16 MAY 1908, Page 26

The City of London Directory. (W. H. and L. Collingridge.

12s. 6d.)—This is a model directory for completeness and accuracy. The subject, though large, has well-defined limits, and the information wanted is commonly within reach. The map it would be difficult to match. Of the contents, nothing can be compared for interest with the list of City companies. These are given, so to speak, in duplicate ; first there is the list of officials, master-wardens, SW., and then that of liverymen. It is interesting to see how much more the hereditary principle prevails in some companies than in others. Of the 226 liverymen of the Mercers' (a considerable increase, we think, on the number of forty years ago), more than three-fifths are included under thirteen names, of which one numbers as many as thirty-three members. Out of the forty-four names, only seventeen occur singly. In the Merchant Taylors', on the other hand, with its livery of 335, no name reaches double figures, and about 250 are " singles."