The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1882-12-06
London.

The continuous growth of London, and
its absorption year by year of surround
ing rural districts, must be reckoned
among the most remarkable phenomena
of the present age. Nothing appears to
check it. If period of depression ef-
fects the general trade or agriculture of
the country, its only effect, so far as Lon
don is concerned is to attract more peo-
pie to it from the distressed districts.
If revival of trade takes place, London
shares in and increases with the general
prosperity. Already London, III the
wider sense of the term, has population
little short of 100000, and if the in
crease in the future is at the same rate as
in the past, there are those living who
may see the fulhlment of old Mother
Symptoms prophecy, that the day will
come when Highgate Hill will be its
centre. For the purpose Of comparing
the rate Of increase Of the population Of
London, the report of the census OF 1881
divides it into three zones, the central
one consisting Of the 10 most densely pop
ulated parishes, the inner ring includ-
ing all that is popularity considered as
London, and which comedies nearly with
the jurisdiction of the Metropolitan
Board, and the outer ring containing all
those populous suburbs, such as Hammer
smith, Putney, Sydenham, Westham,
and others, which are now as much part
of London, connected with it by continu-
Gus streets, as were Hampstead, Kensing-
ton, and Greenwich but few years ago.
This outer ring corresponds nearly with
the Metropolitan Police district, and it is
to this that the aggregate term Of Lon
don is now properly due. The central
area contains a population of SIT 800,
and shows reduction during the last
20 years of no less than 133, 1900, owing
to the gradual dispersion of the popula-
ton over the wider district, and the sub
stitution of warehouses, railway stations,
public Offices, and streets for the densely
populated alleys of former times. The
inner ring, exclusive of the central area,
contains a population of 100000, an
increase Of $4,000 during the last 20
years, or 60 per cent. and the outer
ring has population of $4,000, an in
crease of So, 900, or 1875 per cent, in the
last two decades. Taking the whole of
the areas, the increase has been from
CjSHNiOOO III lOOl w Ou6 BIedI JOGdl OF
1874, 900 in 1881, or AZ per cent, while
the rate Of increase during the same
period for the rest of England and Wales
has heen only 25 per cent. London,
therefore, has been increasing at rate
nearly double that Of the rest of England
and Wales. 1t contains million more
inhabitants than the whole of Scotland
and about 100000 only less than the
whole of Ireland, while it exceeds in
population such countries as Sweden,
Holland, and Portugal
When we consider that London is not
great manufacturing district, that it has
no great staple trade such as Lancashire,
Yorkshire, and the Tyne district, this
great and rapid increase is the more re.
markable. 1t appears to be due mainly
to the concentration within its districts of
vast numbers Of people who live upon
incomes derived from investments in
other parts of the country or abroad, and
TO the populations which minister to the
wants Of these people to the fact, also,
that London, being the commercial cen
tire of the world, capital is here attracted
in enormous masses, and that capitalists
have discovered that London, with all its