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Tous les autras exemplairas originaux sont filmAs en commengant par la pramiAre page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'illustration at en terminant par la derniAre page qui comporte une telle empreinte. Un des symboles suivants apparaftra sur la darnlAre image de cheque microfiche, selon le cas: le symbole — »• signifie "A SUIVRE ", le symbole V signifie "FIN". Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvant Atre filmAs A des taux de rAduction diffArents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour Atre reproduit en un seul clichA, il est filmA A partir de Tangle supArieur gauche, de gauche A droite, et de haut en has. en prenant le nombre d'imagas nAcessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mAthode. 1 2 3 32X 1 2 3 4 5 6 i^ -=5^ 4/ -d. A.^ l/Sl^rx.,^ ^ ««^ TOUR ROUND THE GLOBE. LETTERS TO THE "CITY PRESS/' BY JAMES PERKINS, C.C. LONDON : W. H. AND L. COLLINGRIDGE, CITY PRESS. 1891. ^ ., r... ,,. ., V, . ",« ! -* LONDOK : PKIMTKD BT W. H. AND L. COLLINGRIDOE, ALDEKSGATE STREET, E.C. •n PREFACE. QINCE my return to England, I have been requested by numerous friends to publish the letters contributed to 'he City Press during my tour round the world, in a pamphlet form. I am rejoiced to find that the time I devoted to writing them was not misapplied. It was & source of great pleasure to myself, as it seemed like sitting down and holdinj^ converse with friends whom I lov9 and esteem, but who were yet far off; giving them an account of my wanderings in a plain, homely style, and I am gratified to find that my efforts have been appreciated. JAMES PERKINS. il 90, Lower Thames Street, October, 1891. :l CONTENTS. Letteb I. ft n. »» III. i* IV. f* V. VI. VII. VIII. IX. X. XI. XII. XIII. XIV. XV. XVI. Addenda Port Angeles PAOK 1 4 9 13 16 20 24 28 32 37 40 44 48 52 56 62 66 73 PAGE 1 4 n 13 16 20 24 28 32 37 40 u 48 52 56 62 66 ■;.f0J0 :: A TOUR ROUND THE GLOBE, LETTER I. B.M.S. Empess of Indian February 2%thj 1891, lied Sea. The water of the Red Sea is a dark blue. The day is dull, temperature 80 deg. Fahr., and we are going thirteen knots. We muster nearly 170 passengers, of whom about forty are ladies. The sea is smooth, and only a slight roll, which causes no inconvenience, is the result. We have a numerous company of Americans, Canadians, English, and a very few Germans. We have a splendid ship of 5,700 tons gross, well-officered, destined hereafter to carry the mails between China, Japan, and Vancouver, thence by the Canadian Pacific Railway to the Atlantic border, and thence to Europe. As the railway is about 5,000 miles long, a considerable saving of time will be efiiected. It was by the advice of my medical attendant, who told me a long sea voyage in warm latitudes would restore my health, and probably add ten years to my life, that I took this trip. The advertisements called it *' a trip round the world," the course being from Liverpool to Gibraltar, Marseilles, Naples, Port Said, Suez Canal (with a trip to Cairo for those who cared to visit the Pyramids), Colombo, Penang, Singapore, Hong Kong, Woo Sung, Japan (three ports), Vancouver, across the railway and back to Liverpool by any line of steamers one pleases. We sailed from Liverpool on February 8th, and had a wonderful passage right to Gibraltar, the sea across the B i! s A TOUR ROUND THE GLOBE. dreaded Bay of Biscay being as smooth as a mill-pond. We stayed about eight hours in Gibraltar, just long enough to inspect the fortifications, with about 700 guns in position, from lOO'ton guns down to 64-pounders ; to visit the South Town and Europa point, the English part, the Almeida Gardens, where the troops parade and the bands play, and the more picturesque old town occupied chiefly by Moors and Spaniards. It was our first glimpse of Oriental life. We left in the evening for Marseilles, getting into a galo and cross sea on the Saturday — a gale which convinced us that the ship was not free from those ridiculous antics which vessels indulge in under such circum- stances. The table that day was nearly deserted, and groans and lamentations were heard in the state rooms. The next morning, Sunday, the 15th inst., found us moored in the harbour of Marseilles, where we stayed the whole of Monday, going ashore each day. It is a verj' thriving port, and having visited it several times before I was able to judge of the great advance it has made from a commercial point of view. Drives round the town, to the Prado Chateau d'lf, fortifications, &c., fairly took up our time the two days, sailing again at six p.m. for Naples. Th . . xt day was fine, and the weather continued so until we reached Naples, on Wednesday, at eight a.m. Most of the passengers landed, some to ascend Vesuvius, others to visit Pompeii and Herculaneum ; yet others preferred the quaint old lanes and streets of the old town and the Museum. I spent a considerable time in the room where the Pompeiian relics are kept, and, under the guidance of the curator, had a close inspec- tion of the principal objects. I was struck with a case of passes for a theatre, and felt how true it is that there is nothing new under the sun, for the free passes were represented by skeleton heads carved in bone — and our free visitors to theatres, I need not remind your readers, are known as " deadheads." I have been several times in Naples, but have never seen a flame issuing from Vesuvius — only a column of smoke by day and nothing by night ; and so it was this time. In the evening we sailed for Port Said, and early next morning entered the Sferaits of Messina. Here the sea was smooth, and we had a good view of Messina. Towards noon we cleared the island of Sicily and came into another gale which lasted the remainder of that day and until the next night. How we rolled and pitched ! It was very cold. Again the tables were deserted and the stewards had a pretty good time of it in the various cabins. On Sunday last we entered Port Said at eight a.m., and left LSTTKR I. bj Messrs. Oook's excursion steamer for Ismailia, arriving there at three p.m. Dined — Oh, what a misnomer ! I had the worst meal I ever sat down to, and the charge was 5s. 6d., including a small bottle of Bass. At five p.m, we left by rail for Oairo, arriving there in a little under five hours. A fairly good supper at the Hotel Orient made matters right for the night. The next morning breakfast was served at seven, and at eight we were to leave for the Pyramids. What a curious scene the square in front of the hotel presented, filled as it was with vehicles, the drivers shouting to bo hired as only the Cairo drivers can ! At last we settled down, and then commenced a race for the Pyramids. It took nearly an hour to reach them. I was not overcome or disappointed, for they presented the features so many travellers have described, including the great solemn Sphinx, which is getting somewhat dilapidated, pro- bably from visitors wishing to possess a relic. Probably there was never a day when so many visitors were there together, for nearly all our passengers went, and the scene was most interesting. The fine, athletic Arabs, in their white flowing garments, assisting those who climbed to the top of the Pyra- mids, or visited the Sphinx or the Temple ; the camels and don- keys,with their curiously-attired costumes, produced a picture that will long remain in my memory. We returned as we had gone, but when we reached the Nile Bridge it was open for ship trafiic— kept open from a quarter to twelve till a quarter to two each day. Oh, what a strange medley of people, vehicles, camels, donkeys, had accumulated ! And I could not help think- ing of our new Tower Bridge, and what will be the result, when it is finished, of its being kept open for two hours before until two hours after high water daily, or one third of the twenty- four hours. At last the bridge was closed for water traffic, and land traffic was resumed. The opposing crowds met, and it requiied great skill to regulate the vast number of vehicles going each way ; but it was a sight I would not have missed for anything. In the afternoon rie strolled about the bn'^aars and business streets ; wondered at the variety of the shops and of the goods offered for sale ; contemplated with interest the general pic- turesque nature of this Oriental scene, and the various nation- alities represented ; and considered how different it all was to what we see when in the neighbourhood of our one square mile, and the immense difference to European customs. The next morning a visit to the Citadel, whence a splendid bird's-eye view B 2 fl 4 A TOUR ROUND THE GLOBE. of Cairo is obtained ; a visit to the Mosque of Meheraet Ali built ontiroly of alabaster; the site of the massacre of the ^ranielukos in 1840, and one last drive through the bazaars ended our too short stay in Caii'o. At two p.m. we were in the train for Suez, and by half-past teu safe on board our ship once more. Since then we have been and are now traversing the Red Sea. LETTER II. Hoifo Kong, April 6 died, with a sloping staging to the street. The coffin was on the top stage, and I saw the old gentleman carried ont in a sheet, placed in the coffin, together with sundry things for him to eat, and the necessary implements for that purpose. The coffin was then fastened down, and covered with a gaudy* coloured paU ready to be slid down into the street. In the meantime the band, consisting of gongs, cymbals, pipes, and a few voices, gathered at the foot and made a most discordant noise. There were also several tinsel temples carried on a bier by four men ; several other attendants bore food, including two roast pigs nicely browned. All these men paraded the neigh- bouring streets while the coffin was being prepared. At last it was slid down by twelve men, and when it reached the street was placed at the head of the procession. Following the coffin twelve hired mourners, dressed in white cloaks and hoods, came down, making the most hideous lamentationo. The procession then marched all through the Chinese town. The body was taken to the steamer for Canton, but the other part (>i the pro- cession continued to parade the streets for hours after. Finally, I was informed, the two roast pigs would be divided amongst them, and so the ceremony woidd end. Upon leaving Hong Kong we proceeded to Woosung, sixteen miles from Shanghai, whither we were taken in a steam launch. So far as the European part of the city is concerned, it is well laid out with wide streets, fine hotels, banks, clubs, private houses, and good shops, and a splendid promenade facing the river. The river is wide, and affords