Places of The bishopric of Liverpool was founded in 1880, when an endow ment of 1100,000 was raised by public subscrip tion. There are over 100 churches in the city (which does not comprise the whole of the dio cese). The various Non-Conformist denomina tions have amongst them about 190 places of worship.
The city possesses an efficient system of education. The elementary, second ary and technical schools are under the control of the city council. There are a considerable number of scholarships to enable students to pass from the elementary to the secondary schools and on to both the Liverpool Univer sity and the universities of Oxford and Cam bridge.
The Liverpool University was first estab lished as a college in 1881, and obtained its charter as a university with power to confer degrees in 1903. The teaching staff numbered in 1914 138 members, with 700 students. The university is endowed both for teaching and research and connected with it is the famous School of Tropical Medicine.
Water, Electricity and The city and district are supplied with fresh water from Rivington in Lancashire, and Lake Vyrnwy, Montgomeryshire (Wales). The engi neering difficulties connected with the supply of water from such distances have been very great and the cost proportionately heavy. The total cost of the water undertaking has been #6,586,793. There is a total capacity of 70,000, 000 gallons per day, and the daily consumption in the city is about 40,000,000 gallons. In 1896 the corporation purchased the works and rights of the Liverpool Electric Supply Company at a cost of 1400,000. Since that date the demand for electricity for light and power has rapidly developed and the undertaking has proved finan cially successful. The total capital expenditure was, on 31 Dec. 1904, #1,719,000. For many years a portion of the profits has been contrib uted to the rates of the city. In 1904 the amount so contributed, after paying all working expenses, charges for interest and sinking fund, was nearly 117,000.
In 1897 the corporation decided to purchase the tramways, which down to that date had belonged to a limited company. The amount paid was #567,375. The overhead trolley sys tem of electric traction was quickly substituted for the horse system hitherto in use. New routes were opened up, streets widened, the length of track nearly doubled and fares re duced. The length of track is now over 116
miles and the average length of the penny stage two and one-half miles. The introduction of cars at enhanced fares has been attended with success.
Insanitary During the past 40 years the corporation has spent large sums of money in the demolition of insanitary cottage property, and in the reconstruction of artisans' dwellings. The city is also well provided with public baths, the oldest in the kingdom, being established in 1794, including open air baths (free), and in the poor quarters of the town there are corporation buildings efficiently equipped for public laundry work.
Parks, The city possesses a number of fine parks, gardens and recreation grounds, The total number of acres thus allotted to pub lic use is about 1,200 — including Sef ton park with 269 acres, the cost of which, including the laying out, was #410,269. About 100 acres of the above represent churchyards, and plots of land varying in size from one-fourth of an acre to three acres, which have been turned into gardens and recreation grounds, thus greatly improving the appearance of many lo calities and adding to the pleasure of the inhab itants.
All the land here referred to has not been purchased by the corporation. The Wavertree playground, 108 acres, was the gift of a gener ous citizen, and cost about #100,000; while the Roby estate (100 acres), situated on the eastern boundary of the city, was donated by Alderman Bowring and dedicated to the use of the citi zens. The estate of Calderstones, south of the city, is the most recent purchase.
The medical charities are on a very extensive scale. Some of the charities are old, but all are now housed in modern buildings possessing all the latest scientific re quirements. Most of the charities are main tained by endowments and public subscriptions, but seven of the largest hospitals in the city have been built and are maintained by the cor poration, and in 1904 the sum of 146,000 was expended in their administration. In addition to the hospitals in the city there are sanatoria for consumptive patients at Delamere Forest and Heswall Hills. The Royal Southern Hos pital has special arrangements for patients suf fering from tropical diseases.