PROCEEDINGS FOR 1897 CXLIII 



MODERX BRISTOL. 



By W. Howell Davies, 



One of the Bristol Delegates to the Cabot Celebration. 



I have been invited to address you this evening on the subject which 

 Las been announced. Great cities have so many features in common 

 with each other, that it is difficult to say anything fresh or interesting ; 

 yet, of course, there are great cities and great cities, some of which have 

 risen rapidly, as have many upon the American continent, in conse- 

 quence of being favourably situated upon the lines through wiiich great 

 commerce flows — such are commercial only, and it will take centuries 

 before they can present features of sufficient historical interest to make 

 them attractive to tourists. Other cities have ancient traditions, long- 

 histories — parts of which are indissolubly bound up with that of their 

 country ; such a city is Bristol, and you cannot properly understand it 

 unless you appreciate the forces which have been at work through many 

 centuries, making it what it is. Its ancient importance was princiiDally 

 due to the fact that it was a convenient centre for the transmission of 

 commerce. Its citizens were of an adventurous type — this has been 

 abundantly illusti'ated by the spirit of enterprise which resulted in the 

 discovery of the mainland of America by the Cabots 400 years ago. The 

 two centuries following that of the Cabots were rich in adventure, and 

 the merchants of those times were so successful that they were called 

 " merchant princes." The eighteenth century added to the wealth and 

 importance of Bristol, when it stood without rival as the second city in 

 shipping, trade, population and general importance in Great Britain. 



Corporation. 



Bristol has been a corjjorate city for many centuries; we have an 

 unbroken chronicle of the mayors of the city since 1216. It is not within 

 my province to follow the ancient history of our city, but I will content 

 myself by merely saying that the opening years of the present century 

 found Bristol in the hands of what is now known as an unreformed 

 corporation. These unreformed corporations were attected by a sj^irit 

 which throughout England retarded municipal development, and led to 

 the introduction of the Local Government Act of 1885, which placed the 

 government of Bristol (with many other large cities) upon a more satis- 

 factory footing, and made the members who constituted the new councils 

 representative of the ratepayers. Our city is now governed by a council 



