PRINCE ALBERT'S PROMOTION.
THE Parliament could only give Prince ALBERT precedence of the Royal Dukes : the Trinity House has done more—it has made him, although his father's youngest son, an Elder Brother. Our readers may be curious to know the functions of the corpo- ration of which Prince ALBERT has been admitted a directing mem- ber. They are—to examine all applicants to be admitted pilots in the Thames or masters in the Navy ; to take upon them the super- vision of the ballastage of the Thames ; and to take charge of the establishment and maintenance of all the lights, beacons, and buoys on the coasts of England, with the exception of such as still con- tinue private property. Government is M the habit of referring all matters respecting the safety of navigation to the Trinity House. It is self-evident that Prince ALBERT'S habits, studies, and expe- rience, all concur to qualify him for becoming a useful and efficient member of such a board.
We have indeed heard grumblers say that the Trinity House was little better than a self-electing corporation, exercising or professing to exercise an important class of duties, of which the Admiralty ought to have the direction, and for which the Admiralty ought to be re- sponsible ; and that the imperfect and extravagant management of lights and beacons, and the want of properly-enforced regulations for preventing collisions between vessels and other similar acci- dents, was in a great measure attributable to the faulty constitu- tion of the Trinity House. But, of course, all will be set to rights now that Prince ALBERT has been made an Elder Brother.
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