Seahorse alley, Durham yard, in the Strand.*
Searle’s square, Lincoln’s Inn.†
Searle’s street, Carey street, Lincoln’s Inn.†
Searle’s wharf, near White Friars.†
Office of sick and hurt Seamen, and for taking care of Prisoners of War, on Tower hill, is under the government of four Commissioners, the first of whom has 400l. per annum, and 65l. for house rent; and the other three 300l. a year. The officers under these Commissioners are, a Secretary, who has 200l. per annum; a first Clerk, who has 100l. a year; and three inferior Clerks, who have 60l. a year.
Office for sick and maimed Seamen in the Merchants Service, in the Royal Exchange. The corporation who provide for these objects of distress, consists of a number of merchants, who were incorporated on the 24th of June 1747, and are governed by a President, and a Council of twenty-one.
Secretary of State’s Office, Whitehall. The Kings of England had anciently no more than one Secretary of state, till about the end of the reign of Henry VIII. when it was thought proper that this important office should be discharged by two persons of equal authority, both stiled Principal Secretaries of state.
At that time they did not sit at the council board; but having prepared their business in a room adjoining to the council chamber, they came in, and stood on either hand of the King; when nothing was done till they had gone through with their proposals. But Queen Elizabeth seldom coming to council, that method was laid aside, and the Secretaries took their places as Privy Counsellors, which dignity they have enjoyed ever since, and a Council is seldom, or never, held without the presence of, at least, one of them.
Their employment rendering their office a place of extraordinary trust, this, together with the multiplicity of their business, places them in a distinguished light, both in respect to the King and the people: for they attend almost every day upon his Majesty, as occasion requires; the petitions of the people are for the most part lodged in their hands, to be presented to the King; and, in return, they make the dispatches, according to his Majesty’s answers and determinations.
The correspondence to all parts of Great Britain without distinction, relating to the church, the army, the militia, grants, pardons, dispensations, &c. is managed by either of the Secretaries. But as to foreign affairs, all the nations that have any intercourse with Great Britain, are divided by them into two provinces, the northern and southern, each being under one of the Secretaries, as his separate department. They have this special honour, that if either of them be a Baron, he takes place, and has the precedence of all other persons of the same degree, tho’ by creation they might have a right to precede him: but if he is above the degree of a Baron, he then takes place only according to the seniority of his creation.