DICTIONARY OF LONDON, 1879. AN UNCONVENTIONAL HANDBOOK. "Mr. Weller's knowledge of London was extensive and peculiar.”-PICKWICK. London: CHARLES DICKENS, "ALL THE YEAR ROUND" OFFICE, 26, WELLINGTON STREET. KC 13794 1884 Nov. 25, Gettos GE. I Tran, C HAR ARD CHARLES DICKENS AND EVANS, GREAT NEW STREET, FETTER LANE, LONDON PREFACE. ALTHOUGH serious consideration has been given to the choice of subjects to be treated in this book, and although earnest endeavours have been made to ensure accuracy, it is too much to hope that complete success can have been achieved in the first edition of so arduous an undertaking. Any corrections of errors which may be observed in the present volume, and any suggestions which may tend to the improvement of its successors, will be gratefully received. I am happy to take this opportunity of expressing my cordial thanks for the courteous and valuable assistance with which I have already been favoured from many official and private quarters. There is one point as to which I am anxious that there should be no misunderstanding. Except in that portion of these pages which is avowedly devoted to advertising purposes, they contain no advertisements A 2 character necessarily involved the mention of names; but every statement and every recommendation made in the Dictionary is put forth either as the result of actual experience, or on perfectly trustworthy authority. No payment has been received, or ever will be received, directly or indirectly, for anything that appears in the body of this book. Whatever is an advertisement will always be honestly put before the public as such. CHARLES DICKENS. DICKENS'S DICTIONARY OF LONDON. A1. This has become a common expression synonymous with perfect or excellent, and passes current, not only wherever the Saxon language is spoken, but throughout nearly the whole of the civilised world. The term comes from Lloyd's, and is used in the register to indicate the character of a vessel, the number at the side showing for how many years she is registered A1, or first class. Thus, a wooden ship of best materials, and inspected from time to time during her progress by a Lloyd's surveyor, may be classed A1 15 years and upwards, though this is practically now the highest point usually attained, owing to the growing taste for iron vessels; while another, constructed perhaps in Nova Scotia or New Brunswick of soft wood, such as pine, will obtain a certificate of only A1 4 years; in all cases the continuance of the right to be described as Ar depending on periodical surveys and adequate repairs. At the expiration of the time originally assigned, the character may be renewed for a term, averaging under the most favourable circumstances about three-fourths of that first allotted, provided that everything required by the surveyor be done to his satisfaction. This renewal may be continued ad infinitum, but as the surveyors' demands would soon amount to a practical reconstruction they are seldom complied with fully more than once or twice, and the vessel after inspection is pronounced eligible only for the "Ar red" class, register-books, graduate from A 1 to A1 and A2, and in some of the northern countries of Europe A is taken as the token. The principal French book, known as the "Veritas," makes 3-3rds the maximum, dropping to 5-6ths and 2-3rds.— (See LLOYD'S.) Academy of Arts (Royal). (See ROYAL ACADEMY.) so called because this character is printed in red ink in Lloyd's book. Many trusty ships are to be found in this category. Inferior to these is Æ, known among underwriters and shipowners as black-dipthong. It includes many a staunch craft, built before the days of scamped work and dummy rivets, but too old for the superior classes. E is the lowest grade, Acton (Middlesex).-Asuburb and is officially defined as fit to on the west side, about five miles carry goods not subject to sea damage on any voyage"; but prac-bridge-rd. It is prettily placed, but past the Marble Arch down Uxtically, when a ship can take no higher rank the owner almost invariably leaves her unclassed; indeed, in the register-book issued about Midsummer, 1878, there are but five vessels with E to their with no very special features, and is being rapidly built over; there being now a continuous line of houses along either side of the road for almost the entire distance. From Paddington or Kensington, G.W.R. (13 min.), 1st, -/9, 1/3; 2nd, 17, -; 3rd, 15. From Victoria and Broad-street, 1st, 1/-, 1/6; 2nd, -/10, 1/2; 3rd, -/7, -/10. Adelphi Theatre, 411, Strand, built 1858; the old house, the most inconvenient and the most popular in London, being pulled down to make way for it. The present building is handsome and roomy, with a large balcony in lieu of dresscircle. The old Adelphi was for years the recognised house of melodrama and screaming farce, but of late it has gone in rather for adaptations from the French, commonly of pieces of the melodramatic type. There is only one entrance-from the Strand-to all parts of the house, except the gallery, the door of which is in Bull Inn-court, but there are additional exits at the right-hand |