before. Some one quoted from Carlyle, "This is the only edifice which strikes me with a proper sense of grandeur." Fred had found out its greatest length as 550 feet.

"I am surprised," exclaimed Miss Gray, "to find so many statues in the interior."

The children discovered statues to English heroes, such as Henry Howard, Lord Howe, Sir John Moore, Sir William Napier, General Gordon, and the Duke of Wellington.

Florence asked, "Who built it, papa?"

"Sir Christopher Wren, between 1675 and 1710, a period of thirty-five years. It was built under one architect, one master-mason, and one bishop. Wren received for his services $1,000 a year. For this sum he was content to be hoisted in a basket, at great risk, to the top of the church, three times a week."

They found his tomb in. the vault of the church. The epitaph is as follows: "Read

and in which the wax-chandlers once dwelt who supplied the Catholic churches with tapers, etc.

"Where is the London Stone, driver?" inquired Mr. French.

"It is now placed in the south end of St. Swithin's, the church yonder, opposite the railroad station."

"The poet Dryden was married in that church," added Miss Gray..

"For what was the stone noted?" inquired George.

"It has been for centuries the central stone in London, from which all distances were measured. If a town or city in the empire was so many miles from London, it always meant from this stone. For a thousand years it has marked off distances. It was formerly on the ground near by, and was affixed to the side of the church to preserve it."

A short ride from Cannon Street brought them to the monument which was erected to the memory of the great fire of 1666. The children and Mr. French went to the top for the view. On account of the smoke hanging over the city, they could not see very far. The Thames River was the most conspicuous object.

Upon reaching the summit of the monument, they found themselves completely wired in. Noticing their wonder, Mr. French explained, "A few years ago so many persons committed suicide by throwing themselves from this place, the officials had to erect this screen to prevent their insane acts."

As they descended and returned to the carriage, George informed his sisters that the great fire began in Pudding Lane, and after burning over many acres, and destroying 13,000 houses, ended at Pye Corner.

"Now for LONDON BRIDGE!" exclaimed Florence.. "That will be," said Fred, "the next great centre of interest." 1 See Frontispiece.

"You are right, my boy!" exclaimed his father.

In a few minutes they joined the vast crowd crossing and recrossing this oldest and most used of all the bridges over the Thames.

"George, can you give us the facts about this bridge?" Miss Gray asked.

"It was built and opened in 1831. It consists of five arches, each of quite a long span. There is no draw in the

bridge. More than 25,000 vehicles and over 150,000 people cross it evéry twenty-four hours."

After riding about a short time on the south or Surrey side of the river, they recrossed the bridge, noticing on their return the vast amount of shipping below the bridge, in "the Pool" as it is called, and the interesting view of the river above the bridge.

King William Street, and its statue of William IV., in

terested them as they moved rapidly by to the fifth point of life and bustle, the square in front of

THE BANK OF ENGLAND.

Near the corner of King William Street, and about opposite the great bank, they saw an imposing house.

"That is the Lord Mayor's official mansion," Mr. French informed them. "He receives as much salary as our president, and his dutes are equally onerous. A recent Lord Mayor, in one year, was present at 130 dinners and 85 balls and receptions, attended 365 meetings, made 1,100 speeches, and answered 5,000 letters."

Driving through the terrible throng of vehicles, especially omnibuses, the Cartmells finally reached the other side, and all alighted, the better to examine the greatest banking institution in the world. They found it was built of granite, in the Corinthian style. The outer walls are very thick, and contain no windows, to give greater security. The rooms, they found, were lighted from open courts and skylights. The building occupies from three to four acres of ground.

Mr. French gave the children some interesting facts as they walked about,

"This institution is called 'The Old Lady of Threadneedle Street' because it faces the latter street. The business done here in a day amounts to $10,000,000. In the vaults are always found from ten to twenty million sterling in gold and silver."

"What do you mean by sterling?" Fred asked.

"Up to the value established by the English Government, full value."

"Please tell us more about the bank."

"This bank has out a very small value in bank-notes, most of the money being gold and silver, which the English people

prefer to paper. The smallest English bank-note is one for £5, or $25. These paper bills are very simple in appearance, but very difficult to counterfeit. Every note which comes into the bank is at once cancelled, but registered and preserved.

A new note, with a new number, takes its place in circulation.

"When the riots of 1780 occurred, so graphically described by Dickens in Barnaby Rudge,' an order was given that a military guard be stationed in the bank every night until the order was revoked. The officer of the guard and his friends are supplied by the bank with a good dinner. The order has not yet been revoked. Several officers of the bank have residences inside. As there are a number of open courts here, it is not an unpleasant place in which to live. Besides the guard, there are a certain number of clerks from