INTRODUCTION.

1. Money. Expenses. Season. Passports. Custom House. Time.

Money. In England alone of the more important states of Europe the currency is arranged without much reference to the decimal system. The ordinary English Gold coins are the sovereign or pound (l. = livre) equal to 20 shillings, and the half-sovereign. The Silver coins are the crown (5 shillings), the half-crown, the florin (2 shillings), the shilling (s.), and the six-penny and threepenny pieces. The Bronze coinage consists of the penny (d., Lat. denarius), of which 12 make a shilling, the halfpenny, and the farthing (1/4 d.). The Guinea, a sum of 21s., though still used in reckoning, is no longer in circulation as a coin. A sovereign is approximately equal to 5 American dollars, 25 francs, 20 German marks, or 10 Austrian florins (gold). The Bank of England issues notes for 5,10, 20, 50, and 100 pounds, and upwards. These are useful in paying large sums; but for ordinary use, as change is not always readily procured, gold is preferable. The number of each note should be taken down in a pocket-book, for the purpose, in the event of its being lost or stolen, of stopping payment of it at the Bank, and thus possibly recovering it. Foreign Money does not circulate in England, and should always be exchanged on arrival. French copper coins, though still occasionally met with in London, are liable to refusal. A convenient and safe mode of carrying money from America or the Continent is in the shape of letters of credit, or circular notes, which are readily procurable at the principal banks. A larger sum than will suffice for the day's expenses should never be carried on the person, and gold and silver coins of a similar size (e.g. sovereigns and shillings) should not be kept in the same pocket.

Expenses. The cost of a visit to London depends of course on the habits and tastes of the traveller. If he lives in a first-class hotel, dines at the table d'hôte, drinks wine, frequents the theatre and other places of amusement, and drives about in cabs or flys instead of using the economical train or omnibus, he must be prepared to spend 30-40s. a day or upwards. Persons of moderate requirements, however, will have little difficulty, with the aid of the information in the Handbook, in living comfortably and seeing the principal sights of London for an expenditure of 15-20s. a day or even less.

Season. The 'London Season' is chiefly comprised within the
BAEDEKER, London. 7th Edit.

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months of May, June, and July, when Parliament is sitting, the aristocracy are at their town residences, the greatest artistes in the world are performing at the Opera, and the Picture Exhibitions open. Families who desire to obtain comfortable accommodation had better be in London to secure it by the end of April; single travellers can, of course, more easily find lodgings at any time.

Passports. These documents are not necessary in England, though occasionally useful in procuring delivery of registered and poste restante letters (comp. p. 53). A visa is quite needless. American travellers, who intend to proceed from London to the Continent, should provide themselves with passports before leaving home. Passports, however, may also be obtained by personal application at the American Consulate in London (p. 49). The visa of the American ambassador, and that of the minister in London of the country to which the traveller is about to proceed, are sometimes necessary.

Custom House. Almost the only articles likely to be in the possession of ordinary travellers on which duty is charged are spirits and tobacco, but a flask of the former and 1/2lb. of the latter are allowed for private use. Three pounds of tobacco may be passed on payment of a duty of 5s. per pound, and (in the case of cigars) a slight fine for the contravention of the law forbidding the importation of cigars in chests of fewer than 10,000. Foreign reprints of copyright English books are liable to confiscation. The customhouse examination is generally lenient.

Time. Uniformity of time throughout the country is maintained by telegraphic communication with Greenwich Observatory (р. 303).

2. Routes to and from London. Arrival.

It may not be out of place here to furnish a list of the principal oceanic routes between the New World and England, and also to indicate how Transatlantic visitors may continue their European travels by passing from London to the Continent. An enumeration of the routes between the Continent of Europe and London may also prove serviceable to foreigners coming in the reverse direction. It should, however, be borne in mind that the times and fares mentioned in our list are liable to alteration.

Routes to England from the United States of America and Canada. The traveller has abundant room for choice in the matter of his oceanic passage, the steamers of any of the following companies affording comfortable accommodation and speedy transit.

Inman Line. Every Wednesday from New York to Liverpool. Cabin 80, 90, or 110 dollars; return-ticket (available for 12 months) 130 or 150 dollars. From Liverpool also every Wednesday. Fare 12-501.; return 22-90l. The finest steamers of this line are the City of New York and the City of Paris, the latter of which made the quickest passage on record from land to land (5 days, 23 hrs.,

7 min.) in May, 1889. London offices, 13 Pall Mall, S.W., and Eives and Allen, 99 Cannon Street, E.C.