good moorings for the largest steamers. It seems to be a flourishing place. It is under the control of English and French police, the European portion being allotted to the two nations ; but the real old Chinese city is a counterpart of Canton — narrow, dirty streets, stinking and repulsive. We left in the evening for Japan, making straight for Nagasaki, which we reached on Sunday, April 12th, finding it en fete. It was a festival for girls, and they were all dressed in their gayest clothing, with artificial flowers of the brightest hues in their black hair, and carrying the well-known Japanese umbrella. This town is beautifully situated in a land-locked harbour of great extent, and surrounded by hills with verdure to the very tops. Sailing again in the evening, we had to pass through the Inland Sea, celebrated for the beauty of its scenery, but which, alas WBis hidden from our view by a dense fog. However, we 10 A T0T7B B0T7in> THE GLOBE. reached Kobe in safety the next morning. This is in an open roadstead, and the place is destined to be the chief port in Japan. The European part is very fine, and the native town is far superior to those of China, the streets being wider, better cared for, and the shops giving a better display. There is a celebrated waterfall, to which we all went in the everlasting nckshas, to which we are now well accustomed. You can hire one for the whole day for one dollar, and the man keeps up a brisk trot as you go from place to place. Of course he gets a rest whilst you are inspecting the shops and buying your curios, or getting lunch at the hotels ; stiU, it must be very hard work. Sailing again in the evening, we made for Yokohama, and all the next day were in a fog, with the horn going at short intervals. Still, we reached the town at the appointed time, the sixteenth morning, and stopped until the next day, leaving at four p.m. Most of our passengers made straight for Tokio, the capital of Japan, and the official residence of the Mikado. It is a large city, but certainly not beautiful. Most of the houses are built of wood, and the streets are wide and admit of the use of horses, but the principal mode of conveyance is the 'ricksha. There is a fine park, and the gardens in it are well laid out. Several temples of great antiquity can be seen, but to me they were uninteresting, being devoid of architectural beauty. It is about eighteen miles from Yokohama, and the train takes one hour to do the journey. The Japanese have copied us in every respect, issuing return tickets, printed both in Japanese and English, that are nipped by the inspectors ; the carriages are similar to ours, and all the arrangement of barriers, platforms, booking offices, retiring rooms for ladies and gentlemen, are the same. Here the Japanese are far ahead of the Chinese. The former encourage railways, of which there are several connecting the various cities, whilst in China there is not a single line, a short one that was laid down a few years ago between Shanghai and Woosung having been destroyed by the superstition of the people, who hate the barbarians, as they call us, and all their works. The wonder is that the Chinese Government has invested in gun-boats and war steamers of European construction, driven by steam, for the protection of their coasts. Contrasting the two nations, I must give the preference to the Japanese. They are polite to a degree to Europeans, and very clean, the baths being well patronized. Whether sea, fresh, or natural springs, aU bathe in the same tank — ^men, women, and children. If a European pays for r I ^?^ ^^^^^^^^ ii'. LBTTIB in. 11 # i entrance he is shown to the same tank, and, like the natives, can leave his clothes on the seat aud pop in. If, however, he objects, and asks for a private bath, he is shown into a small room, in which is a large tub — a woman fills it, arranges the heat to your liking, and waits to wash you. If you say you do not require her services, she is at a loss to know the reason why, and stops in the room to render assistance in case it may be required all the while you are taking your bath, and this without the slightest feeling of impropriety or lack of modesty. ** Me washee your back" said the woman to me when I tried the experiment, and many other passengers gave me a similar account. In fact, they have no idea of modesty in our sense of it, and the two sexes meet at the baths in a state of nudity without the least hesitation. A visit to Osaki and Kioto was interesting, as we were ad- mitted to the various manufactories and saw the patient labours of the workers. One man was engaged upon a small Satsuma vase, inlaying the pottery with silver and gold wire ; he was making a circle, and six times he was dissatisfied with the result ; the seventh time he succeeded in doing the work to his satisfaction. It frequently takes months to complete a small article, and one piece that we saw had occupied two years of one man's labour, the result being a work ex art valued at one hundred pounds. In some workshops we saw the women em- broidering silk with gold and silver thread, to be used for screens or to make up as dresses. Machinery has not as yet entered into the manufacture of these goods — all are produced by hand. The Japanese are copying European fashions in dress, in politics, in newspapers, in most things. There were Houses of Parliament in Tokio a few months ago, but they were destroyed by fire, either from accident or design, the latter sus- pected by the officials; they are, however, being replaced by buildmgs of stone instead of wood. As we visited the various places, both in China and Japan, we could not help thinking what ravages a large fire would make, as the natives' shops and houses are nearly all of wood. Speaking of the Japanese copying European customs, there is one custom that ought at once to be discarded, that of selling their daughters into houses of an improper character. I was assured that the creditors of a father or widowed mother can compel them to sell their daughters, when arrived at a certain age, to the keepers of such houses in order to pay their debts. As the girl has no choice in the matter she submits, and it is I i i i W i2 A TOUB BOUm) THE GLOBE. not deemed any degradation to have lived thus for a period, and in fact they are generally married from such houses. A man pays the debt remaining on her head, marries her, and she is at once rehabilitated into society without a slur upon her character. Many men of high position have chosen their wives from such places. The Japanese women are not vicious by natui'G, on the contrary, they are most affectionate, but they are powerless to break down this dreadful custom of the country. Sooner or later it must be given up if the Japanese wish to rank with European nations. Vancouver, ^^ri^ 29/^. We reached our destination, so far as the Empress of India is concerned, yesterday, at 4 p.m., after twelve days' passage from Yokohama. The first three days were rough, with strong winds ; then we had f oui* days when the ship only rolled ; after that we fell in with a cyclone, and our ship showed us what she could do in pitching and tossing, to the discomfort of many of our pas- sengers who were confined to their berths. There is no necessity to describe the difficulty of eating and drinking, washing and dressing, when the ship roUs to twenty degrees each side and pitches at the same time. During the worst of it, fiddles were put on the tables at meal times to prevent the plates, dishes, etc., rolling off, but despite that the food, and especially the drinks, were capsized. In all, we have travelled 16,396 nautical miles in one steamer, with very little discomfort indeed from rough weather. All the way from Suez to Yokohama the sea was smooth, and it was while crossing the Pacific (?) Ocean that we suffered most. The Empress of India is certainly a magnificent ship, with a fine promenade deck, twelve feet wide, under the hurricane deck, and much credit is due to Captain Marshall and his officers in their endeavour to promote the happiness and enjoyment of us all. It is her first trip, and henceforth she will trade between Vancouver, Japan and China, and is not likely to take another voyage round the world. mm ■^ kiJi^AJ LETTER IV. 1^ LETTER IV. ^ ^ I) The Baldwin Hotel, San Francisco, Oal., May 7th, 1891. The town of Vancouver is a place of marvellous growth. Seven years ago it was all forest land, and without a single habitation ; but no sooner had the Canadian Pacific Bailroad Company (the word " railway " is unknown in America) settled upon that spot as their terminus on the Pacific, than land surveyors, agents, and builders, hurried to the spot, mapped it out in avenues and streets at right angles, ran up frame buildings, and conmienced business. Four years ago, it was completely destroyed by fii'e ; the inhabitants were houseless, and had to be maintained by the contributions of the neighbouring settlements. In three weeks, the builders were again at work, and this time using granite and brick for the principal stores. The town is lighted by electricity ; electric cars run along its streets, and nearly all the stores use this illuminant instead (f gas. Gas, however, is used to supplement the electric light, should the latter fail in working. Coal of an excellent quality is found within fifty miles, and there is a splendid land-locked harbour with deep water alongside the wharves, so that the largest ships can be accommodated. Many fine hotels have sprung up, and the town in the future will doubtless be one of great importance. The very fact that the Canadian Pacific Bailroad Company intend to send their steamers to Japan and China from Vancouver neces- sarily establishes its prosperity. Still there is much to be done in the way of improvement. At present the side walks are of wood only, and the roadways uneven, and, in wet weather, soft and miry. Rome, however, was not built in a day, and the Corporation, by its Improvement Committee, is steadily urging on flie work of putting the roads in order ; and, before another decade, the town will have a very different appearance. BaUs, concerts, canoe races, torchlight processions round the harbour, and other festivities, were arranged to welcome the arrival of the Empress of India and her passengers, and a grand banquet was given by the local Board of Trade, to which many of us were invited. Perhaps the speeches were too long, and i 14 A TOUB R0X7ND THE GLOBE. possibly too prosy, but the event passed off splendidly, but for one unfortunate incident, viz. : — that when the toast of the health of our gracious Queen was given, the United States