Morris tribune., 1883-06-06
A Spot In London Witch rs the Center o
the Globes Traffic.

"A GpOt W. AOftUOV WHtCH rs uc NcHtcS "
the Globes Traffic.
London Cor. New York Times.l
There r some sights of London,
"real live sights" at that, which,
though they escape the attention Of the
gentry, can not fail to impress an OBJ
server of ordinary keenness and intelli-
gence. And among the most important
of these objects of interest are certainly
to be classed the Mansion House, the
Royal Exchange, the Bank of England,
and their surroundings. They are all
in the heart of what is known as "the
City" London, it must be remembered,
is divided, for the purposes of govern
ment, into what may be called London
proper, with twenty-six wards and a
number of CELEBRITIES" and The "out
parishes" the city of Westminster, and
the seven Parliamentary boroughs of
Chelsea, the Tower hamlets, Marylebone,
Lambeth, Finsbury, Hackney and
Southwark. Each of the boroughs is
represented by two members in the
House of Commons. Westminster is
also entitled to two and the city
of London to four. But this is
q depression. As has been said, the
Mansion House, the Royal Exchange
and the Bank of England, three of the
most noteworthy buildings in the world,
are situated in what is known as "the
City" and surrounded by the richest
and most extensive banking-houses,
commercial firms and insurance Offices
in the kingdom.
It has been said, perhaps not ina pity,
that the site Immediately in front of the
Exchange upon which stands the amous
statue OF Wellington is the heart of the
world. It certainly is so to the extent
of being the heart of London. No other
square of the size in the world can boast
of such traffic. From it radiate no less
than eight of the most important thor
oughfares in great London. King Will
lam street, Lombard street, Thread
needle street, Cornhill, Wallbrook, Can
non street, Princes street and Cheap
side, all through the day and night,
empty living streams into it. From
daybreak until long after dark great
crowds are even coming and going. But
few m are seen. This is almost ex-
clusively a mans region-a region to
make money in-and to lose it. There
goes, putting, a fat man, fat and short,
with a white waistcoat, a sallow, tallowy
sort of face, and a long hooked nose.
which plainly reveals his Jewish origin.
That mans name is known to every
banker in the world. At the bottom of
a check it is good for millions, not of
dollars, but of English pounds; yet he
hurries along with far more trouble
and anxiety stamped upon his face
than is ever likely to be ex-
perienced by that staggering
young officer who strolls carelessly
into Lombard street to negotiate a loan
of q few hundreds. There neal him,
walking as though his life depended
upon the pace, comes a familiar figure
in this quarter-a stockbroker. He does
not dress so we'll as do his brethren in
New York, but he has the same keen,
restless eyes. He wears a flower in the
buttonhole Of his close fitting cut-away
coat. Types, almost Identical, of the
same figure, and every II decorated
with a buttonhole flower, are all about.
Bank messengers in uniform and with
black bags move here and there in the
throng; tall policemen-they are numer-
Gus here-watch them protectingly, and
they carry their treasure safely occa-
sionally a dashing fellow, a pick-pocket,
Or a sullen-looking knave, a sneak-thief,
sinks out of sight of these same police
men; but not so the vendors of obscene
literature. They are bold fellows in
the City," and apparently on the best
of terms with the authorities. To be
sure, they keep their books with faring
covers out of sight under their coats
most of the time, but when they see q
,'ossible customer, a sailor, a "fush ;
looking clerk Or a countryman, they do
not scruple to display their pictures of
women altogether too Eve like in the
matter OF costume, or to loudly proclaim
the merits of "the very latest new novel
The racy adventures of a ~cicrgyman's
daughter in Lending" On the side
walks or out in the roadway, it is all one