In spite of unmistakeable signs of inevitable changes the companies refused to take warning. Their reform was indeed difficult, and, as it proved, impossible. The workmen as we have seen could not, the masters would not, take steps in this direction. The state derived too good an income from them to be anxious for a change. The admission stamps, constantly increasing in amount, were a profitable source of revenue. The notices of "cessments for renewing the composition" are frequent. There were also continual contributions of men and money for the "exigencies of the State[175]." In 1798 the Mercers voted L100 annually to the government "during the continuance of the war." The town also seemed to profit by them. They were obliged, some of them at all events, to exhibit their compositions annually or periodically to the mayor and pay a customary fine on doing so. They continued to be of some service to the community in the inefficient condition of the public police. Their social utility to the town was also in their favour. In 1608 the corporation provided materials in case of fire, when each of the companies was required to maintain its proper proportion of hooks and buckets. Entries relating to the "spout or water engine" are frequent in their records. In aid of procuring public benefits the companies were not backward. Their chests were readily opened to assist towards improvements in the town, such as widening of streets, erection of bridges and the like. To the last also they preserved something of their charitable character, though its exercise was as open to criticism as other forms of poor relief during the eighteenth century. Nevertheless if the membership lists of the Drapers and the Mercers could be made public they would be found to contain the majority of the public benefactors of Shrewsbury during this period. Public charities, such as the Infirmary and the Lancaster School received annual subscriptions until the companies came to an end. The necessity of continuing the annuities to the inmates of S. Chad's almshouses formed a chief argument against the dissolution of the Mercers' company. "The Worshipful Company of Drapers" still subscribes to schools and charities year by year. [Sidenote: _Contemporaneous opinion of the companies._] In these circumstances we cannot wonder that the old companies found many champions. The following letter is valuable as affording a view of the contemporaneous opinion held of the Gilds by a man of ordinary common sense and average education. It appeared in the _Salopian Journal_ of August 27, 1823. It was evoked by a decision of the Judges of Assize in favour of the Mercers' company in an important case to which reference will be made in a later page. It was addressed to the editor of the newspaper and commenced-- "SIR,