The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-07-09
The Future Bigncss of London.

A committee OF the London County Coun-
Gil. as well as a Royal Commission. have
been for some time considering the means
of increasing the water supply which is in
adequate even for the present population.
AS any OF the works proposed could not be
constructed in less than ten years. and as
it would be absurd to arrange for supply
only just sufficient to meet the wants OF
the city at the end of that period. it has
been decided that the works should be OF q
scale commensurate with tho probable
number of inhabitants fifty years hence.
What is that number? To this interesting
question several conjcctural answers are
returned by the committee of the Council
appointed to consider the question.
1t must be remembered that the district
now controlled by the London County
Council is less extensive than the area
whose inhabitants are entirely dependent
on the metropolitan water supply. The
number Of persons in this latter area IL five
and threc-quarters millions and it is their
increase which must be estimated before the
quantity Of water needed half a century
hence can be defined. The estimates will.
Of course. differ. according to the factors Of
growth assumed. If 1t be taken for granted
that the British metropolis will continue to
grow at the rate exhibited between the GEN.
suses of1ss1 and 1891. then in 1871 it will con-
tain no fewer than IT, GAS human beings
II. on the other hand. we suppose that
the recent rate OF progress cannot be
kept up. and that the metropolis hereafter
will only expand by means of the natural in
crease Of births over deaths. then the popu-
lation fifty years hence will be 1886, $780,
II. finally, all ratios OF increase should be
disregarded. and we should simply add for
each decade the precise number OF persons
added in the ten years preceding 1891. we
should obtain 1856. 1877 as the population Of
l94l. After weighing all the considerations
that might affect the calculation. the COM
mittee of the County Council determined
to accept Il, SOC. 900 as the most reasonable
estimate OF the population of London fifty
years hence. and they accordingly rec
commended that the scale Of the new works
should be adjusted to this computation.
In the opinion OF the London Spectator
this estimate Is too low, and in making it
the committee are falling into an error
similar to that Of the Commission which in
1869 was appointed for the same purpose.
The latter body expressed the conviction
population Of London you'd be $500, OOO
Yet now. when only twenty-three years
have passed. the metropolitan population
dependent on the water supply 10 nearly
| G.0O0.O00. That Is to say. the rate OF in
crease since 1869 has been considerably
greater than that previously exhibited. and
| the Spectator can see no reason why cor
| responding increase In the rate OF growth
| should not again disclose itself. Assuming,
however. that the rate Of growth will remain
| precisely what 1t was between 1881 and
| 1891. the Inhabitants OF the metropolitan
| district would number. as we have seen.
upward OF seventeen and half millions.
| This. whichin the light OF experience seems
| no extravaganza estimate. suggests some
striking comparisons. Contrasted with q
city OF such magnitude. all other urban
congomerations OF which history bears
record shrink into insignifcance. By the
side OF the London OF hulf q century hence.
the Babylon described by HERoDoTUs and
| the Rome OF AURELIAN or THEoDosIUs
seem but petty provincial towns. Stand
ing far outside tho category OF cities.
London. as De QUINcEY predicted. would
take rank among the nations. No
humble rank either, for the number
of it's inhabitants would equal the
present population o; Spain. and would
be double that possessed by Eng
land and Wales at the beginning OF
this century. But what an extraordinary
nation from an economical viewpoint-wit
its seventeen and half milions packed
within radius of seven miles around Char
ing Cross. an area which in year could
not produce enough to feed one per cent. o.
the people for two days! OF what incredi
BILE completely and amplitude are the con
ditions of food purveyance presented b,
such stupendous hive of human beings
OF what unparalleled intricacy and lnpor
lance are the sanitary problems involved
With what peculiar fervor should the swarm
! ing inhabitants OF future London pray u
| be delivered from plague and pestilence
. and with what new and appalling terror,
would war be clothed through its threat
J ened disruption OF the machinery relieC
upon for daily food supply.
rs obvious that no city comparable IL
/ size with the London OF the future can svo