Page:An Historical Essay on the Livery Companies of London.djvu/44

 of the estate appears to contain upwards of 11,000 Irish acres, and of which the Cutlers' Company have a claim of a fifteenth part, the exact proportions being, viz.:—

By a survey (1836) the Salters' estate is stated to consist of the town of Magherafelt and the adjacent county. It is six miles in length, and on an average three miles in breadth. It is bounded on the east by the Vintners' estate and Lock Neagh, south-west by the Drapers' estate, and north-east by Castle Down.

The estate is managed exclusively by the Salters' Company, who make a yearly report of their proceedings, with a statement of accounts. From these reports and those of other companies may be readily seen the great improvements which have, from time to time, been effected, the additional happiness conferred thereby on the tenantry, and the general high state of prosperity there, so that it has become a recognised fact that the territory of the Irish Society and the estates of the Livery Companies of London are the best managed and most prosperous portions of Ireland.

The present income of the Cutlers' Company from their share of the estate is about £400 a year.

In the year 1838 the various Livery Companies instituted proceedings in Chancery against the Irish Society to obtain a Decree that the Society were the Trustees for the Companies, and for an account of their Stewardship of the Estates. (Mr. Pemberton appeared as Counsel for the Cutlers.) After a hearing, which lasted several days, the Master of the Rolls (Lord Langdale) dismissed the Bill.