Yice-Consul refused to rise, and something like a row appeared to be imminent. However, it cooled down when it was explained that he had never exhibited good manners, and was generally disliked, and so he was let off with only expressions of contempt. Paving well explored the neighbourhood, I took steamer for Victoria, in the island of Vancouver, about sixty miles oft'. Being a smaller vessel by far than the Empress of India^ she took a different channel to the one we came by, and, as a consequence, we were afforded glimpses of surpassing beauty for about five hours, the length of the journey. Victoria boasts a greater antiquity than Vancouver, it being now nearly forty years old. Originally it was a trading port of the Hudson Bay Company, where the Indians brought skins for sale, but it possessed so many advantages that many settlers went there and founded what has now grown into a large place. The streets are well laid out ; there are many handsome stores, with plate glass windows that would not disgrace Regent Street ; of course there are electric lights and electric cars. I was introduced to the Mayor, and when he found I was a member of the Corpora- tion of the City of London, nothing was too good for me. Wo •chatted about municipal subjects, he being desirous of obtaining all the information I could give him ; on the other hand, he was quite as ready to instruct me regarding their ways. He has been Mayor three years in succession, and appears to be so popular that he will probably be Mayor for many years to come. Besides the Town Council, there are a Provincial Legislature and a House of Deputies, working together in the best possible harmony. The climate is much the same as that of England — never very cold nor very warm. The scenery all round is very beautiful ; in the far distance are the snow-clad hills of the Olympus range, and a grand view of Mount Baker, eighty miles off, rearing its head just as Mont Blanc does in France. I was driven all round for some four hours to all the finest nooks, bays, inlets, woods, &c., that my friend could think of, and I could only say that, if I had to seek some other home than London, I could not choose a better than Victoria. Just to show how small the world is after aU, I may mention that I had a letter from a London friend to a firm in Victoria, HeBfiTfl. Beeton, Turner, & Co. This I presented, and was «' i LETTER IT. 15 r r 1 r a, ^k e n i warmly welcomed, and taken to Mr. Beaton's private honse to luncheon. During luncheon, a gentleman called to take him for a drive, and I went also. During the drive, I said I was going to San Diego, and he asked me whom I was going to see. I said an old colleague of mine, Mr. Joseph Surr. '' What, do you know him ? Why, when I was in London our families were very intimate, and only last autumn he called here to see me." And Mrs. Beeton added, ** When you see him, ask if he remembers a dog rushing out from the adjoining house and tearing his trousers from instep to knee, and that I sewed it up for him." So here was a fresh bond of union between us, and after the drive I remained to tea and a musical party to follov. . So also in the hotel, a gentleman was introduced to me, and when he heard I was a member of the Corporation, he said, "Then you know Deputy Harvey and the other Common Councilmen for Cripplegate. I was in business there for several years and knew them all " ; and another gentleman, entering into the conversation, told me he knew both my partner and myself, having been in the firm of Smith, Sundius, and Co., ship- brokers, and had come over, hearing there was a " boom " in steam shipping ; but whether he had found it or not he did not say; his occupation, however, at the present time is manager of a newspaper, the Seattle Intelligencer. Close by Victoria is the harbour of Esquimault, now the head- quarters, with dry dock, dockyard, etc., of our navy. A gun- boat, the Ni/mphy was in dry dock under repairs. I could have lingered here for a much longer time, but I had to say farewell, and take my passage on board the Umatilla for San Francisco, a trip of 750 mUes on the Pacific Ocean. And once again let me say that it is not quite the proper name, for the sea was not pacific, but rough in the extreme. It was pitiable to see how the poor women and children, aye, and men too, suffered for two days, many not taking any food. It appeared that the ship was somewhat given to rolling, and this trip she had only a light cargo, so she had it all her own way, and right merrily did she play at pitch and roll. On the evening of the third day, a thick fog came on, the sea went down, and the remainder of the journey was less troublesome. We reach&d the port during the night, and at six a.m. the doctor and Custom House officials came on board, the former to see that our health was good — for if anyone had shown a sign of infectious disease we should have been put in quarantine — and the second to see that we did not smuggle anything into the United States 16 A TOUR ROnn) THE GLOBE. without paying the frightful duties that now prevail under the MoKinley Act. Fortunately I passed both ordeals, as I was in excellent health, and had with me no goods upon which duty had to be paid. So here I am in what was the El Dorado, so far as gold-finding was concerned, not so many years ago, but was then a lawless, fearful place to live in. It has now become a vast, beautiful city, renowned all the world over; but my impressions concerning it must be left for another letter. \ in: . IJ» LETTER V. The Baldwin Hotel, San Francisco, May Ibth, 1891. I HAVE been eight days in California, and from what I have seen I do not wonder at its being known as " Golden," whether it applies to cornfields, orchards, vineyards, olives, orange groves, or to the amount of push, and energy, and life, exhibited in all its cities, and especially in this. To think that fifty years ago it was waste and barren land, except such missionary stations as were founded by the Spanish Franciscans to teach the Indians ; that the finding of gold in large quantities caused the country to be inundated by the scum of all nations ; that for years life was held of little account, and that men shot each other for mere whims of temper ; that after a long lapse of time given up to lawlessness and riot, a better state of things opened up ; the tilling of the ground succeeded to the search for gold, and now the wealth of California obtained from the cultivation of land far surpasses that produced by the precious metal. The growth of such cities as San Francisco and Sacramento attest this truth. I was favoured with a long interview by the Mayor, Mr. Sanderson, and he was as pleased to learn something of the constitution, manners, and customs of our grand old Corporation as I was to be informed of how matters were conducted here. The city and its suburbs for miles around form one county over which is the worshipful Mayor, who is appointed for two years, LETTEB v. 11 and a body of twelve Buperyisors, who fill the position of Aldermen and Oouncilmen. These meet in a splendid large city hall that has been in course of constmction for many years, and is not yet finished. It has accommodation for all the various officers of the municipality, and also for the law courts, whether police, county, first instance, or superior courts. The Mayor was delighted to see a member of the Corporation of the Oity of London, and showed me marked attention, and placed his services at my disposition. Wherever I go I find that the mere announcement of my connection with the dear old City of London is an " Open Sesame," and one can learn more about a city by having a pleasant chat with its Mayor than in any other way. This city is full of bustle and activity ; tramcars, either horse, steam, electric, or cable — for they have them of each sort — traverse the streets incessantly from early morning to the early hours of the next morning. Large and lofty buildings show off the wide streets to great advantage, the ground floors being devoted to shops or stores, and the upper floors in many cases occupied as hotels, or lodging houses and restaurants From the immense number of these feeding establishments, I should think that nobody takes food at home, but makes use of the facilities offered by them of both variety of food and its cheapness. I came to this place for the express purpose of visiting our late colleague, who represented the Ward of Cheap in the Council, Mr. Joseph Surr, who, with his family, is now settled in San Diego, some five hundred miles south of this. When I landed from the steamer which brought me from Victoria, I found letters from him, intimating that he was on his way from San Diego to meet me here, which he did a few hours after- wards. He thought that the six days it would take me to travel to and fro would be so much lost in the way of inter- course, and as my time in these parts was naturally very limited, he very kindly came here, so as to spend all the time I had to spare together. Thus we visited the Golden Gate Park, a large reservation, partly laid out as ornamental gardens, conserva- tories, and all that sort of thing, and the remainder left in a state of nature except for the cutting of good roads, many miles in length, where the cream of society take their airing. Not far off are the Seal Bocks, a cluster of rocks, some fifty yards from the shore, where hundreds of seals disport themselves in the open sea and not in any way endosed. These animals have made these rocks their homes for many years ; they are of a kind I 18 A TOVB BOXTZn) THE QLOBS. whose BkinB are not ased for commerce, and bo they are left alone ; and, besides, they are protected by an order from the authorities, which makes it punishable to kill or molest them. Another favourite opot to visit is the Presidio, or grounds re- served for barracks for the military ; it is on rising ground, from whence a good view of the city and harbour is obtained. "We had a glance in at the Masonic Temple, the Odd Fellows' Hall, the Mechanics' Institute and Library, and the Free Public Library established by the Oorporation. All these places were well built, and seemed to be appreciated, judging from the number of persons using them. Nor is there any dearth of amusements : theatres, concert halls, and variety entertainments, abound in every part of the city, and many large halls are de- voted to fancy fairs, bazaars, and political meetings. To one of the latter I went last night ; it was called by the Democratic party^ and attention was durected to the place of meeting by a huge bonfire at each end of the street, which certainly would not have been permitted