corner the gin palace raises its brazen front. In the poorest neighborhoods these man-traps most abound. In Bethnal Green, one of the poorest slums of London, a policeman said to the present writer: "From the place where I stand I can count seventeen publichouses." The testimony of experts is that most of the poverty is caused through drink, that when times are good and wages high much of the earnings goes over the bar. Sometimes even in the uttermost depression the donations of charity go the same way, and the greatest care must be exercised to prevent this wilful waste and the woeful want it causes.

When an appeal was made to Canadian generosity last winter to relieve the distress at West Ham hundreds of pairs of boots were bought for poor children. Each of these had to be perforated with four holes and the pawnbrokers warned not to accept any so marked. Even the clothing furnished by the school boards. to the children were indelibly stamped "Loaned " to prevent its being pawned and the proceeds spent in drink.

But this vice, these sad conditions in no way discount the generous character for the sick and suffering, the hungry and the fallen. The following account describes the methods in which these charities are maintained:

London is a mass of humanity, pitchforked together by a seemingly careless fate. Every man is a stranger to his next door neighbor. Yet in no city, so much as in this very heterogeneous London, dces public charity manifest itself on so liberal a scale, or in so many varied forms. Charity in London is, indeed, a business led by royalty, and followed up by the masses.

In

That July is the busy season in the business of providing for the poor, is evident even to the casual eye of the tourist. In the principal streets, banners, just like political banners, are stretched from house to house. the houses of the rich, charity concerts are held almost daily. Bazaars are at that time held in many great public buildings, such as the Crystal Palace and Albert Hall. A dozen fresh-air funds are being applied to

COTTAGES AT THE PRINCESS MARY HOME.

sending children of the tenements to the country and the seaside. Hospitals are making good their annual deficits, and orphanages are raising funds to extend their operations. Princesses are acting as sales women at bazaars, and women of the middle class are passing around linen bags, to be filled with anything you choose to give for the needy.

First of all, I shall show that this wholesale giving to the poor on the part of Londoners is an absolute. necessity; second, that the manner of enlisting public sympathy is not haphazard, but admirably businesslike.

As to the necessity. In this centre of the world's business, there are more abjectly poor people than can be found in all the remainder of Great Britain. The returns for the last week in last June show that 109,494 London paupers received aid during the year. On a single day the number of vagrants relieved was

1,200.

On "Hospital Sunday" an announcement read in the churches showed that the number of patients treated during the year reached the stupendous number of 2,289,578. To take care of all the poor in England and Wales alone last year, the enormous sum of $70,000,000 was spent.

This does not include $3,000,000 for loans. This is at the rate of nearly $2 a head for each person in the population of England. For the poor relief last year the British taxpayer paid the sum of $12,000,000. All the vast remainder of the $70,000,000 for the poor came in the form of voluntary contributions.

Now we turn to the businesslike manner in which the voluntary contributions are raised. It must be remembered that practically all the hospitals, orphanages, homes, relief funds, shelters, rests, etc., are not under state or municipal control, but that these enterprises act independently. Hence the necessity for independent appeals. It is most interesting to note that the principal method of appealing by the various independent institutions is by advertising especially in times of famine or widespread distress. In magazines and newspapers, both religious and secular, I see from day

to day the advertisements of all sorts of charitable enterprises, setting forth their purposes, and appealing for funds urgently needed," or, as they sometimes read, "painfully needed."

The principle of this form of elicit ing public sympathy is that the money spent for advertising yields a far larger return than any other method of appeal, and is therefore not only a practicable business method, but at paying one.

In response to these advertised appeals come not only contributions in the form of mites from those who give of their little all as a Christian duty, but contributions in the form of

A SCRAMBLE FOR SWEETS.

vast sums from Christian philanthropists, many of whom give thus of their plenty while they still live, instead of leaving the money by will. The total of such philanthropic gifts last year exceeded $7,000,000. Baroness Burdett-Coutts, who the other day celebrated her ninetieth birthday, has endowed in the course of her life no fewer than three bishoprics, nine hospitals, four orphanages, five children's homes, six homes for women, and probably a score of charitable institutions of a miscellaneous character. All appeals sent to her for assistance are examined by trained hands, and if their reports are favorable, the help

is sent. I am told that some of the most prized treasures in her home are the gifts of the grateful poor.

The lists of charitable bequests in Whittaker's Almanac for 1904, occupies a whole page, and it includes only gifts of $50,000 or more. Thus gifts pour in for every form of public beneficence in London; for every institution for curing disease, alleviating suffering, relieving the needy, or soothing those who have seen better days.

Most active, in the sense of personal attention and personal gifts, in caring for London's poor, are the

DISTRIBUTION OF BAKED MEATS, AT GUILDHALL, TO LONDON'S POOR.

King and Queen. The King, especially, takes a particular interest in discoveries of a cure for cancer and

tuberculosis; and if ever such cure is discovered, it will be due, in a large measure, to the encouragement he has given to research into the causes of these mysterious diseases. As for the Queen, her name appears as principal patron on at least half of the institutions named in the official list of London charities. She opens fairs, buys from the stalls, makes things to be sold, visits hospitals and homes; and, judging from the course of her daily movements as chronicled in the Court Circular, she certainly gives the most of the hours. of her active day to the poor.

While the Salvation Army Congress was in session the Queen visited one of the halfpenny restaurants conducted by the Army, ate the halfpenny dinner, and said she liked it. It is reported that the King once said that whenever he saw the Queen looking through the newspapers, he knew that she was reading either about a children's home or a hospital; and that the happiest moment of her Majesty's life was when she could discover some new institution for the help of the poor, or for the cure of sick children. The Queen opened the great charity bazaar at Albert Hall, the greatest charity event of the season. She herself was a contributor, not only of money, but of a bookcover which she painted, symbolica. of the volume, The Christian Year, for which it was made. Moreover, the Queen often presents a prayerbook or hymn-book, with the cover worked or painted by herself, to those charitable institutions of which she is patron. The King presided at the anniversary festival of the Orphan Working School, and while chatting with two of the boys who stood behind the royal chair, he said: "I hope you and your friends enjoy the holiday I begged for you."

The Prince and Princess of Wales

tertainment in aid of the Lifeboat Fund. Again, they journeyed far from town to open the new sanatorium in connection with the Hospital for Consumptives. Once more, they very quietly and unostentatiously visited the workmen's dwellings at Westminster. And every time these distinguished visitors appear at an institution, the visit signifies royal approval, and induces funds from Christian England.

After the Prince and Princess of Wales comes the activity of the King's sisters. Foremost among these is the Princess Christian, her favorite institutions being the Royal School of Needlework, the Windsor Nursing Home, the Royal Infant Nursery, the Cripple Boys' Holiday Home, and various fresh air enterprises. Then come two more of the King's sisters, the Princesses Louise and Beatrice. Both have endowed many homes for children and shelters for women, and philanthropy may be said to constitute their lifework. Other members of the