CXLIV ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



consisting of the mayor, sixteen aldermen, and forty-eight councillors ; 

 the aldermen are elected every six yeai-s, half their number retiring 

 every three years, the remaining half having the power to vote for the 

 re-election of the retiring aldermen. The city is divided into thirteen 

 wards, three of which return six members each, and ten, three members 

 each. An election takes place on the first of ever}^ iS'ovember in each 

 ward, for one-third of the number of councillors Avhich the Avard has the 

 right of returning. 



The mayor whilst presiding at all council meetings wears a robe 

 and chain of office ; at the quarterly meetings he wears the ancient 

 scarlet robe, but at the ordinary monthly or special meetings, a black 

 silk one. 



The aldermen and councillors do not wear robes at the meetings of 

 the council, but they wear them on the following occasions : 



1. At the Mayor's chapel on Advent Sunday. 



2. At St. Mary's Eedclift', on Whit Sunday. 



3. At a Cathedral service, when specially invited to attend at the 

 request of the mayor. 



This leads me to briefly inform you that the Corporation of the city 

 of Bristol possesses a civic chapel, known as St. Mark's church or the 

 Mayor's chapel. 



Each mayor appoints his own chaplain, who must be a clergyman of 

 the Episcopal chm-ch, and whose salary is paid out of the corporate 



funds. 



On Advent Sunday the mayor (having been appointed on the 9th of 

 November) invites his colleagues on the council to join him in divine 

 service at the Mayor's chapel, and to wear their robes of office. 



He attends at the council house, there he receives his colleagues, 

 and from thence, preceded by the sword bearer, the town clerk and 

 treasurer in silk robes, the chief constable with eight stalwart members 

 of the jjolice force, bearing the silver maces, he proceeds to the church. 



After the service all return to the council house, where cake and 

 wine are provided ; the toasts of the mayor and high sherili"s health 

 are proposed, after which the company disperses. 



The same procedure is adopted on Whit Sunday for St. Mary's Eed- 

 cliff, and it may be interesting to note here that this special service began 

 three years before Cabot sailed, and has gone on uninterruptedly for 403 

 years. 



The Cathedral service is not so regularly held, but of late years the 

 dean has endeavoured to secure one attendance in each mayoralty of the 

 corporation. 



In addition to these services, the attendance of the mayor and 

 corporation is secured at three of the ancient parish churches, viz., 

 Temple, St. Philip's, and St. James's churches, and when the mayor is 



