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Rh 280 MIDDLESEX ford, proceeds in a westerly direction by way of Hanwell and Cranford to West Drayton ; thence in a northerly direction it follows the valley of the Colne. It passes Uxbridge, and after leaving the county takes its further course by Rickmans worth through Hertfordshire. The Paddington Canal leaves the Grand Junction Canal at Cranford, and passes Northolt, Apperton, Twyford (where it is carried over the Brent by an aqueduct), and Kensal Green. At Paddington it joins the Regent s Canal, which v asses the north of Regent s Park, and after proceeding through the eastern portions of London joins the Thames at Limehouse. The Regent s Canal is joined to the river Lea by means of Sir George Duckett s Canal, and thus there is a through communication from the north-eastern corner of the county to the south-eastern corner, thence from east to west, and northward to the north-west corner. Climate, Soil, Agriculture, dr. The climate of the county is equable and good, and the shelter of the northern hills makes the air mild. Highgate, Hampstead, and some other parts are supposed to be specially healthy, and are recommended for invalids by the medical profession. The heavy poor clay in the north and north-western por tion of Middlesex is chiefly covered with permanent grass. In some parts it has been made fit for arable cultivation by the addition of chalk, lime, and ashes. The rich deposits from the Thames have formed a soil which when well manured is specially suitable for market gardens. From its nearness to London the district has long been famous for high farming, and the divisions devoted to different kinds of farming are well marked. The greater part of Gore and Ossulston hundreds, portions of Spel- thorne and Edmonton hundreds, and a strip down the western side of Elthorne hundred are devoted to meadow and pasture. The arable land is chiefly found on the western side, and between the Great Western Railway and the Thames. It is also to be seen in the north-western district. With the constant increase of London, houses have encroached upon the fields, and most of the market gardens which were situated in the neighbourhood of Islington and Hackney have disappeared. The strip of land by the Thames from Brentford to Chelsea was given up almost entirely to market gardens, but Fulham is fast being built over. According to the returns for 1882, the area occupied by grain and green crops, grass, &c. , was 116,470 acres. Of this amount, 16,337 acres were under corn crops (wheat, 6410; barley, 3083; nuts, 3895; and beans and pease, 2636) ; 13,451 under green crops (including potatoes, 3019; turnips, 1539; mangolds, 1692; cabbage, &c., 1188); 3025 under clover and grasses sown in rotation; and 82,782 under permanent pasture. Orchards occupied 3419 acres; market gardens, 6900; nursery grounds, 447; and woods, 2382. In the same year the horses numbered 5939 (4188 used for agri cultural purposes); cattle, 23,283 (cows, 15,390); sheep, 23,916; and pigs, 12,035. Tho following were the landowners in the county (exclusive of London) at the time of the Domesday survey: the king, the arch bishop of Canterbury, the bishop and canons of London, the abbeys of Westminster and Holy Trinity at Caen, the nunnery of Barking, the Earls Roger and Morton, Geoffrey de Mannevele, Ernulf do Hesding, Walter Fitz Other, Walter de St Walery, Richard Fitz Gilbert, Robert Gernon, Robert Fafiton, Robert Fitz Roselin, Robert Blund, Roger de Rames, William Fitz Ansculf, Edmund do Salisbury, Aubrey de Vere, Ranulf Fitz Ilger, Derman, Countess Judith, and the king s almoners. In 1873, according to the Return of Owners of Land, the total number of owners in the county (also exclusive of London) was 11,881, of whom 9006 owned less than an acre. The extent of lands (including common or waste lands) is given as 145,605. The gross estimated rental was 1,611,655. Sixteen owners each pos sessed over 1000 acres. The crown owned 2382 acres (annual value 5503); the duchy of Lancaster, 2273 acres (4492) ; Ecclesi astical Commissioners, 1308 acres (46,519) ; All Souls College, Oxford, 1813 acres (4724) ; Christ Church, Oxford, 1132 acres (1635) ; and King s College, Cambridge, 10D7 (1084). Many villages of Middlesex, especially those near to London, were formerly famous for their mineral springs. Some places are still supplied with water from wells ; but the Barnet, the East Middlesex, the Grand Junction, the West Middlesex, and the New River Water Companies serve a large part of the county. Manufactures and Trade. There is little to remark with regard to the manufactures