by the London Police. The hall was crammed, and a member of Congress, I forget his name, was haranguing the people on the effects of the McKinlay Act upon the working classes, and pointing out the necessity of the party selecting good and true men to represent them in Oongres3, instead of miserable creatures of the McKinlay type. From his description, one would think that the United States was the most down-trodden country in the world, instead of being, as the Americans are so fond of boasting, *^ the freest nation on earth." Two events of late have' caused great excitement here: one being the visit of the President, which took place just before I arrived ; but the Mayor told me it waE a grand function. The second was the burial of General Swift, last Sunday, who died whilst United States Minister to the Oourt of Japan, and whose body was brought here by the steamer Bdgic from Yokohama. About 20,000 military, the Mayor and Corporation, the Masonic, Odd Fellows, and various other bodies, took pari; in the pro- cession, which was one of the finest displays I have ever seen, and testified to the regard in which the deceased gentleman was held. By the courtesy of the Mayor, I was admitted to the privileges of the Bohemian Club during my stay in the city. In the immediate neighbourhood of San Francisco, many large towns are rising. Just across the Bay — a distance of five miles, traversed by large ferry steamers that can take a train, vehicles, animals, and any number of passengers, some- V 1 i ■a* LETTER y. 19 thing like those of the Woodside Ferries, at Liveipool — is Oak- land, a town of 30,000 people, with Alameda close by, with 10,000, and Berkeley, where there is a large and well-known uniyersity, with something like 8,000 more. All these are con- nected by railways, and steam, electric and horse cars. They are laid out in villa residences, and many of the traders have country houses here, so as to avoid the noise and bustle of the larger city. Further out still is Menlo Park, the residence of Mr. Leland Stanford, who, from a position of almost poverty, has risen to be one of the railroad magnates, and was one of the promoters of the Union Pacific Bailway, by which New York and San Francisco joined hands. He thus became enormously wealthy — how much, I am afraid to say, in case I did not say enough — and has become the owner of Menlo Park, containing 18,000 acres. Some few years ago he lost his only son, a promising young lad, and this has induced him to build and endow a university for boys and girls, for higher education than the primary schools afford. It is to be opened next October. I inspected the buildings with great interest ; they are most complete, and the dormitories are better than I have ever seen in any school before. Two students are to occupy one large room, in which are two beds ; a curtain hanging from the ceiling leaves the other half of the room for a nice sitting room. The amount of space allotted to each student is unprecedented. Besides this gift to his fellow-countrymen, Mr. Stanford owns a large stud for the breeding of trotting horses. Over 800 horaes were in the stables, and we were shown the most valuable ; several for which he had refused 50,000 dollars (i.e. £10,000), and many of less value. We saw him drive from the stables to the university buildings, accompanied by the gentleman who is to be the principal master, and they both are constantly super- vising the construction, so that everything may be perfection. But the place that is most talked about is the Hotel Del Monte, close to Monterey, which is about one hundred and thirty nules from this city. The hotel is of itself a palace, and the grounds, of surprising extent, contain a profuision of flowers and trees, a lake of great extent, with all the accessories of a sea-side resort, sea bathing (both in the open sea and in baths), bowling saloons, while the temperature is so mUd — in winter scarcely ever below 51 degrees Fahr. — that bathing goes on all the year round. The place is so attractive, that it is nothing unusual to have 1,500 guests at one time ; in fact, it is a small town in itselL Then, there is a magnificent ride of eighteen 2 I 20 A TOUR ROUND THE GLOBE. miles, right througli the hotel park, through Monterey, an old Spanish town, with its old mission church still in use for service ; along the shores of Monterey Bay, past seal rocks again, just like those at San Francisco, and protected in the same way ; through the primeval forest of oak, cedar, redwood, pine, and Cyprus trees, every fresh turn giving a glimpse of great beauty, and the freshness of the air, in which is mingled the ozone of the sea, with the balmy breezes of the forest, produces a feeling of admiration for the beauties that Nature so bounti- fully provides for this lovely spot. It is almost worth while to cross the Atlantic, if only to visit Del Monte. Another delightful place is Santa Cruz, about half way between Frisco and Monterey, and is much patronized by those who cannot find time to visit the Yosemite valley, for here are some of the big trees for which California is so celebrated. Some of the tree^ are twenty-two feet in diameter, and one has been hoUowed out and made into a room, where twenty people can dine with comfort. San Jos6 and Santa Clara, adjacent places, are well worth seeing, on account of the profusion of flowers to be found on every hand. But time is inexorable, and most reluctantly I have this day seen my dear friend Surr off to his home, and in a few hours I am on my way north, to Portland, in Oregon. By-the-bye, I ought not to omit that last Friday there was a slight shock of earthquake that lasted, perhaps, twenty seconds, but not much notice was taken of it. LETTER VI. Victoria, B.C., May 22ndf 1891. Back again at Victoria. In my last letter I find I have not spoken much of my friend, Mr. Joseph Surr. He still retains all the genial qualities that he had when a member of our Corpor- ation. He has a youthful heart, and a sprightly, impulsive style, with great vigour for a man of his years. He is in appear ance the type of a well-to-do country gentleman, without care of any kind, as well he may, seeing that he has made a large 1 LETTER TI. 21 fortune, and retired from business, devoting his time to the benefit of his fellow-citizens by serving on the Board of Educa- tion. The week I spent with him was one of mutual enjoyment ; and the last evening I was with him we spent the time in looking over my pocket-book, and asking questions about the various Aldermen and Common Councilmen whom he knew ; and he begged me to give to each and all of them his warmest regards. After seeing him off to his distant home, I took my passage by railroad for Portland, in Oregon, in order to see the wondrous range of mountains that commences at Sacramento with Mount Shasta, and continues on either hand all the way to Portland. The first part of the journey up to Sacramento City is performed during the night, that portion passing through an agricultural district void of particular interest. It was in Sacramento valley that the enormous finds of gold took place forty to fifty years ago ; and when that industry fell off, it was found that the soil was so rich that it became a farming and fruit-growing region that has produced almost as much wealth as the yield of gold did, and with this advantage, that whereas the miners were a lawless and violent body of men, it has now become peaceful and law-abiding. The railroad runs alongside the Sacramento Biver tu its source, crossing it eighteen times so as to cut off angles. The road must have been most expensive to make ; it rises in parts to 4,300 feet above the sea level, with very few tunnels. In one place it makes a double S, traversing twenty miles to get only five miles onwards. Down on the banks, at six stations, miners were still at work, with all the contrivances for cradling and washing the sand used in the search for gold, such as we have all read about, their rude huts close by ; and a hard dreary life it must be, with little chance of getting much more than a livelihood, let alone a big fortune. A new industry has opened up in the shape of lumber mills, which are frequent all along tho river, down which the logs are floated where it is Qavigable, or cut up for building purposes where it is not, and sent forward by rail. The whole mountainous district is of volcanic formation. Mount Shasta, with its snow-clad peaks, continues in sight for hours ; on the opposite side are the Castle, or, as sometimes called. Cathedral rocks, because of their fancied resemblance to such buildings. They are inaccessible, barren, and appear like masses of pumice-stone, with the peaks towering high in the air. Then the Three Sisters come into sight ; and so the won- fi^ II : ; m A TOUR ROUND THE GLOBE. drous scenery continnes the whole day till nightfall, when the train descends as rapidly as it ascended, and passes through a le' ^1 country until Portland is reached. At one point during the afternoon, we came to a spur of Mount Shasta, close to the railroad, and from this spur come rushing out of the side several natural soda-water springs. The train stops for five minutes, and a general exodus takes place to take a drink, the knowing-ones being provided with flasks of brandy, or whiskey, in case the water should be too strong ! Portland is a large and populous city of some thirty years' standing. It is on the Willamette Eiver, a branch of the great Columbia Eiver, and its chief industry is flouring mills, as it is the centre of a rich agricultural district. The streets are laid out at right angles, and down each, one, whether going north to south, or east to west, runs a tramcar, driven either by horses, cables, or electricity. The side-walks are mostly of wood, and 80 are many of its houses, but there are many most substantial buildings, either of granite or brick, used as banks, stores, and merchants' offices. The City Park is on an eminence, and, with its gymnasium, affords excellent recreation for the people, as the river does for boating purposes. I called upon the Mayor, who was delighted at meeting a member of our ancient Corporation. He compared notes with me, and showed me every civility, and gave me a drive of twenty miles round the city. I learned that the English people residing there were going to have " high jinks " on May 23rd, on the occasion of Her Majesty's birthday, and I was urged to stay for it, but could not spare the time. My route northward was by rail to Tacoma, and thence by steamer down Puget Sound to Vancouver, so as to take up my tourist ticket for the Atlantic border ; but meeting a friend