Cunard Line. A steamer of this company starts every Saturday and every second Wednesday from New York and every Saturday from Boston for Queenstown and Liverpool. Cabin fare 60, 80, 100, or 125 dollars, according to accommodation; return-ticket (available for 12 months) 120, 144, 180, or 220 dollars. Steamers from Liverpool for New York every Saturday and every second Tuesday, for Boston every Thursday. Fare 12, 15, 18, or 21 guineas, or 261.; return-ticket 25, 30, or 35 guineas, or 451. The Etruria and the Umbria are considered the best Cunarders. The former held the record for the quickest ocean passage before the abovementioned feat of the Inman liner. London offices at 6 St. Helen's Place, Bishopsgate Street, and 28 Pall Mall.

White Star Line. Steamer every alternate Wednesday from New York to Queenstown and Liverpool. Cabin 60 or 140 dollars; steerage 20 dollars. From Liverpool to New York every Wednesday. Cabin 12-221., return (available for one year) 24-401.; second cabin 7-8l. The Germanic and Britannic are at present the largest vessels of this line, but two fine new steamers, the Majestic and Teutonic, will very soon be added to the White Star fleet. London office, 34 Leadenhall Street, E.C.

American Steamship Company. From Philadelphia to Liverpool every Thursday, and from Liverpool to Philadelphia every Wednesday. Cabin 10 to 18gs.; return-ticket 20 to 30gs.; intermediate 61. London office, Keller, Wallis, & Co., 5 and 7 Fenchurch Street, E.C.

North German Lloyd Line. Between New York and Southampton twice weekly; first saloon 16-231., second saloon 101. 10s. and 131. From New Orleans to Southampton, and vice versa, once a month; cabin 155, steerage 40 dollars. The newest and finest boats of this company are the Trave, Lahn, Saale, and Aller. London offices, 5 & 7 Fenchurch Street, E. C., and 32 Cockspur Street, W.C.

National Steamship Company. Steamers from Liverpool and also from London direct to New York every Wednesday. Cabin fare 8-15gs.; returns at reduced rates. From New York to Liverpool every Saturday, and from New York to London weekly. Cabin 50 to 100 dollars. London offices at 36 Leadenhall Street and 57 Charing Cross.

Anchor Line. Steamer between Liverpool and New York monthly. Saloon 12-251.; returns 22-441. Also weekly mail-steamer between New York and Glasgow. Saloon from 9gs., second cabin 6gs., steerage 41. London address, Henderson Brothers, 18 Leadenhall Street, E. C., and 8 Regent Street, S. W.

Allan Line. From Liverpool every Thursday to Halifax and Portland, and every alternate Tuesday to St. John's, Halifax, and Baltimore. Saloon 10-18gs.; intermediate 6gs. London address, 103 Leadenhall Street. Also to New York weekly (Wilson Hill Line). Guion Line. Weekly steamers between New York and Liverpool. Cabin fare 10-251.; children under 12 years, half-fare. London office, 5 Waterloo Place.

State Line. Weekly steamers between New York and Glasgow. Saloon 6 to 8gs.

Dominion Line. Weekly steamers from Liverpool to Halifax and Portland; fortnightly from and to Bristol. Saloon 10-15gs.; intermediate 6gs. London address, Sewell & Crowther, 18 Cockspur Street, W.C.

Monarch Line. Regular communication between London and New York. Saloon 12 or 15gs.; second cabin 7gs.; steerage 41. 5s. Office, 6 Fenchurch Avenue, E.C.

Great Western Steamship Line. Regular communication between Bristol and New York, and Bristol and Montreal. Saloon 12gs.; return 21gs.

The average duration of the passage across the Atlantic is 7-10 days. The best time for crossing is in summer. Passengers should pack clothing and other necessaries for the voyage in small boxes or portmanteaus, such as can lie easily in the cabin, as all bulky luggage is stowed away in the hold. State-room trunks should not exceed 3 ft. in length, 2 ft. in breadth, and 11/2 ft. in height. Dress for the voyage should be of a plain and serviceable description, and it is advisable, even in midsummer, to be provided with warm clothing. A deck-chair, which may be purchased at the dock or on the steamer before sailing (from 7s. upwards), is a luxury that may almost be called a necessary. It may be left in charge of the Steamship Co.'s agents until the return-journey. On going on board, the traveller should apply to the purser or chief steward for seats at table, as the same seats are retained throughout the voyage. It is usual to give a fee of 10s. (21/2 dollars) to the table-steward and to the state-room steward, and small gratuities are also expected by the boot-cleaner, the bath-steward, etc. The state-room steward should not be 'tipped' until he has brought all the passenger's small baggage safely on to the landing-stage or tender.

Landing at Liverpool is generally effected with the aid of a steamtender, to which passengers and luggage are transferred from the Transatlantic steamer. The passengers remain in a large waiting-room until all the baggage has been placed in the custom-house shed. Here the owner will find his property expeditiously by looking for the initial of his surname on the wall. The examination is generally soon over (comp. p. 2). Porters then convey the luggage to a cab (3d. for small articles, 6d. for a large trunk). - Baggage may now be 'expressed' from New York to any city in Europe. Agents of the English railway companies, etc., also meet the steamers on arrival at Liverpool and undertake to 'express' baggage on the American system to any address given by the traveller.