of the county outside of London. Brick-making and tile-making have always flourished, and malting, distilling, and soap-making are favourite industries. Gunpowder mills exist at Twickenham and Bedfont. The market-towns for corn are Uxbridge, Brentford, and Staines, for cattle and sheep Southall. A horse and cattle fair is held at South Mimms and Barnet. Raihvays and Roads. As London is the centre of the railway system of England, it is evident that many of the lines must run through Middlesex. For similar reasons it is well provided with roads. Po2)iilation. The total population of Middlesex was 2,539,765 in 1871 and 2,920,485 in 1881, or excluding the seven metropolitan boroughs lying within the county 276,028 in 1871 and 394,089 in 1881. Most of the towns and villages have largely increased during the period between 1871 and 1881 ; the populations of Acton and Tottenham have more than doubled, and Chiswick, Baling, Edmonton, and Willesden have almost doubled. Of the larger places the least increase has been at Brentford, which numbered 10,271 in 1871, and reached 11,808 in 1881. At the time of the Domesday survey the population of Middlesex, exclusive of London, was 2302. Government. Unlike other counties, Middlesex has no high sheriff appointed by the sovereign. It is subject to the City of London, and one of the sheriffs appointed by the lord mayor is sheriff for Middlesex. When Henry I. came to the throne he gave the city an extensive charter, and one of the privileges either granted or confirmed by the king was the perpetual sheriffwick of Middlesex. The whole of the county is included in the diocese of London, and is divided between the archdeaconries of London and Middlesex. When Henry VIII. created the bishopric of Westminster he allotted the whole county (the parish of Fulham alone excepted) for its diocese. Edward VI., however, dissolved the bishopric in the fourth year of his reign. The county is divided into six hundreds, which remain the same as they were at the time of the Domesday survey, except that the name of one has been changed: Ossulston (Osulvestane D. ), Edmon ton (Delmetone D.), Gore (Gara D.), Elthorne (Heletorne or Helethorne D.), Spelthorne (Spelotorne or Spelethorne D. ), Isle- worth (Honeslaw D., i.e., Hounslow). The division into hundreds is now merely a name, and a record of a former system of local government. There are thirty-two poor-law unions, but the unions beyond London are only eight in number, viz., Brentford, Edmonton, Fulham, Hackney, Hampstead, Hendon, Staines, Uxbridge. The majority of hospitals are in London, but there is a training hospital at Tottenham, St John s Hospital at Twickenham, and cottage hospitals at Enfield, Ealing, Hayes, Hillingdon, Sudbury, and Teddington. The Royal India Lunatic Asylum is at Ealing, and the two county asylums at Colney Hatch and Hanwell. The county is within the jurisdiction of the central criminal court and also of the metropolitan police (with the exception of the City). Parliamentary Representation. There are nine constituencies in Middlesex, returning nineteen members, viz., two for the county, four for the City of London, two for each of the boroughs of West minster, Finsbury, Marylebone, the Tower Hamlets, Chelsea, and Hackney, with one for the university of London. In the parliament of 1295 Middlesex was represented by two members ; in 1298 London sent two members as well as the county. For the parliament of 1320 and subsequent parliaments London j elected four members, but it does not appear that all were allowed to sit. From the 15th century, however, the city has always sent ! four members to parliament. In 1547 Westminster first sent her two members, and from that time until 1832 the only seats were those for the county and the two boroughs. In 1832 the boroughs of Finsbury, Marylebone, and Tower Hamlets were added, and in 1866 the boroughs of Chelsea and Hackney and the university of London. History. The district now included in Middlesex was largely occupied by forest up to a comparatively recent period, and its population must always have been very sparse. A few prehistoric remains have been discovered at various times, bones of the elephant, hippopotamus, deer, &c., at Old Brentford, elk horns near Chelsea Hospital, fossil teeth, fish, fruit, &c., at Highgate, and quite recently, in 1879, while the foundations were being dug out for Drummond s New Bank at Charing Cross, a large number of prehistoric animal remains. Flint instruments have also been found to cover a considerable area. During the British period the district is supposed to have been inhabited by the Trinobantes, but