in Portland who was interested in extending a new township located opposite Victoria, and learning also that Her Majesty s birthday was to be celebrated in a way so grand that I ought not to miss, I varied my plan, and went with him to Tacoma, thence by steamer to Seattle and Port Townsend. These three towns are marked instances of the vitality of the American character. Five years ago, the land that they now occupy was forest land, and, three years back, Seattle was destroyed by fire ; but at the present day they are in the most vigorous condition, each lighted by electricity, with electric cars running through the streets, two or three newspapers, Mayors, Town Councils, and all the usual conditions of places of much older growth. One can scarcely recognize the fact, when looking ft LETTBB VI. 9d at the stately seven or ei^ht-storeyed buildings^ that it has all been accomplished within five years. Paget Sound is a magnificent sheet of water, running for oyer 100 miles into the heart of Washington Territory — one of the recent States added to the American Union. This State, which is larger than the whole of the United Kingdom, is on the western side of the Bocky Mountains — that great ridge that seems like a backbone to North America. It is a fertile region, and as yet but sparsely inhabited; it offers, therefore, great opportunities for development : hence the rapidity with which new townships are founded. Someone discovers a small creek with water-power coming down from the mountains, and forth- with starts a miU for cutting lumber ; he sends for assistance to far-off states, where labour is abundant, and, as the timber is cleared off the land, houses are rapidly built of the wood ; and, behold, a new town is added to the States ! Knowing all this, it was with some curiosity that I visited Port Angeles, situated exactly opposite Victoria, from which it is only sixteen miles distant ; and, of course, they are both the same distance from the Pacific Ocean — say fifty miles. I found Port Angeles to be a natural grand harbour for either refuge or commerce ; and the wonder to me is that it has been neglected 80 long. It appears that its usefulness was first discovered in 1860, by Mr George Smith, who drew the attention of Presiden*; Lincoln's Government to its grand position for a naval station. But the Civil War broke out ; Mr. Smith was drowned by the loss of a steamer outside San Francisco, and the scheme was lost sight of, until his son, Mr. Norman Smith, set to work to vindicate his father's views as to the value of the place, and, having bought the land very cheaply, induced some 400 people, three years ago, to assist him in founding a town on co-operative principles. This association has, at the present time, in land, workshops, houses, wharves, etc., a capital of 500,000 dollars; and the energy with which they have worked and opened up the place has brought about them at the present moment a population of over 4000. It has a Mayor, Town Council, three weekly newspapers, and, within the last few months, electric lights have been instituted for lighting the streets and shops ; the side walks have been planked, and water-pipes, conveying the purest waters from mountain streams, have been laid down aU over the town. The harbour, of which I have spoken, is formed by a natural spur of land, doubtless the result of some volcanic agency in m- ^ '-'^?n'»T 24 A TOUR ROUND THB GLOBE. remote ages, which runs out from the rooks to a distance of two miles from the shore, takes a course eastward for some four miles parallel with the shore, and terminates with a slight turn towards the land. This spur of land is about 1,000 feet wide, and has a lighthouse at its extremity. Very recently twenly large ressels ran into it for safety during a storm. I have taken a great liking to the place, for which I believe there is a grand future ; and although an alien — it is on the American side — I have taken up a block of forty acres, having every con- fidence that before very long it will treble in value at the least. A large amount of English capital is embarked in specu- lations of this kind, and there is ample room for more. Should any of my friends like to follow my example, I shall be pleased to afford them aU the advice and assistance in my power. Victoria is to-day preparing for the fHe of to-morrow — the Queen's birthday. People from all the neighbouring towns are expected in shoals ; indeed, it is expected that a great difficulty will be experienced in housing them all. Last year many folks slept under canvas, roughly put up for shelter, but the climate is so dry that no harm comes of it. Mayor Grant has welcomed me back with great heartiness, and I expect to have a right merry time of it. The hotel in which I am lodging is filled with Mayors, Town Councillors, and other principal personages of the neighbouring towns, and among others is a Mr. Goim- cillor Ferkms of Fort Townsend. I LETTER VII. Victoria, B.C., May 25 a square obelisk of granite, 220 feet liigh, and, of course, a splendid view can be obtained from the top ; but the absence of an elevator was enough to make me decline the ascent, with the thermometer at 90 deg. in the shade, so we drove to the neighbouring town of Cambridge, which appears but a suburb, being continuous with Boston, and only divided by a creek that runs up from the sea. Although a small place, it has a great reputation, being the seat of Harvard University, one of the most celebrated of the educational establishments in America. It was vacation time when I visited it, but I was able to inspect all the main buildings, the statues, the library, and recitation- rooms, to wander in the well-kept gardens, and mentally to compare this university with those of Oxford and Cambridge in my OWE country ; and I could not help feeling that the halo and glory of antiquity were wanting. Close by these classic groves is the home in which Longfellow lived and died ; Elmwood House, the home of James Eussell Lowell, recently ambassador to England ; and, further on, Mount Auburn Cemetery, where rest the remains of Longfellow. The tomb is in the form of a sarcoplaguB of granite, very simple in design, and bears only the word, " Longfellow," and the date. The cemetery is a wonder- ful spot for landscape gardening, being a series of hills and dales, the designer having taken every advantage of the situation. It covers a large surface, and the diversity of vaUey, hill, lake, and trees, is very charming, a fitting resting-place for a great poet. The following stanza from his writings would have been appropriate : — "Dust thou ai*t, to dust retmning, Was not spoken of the soul.* y» The whole city is redolent of recollections both of the War of Iniependence and the Civil War, so there is no fear of the ridng generation remaining in ignorance of the deeds of their ancestors. On every hand are to be found monuments to the fallen heroes, successful generals, and eminent statesmen. Washington, of course, is the most frequent ; Franklin, Everett, Jefferson, Adams, and many others illustrate the first war ; and Grant, Sherman, Sheridan, Jackson, Meade, and many others, Tepresent the Civil War ; and in every park, garden, or open space, these memorials meet your view j in fact you cannot get away from them. There is a large traffic between Boston and New York, and the favourite method is to take the large steamers that sail 40 A TOUR ROUND THE GLOBE. from each place every evening and do the journey during the night. These are very large vessels, like those that frequently illustrate American views. They.are four-deckers, the lowest deck being the dining saloon, the next the deck for embarking and landing ; above is the grand saloon, and above this is a gallery. State rooms are on all the decks, with an outside promenade from fore to aft. A band of music accompanies each steamer, and from five p.m. to seven p.m., and again from eight p.m. to half-past ten p.m. discourse sweet music, both in the popular and classic styles. Sometimes dancing is introduced, and altogether the trip is made very agreeable. Some of your readers may remember a comedy that was on our stage a few years ago, called " Fun on the Bristol^''* that being the name of a celebrated steamer of that date, now superseded by still finer vessels, the Filgrim and Puritan^ fitting names for ships sailing from New England waters. In ordinary times, the steamers carry from 500 to 800 passengers, and in the height of the summei season more than double that number. They are huge, floating hotels, handsomely decorated in white and gold, well carpeted, and having aU the accommodation the most fastidious could desire. LETTER XI. Delaware Water Gap, Pennsylvania, July 20thf 189L On my way to Philadelphia, I went off the line to visi; a fellow-passenger who had gone round the world with me, and keeps a farm at Bordentown, one of the old historic cities of New Jersey. Here I spent four quiet days, recuperating from the fatigues of travel — enjoying the calm serenity of farm life, and the pleasure of partaking of fresh milk and buttei, fresh vegetables, and fruit plucked daily for the table. The country around was diversified by hill, valley, and stream ; the soil was rich, and abundantly repaid the farmer's toil. It really seemed as if I was in the Land of Promise. It was dusk when I arrived, and I was struck with the enormous number of glow- worms and fire-bugs in the hedges and trees, the last-named LETTER XI. 41 S 'being a fly that gives off flashes of electric light every second or so, which has a most peculiar and pleasing effect. In my friend's " huggy" I explored the neighbourhood, visiting other farmers, and being received with that unbounded hospitality accorded by Americans to visitors from the old country. They revel in giving a hearty welcome to such, and they show a great venera- tion for the land from whence their ancestors came. They are eager to learn if any of their old connections are known by their visitor, and listen with interest to the description one can give of particular localities. Many of these farmers are very wealthy men, and you frequently find that they have business engage- ments in the large cities, and carry on the farm more for amuse- ment than profit, although as I have previously hinted, farming in this part of the country pays. Bordentown was selected at a very early date for a settlement ; it is situated on the Delaware river, which is navigable to the ocean, and this perhaps influenced the choice. During the War of Independence, it was the scene of many a hard fought skirmish, and evidence of this is seen in the church of Prospect, which was