LONDON. 193 



before the authorities of the Loudon University. Besides this, there are three 

 colleges specially established for the higher education of women. 



There are four great public schools for boys — Westminster, St. Paul's, Merchant 

 Taylors', and Christ's Hospital; numerous middle- class schools, supported by 

 corporations, societies, or endowments; and a multitude of elementary schools. 

 These latter are in a great measure under the administration of a School Board 

 elected by the ratepayers, and it will convey some notion of their importance if 

 we state that they are attended by close upon half a million of pupils.* 



If London, notwithstanding its many great schools, is not the university centre 

 of England, and is bound to recognise the prerogatives of Oxford and Cambridge, 

 it may at all events claim to be the scientific, literary, and art centre of all the 

 countries where English is the common tongue. It publishes more books than any 

 other town, is the seat of the most flourishing scientific societies, possesses the most 

 valuable art collections and the most famous exhibition galleries, and its boards 

 confer distinction upon the actors who appear upon them. The most valued 

 reviews and journals, which may not only claim to be the "fourth estate" of the 

 realm, but also sway public opinion throughout the world, are published in London. 

 The newspaper printing-offices are amongst the most wonderful industrial establish- 

 ments of the metropolis. 



London does not hold the first place amongst the industrial centres of the 

 British Isles. It is not the equal of Manchester, Birmingham, Sheffield, Leeds, 

 or Glasgow in any special branch of manufacture. Yet, if the workshops and 

 factories scattered through the various quarters of London could be combined 

 to form a town by themselves, it would very soon become clear that in the totality 

 of its manufactures the metropolis is still the first town of England, and 

 that the name of Cockneys, contemptuously applied to all who live within 

 the sound of Bow bells, has not been earned through a life of idleness. The 

 majority of the factories lie within a huge semicircle, which bounds the City 

 towards the east and south, and extends from Clerkenwell, through Spitalfields, 

 Bethnal Green, Mile End, Rotherhithe, and Southwark, to Lambeth ; but there is 

 not a quarter of the town where workmen engaged in some useful occupation are 

 not to be met with.f London is more especially noted for its pottery, cutlery, 



* Population of school age, Christmas, 1878 729,710 



Children in primarj' schools 444,322 



Average daily attendance ........ 350,507 



Totalexpenditureof School Board, 1879 £470,543 



t Occupations of the inhabitants of London (1871) : — 



Males and Females 



Females. only. 



General and Local Government ..... 31.952 1,591 



Army and Navy ....... 18,464 — 



Learned Professions (Literature, Art, and Science) . 9G,U96 37, 781 

 Persons engaged in entertaining and performing 



personal offices for man ...... 314,711 262,100 



Persons who buy and sell, keep or lend money, houses, 



or goods ......... 86,957 8,757 



Conveyance of men, animals, goods, or messages . 134,014 1,096 



Agriculture 15,790 1,739 



Persons engaged about animals ..... 12.907 124 



Industrial classes 725,695 220,923 



Labourers, &c 112,162 13,782 



121 



