ENGLAND. 89 ENGLAND. bership is divided into factions whose positions are widely divergent cm matters of belief. In recent years the High Church, or Ritualistic fac- tion, which is reactionary in its tendencies, ap proximating the Roman Catholic Church in its extremes, has been most active and aggressive, and has become the dominating element in the Church. The Broad Church, representing an op- posite or liberal tendency in belief and ritualism, though much smaller in its following, has also increased at the expense of the original Low Church. Another feature that is in a way eon nceted with the recent religious movement within the State Church is the increased rate of growth of the Roman Catholic Church, as it is a part of tne general tendency to revert to a more definite dogma and a more elaborate ritualism. It is true, however, that the Catholic Church has for a long time gained, and still gains, much from immigration, particularly that from Ireland. The number of Roman Catholics in England and Wa les at the end of the nineteenth century was esti- mated as over 1,500,000. There are no govern- mental religious statistics from which may be made comparative studies of the different de- nominations ; but the figures here used ( the esti- mates include Wales) are taken from reasonably reliable estimates. From these it is found that among dissenting bodies the Methodists are strongly in the lead, the Wesleyan branch, with 522,933 (1900-01) communicants, exceeding all other forms of Methodism combined, including the Primitive Methodists, Calvinistic Methodists, United Methodist Free Churches. Methodist New Connexion, etc. The Congregationalists and the Baptists, with 398,741 and 346,083 communi- cants respectively, are next in numerical strength, while the Presbyterians, who are so predominant in Scotland, number only 74,541. The Salvation Army has a considerable following, and there is a large number of small denominations, including Bible Christians, Friends, Unitarians, etc. Spe- cial emphasis is placed upon Sunday-school work, the number of scholars claimed by most of the denominations being more than twice the num- ber of their communicants. Throughout England there are 80 synagogues and the Hebrews are estimated at 120,000. Ethnology. The racial history of England covers many thousands of years. Chipped stone implements of the Chellan type have been found in the Thames Valley, associated with bones of elephants, also at Hoxne in Suffolk, in the val- ley of the Ouse, in the Isle of Wight, in the valley of the Avon, and in the caves of Brix- ham , Ken's Hole ( Devonshire ) , of Robin Hood (Derbyshire) , and in Wookey Hole (Somerset- shire). The middle or Mousterian epoch is not fully represented, and fewer still of Magdalenian implements have been found. (See Mortillet, he prehisiorirjiic, Paris, 1900, for summary of explorations.) The earliest race known was long-headed (dolichocephalic), so much so that Boyd Dawkins identified them with the Eskimo. Then followed the man of the Long Barrows, who buried his dead in stone chambers covered with oval mounds. He was low in stature and also long-headed, and some of his descendants are still to be seen in Devonshire and elsewhere. The Round Barrow man, who followed with the use of pottery and metals and burning his dead, was, on the contrary, above the average in height, strong- jawed, and broad-headed (braehycephalic) . Who was this braehycephalic man! Opinion Is divided. Doubt has been expressed as to bis < ie origin, and be has oven been assigned to the noii hern Mongolian or Turanian race. At any rate, a primitive dark people of Celtic speech was latei overlaid by a lighter one. The dawn of written history witnessed the invasions of Teutonic long- heads' and Ilic retiring of the Round Harrow man. The Romans in their conquests changed the biological character of the English but little. Saxon, Dane, Norwegian, and Norman, all long- heads, century after century, pushed the broad- heads into Wales, North Scotland, and Ireland. The largest proporti f the people oi England are now dolichocephalic (index, Tn'T'.i). This uniformity in head form proceeds from two ethnic types — the Mediterranean or Iberian in Spain and the Teutonic in Scandinavia. Con- sult: Keane. Man: Past and Present (Cambridge, 1899); Ripley, Races of Europe (New York, 1899) : and Macnamara, Origin and Character o/' the British People I London. I'.itlO). In the supplement to the last named, under the head "British Isles," will be found an exhaustive list of the many valuable works on the ethnology of England. HISTORY. Of the inhabitants of England before the first century B.C. little is known. In some of the ancient geographers there are a few scattered notices of a rude population, with whom a limited commerce in tin was carried on by the Phoenician merchants; but further than this our information scarcely extends. (See Britannic.e Insula. ) With the two invasions of Julius Caesar, in B.C. 55 and 54, the recorded history of England may be said to begin. It was not until a century later, however, that the Romans made a serious attempt to conquer the island. Between a.d. 43 and 84 they subdued all that portion of the island south of the Firth of Forth, and after that they held possession for over 300 years. The Chris- tian religion was introduced, and the people be- came Roman to a very great extent. During the period of migrations the Romans were compelled, early in the fifth century, to recall the legions from Britain. (See Britannia.) An account of the country during the period intervening be- tween the withdrawal of the Romans and the Norman Conquest will be found under Anglo- Saxons. During the latter half of the reign of Edward the Confessor (1042-06) the Government was actually directed by Harold, son of Earl Godwin; and on the death'of Edward. Harold, although not of the royal line, was chosen king by the nobles and bishops. William, Duke of Normandy, claimed that this election was illegal, and that the crown belonged rightfully to him. He based his claim ( 1 ) on the fact that he was Edward's nearest relative; (2) on an alleged promise of the crown made by Edward; (3) on an oath of sup- port which Harold was said to have given. With the blessing of the Pope and at the head of an army of adventurers. William invaded England in 1066. On October 14th the two rivals engaged in battle at Senlac, near Hastings, and the army of Harold was overthrown and he himself slain. The greater part of the nation was soon wearj of the strife, and on Christmas Day. 1066. William received the crown through election by the Witan. During the next five years the conquest was com- pleted and William was universally recognized.
