[hardwired]

Code:

import java.util.*;
import java.util.List;

public class SearchingTest {
    static String[] items = {
        "London", "Manchester", "Cardiff", "Bristol"
    };
    static List<String> list = Arrays.asList(items);

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        String s = //items[2];
                   "Middlesex";
        int index = search(s, 0);
        String result = (index == -1) ? "not found"
                                      : "found at index " + index;
        System.out.println(s + " is " + result);
    }

    private static int search(String target, int n) {
        if(n > list.size()-1)
            return -1;
        if(list.get(n).equals(target))
            return n;
        else
            return search(target, n+1);
    }
}