The Arkansas banner., 1849-11-27
tfrom the Louisville Journal. Foreign Correspondence. s.
LoNpoN, JnlY. lsl9

LoNDoN, July, lSl9. GENTLEMEN: The Tower is not dependent for in. terest upon its associations alone. Its wide fosse aud embattled fortifcations-its dark and intricate Paseages-its massive oak doors, studded with haze nails, half cOTroded by time-tts gloomy dungeon wall, engraved with the names of those imm red here hundreds of years ago-the chapel In wh oh is mingled the dust of those who su4 4ered oa the fatal greea-and the white Tower. coRiainiag me. scum of armOr and old wesPous--all possess an intrinsic interest of their own.
 The white Tower Is the most ancient portion of the building, and Is the reputed place of confRe. ment of Sir Walter Raleigh. It is a massive quad. ra1guiar building. the walls being fourteen feet thick, and Is surmounted by turret at each In one of It's lower aPsrtaent called the horse ar mcry, is line of equestrian figures armed cap-a-pie, In the armor of the dferen. periods of English his- tory The interest which attaches to these suits of armor. as being curious specimens Of the ancient harness in fashion during the regns of the different Kings is greatly heightened by the fact of most Of them having actually belonged to the soyereigBs and distinguished individuals represented by the differ ent figures. The most ancient of them are two suits of chain armor, one belonging to Norman Crusader, and the other to Edward the First which are nearly six hundred years old. hers man can study the history of armor and ooAere the various changes and alterations which occurred in Its style from the times of the crusaders down to those of James the Second, during whose reign armor finally abolished. The most splendid suits belonged to Henry the Eighth and Charles the First, and 10 the Earl of Leiscesser and Earl of Essex, the rival favorites of Elizabeth. These richly gilt damasked, and nlaid--and that magnificent shit, belonging to work In gold. The horses also have head pieces, and body armor 10 protect the'r aaks The saddles all high peaked and the brides markable for their long sbanks-
 could never before realize the splenGOr of an ancient tournament. I could not picture to myself the magniiceDce of men and horses cased in bur nished steel and glittering gold animation Of the hutteripg ?ennons and waving pumes--the ex. cernent of the neghng steeds aud gisncing lances' heads and the fearful interest, the dreadful sus pense 0. the fipai rush Until visited this avnory could not conceive that any actual scene ever had ever could equal the gorgeous beauty and thrill ling interest of Scotts immortal description of the passage of arms at Ashby. But now feel that grand tournament could borrow no new interest even from the imagination of poet like Scott.
 Along the walls of this room are ranged figures of foot soldiers anu pikemen. fully equipped, which are inteFspersed with occasional military ornaments formed of pistols, swords, and bayoneis The weights of the complete sus of armor varied from eighty to one hundred and twenty pounds. 1 could hut reflect upon the superior endurance of the knights, who not only bore the weight of their hsr in the hottest climates but performed the most Hercuean labors and engaged in the hercest con- tests It was necessary, too, that their war horses
 
 to bear, not only theIr heavily mailed riders, but their own armoT and the activity necessary in tilt ing.
 Queen EIizabeth's aFmory is up stairs, in the room in which Sir altef Raleigh endured his long Imprisonment and a small dark closet built in the wall is still shown as his sleeping apartment. Be- fore entering this, we were shown, among many curious specimens of Eastern and Arinor, a suit of chain armor of ufkish sultan, upon every link of which there was some proveFb from the Koran. The armory itself contains rare collection of arms, used principally in the time of the Queen and her fsiher. Here to be seen halbsrha s~aS- pikes partizans Elaives bilIs poleaxes, bows and many other terrible instruments of ancient warfare, the names of which have been lost. Here are catch. poles, for pulling man from his horse military forks, for cutting brdfes and all sorts of terrible spears, that, when driven into the body, send different blades that tear and mangle the flesh. Here are instruments of tortnre--thum- screws-the scavenger's daughter, that congresses the head arms, and feet into aston nshingiy small compass-and the heavy iron cs;lar of tornent.- Here are all kinds of shields, match lock guns, bat t.e axes sc. And here Is preserved the block used at the execution of Scotch lords, aud the which beheaded Anue BoIeyn. with part of the original handle, now half worm eaten. From the want of weight and peculiar formation of this axe l am longer surprise that it often necessary for the executiouer to hue and hack most horribly his vic- tins before he succeeded In severing the head from
 
 with very short handle, and it possesses little in common with the modern except the name. had always imagined that the used in behesding was in shape and weight like our preseRt broad axe, but such is by no means the case.
 A large portion of the Tower is devoted to the reception of ordnance stores, and the preservation of the sucient records of the country, which are - valuable in throwing light upon it's earlier history Other parts occ ipied by officers and soldiers as l it is now used barracks. water gaze, con necing the wide ditch and the Thames, called Trai. tors gate, through which prisoners were conveyed in bost to the ower, possesses deep i.eiest from .he number of distinguished individuals who passed | led forth to execution. That portion of the Tower which witnessed the splendors of the English was destroyed by fire in l7ss.
 | The Tower since the time of Henry the Third has also been used as depository of the crown jew els. The royai regaa, crowns, orbs, sceptres blazing with diamonds. and precious stones, are truly magnificent, being valued at fifteen millions ! of dollars. There is the ancient imperial crown made for Charles the Second, to replace the by Edward the Confessor, which broken up
 nd sold during the revolution; the prince of aicss crown of plain gold without jewelG the ancient queen crown. set with diamonds of great valae. The queens diadem. made for the consort of James the Second, is adorned with very large dia- monds and is valued at six hundred thousand dol
  mented with precious stones. Ihsre are the swords Of Justice and one of Mercy which is Poiatiess.-- Then there Is the baptsma font of silver gilt, four feet high: The golden sait'cellar of State, which is used at coronation banqaets. Ornamented with diamonds, and Is a model of tho White Tower. The golden eagle. containing at coronaions the anoint- ing oil. and the aaointing spoon of great anti quity. The magnificent State crown made for hsi Majesty Queen Victoria completes this gorgeous display.
 The Queen was crowned in Westminster in an old chair which we saw when we visited the abbey In the bottom of this coronation chair is Inserted the famous Scone stone upon which the ancien, Scottish kings were crowned. This stone was cap tured and brought Into England by Edward the First and has bcsn used at the coronation of all the English kings since Edward the Second. Frequent overtures were made by Scotland for It's restoration but without success splendid robe of scarlet aRd gold Is thrdwn over this curious and venerable chair which at coronations successfully conceals