Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 12.djvu/483

LONDON. 425 LONDON. anil otlier parts of the ancient world may be seen in tliese galleries. The library contains about 2,000.1100 volumes. Since the -Museum was founded in 17.53, the British nation has expended about .$40,000,000 in collecting, housing, and car- ing for these treasures. The National (iallery in Trafalgar Square includes more than 1,")00 paint- ings, the old masters being well represented. This gallery has large funds at its disposal, and is thus enabled to secure many of the choicest specimens of European art. The Royal .caderny of -rt occupies a section of New Burlington House, facing Piccadilly, and is noted for its col- lection of rare works and for its annual exhibi- tion of ])aintings and sculptures. The Society of lioyal Academicians, founded in 1708, consists of 40 Royal Academicians, 30 Associates, and 2 Associate Engravers. The Victoria and Albert Museum, formerly the South Kensington Museum, has a great variety of the choicest art products. It is not only a iiuiseum, but also the most important school of art and industrial science in Great Britain. Separated by Exhiliition Road is the fine block containing the buildings of the Imperial Institute, with its permanent exhibition of the jiroducts, manufactures, and industries of the Empire; the Natural History Museum, with its complete col- lection; tlie Royal College of Music; and the Koyal Albert Hall of Arts and Sciences, accom- modating 8.000 persons, and containing one of the largest organs in the world. .mong the special museums and collections oli'ering admirable facilities for students and scientific workers are the Anatomical Museum in the College of Surgeons, the Geological Mu- seum, and the nuiseiuns of the Royal Geographi- cal Society and the Royal Society, at the head of scientific organizations in Great' Britain; and of the .Anthropological Institute and the Geological and Linn*an societies. About 1,000,000 persons every ye.ar visit the most complete collection of living animals in the world, installed in Regent's Park and the property of the Zoological Society. The beautiful gardens of the Horticultural and Botanical societies have admirable collectiims, which, however, cannot be compared with the unsurpassed exhibits at Kew Gardens, which are probably the most varied and the rich- est in the world. The Crystal Palace (q.v.), .south of London, has many beautiful models of architectural and art works, but the great build- ing in the midst of a garden of 200 acres is main- tained more for recreation than for instruction. The People's Palace for East London, on the Mile End Road, is an immense structure comprising a large amusement hall, free librarv. reading- rooms, technical college, engineering workshops, clicmical and physical laboratories, school of art, a winter garden, gymnasium, and swinuuing- batlis, all devoted to the intellectual and ma- terial advancement, the recreation and amuse- ment of the vast artisan population of the East End. Alany other societies and institutions have large liliraries, most of which are accessible to the public. Parks and Sqi^.^hes. London has many squares and open places, but they are by no means adequate for so large a population. Ainong the principal squares are Trafalgar Square, with fine monuments, and surrounded by handsome buildings, including clubs, hotels, the National Gallerv. the National Portrait (iallerv. the Royal Humane Society building, and the fine church of Saint Martin's-in-iiu-1'ields, containing the graves and monuments of many celebrities; Lin- coln's Inn Fields, the largest square in London, surrounded by offices of the legal fraternity; Hanover Square, with Saint George's Church, famous for its fashionable weddings; and the aristocratic Grosvenor, Cavendish, Portnian, and Berkeley squares. In London County there are thirteen parks, with a total area of 2900 acres, of which the most thronged is Hyde Park, 390 acres, extending in the West End from May- fair to Kensington Gardens. This park, sur- rounded by line residential districts, has a beauti- ful lake, broad avenues, shaded by large trees, and tine expanses of grass with flower-beds and clumps of shrubbery. In the height of the social season, when the avenues are crowded wiUi hand- some equipages and many thousands of pedestri- ans throng the walks, probably no park in the world equals the brilliant and varied .scene that Hyde Park presents. Farther west are Ken- sington Gardens, more thickly planted with trees and plants than is Hyde Park. Regent's Park, in the northwest, is famed for its zoological and botanical gardens, large crowds being also at- tracted there in sunuuer by the cricket matches to which the northern part of the park is de- voted. Saint James's Park and Green Park, not far from Trafalgar Square, are among the old roj'al parks, long since open to the public. Besides other smaller parks, the gardens along the Thames Embankment are very popular; ])lay- grounds here and there are maintained for chil- dren, and disused churchyards, with various squares and semi-private gardens, add to the number of breathing-places. Excursions to Ep- ping Forest and many other delightful rural dis- tricts are very largely patronized. Water. The pjople do not yet enjoy an ade- quate supply of pure water. The main sources of supply are the Thames, above London, and the Lea River, private companies leading the water into the city and distributing it in all directions. Their aqueducts, reservoirs, and other appliances have cost an enormous simi of money; but the companies have not sufliciently guarded against the introduction of deleterious elements, and the city authorities as yet have not succeeded in get- ting the management of the water-supply into their own hands. .Although the water is care- fully filtered, it is said to contain some amount of sewage pollution. The question of improving and augmenting the water-sujjply is one of the serious problems receiving constant attention. Sewers. Nearly .$40,000,000 has, been ex- pended on the sewerage system of London. The length of the main sewers is over S7 miles. They discharge into outfall works at Barking on the north of the Thames and at Crossness on the south side, where the sewage is chemically treat- ed • and rendered innocuous, the overflow empty- ing into the river from 11 to 1.5 miles below London Bridge, and the sludge being taken ."iO miles out to sea. It is only within the past fifty years that the provisions for removing and dis- posing of the sewage of London have, in a sani- tary .sense, been at all adequate. Markets. The markets of London are among the great sights of the city. JIany tpurists leave their hotels at dawn to see the remarkable dis- play of fruits, vegetables, and flowers in Covcnt Garden. For centuries the householders obtained