FROM LIVERPOOL TO LONDON, by railway, the traveller may proceed by the line of one of four different companies (202-238 м. according to route, in 41/2-8 hrs.; fares by all trains 29s., 21s. 9d., 16s. 6d.; no second class by Midland Railway). The Midland Railway to St. Pancras runs by Matlock, Derby, and Bedford. The route of the London and North Western Railway (to Euston Square Station) goes viâ Crewe and Rugby. By the Great Western Railway to Paddington we may travel either viâ Chester, Birmingham, Warwick, and Oxford; or via Hereford and Gloucester; or via Worcester. Or, lastly, we may take a train of the Great Northern Rail

way to King's Cross Station, passing Grantham and Peterborough (with a fine cathedral). Should the traveller make up his mind to stay overnight in Liverpool he will find any of the following hotels comfortable: North Western Hotel, Lime Street Station; Adelphi, near Central Station; Grand, Lime Street; Alexandra, Dale Street; Laurence's Temperance Hotel, Clayton Square.

FROM SOUTHAMPTON TO LONDON, by South Western Railway to Waterloo Station (79 M. in 21/3-3 hrs.; fares 15s. 6d., 118., 6s. 6d.). Hotels at Southampton: South Western; Radley's; Royal; Dolphin.

FROM PLYMOUTH TO LONDON, by Great Western Railway to Paddington Station, or by South Western Railway to Waterloo Station (247 M., in 61/2-111/2 hrs.; fares 46s. 6d., 32s. 10d., 18s. 8d.). Hotels at Plymouth: Grand; Duke of Cornwall; Royal; Harvey's; Globe.

For fuller details of these routes, see Baedeker's Great Britain. Routes from England to the Continent. The following are the favourite routes between London and the Continent:

From Dover to Calais thrice a day, in 11/4-13/4 hr.; cabin 8s. 6d., forecabin 6s. 6d. (Railway from London to Dover, or vice versa, in 2-4 hrs.; fares 20s. or 18s. 6d., 15s. or 13s. 6d., 6s. 9d. or 6s. 21/2d.)

From Folkestone to Boulogne, twice a day, in 2-3 hrs.; cabin 8s., forecabin 6s. (Railway from London to Folkestone in 2-4 hrs.; fares same as to Dover, except 3rd class, which is 68.)

From Dover to Ostend, thrice a day, in 3-5 hrs.; cabin 15s., forecabin 10s. From London to Boulogne, 5 times weekly, in 10 hrs.; 10s. or 7s. From London to Ostend, twice a week, in 12 hrs. (6 hrs. at sea): 18s. or 14s.

From London to Calais, twice a week, in 10 hrs.; 12s. or 8s. 6d. From London to Rotterdam, thrice a week, in 18-20 hrs. (9-10 hrs. at sea); 20s. or 16s.

From Harwich to Rotterdam, daily (Sundays excepted), in 11-12 hrs.; railway from London to Harwich in 2-3 hrs. (fares 13s. 3d., 10s., 5s. 111/2d.); fare from London to Rotterdam, 26s. or 15s.

From London to Antwerp, thrice a week, in 16 hrs. (8-9 hrs. of which are on the open sea); 24s. or 16s.

From Harwich to Antwerp, daily (Sundays excepted), in 12-13 hrs. (train from London to Harwich in 2-3 hrs.); 26s. or 15s. (from London).

From Harwich to Hamburg, twice weekly (Wed. & Sat.; train from London in 2-3 hrs.); 22s. 6d., 17s. 6d. (from London 27s. 6d., 25s., 20s.). From London to Bremerhafen, twice a week, in 36-40 hrs.; 21. or 11. From London to Hamburg, five times a week, in 36-40 hrs.; 21. 55. or 11. 9s.

From Queenborough to Flushing, twice daily, in 8 hrs. (5 hrs. at sea); train from London to Queenborough in 11/2 hr., from Flushing to Amsterdam in 6-9 hrs.; through-fare 33s.6d. or 20s. 11d.

From Newhaven to Dieppe, twice daily, in 6-8 hrs.; 16s. or 11s. 6d. (Rail from London to Newhaven, or vice versa, in 2-3 hrs; fares 13s. 9d. or 11s. 3d., 10s. 6d. or 7s. 10d., and 4s. 81/2d.)

On the longer voyages (10 hrs. and upwards), or when special attention has been required, the steward expects a gratuity of 1s. or more, according to circumstances. Food and liquors are supplied on board all the steamboats at fixed charges, but the viands are often not very inviting.

Arrival. Those who arrive in London by water have sometimes to land in small boats. The tariff is 6d. for each person, and 3d. for each trunk. The traveller should take care to select one of the watermen who wear a badge, as they alone are bound by the tariff.