BOARD OF CUSTOMS.

: The Board of Customs consists of five commissioners, who manage the collection of his majesty's customs in Scotland. Under these are a secretary, and a number of other officers for conducting the different departments of business, This Board formerly occupied the back part of the buildings of the Exchange; but they lately. removed to the beautiful mansion of Bellevue, which is now included in the extended New Town of Edinburgh.

of other officers. The building which is occu pied as an office by this Board, stands in a conspicuous situation in a recess on the eastern side of St. Andrew's Square. This edifice was built by the late sir Laurence Dundas for his own residence. It is a very handsome building. A pediment in front, supported by four Corinthian pilasters, is ornamented with the royal arms; and the execution of the whole is such as to do credit to the taste of the person under whose superintendence it was erected.

POST-OFFICE.

The General Post-Office of Scotland was established in its present form by an act of parfiament in 1710 Before this period, there were regular posts in the country, to a few of the principal towns; but the advantages of such an establishment seem not to have been duly ap preciated in a nation at that time without much trade. In the year 1698, sir Robert Sinclair of Stevenson had a grant from king William of the whole revenue of the Post-office of Scotland, with a pension of 300l. per annum to keep up the post. But sir Robert, after deliberation, gave up the grant, as thinking it disadvanta

geous. In 1763 the revenue of the Post-Office of Edinburgh was 11,9421. per annum; and in 1783, owing to the increase of trade and correspondence, the same revenue was upwards of 40,000l. At present it cannot be estimated at less then 100,000l. per annum.

The business of the General Post-Office is managed by a Postmaster-General, a secretary, and a number of clerks. The building occupied by the establishment is situated at the northern extremity of the western range of buildings on the North Bridge; and, from its centrical situation, affords a speedy conveyance of letters to any part of the metropolis. Besides this, however, there are in different parts of the city, places appointed for the reception of letters, under the su perintendence of the General Post-Office.

MUNICIPAL ESTABLISHMENT.

MAGISTRACY OF EDINBURGH.

EDINBURGH is governed by a town-council

of thirty-three members, who have the direction of all public affairs within the jurisdiction of the city. The ordinary council, however, consists only of twenty-five members; the remaining eight are named extraordinary. The whole is composed of merchants and tradesmen, whose respective powers and interests are so interwoven, that an equal balance is preserved between the two parties.

The chief magistrate, whose office is much the same with that of lord Mayor in London, is here styled the lord Provost. He is high-sheriff, coroner, and admiral, within the city and liberties, and the town, harbour, and road-stead of Leith.

He has a jurisdiction in matters of life and death, now in desuetude; and, before the union, was an officer in the Scottish parliament. He is also president of the convention of royal boroughs, colonel of the trained-bands, commander of the city-guard, and of Edinburgh jail. In the city he has the precedency of all the great officers of state, and of the nobility; walking on the righthand of the king, or of his majesty's commissioner and representative, and enjoys the privilege of having a sword and mace carried before him.

Beside the provost are four magistrates, called Bailies, whose duty is nearly equivalent to that of the aldermen in London. There is also an officer, with the title of Dean of Guild, who, has the charge of the public buildings, and without whose warrant no house can be erected within the city. The other members of the council are a treasurer, whose office is only nominal, (the money of the city being kept by a person with the title of chamberlain), three merchant and two trades counsellors, and the fourteen deacons of the incorporated trades, who, with seven members of the council of the foregoing year, complete the magistracy by which the city and suburbs is governed.

The Merchant Company, from whom the principal part of the town-council are chosen, were