140 History of the Company. 



at the time they voted it, but a member of the 

 Court quickly and spontaneously advanced it. 

 For some time past the Company had voluntarily 

 relinquished all dinners, although one would have 

 thought that the glorious battle of the Nile, and 

 other brilliant successes of their countrymen, 

 would have afforded them many reasonable occa- 

 sions for rejoicing. 



In 18 1 5 the Company's Hall, which from time 

 to time had undergone extensive repairs and 

 p.j.g^j.g^^^jgj.g. alterations, suffered by a fire which 

 Hall. completely destroyed the Clerk's 

 House.^ The Royal Exchange Insurance Com- 

 pany reimbursed the Company the sum of 

 ^600 for the house in the passage, and the 

 Hand in Hand Office paid them ^589- ^s. in 

 respect of the damage to the Hall. Both of 

 these sums were invested in ;^2,ooo Reduced 

 Annuities, purchased for ^1,145.^ Nothing was 

 apparently done in the way of repairing the 



^ In 1863, the entrance to Saddlers' Hall, then an open 

 passage or gateway, was moved some 30 feet eastwards, from 

 No. 143 to 141, Cheapside, the old entrance being built over. 

 In 1884, Half-moon Passage, a parallel court leading from 

 140, Cheapside, into a yard at the side of the Hall, and 

 belonging to the Company, was covered in by new buildings. 



^ During the twenty-three years from 17 93-1 8 15, the period 

 of the great French war, the National Debt w^as increased by 

 upwards of ;£6oo,ooo,ooo, money being borrowed in the most 

 reckless manner. In 181 5 a loan of ;£3 6,000,000 was raised, 

 each subscriber of ^100 receiving ;£" 1 74 — three per cent. — 

 and ^10, four per cent, stock. 



