London

the capital of the United Kingdom and of the British Empire. The name is British, that is to say, Welsh-not English. It means "Pool Hill," having reference to a widening in the Thames convenient for ships, and to a hill, whether the site of the Tower or of St. Paul's Cathedral is uncertain. In the day of the Britons London was but a hamlet of huts-a dry spot among the marshes of the Thames-a suitable place for landing and camping. It is now the most extensive, the most populous, the wealthiest, and the most influential city in the world.