GOVERNMENT. The governmental system of London has been evolved from centuries of experi ence as to the special needs of the metropolis, and ditkrs greatly from the local government of any other city in the Kingdom. The British Gov ernment exercises the central control. Parlia ment defines the duties and powers of the local authorities and the areas over which their func tions are exercised. Certain departments of the Government supervise and control the acts of the various local authorities. The consent of the Board of Trade, for example, must he ob tained for any extension of the electric-lighting system. The Board of Education has power to withhold the Government grant unless the effi ciency of the school system in each district is kept tin to a certain minimum. No park or coin 311011 may he inclosed without the consent of the Board of Agriculture. The Local Government Board, also a department of the general Govern ment, has the widest supervision of the acts of ale local authorities, and especially over the finances of the city. The local bodies cannot raise a loan without the consent of this board or a special net of Parliament.
The ancient City of London has its own gov ernment, handed down from the Middle Ages: its own sheriff, police, and courts; controls the bridges that connect it with South London. and exercises authority over most of the London markets, as they are in its territory. Its thief authorities are the Lord Mayor, twenty-six alder men, and a common council composed of 206 members. The councilors are elected by the rate payers; but the Lord Mayor, Sheriff, and sonic other officers are chosen by the guilds or livery companies. (See GUILD and COMPANY.) These number at present 76, though some represent trades that have long been extinct. They are very wealthy. A large amount of their income is spent in charity and entertainments of various kinds. The city government controls all the affairs of the ancient city, excepting questions relating to the main drainage.
Outside of the ancient city, the central author ity is vested in the London County Council, whose jurisdiction extends over London County, but does not include the outlying circle of the urban district that has grown up around London Coun t• and with it forms Greater London. It, how
ever. has authority throughout the entire urban district over those features of the public service that must be under central control, such as the main drainage or sewerage, the provision of parks, and the fire department. The police department is an exception, for the police are regarded as being as much a general British as a city force. and are directly under the control of the Ilome Office. The total police force numbered 15.769 in 1899.
The limitation in 1888 of London to a county around its ancient nucleus, divided into 29 ad ministrative boroughs comprising 30 Parliament ary boroughs, returning 58 members, took effect in 1900. Each administrative borough has its mayor, aldermen, and common council, respon sible only to the central Government, except in the matters of common interest above mentioned, which are under the control of the London Com mon Council.
There are many hoards having special func tions, such as the London School Board and the Metropolitan Asylums Board. For educational purposes the metropolis is divided into 11 dis tricts that elect 55 members of the London School Board. which has charge of public in struction. The Metropolitan Asylums Board has charge of all the asylums for imbeciles, the hospi tals for cases of infectious disease. and the train ing schools for children. The expenditures every year for the relief of the poor. and other assist ance provided for by the Poor LaW, amount to more than $15,000.000. The anneal cost of the entire government of the city is considerably over $65,000,000: the total debt is nearly $230. 000.000. The taxes. to meet the expenditures are levied over the' whole area, in proportion to the population of the various districts. The well founded complaint that the taxes were dispropo• tionately heavy upon the poorer districts has been met by various expedients to equalize the burden.