riddled by cannon shot, two of the holes remaining to this day. It was also chosen as the retreat of the Bonaparte family, when exiled from France after the collapse of its chief member. Joseph Bonaparte, erewhile King of Italy and King of Spain, here bought an estate, built a mansion, kept a yacht on the Delaware, and made a subterraneous tunnel from the mansion to the river side, so as to enable him to escape if danger threatened ; kept up considerable state, and came to be greatly beloved by the inhabitants. Prince Murat, one of Napoleon's dashing cavalry officers, took up his residence near by, and quite a French colony was formed, which is shown by the names of families to this time, although the language has vanished. Joseph Bonaparte lived to see his nephew. Napoleon III., on the throne of France, and returned thither to die. The fact that he was once King of Spain has led the people of New Jersey to be nicknamed by other states, " Spaniards," but that is the only reason, for there is no Spanish element in the place. The estate he occupied has passed into the possession of the Boman Catholics, who maintain it as a retreat for their priests during vacations. Another noted personage still lives here, at Ironsides, the family home of old Commodore Stewart, one of America's heroes, in the person of his daughter, Mrs. Pamell, the aged mother of Charles Stewart PameU, Home Buler, would-be ruler of the 42 A TOUR ROUND THE GLOBE. Irish Party, the husband of divorced Mrs. O'Shea, and the owner of other eccentric qualifications. It is a pleasant and rural retreat on the river's bank, and it is a marvel how the late Miss Fanny Pamell could have imbibed such ultra strong views — such dynamite views, as she was used to uphold — in so peaceful an atmosphere. But human nature is often erratic, and as, according to Carlyle, there are lots of us to be included amongst fools, so it is only charitable to suppose that she was one of the latter, and not really vicious. Near by, in the State of Pennsylvania, is the place where I am writing this, the Delaware Water Gap. It is a little village, much resorted to by New Yorkers, situated in the mountains, celebrated for its scenery, for the purity of the atmosphere, and other life-giving qualities. Here in the summer months they crowd to revel in rustic scenery, mountainous drives, or listen to the cataract — not so magnificent as Niagara, but a respectable one, especially after a few days rain, such as we have had to put up with. Fishing, sailing, or rowing on the Delaware, is within the reach of all, and tends to calm the feverish rush of business life in the States. Asa gentleman remarked just now, of New York : there are two streams of people going in opposite directions, and unless you run with one or the other, you will be simply pushed down and lost sight of. " Hurry up " is the universal motto, and hence the necessity for such retreats as this. Philadelphia, the Quaker City, or the City of Brotherly Love (for it is called by aU these names), is the capital of the State of Pennsylvania, after the name of its founder, William Penn, who left England with a band of followers to escape persecution. It was, and perhaps is, the second city of the States, but Chicago runs it close in the matter of population, and the result of the present census may possibly place it as third. It is a very handsome city, has many stately buildings, a splendid City Hall not yet finished, built in the form of a square, with an immense inner quadrangle, with a public passage through it from north to south and east to west, a dome over the west entrance, and a lofty tower over the east, but not yet completed. The Mayor, Mr. Stewart, was unfortunately absent, but a friend, Mr. Conrad, whom I previously knew, piloted me to the chief places of interest, and refreshed me at his club, the Union League. The old City Hall, known as Independence Hall, for it was within its walls the original Declaration of Independence was drawn up and signed, was our first point, and it was full of LETTER XI. 48 records of that time, with portraits of the men who brought it mainly about. Next, to llie Mint, where now only silver is coined, and the whole operation was shown to us. Then to one of the principal stores, an immense block, where everything is sold from a toothpick to a gold watch ; it is run by Wanna- maker, the present Postmaster-General, and a millionaire. To Girard's CoUege, Carpenter's Hall, the Custom House, the Post Office, a grand marble edifice, the Mercantile Library, the Bidge- way Library, the Academy of Arts, made up a long round of visits, all of a most interesting character ; but the building I most wished to inspect was closed, viz., the Masonic Temple, pro- bably the largest existing home that body possesses in any place in the world. Externally, it is very handsome, and, like most of the buildings I have named, constructed of white marble, with a square tower rising some 200 feet. My friend not being able to spare any more time, I waited upon another gentleman whose acquaintance I made at Del Monte, California, Mi*. Staake, an attorney, who had extracted a promise from me that if ever I visited Philadelphia, I would call upon him. Luckily he was in, and at once ordered his carriage and drove me round the city to take a general view of it, and then wound up with a visit to the celebrated Fairmount Park, said to be the largest city park in the world, embracing a total area of 2,700 acres, being, in one direction nearly fourteen miles long. The Schuylkill river runs a long distance through it, and also the Wissahickon creek, and the combination of these waters with hills and valleys, make up a series of most charming landscapes. Moreover, it has a large number of statues adorning every turn of the paths, a colossal bronze one of Abraham Lincoln being the most notice- able. It was in this park that the great Centenary Exhibition of 1876 was held, and some of the buildings then used still remain, one being the Memorial Hall, now devoted to a permanent art and industrial exhibition, similar to that we have at South Kensington. Another building was presented to the city by the English exhibitors as a token of friendship between the two nations, and is used as the horticultural building. I found the time at my disposal all too short for a visit to such a famous place, but it may tempt me to go there again. 44 A TOUR ROUND THE GLOBE. LETTER XII. Washington, D.C, July 21nd, 1891. Washington, the capital of the United States, the seat of the Federal Government, and the home of the President, is the most handsome city I have met with in the States, and the reason is that it was mapped out and planned before a single house was built or the streets graded. When the site was determined it was in the centre of the then occupied States ; now, of course, by the march of events, which has added the Far West right to the Pacific Ocean within its jurisdiction, it is an eastern city. It is built on a projecting point of land formerly in the State of Maryland, and divided fiom "Virginia by the Potomac River, which bounds it ol two sides. Tie city is a distinct province ; is not included in any uue of the States ; is not subject to the State laws, and foverned solely by tho President andjhis Cabinet; con- sequently ti-9re is neither Mayor nor Corporation, the inhabi- tants have no voting qualification, and it is unique in every respect. Here was a wonderful opportunity for architect and engineer, and they laid out the ground by wide avenr^es and streets crossing them at right angles ; nothing crooked in the arrangement, and aU on the square. They took occasion to re- serve immc "^e spaces for parks and gardens, and probably no other city possesses so many breathing spaces where children can play and older folks can sit and rest in the shade of trees. The principal avenue, named Pennsylvania, is 160 ft. wide, with the Capitol at the eastern end, and the WTiite House at the south-west end; whilst another avenue goes more directly to the west, where, at the extreme point and close to the river, stands George Washington's monument. The Capitol is a huge, elegant building, very similar in appearance to St. Paul's Cathedral, supposing that to have a large extension towards Lud- gate-hill, and another towards the east, where the school used to stand. It is built on an eminence that requires over one hundred steps to reach the ground floor. The centre part is of stone, painted white, but the extensions or wings are of white marble ; it stands in a large open space, and on the eastern front looks on to a large park, whilst the western front looks down towards the White House, seen about a mile and a-half m LETTER Xn. 46 oflf. The avenue between is made up of the principal hotels, stores, various institutions, etc., with horse-cars, omnibuses, buggies, cabs, and all kinds of vehicles passing, and presents a very brilliant picture. The north wing is devoted to the Senate, the south to the House of Bepresentatives, both very fine chambers, with an allotted seat for each member. The Eotunda, under the dome, is adorned by eight large oil paintings repre- senting scenes in the War of Independence, of course, in each instance, with the Americans beating the English, any reverses being kept out of view. A large number of statues adorn the building, representing the most eminent statesmen, generals, and scholars. The length of the whole building is 750 feet, width of Eotunda 96 feet, and the heigli ' of the dome is 307 feet above the base line, and is surmounted by a lantern 52 feet high^ again by a ball, and in turn by a bronze statue of Liberty 19^ feet high. But stop, I am not writing a guide book, simply my impres- sions, but I know these dimensions made a most decided im- pression upon me during a stay of several hours, surveying all the details. The White House, on the other hand, is a mean affair, and no potentate in Europe is so badly housed from a palatial point of view. Very likely it is a pleasant home inside, but it has no garden outside ; unfortunately I could not get a glimpse of the inside, for it was in the hands of contractors — whitewashings painting, papering, and aU that sort of thing — whilst the Presi- dent with his family were taking holiday at his favourite sea- side resort. Cape May. The Washington monument is an obelisk of granite, built up 555 feet high ; an elevator inside hoists the spectator to a height of 500 feet, and there are large windows on each of its east, west, north, and south sides, from which a s^'-^ndid view is ob- tained, the course of the Potomac being traced for many miles. No charge is made for the