The government is a limited monarchy

Besides the Queen and the Mi Ministry, which constitute the executive, there are two houses of Parliament. The upper is the House of Lords, the seats in which are hereditary. The lower house, the Commons, which has by far the greater power, is constituted by popular election. As the ministry resigns when its measures fail of support by the Commons, this house is practically the government. The regular army, exclusive of India, numbers (1894) 154.442 of all ranks; the reserves of the regular army, home and colonial, 224,795; the militia and yeomanry volunteers 414.857. The navy in active service comprises a total of 189 ve els; including those out of commi ion and under construction, the total number is increased to 486. The capital is London. Other principal cities are Liverpool, Glasgow, Edinburgh, and Sheffield. G. B. was so called in distinction from Britt any in France. From the union with Scotland, 1707, till that with Ireland, 1801, it was the official designation of the kingdom. Since 1801 the proper style is The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Whole extent of the British Empire, including India and other dependencies, 11,421,100 sq. m.: pop. 381,404,960.