The new era., 1911-07-06

- ter of the British Empire. has
formed the background for the
coronation ceremonies 1t is the great
capital of a great dominion. and all
Englishmen look to it as the metrop-
oils of the race. The name London
is derived, 1t is supposed, from the
Celtic "Llyndin." the lake fort, erect
ed by the Britons when the Thames
at London was great lagoon. Taci-
tus says that in 81 A. d., traders and
their merchandise abounded here. 1t
was called Augusta during a brief pc
riod of Roman occupation. In SO9 1T
was in the possession Of East Saxon
invaders who made 1t their capital
and at the time of the Norman con-
quest it was the capital of England.
William the Conqueror gave London
a special charter. and another charter
giving the citizens the right to elect
their principal officers was granted by
Henry l in 1101. The first mayor was
: chosen In 1889. For centuries. how
ever. there was a constant struggle
between London and the English SOW
ereigns for the rights conceded by the
charters Throughout the long course
of English history the citizens of Lon
don have shown themselves doughty
champions for political liberty and
they have fought we'll for their rights.
They adhered to the Reformation
when Queen Mary was prosecuting
the Protestants and they took the side
of parliament against Charles l. They
also powerfully aided the accession to
the throne of William III.
In the reign of Elizabeth the popu-
lation of London did not exceed 15O,-
900 and both Elizabeth and Charles
tried to arrest it's growth In order to
keep down progressive and liberal
ideas The great fire of 1866 found
London made of wood The city
was rebuilt of brick and Its growth
during the seventeenth and eight
eenth centuries was rapid and sub
stantial. But it was reserved for the
nineteenth century to see the absorp-
ton of distant suburban towns and
hamlets In all directions from the
heart of the old city. This was made
necessary by the migration in aston
ishing numbers of the middl, classes
from the city to residences In the sub
urbs. so that the old city proper.
which in the daytime has popula-
tion of more than million, shrinks
at night to a population of few thou
sand
Every inch of London is historic
soil. much of it of deep interest to
Americans of English ancestry. The
tower is the mecca of American tour
ctr a
its link with the fading past and his
toric associations. The tower was
originally royal palace, then fort
ress, and afterward prison. Since
the time of the Conqueror its govern
ment has been intrusted to a high
officer called the constable. Here
traitors were imprisoned and execut-
ed and the grim old towers have many
grewsome memories ,
London's civic pride is intense and
the Londoner of today Is fighting the
fog to create city beautiful as well
as great
Historic Westminster Abbey.
Westminster Abbey. where the cor
onation of King George took place.
contains more English history shrined
in stone than any other building In
the dim religious light of this ancient
abbey, most of the sacred ceremonies
sanctifying England's achievements
have been held The abbey as we see
1t now. alone among other English
churches, stands as 1t stood when
England was in the making. Says the
Duke of Argyle:
Upon those very stones rested the
eyes of the fathers Of those who now
rule the British. North American and
the Australasian empires. Before the
altar, which stood in that very chan
eel, and up the long drawn nave, un-
der the same groined roof so far aloft.