ascent, for, like all Government buildings in America, it is for the people, belongs to the people, and therefore free to visit. That is one benefit of Bepublican institutions : springing from the people, they belong to the nation, and there is less red-tape than in England. All you want to know is — " Is it a public building ? " And if it is, open the door, march in, walk about, ask for what information you require^ and it is freely accorded. The other public buildings of importance is the United States Treasury, where the gold coinage is stored to meet demands of 46 A TOUR ROUiro THE GLOBE. paper-money ; but, it is a cnrions thing in America, nobody carries gold, they don't like it ; even in the stores they look suspiciously at it-but give them a dirty bit of nasty looking paper, which states that it is good for five dollars, and they receive it without hesitation. In this building is printed all the paper- money and bonds issued by the Government, and when they at last are returned past further use, they are converted into pulp and made up into souvenirs of the place, each piece, which you can buy for a few cents, having formerly represented several thousand dollars. Close by the Treasury is the office of the State, War, and Navy Departments, where models of ships, guns, fortresses, uniforms, and other interesting objects can be inspected ; so also at the Patent Office, where all models of inventions are exhibited. The Post-oflice is a very imposing and vast edifice of white marble, weU suited to the postal necessities of America, and then near by is a new building called the Pension Building, having a vast interior court filled with cupboards to hold the applications and qualifications of those asking for or enjoying a pension by reason of having taken part in the Civil War, or being related to somebody that fell in it. Excepting such persons as are enjoying a pension, I have met very few thoughtful Americans that approve the scheme, describing it as a political machine, leading to extra- vagance and jobbery. The building, however, is very hand- some, built in the Eenaissance style, and is notable for the great use made of terra-cotta for cornices, medallions, and a band of sculpture 1,200 ft. in length, representing an army in campaign assisted by sailors and boats in the navy, the effect being very beautiful. The figures are 3 ft. high, and are on the level of the second floor. Once a year a ball is given here by the President, and the vast floor, 400 ft. by 200 ft., is devoted to dancing. The Department of Agriculture contains a museum, library, herbarium (25,000 kinds of plants), green- houses, with beautifully laid out flower gardens. Close by is the Fish Culture Department, with large aquariums ; and ad- joining is the Smithsonian Institution — a gift to the city by James Smithson, an Englishman, for " increase and diffusion of knowledge among men," which was built in 1847. It con- tains metallurgical, ethnological, and mineralogical collections and curiosities, whilst an annexe contains many objects of art and social interest that were exhibited at the Centennial Exhi- bition, 1876, and the donations of Foreign Governments to the United States. Another gift to the nation is the Corcoran Art BETTER Xn, 47 Oallery, which was given to the people by W. W. Corcoran, banker, who also endowed it with 900,000 dollars. It contains about 200 pictures, many of them of great value, and a large quantity of statuary, foremost of which is Power's Greek Slave. The Navy Yard is a place well worthy of a visit, and much first-rate work is turned out ; some gunboats and torpedo boats were in construction, and a good deal of vigour was manifested in the management. I could easily go on giving descriptions of places that I in- spected, but let the general impression suffice. Washington is avast city for its present population, under 200,000, but is laid out with a view to its becoming much larger ; it wiU always be a " show *' city, not an industrial one ; it has an air of quietude about it vastly different to the rush and turmoil of New York ; to it will flow the art treasures that wealthy Americans are l)rone to bequeath to the nation, and the hero worship of America's idol, George Washington will preserve it for ever as the centre of the Government and of the influence of the States upon the older nations of Europe. No foreigner thinks of coming to this city without paying a visit to Mount Vernon, where are deposited the remains of George Washington. It is about fifteen mUes below the city, on the Virginia side of the Potomac, and is reached by steamers that ply daily. The sail down the river is delightful, and aflbrds excellent views of the country around. The estate was the property of the Washington family for many years, and was inherited by the hero in 1752, and he resided there as much as his warlike career permitted. It is a wood-built mansion, and contains many interesting historical relics, among which is the key of the Bastille presented by General Lafayette, also portions of the military and personal furniture of Washington, with paintings and portraits. The tomb stands in a retired situation near the mansion. It is a plain solid brick structure with an iron gate, through the bars of which can be seen the marble sarcophagi containing the remains of George and Martha Washington, the latter being his wife. The estate was pur- chased from his descendants in 1856, by a ladies' subscription, for 200,000 dollars, and by them presented to the nation as a sacred trust. 48 A TOUB ROUND THE GLOBE. LETTEE XIII. New York, July 29^^, 1891. There are many seaside resorts in the immediate neighbour- hood of New York some account of which may prove interesting. Of these Long Branch is the most aristocratic, if that word may be applied to a country that poses as a Eepublic. It is . situated on the Atlantic coast of New Jersey, about a two hours* railway journey from this place. Here many of the leaders of fashion have built handsome residences, stretching over a length of foui" miles of coast. This was President Garfield's summer home, and here he died after the assassin's fatal shot that cut him off in the full vigour of life and in the midst of his Presi- dential career. Here, too, the Rothschilds ; the Vanderbilts j G. W. Child, the proprietor of the Public Ledger ; Munro, who has made an immense fortune by publishing ten cent, novels ; Otis, manager of Adams's Express Company ; and many other millionaires have palatial residences in park-like grounds. About sixh'ige hotels, with accommodation for from 500 to 1,000 guests each, several clubs, assembly rooms, and splendid drives, make up a most attractive place. Near by are the great Methodist camp-meeting grounds of Ocean Grove and Ashbury Park, which were in full swing when I was there, nearly all the famous names of members of that sect, both male and female, being advertised as speakers. Spring Lake, so called from a spring of fresh water forming a large lake, situated within one hun«ired yards of the sea, is another seaside resort, much patronized by Philadelphians, who find, when the sea is too rough, plenty of boating on the lake ; it is within easy reach — some twenty miles — of Long Branch. Elberon, Seabright, Deal, and Highlands, are similar villages, and all connected by one long beautiful beach drive, many miles in length. Long Island, which runs for 125 miles parallel more or less to the mainland, is full of similar resorts. The indide towards the land forms the Sound, and it is through that channel that the large passenger steamers for Boston pass so as to avoid the open ocean, and many yachting clubs make it their home. On the outer side, and facing the open sea, the first place one comes ( I tBTTEft Xm. 4d 1 to from New Toik is Coney Island, the favourite ^^ace for the lower order of excursionisis. During the seasoit ^i is crowded with visitors, principally in the evening, but more especially on Sundays. Then is the time to see it in all it > gi< >ry ; thousands of people go in for Lathing, others for merry go-rounds, shows of fat women, strong men, three-legged horses, performing dogs, dancing saloons, pistol and rifle galleries, cheap refreshments, and all the " fun of the fair." On a Sunday, when I was induced by a friend to visit this strange sight, I found that in deference to the day, the organs of the merry-go-rounds were grinding out Moody and Sankey tunes, and were "Holding the Fort " with great determination. To those who can remember old Greenwich Fair, this was very like it, only this is held on the sea-shore. About a mile along the coast, you come to Brighton Beach, with a very large and comfortable hotel. This hotel has been Removed back from its former position some 500 feet, on account of the inroad of the sea. The removal was an ingenious piece ei work. The building is of wood, and it was underpinned, and twenty railway bogies put und6r on rails prepared for it ; then by using twenty locomotives the hotel was drawn backward until it stood over the foundation prepared for it, the trucks were gradually withdrawn, and at last it rested on a solid base, and all this without business being stopped. Brighton Boach is far more genteel than Coney Island, and has nothing of a " fair " about it. Another short ride brings you to Manhattan beach, which is awfully proper, with a large hotel, large concert-room, large accommodation for bathing, and a large amphitheatre for those who do not bathe, but like to look on. Adjoining is the Oriental Hotel, and here the crime de la erime congregate and occupy apartments for weeks together. Eow diflferent the behaviour of the people between the Wept-end, where they are of the 'Arry and 'Arriet order, fully enjoying the most boisterous fun, until eleven o'clock drives them to the railway station, on their return home, and at the extreme East where conversatiou is carried on aJmost in a whisper, and to laugh outright would b* considered a deadly sin ! This select body had to be catered for, as to music, with some thought of the sacredness of the day, ^ the programme consisted of a mixture of dance music, Selections from William Tell, selections from the Stabat Mater, and to crown all, Handel's Hallelujal Jhorus. As encores, the band played the various popular airs current in New York. 50 A TOUR ROUND THE GLOBB. Another forty miles alou^ the coast is Roctaway, which is another Coney Island. Up the Sound is another resort that is very attractive and successful. It is called Glen Island. It has been purchased by Mr. Starin, who has made a lot of money by his steamers, which trade to all these places, and has been converted by him