1936 On the Continent

honoured accordingly.
The Lord Mayor
    The Lord Mayor is elected each year from among the Aldermen—the “City Fathers”—and must be a member of one of the ancient Livery Companies or trade guilds which, with very few exceptions, are of no economic importance, but are nevertheless representative corporations of the citizens, and even princes of the blood consider it an honour to belong to them.
    The Lord Mayors of the City are nearly always wealthy bankers or merchants who have retired from business and have the time for the immense duties of representation imposed upon them by their office. The Lord Mayor, during his year of office, must attend many hundreds of functions, most of them in connection with charitable objects. He is also the Chief Magistrate of the City, its military commander, and also Admiral of the Thames.
An Expensive Dignity
    All these offices are taken very seriously by the State authorities. For instance, when the Lord Mayor visits a warship, he is received with the same ceremonial as a real Admiral.
    Although the office of Lord Mayor is intrinsically democratic, in that it can be, and has been, attained by men who had started at the bottom of the ladder, it is undemocraticin practice, because none but a rich man can bear the cost. In spite of the immense expenditure of the City, the Lord Mayor’s salary in no way corresponds to the expenses of his year of office, so that when he retires, usually with a title, he leaves the Mansion House, his official residence, many thousands of pounds the poorer. The famous Lord Mayor’s Banquet at the Guildhall, and the Lord Mayor’s Show, both held at the Lord Mayor’s inauguration, are only two of the events that involve a drain on the Lord Mayor’s purse.
A Jungle of Stone
    The City of London has so many peculiarities that it would be difficult to enumerate them all. Even its aspect is different from any other urban district in the world. On the whole, the lay-out of the City has remained unchanged for centuries, although many new business palaces have arisen, and continue to arise, in the narrow streets, which are sometimes completely choked with traffic. And above this jungle of buildings rise, here and there, the graceful steeples of the churches built by the great architect, Sir Christopher Wren, who once elaborated a daring plan to change the face of the City, but was prevented from carrying it out by the greed and shortsightedness of vested interests.
    The City of London has for centuries been the undisputed economic centre of the British Empire, and may also be described as the economic centre of the world, although in recent years the Wall Street district, in New York, a rather unequal rival to the City, has made claims in that direction.
The Press
    It is only natural that the youngest World Power, the Press, should have its headquarters within the boundaries of the City. Fleet Street, which in spite of its many modern buildings, has retained its peculiar antiquated character, in strange contrast with its feverish activity, houses not only the big organs of the London Press, but also the offices of newspapers from all over the world. The Dominions and Colonies, as well as foreign countries, maintain here their Press Bureaux, Telegraph Agencies, etc.But Fleet Street is to-day more than the name of a thoroughfare—it has become a concept; it is the centre of a “newspaper world” which extends to the many ancient courts, alleys and hidden corners in the vicinity, encroaching more and more on the complex of streets between Fleet Street and the Thames Embankment. Further enormous new buildings are now in course of construction in and around Fleet Street. Of the existing newspaper palaces the dignified white building of the
Daily Telegraph
and, in strange contrast with it, the black glass palace of the
Daily Express
are the most impressive.
    But apart from its connection with the Press, Fleet Street and its environment has sufficiently interesting sights to detain the visitor for several days. Right at the beginning of Fleet Street, at Temple Bar, are the Law Courts, built in the Gothic style, which occupies the site of some 400 houses cleared to make way for it. There are 23 courts and 1,100 other rooms in the vast building. It is interesting to watch the proceedings in one of the courts, and to observe the peculiar ceremonial associated with the administration of justice in England. The public are admitted without any special application.