History nud Progress. 



13 



constituted a City. Accordingly a Royal Charter was issued 

 in 1888 conferring the rank of a city upon Belfast, with 

 all the " rank, liberties, privileges, and ininiunities " as are 

 incident to a city. 



In August 1890 a grant or confirmation of the arms so 

 long borne by the town was obtained from Sir Bernard 

 Hurke, Ulster King of Arms, with a slight modification or 

 augmentation of honour, to mark the accession to the rank 

 of a city. A new town seal in accordance therewith was 

 subsecjuently made, and is the one now in use. 



In 1892 Her Majesty Queen 

 Victoria conferred upon the 

 Mayor of the city for the time 

 being the style and title of 

 "Lord Mayor," and upon the 

 Corporation of the city the name 

 and description of "The Lord 

 Mayor, Aldermen, and Citi- 

 zens OF THE City of Belfast," 

 the Chief Magistrate, Sir Daniel 

 Dixon, holding office at the time. 

 He now again holds office as 

 Lord Mayor (i 901-1902) 



By the passing of the Belfast 

 Corporation Act of 1896, the 

 boundary of the city was greatly 

 extended, and the Corporation made to consist of fifteen 

 aldermen and forty-five councillors, and the number of wards 

 was increased from five to fifteen. 



By virtue of the Local Government (Ireland) Act, 1898, 

 Belfast became a County Borough ist April, 1899, and for 

 Assize purposes "The County of the City of Belfast,'" with a 

 High Sheriff The first High Sheriff appointed by the Lord 

 Lieutenant was Alderman Sir James Henderson, !\i. a., b.l.,j. p. 

 ex Lord Mayor. The present High Sheriff is Alderman 

 Samuel Lawther, j.p. A special chain and badge have been 

 provided for the High Sheriff. 



The original Charters., Maces, and other Official Insignia 

 are carefully preserved by the Corporation. The two silver 

 maces of the old borough — the smaller dating from 1639, 



rHE CITY OF 



)KPORATE SEAL 



BELFAST, 1890. 



(reduced one-third.) 



