the I ith Middlesex ( Duke of Cambridge ' s Own ) Rifle Volunteers . Among the large number of banners carried were the heraldic arms of Bros . Under-Sheriff Thos . Beard , Sir John Bennett , Sir H . E . Knight , Sir Henry Isaacs , Sir R . N . Fowler , iYl . P ., and AJpheus Higgs , Sheriff elect . They were followed by the Master and Wardens of the Gold and Silver Wyre Drawers' Company , whose music was supplied by the drums and files of the Postal Teleeraoh . The

next place was taken by the Spectacle-makers , who had with them the band of the Tower Hamlets Engineer Volunteers , and among whose banners were numbered those of Bro . Alderman De Keyser , Sir Wm . M'Arthur , Sir A . Lusk , Sir T . Dakin , and Bro . T . Clarke , ex-Sheriff . After the band of the First London Artillery Volunteers came a carriage containing Sir William James Farrer , High - Bailiff of Westminster ,

accompanied by the High-Constable , carrying his staff of office , followed again by the state carriage of Bro . Thomas Beard , Under-Sheriff designate , and the state carriage of Bro . George Rose-Innes , iun ..

Under-Sheriff designate , the latter accom- ^ panied by Bro . Deputy Under-Sheriff Burchell , and his mace . Next appeared the Sheriff ' s trumpeters in resplendent robes , their fanfare heralding the state carriages of the Sheriffs elect ( Bro . Higgs and Bro . Major Davies ) , who were attended by their Chaplains . Altogether the procession of the most that

was one variegated has been seen on any occasion of the kind for some years . The route taken was along the Embankment , Queen Victoria-street , and Queen-street to the Guildhall , where the new Sheriffs were met by Bro . the Lord Mayor ( Sir R . Hanson ) and the retiring Sheriff ( Bro . Sir A . Kirby ) , who drove in state from the Mansion House . In the Great Hall the usual ceremonies customary on the

uay were amy oDservea . vvnen tne proclamations according to ancient form had been made , the Town Clerk administered to Bro . Major Davies and Bro . Higgs the oath whereby they undertook to well and truly perform the duties ot Sheriffs of London and Middlesex . They then arrayed themselves in their official robes , and the chains of gold were put tneir

auouL necKs , ana thus attired were declared to be duly invested with the Shrievalty for the next year . The procession was shortly after , wards reformed , and went back to the Hotel Metropole , where the " breakfast " was served at half-past two in the afternoon . The Sheriffs presided

and among the company were Bros . Lieut .-Col . and ex-Sheriff Sir A . Kirby Alderman Sir R . N . Fowler , Bart ., M . P ., Alderman De Keyser , Alderman Whitehead , Alderman Evans , G . Burt ( Master of the Shi pwri ghts ' Company ) , H . H . Crawford , City Solicitor ( Master of the Glovers ' Com pany ) , Capt . Fenner . F . Green ( Chairman of the Finance and Improvement Committee ) , T . Pendered , J . Judd , G . Shaw ( Chairman of the

Bridge House Estates Committee ) , G . Manners , George Kenning ( P . fti Gold and Silver Wyre Drawers' Company ;) J . K . Anderson , A . Brookman ' H . W . Johnson , Lieut .-Col . T . Davies Sewell , Major A . B . Cook ( Warden of the Shipwrights' Company ) , J . A . Maliett , H . F . Stewart ( Warden of the Gold and Silver Wvre Drawers' Company ) , J . Salmon G . Davenport , S . C . Hadley , W . H . ' Pannell , A . M . Broadley , J . Knapton

Abel ( Master of the Gold and Silver Wyre Drawers' Company ) , Under-Sheriff Rose-Innes , Under-Sheriff Beard , Major George Lambert ( Prime Warden of the Goldsmiths' Company ) , E . J . Altman , C . E . Soppet Deputy Walford , A . J . Altman ( Warden of the Glovers' Company ) , f G . Beard , M . Webb , Deputy Saunders , Footit , W . S . Chapman , H . H . " Lavington , W . J . Beard , Sir John Bennett ( ex Sheriff ) , Rev J . pj

Smith ( Chaplain of the Loriners ' and Spectacle Makers' Company ) , H . Winbybank , Capt . Youle , T . Loveridge , T . G . Vickery , J . Renals , VV . J . Twigg , H . VV . H . Ranee , T . Tickle , H . Squire , Sir F . Perkins , Montagu Williams , C . J . Shoppee , and others . After the loval and oatriotic toasts .

Bro . Sir William Charley replying for "The Army , Navy , and Reserve Forces , " and Sir Charles Lewis for " The Houses of Parliament , " Bro . Sheriff Higgs gave "The Right Honorable the Lord Mayor and the Corporation oi London , " congratulating the City on the fact that it had such a universally respected chief magistrate . Sir Robert Garden remarked that the enthusiasm with

which they had been received in Westminster showed that the Corporation must be as popular in the West-end as it is within Temple Bar . Mr . Alderman Cotton proposed " The Sheriffs of London and Middlesex . " Bro . Sheriff Davies , in reply , said he and his

colleague entered upon their dunes animated by one desire , namely , to discharge the work entrusted to them so as to satisfy those who had been responsible for placing them in the position . Bro . Sheriff Higgs thanked the electors for having done him the honour to elect him to the office , and promised that no zeal would be lacking on his side to do his part faithfully and well . weic

Among the other toasts , " The City of Westminste r and County of Middlesex , " to which Sir William Farrer , High Bailjn of Westminster , replied , " The City Companies , " & c Both the new Sheriffs are Masons of somestanaino-. Bro . Hieers having been

"j . initiated in the City of Lonflon ¦ W Lodge , No . 901 , about the ye <" 1861 , and having filled the office of W . M . in 1866 . , j The 18 carat badge and chain for Bro . Sheriff Higgs , designed a f manufactured by Bro . George Kenning , London , is a most artistic p ' workmanshi . The chain consists of alternate links taking the — ~— ww ^^ tJ « ~ . * -

p , r- - ..... ... . , t .. „ aflU of scrolls , with the enamelled mottoes— " Domine dinge nos ^ " Palma non sine pulvere . " Between each scroll , is a blue enar £ , garter with shield , bearing the arms of Middlesex , Gold a " ijjaUs , Wyre Drawers' , Loriners ' , and Glovers' Companies , for Shenlt B * with the arms of the City for centre of the chain ; they are ^^ chased and enamelled . The badge is of a circular form , in lhe ,, „ , i

of which the arms of Bro . Higgs , richly chased and ena jer on a fine engine-turned plate , produces a very pleasing effect . ^ the arms is the motto in blue enamel ; above the same a ^ enamelled arms of the Gold and Silver Wyre Drawers' Company ^ under the arms of Middlesex , right and left of centre , are the arm f . jj n ( r

Loriners' Company and Glovers ' , between each of the sur ^ , shields , on oval plates enamelled , with the arms of the City , and a ^ j s of the badge is the City motto in blue enamel . The . badge supported by the Civic sword and mace .