into a veritable garden of pleasure. Fine refreshment rooms, large concert and dancing saloons, a first-class zoological garden, with a tiger who is a great attraction, having torn off the arm of its keeper, beautiful flower lawns, picnic grounds, imitations of native villages, waterfalls, rustic bridges, two first-rate bands, and seventeen policemen to keep all in order. It is really wonderful what the energy of one man can do, and in this case it is for the benefit of the public. The run to the island and back is only Is. 8d., and the amusements on the island are put down at a very moderate price. The consequence is that his boats and his island are well patronised, and on Sundays crowded. Another favourite excursion is that of a run by steamer up the Hudson Eiver. The Americans delight to compare it with the Bhine, and perhaps in natural and physical beauty it is equal. There are the same sort of outlines — hiUs on each side — the river itseK winding very much, so that at times it seems bm if there was no further progress to be made, but a sudden turn and you get a fresh vista, novir beauties, new comparisons. But it lacks the ancient and ruined castles, and the legends that cling to them, and so whilst you can and do admit the charming beauty of the river, a reservation is made in favour of the Khine. It has, howev »•, superior breadth, being at one part four miles wide. The romantic character of the river is maintained, up to Newburg, but the navigation continues as far as Albany, where the trip terminates, and the railroad carries you on to Saratoga, and places beyond. The great prison for New York State — Sing-Sing — is about forty miles up, and presents quite a fine appearance from the steamer's deck, and near by is Irvington, the home of that delightful writer, Washington Irving, whose neat little cottage, Sunnyside, is close to the river's bank, embowered with ivy given to Irving by Sir Walter Scott at Abbotsford, and planted by Irvkig himself . About fifty miles from New Y'ork is West Point, where is located the great National Military Academy for the instruction of studeits in the four branches of the service, viz., Engineers, Artillery, Cavalry, and Infantry. It occupies a broad plateaw LETTER XIII. 51 about 175 feet above the river, and is oimilar to our cadet schools at Woolwich or Sandhurst. Each Senator and each Congress- man has a nomination every year to be given to likely young men from the schools in his district, and thus the whole of the United States get a fair share of its advantages. The course of study is for three years, when the students undergo a strict ex- amination as to efficiency in knowledge and health. About two-thirds pass, and are appointed to the army for another period of three years, when they have the option of remaining in the army or of retiring into private life, whilst those who cannot pass go back to their friends, who must find some other employment for them. Tbo steamers that perform this service are very large, usually three-deckers, and very similar to those I have described on the Boston route. They can, and do, carry a large number of per- sons, have a band on board each, and contain a handsome dining saloon. The usual thing with passengers is to land at West Point, have three hours ashore, and then return to New York by the down steamer that left Albany at eight in the morning. At various points along the river, ferry steamers cross to opposite villages. Excursion steamers also run to various points on the banks or islands, and thus the scene is ever new and pleasing. Then ^^ain, there is a railroad on each bank, with a succession of trains rapidly passing and re- passing. A few mUes above West Point, the Catskill !Kfountains rise grandly, and terrace after terrace of hotels, private resi- dences, a d boarding-houses meet the view. Theso moui. tains are largely resorted to in the summer weather, and afford health £^nd exer< ise to the wearied business man. The \ lews around are of he most enchanting character, consisting of winding paths, waterfalls, deep glens, foaming torrents, and ih< ariouH changes in the atmosphere that go to make th aarm of moun1 ain residence. At Sunset Eock, on the summit of South Mountain, at 3,000 feet above the sea, there is a magnificent view. The principal waterfall takes three leaps in its descent, the first of 180 feet, the second 80, and the third 40 feet, and then by a succession of ledges several feet more. There are many other falls almost as fine, and I can heartily recommend any of my colleagues who think of visiting the States not to omit the Catskills. Albany, where the journey by steamer terminates, is a fine city, and is the capital of the State of New York. The new £ 2 52 A TOUR ROUND THE GLOBE. Capitol when completed, which is not likely to be the case lor several years to come, will be the most expensive, and extensive, of all the seats of the State assemblies. What on earth a com- paratively small town, as compared to New York, can want with so grand a house for its legislators, passes my imagina- tion ; one thing is certain, the population is groaning under a heavy taxation to pay for it, and not a few hints are thrown out that perhaps "jobbery" has something to do with it. The town has a history dating two centuries back, and now has a population of something over 100,000 souls. LETTER XIV. *i i New York, July SOth^ 1891. I TRUST I shall not weary your readers if I attempt to give them my impressions of this great city. As everyone knows, it is built on the island of Manhattan, which is an irregular tri- angle in form, with its apex dipping into the sea. Standing at this point — known as the Battery, but now converted into a park, and a most useful conversion too — with your back to the sea, you see before you the termini of the elevated railroad and of the horsecars, for they all concentrate at this spot. From here starts that world-famed thoroughfare, the Broadway, which runs parallel with the Hudson Eiver the whole length of the island, or nearly ten miles long. On the right-hand side is the East river which divides New York from Long Island, and is about a mile wide. Following this side you reach Harlem, about six miles from the Battery, where the elevated railway and horsecars stop. Taking the left-hand side, the boundary is the Hudson River, and the avenue on that side ^uns for nearly sixteen mUes, and ends at the village of Neperan where Spuyten Duyvel creek joins with the Harlem river, and thus makes the Island of Manhattan. For nearly two miles from the Battery, the streets are poor in character and very intricite, and have special names, thus : Canal-street, Houston-street, Franklin- street, etc., and that part represents the old town ; vhen the new 1 LETTER XIY, 53 begins and you find straight avenues before you, numbered from 1 to 1 1 , with Madison-avenue and Lexington-avenue thrown in. Then the cross streets are numbered, beginning with First- street running from river to river, until they reach 125th- street at Harlem, and 159th-street at Fort Washington. Here, where the new town begins, is located the City HaU, built of white marble, and opposite, but with a small garden between, is the Post OflRce, both buildings being of immense size. To the right of these is Printing House Square, where all the great papers have their offices, lofty structures of from eleven to fifteen storeys high ; the New York IVorld has the latter number, and with its gilded dome is quite a landmark wherever you go. The Sun^ Morning Journal^ Tribune^ Herald^ Globe^ Press, and others are to be found here, and day and night this part is always full of traffic. The first, second, and third avenues on the East river side pass through a poor district, and so do the ninth, tenth, and eleventh on the Hudson river side. This state of things seems to apply to all cities alike that have a water-side. It is here that the poorer classes congregate. After passing the City Hall, Broadway puts on its best style, and right up to Madison- square the immense stores add beauty to the road and great vigour to business life. In the vicinity of Union-square and Madison-square, the most celebrated hotels, restaurants, and theatres are to be found. The Hoffinan House, and the Fifth Avenue Hotel form one side of Madison-square, and near by is that luxurious restaurant, Delmonico's, that no one visiting New York should miss, for, although he has four other establish- ments carried on upon the same system, yet this one is the one. New York is well supplied with tho opportunities of refresh- ing the inner man, and of hotels their name is legion. And any attempt to describe, aye, even to name the stores, where every- thing can be bought, would be as futile as tedious, and though I visited several, I was a good deal mystified with the arrange- ments. It seems to me that they are simply crushing out the poor tradesman, who is being driven further and further into the background. Proceeding northwards, soon after passing Madison-square the best residential part of New York is reached, the Fifth-avenue being pre-eminent for the wealth of the inhabitants. The house formerly the residence of Mr. Stewart, the millionaire, whose body was stolen from the grave, is now the Manhattan Club ; the Vanderbilts have three grand houses, and other rich folk here display their wealth. One of the best features of New York id the large Central Park, 54 A TOUR ROUND THE GLOBE. ft: containing 843 acres, which lies between the Fifth and Eighth Avenues. There are ten miles of carriage roads, and thirty miles of footpaths ; it contains five lakes, several museums, and by engineering skill has been transformed into a beautiful recrea- tion ground. There are many splendid churches in New York ; Gracechurch, and Holy Trinity on Broadway, and the cathedral of St. Patrick on Fifth Avenue being the most remarkable. I am giving but a mere outline of what there is to be seen in the city, and do not profess to be writing a guide book ; but I must not omit o le grand feature, the splendid drive along the north river bank, from about Fifty-seventh-street right up to the Spuyten Duyvel creek (or iSpitting Devil), following the undula- tions of the bank right to Riverside Park, the temporary grave of General Grant, which is on a high bluflf, in a grove of trees. Close by his tomb the ground is marked out for the permanent mausoleum, but not a single stone is laid at present, although there was a grand function nearly a year ago when the first sod was turned. Close at hand is the fashionable Claremont Hotel, where we put up to refresh both man and beast, and en- joy a smoke after at the edge of th