New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-08-21
UTLL 1T BE NEW- TORKf

A few years ago some timid souls were cry
ing out that Philadelphia, Boston and Baiti-
more were taking away the trade OF New
York. and there were not wanting some to
predict that this city was in danger OF tnlling
hebind in the race These f0rebOdings seem
TO have died out. New York has gone on with
it's silent, stately growth, needless OF all this
discussion, and now writer in The Century
William C. Conant, predicts that long before
aanother century passes, its population will
asurpass that of London, aud that it will be
q the unrrvalled centre of finance and com
merce Of luxury and fashion, of art and liter
ature-the heart and BRAIN in word-of the
civilized world"
When the facts are examined, this Is found
to be less extravaganza than it sounds Two
millions of people live to-day in what is In
reality the city of Neu-York, for not only
BROOKLYN but all the close-lyfng cities on the
banks of the two rivers are parts OF the great
city, draw their life from it and give life to it.
The census of 1881 gave London Proper pop
ulation of 1914, 57l- while what is called the
"Outer Ring" brought the total of Greater
London up to 4,764,312. London will not
stand still, but when 1t is considered from
what p handful the great population that now
crowds the shores of New York Bay aud the
two rivers has grown In a century, the pru-
dent man will be cautious in predicting what
il will not become in a century more. In fact
the growth of cities is one Of the wonders of
the age as well as one of lits great problems.
This is true of the Old World as well as of
this. The growth of London has been mar
yellous. From 1861 to 1871 the increase was
l6 per cent from 1871 to 1851, % per cent.
The census of Paris taken in December, 1881,
showed a population Of 1926, 900, an increase
of about quarter of million in five years.
The most striking proof of the concentration
of population in cities, however. is gwen in
the United States. the land of rapid growths.
Forty years ago only eight and half per cent
of the total population was contained IN the
cities to-day they comprise 22.5 per cent.
To give the figures themselves, which may
convey a clearer idea. out of tho total popula-
ton of 50,155,7S3 shown by the census
of 1880, the cities contained l1,3lS,547.
The population of al the cities In the United
States forty years ago was only little more
than that Of New-York City proper to-day,
and the population of this city has quadrupled
In that period These changes have come
within the lifetime of men comparatively
young
New-York may not como out ahead in this
great race CO the cities, but there would be
some risk at least in predicting that it will he
lef. behind. If we count in Brooklyn, etc, it
| il already the third city in the world, and not
far behind Paris, which is the second. 1t can
not be many years before it outstrips Paris
1t is the financial and commercial capital of
America, and nothing, apparently, can shake
it from this position. The development of the
Mississippi Valley will make Chicago one of
the great cities OF tho future, but 1t cannot
have the commanding position of New-YOrk
as tho natural gateway between Europe and
America. AS Mr.. COnant well says Provi-
dence never before laid out a nation on
scale that was more than petty in comparison
a.with tho continental, climatic and oceanic
frame OF the American Republic. Never
| abefore in history has there been a movement
" of men that was not petty and cramped in
into this vast national frame work" great
proportion of this broad stream of commerce
aud immigration must flow through New-York
Harbor. Here railroads, telegraphs, steam
ship lines and all the machinery of commerce
must continue TO be concentrated. When the
natural advantages Of New-York are consid-
ered-the territory it drains, and its avenues
of approach both by land and water-with the
development it has already attained, even tho
{ imagination seems unable to depict its future.
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