The Sun.
London, England, 1852-11-20 00:00:00

?SE TREASURES OP APSLEY SOUSE.

It can be no injustice to the second Wellington to say'
that for a long time Apsley-house will continue to sug-
gest the idea of one occupant only, and, if his Grace will
permit us to make the observation, we may venture to
remark that he could scarcely act more judiciously than
in encouraging so natural a sentiment, and contributing
by some regulated display of his inherited trophies to the
maintenance of those impressions which have now for
two months past monopolised the minds of Englishmen.
The treasures of Apsley-house are so rich, so rare, so
historical, and yet so eminently personal in their associa-
tions, that they would almost serve to bring the Great
Duke again before our eyes. No such monuments remain
of Napoleon in Paris, of Frederick the Great at Potsdam,
or even of Marlborough at Blenheim. Perhaps the con-
temporaries of Colonel Henry Esmond may have been
able to discern in the ducal mansion of the Churchills
some lively suggestions of Marlborough's victories ; but
in the present day, if such recollections are not carried
to Woodstock-park by the visitor himself, they will
hardly be created by what he sees there. In Apsley-
house every relic, every picture, and every ornament
will speak for years of the very warrior who but this
week was deposited in his tomb. The tales, too, which
they tell are all absolutely national. There is a legend,
of history at every corner. One glittering token sym-
bolizes the gratitude of the whole Portuguese nation, de-
livered from oppression and slavery by Wellesley and his
army in the great Peninsular war. Another embodies the
public acknowledgments of this mighty metropolis to its
protector. A third testifies to the obligations of an Em-
peror ; a fourth to the esteem of a Sovereign. The very
pictures tell of battles gloriously won, of enemies in head-
long rout, of the spoils and prizes of victorious war. A
thousand minor thank-offerings perpetuate the senti-
ments of cities and communities, soldiers and civilians,
princes and people, all over the world. ' Hindoos and
British Indians, field officers and corporations, great
companies and individuals, have all in turn carried their
substantial homage to the house of Wellington. Surely
such memorials of the national hero might be occasion-
ally made visible to the public with gratification on all
sides and risk on none ? It would, indeed, be no more
than a graceful recognition of popular feeling and dis-
cernment if the Duke of Wellington could be induced to
make some exposition of these historical treasures to a
nation which has just shown how truly it can value them.
For, after all, it was not by the troops, nor the music,
nor the blaionry, nor the pomp, nor the cavalcade that
the greatness of Thursday's pageant was really consti-
tuted—it was by the universal and voluntary homage
of an entire people.— Times.

STATE OF THE STREETS (THIS DAY).—This morning
Ludgate-street, Ludgate-hill, and Fleet-street, presented
a most extraordinary appearance in consequence of the
incessant rain during the last two days, which has almost
rendered those thoroughfares impassable for foot passen-
gers, in consequence of the gravel which was laid down
on the carriage-way on Thursday mixing with the rain,
whereby the drains were stopped up in many places, and
the foot-pavement flooded to a very disagreeable extent.
Where are the street orderlies or the scavengers ?
TEMPLE-BAR (THIS DAY).—At an early hour this morn-
ing workmen were to be seen on the upper part of
Temple-bar, Fleet-street, busily employed in removing
ortions of the decorations. The recent heavy rain
has much injured the ornaments and siver work.
THE FUNERAL OF THE DUKE.—Yesterday morning
at an early hour crowds of anxious spectators thronged
the whole line of route which the procession passed on
Thursday, and the city police had considerable difficulty
in keeping a traffic for the vehicles which were constantly
filling the main thoroughfare, and passing to and fro to
all parts of London. At 6 o'clock a great number of
workmen were engaged by the city authorities in remov-
ing the massive timber work and barricades from the
pavement in Ludgate-street, Ludgate-hill, Farringdon-
street, New Bridge-street, and along the line of Fleet-
street to Temple-bar, the vicinity of which was sur-
rounded by men, women, and children, whose attention
appeared to be attracted chiefly to the ancient city gate
and its decorations, The whole of the shopkeepers,
from St. Paul's Cathedral, were engaged during the
morning in carting away timber of various sizes, which
had formed seats, &c., and probably the whole will not
be removed for a week or two. There were several sur-
veyors engagedthe cathedral,
ascertainnthethe
quantitytakinginteriorandotfhe
timbernecessary round
notshmuemeaeosduu trbeeyr
.
mpoertnt t ion
oof
the contractors, which must be done before the
arepadATmEitotF THEedt DUKE'Sthein terißoirßoTfH._theictaits singularhedr.
birthplace and date of birth of som thpblic
atu the
great
an as the
late Duke of Wellington should notl3eexactl
but some light might be thrown on the contradictoryknown;
statements, if it were ascertained whether the entries in
the registers were made according to the old or new
style. The style of reckoning time was altered in 1752 ;
and if the Duke:s birth was registeied on the Ist May
by the new style, and the date of his baptism on the
30th April, old style, it would be a difference of eleven
days, and thus make the date of his baptism by the new
style the 11th of May. There are old people in the Bri-
tish islands, even now, who would reckon it a sin to compute
time by the new style; and as the clergy have been seldom
the first to introduce or adopt any change, it would be
no wonder if one of them entered the date of the Duke's
baptism on the 30th of April instead of the 11th of May,
To THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.—Great Northern Rail-
way, King's-cross, 19th November, 1852.—Sir,—Several
reports having been circulated stating that the Great
Northern Railway has, during the late floods, been ob-
structed, I am instructed by the directors to ask you to
be good, enough to insert in your next number the infor-
mation that the main line and branches of the Great
Northern Railwa have been continuously open, and the
traffic in passengers, goods, &c., conducted in the usual
way.—I am, sir, your faithful servant, Seymour Clarke,
general manager.
MR. ROEBUCK M.E—lt is said that the hon. and
learned member 'for Sheffield is now much better, and
hopes to take his seat ere the great party conflicts com-
mence in the House of Commons next week.
THE LATE FLOODS, HEREFORD, Nov. 19.—The waters
have so far abated that the roads are again dry, and tra-
velling, which for some days had been entirely stopped
(except the mail expresses) has been resumed,