Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1859-11-10
LETTER FROM EUROPE
LONDON, THE STRAND, !
June 10. 1859. {
rIo.s0.

49, - -. 1851 -
passing through the great manufac-
turing city os Birmingham, and
through the centre of England.
i Liverpool has comparatively but
little interest TO the tourist The
Docks however are most worthy OF
mention, being wonderful work of
fart. Twelve years we're occupied in
building them; they are seven miles
lin extent; and are a solid mass Of
fstone work, constructed at cost Of
millions of pounds sterling, and afford
perfect security and accommodations
to the vast number Of ships that
trade there from all parts Of the
world. Our route to this place was
lover the richest part Of the country,
which together with the delightful
weather, rendered the ride truly char
ming. June is the most lovely
month Of all the year in which to
visit England. The beauty Of the
country, the perfection of AgricuL
ture and the thorough system Of Rail.
roading far surpasses my expecta-
! tion. The whole of England from
one end to the other is worked and
cultivated like a model garden. II
is curious to see what care and inge-
nuity are displayed upon either side
, Of the Railroad to make the waste
. land both useful aud ornamental
II is cultivated quite up to the bed
of the Rail, presenting to the eye a
succession of potatoe beds, vegeta-
, Jble gardens; tastefullys arranged with
| flower gardens and beds Of strawber-
t RES laden with ripe, delicious fruit
(which one sees the entire route.
In deep excavations the sides are
vailed up, fifty or hundred feet,
with solid stone work, covered with
: clustering vines Of English Ivy.
The speed of English Railroads,
SO far as my observation extends, is
. greater than in the United States
, The Express train passes over the
Road from Liverpool to London in
live hours, oyef,two hundred miles;
more than forty miles per hour incln-
! ding stoppases. Our speed between
, stations was about fifty miles an
-ihour. The track is far superior to
: any ! ever saw in America, and all
the bridges, with everything connect.
led, are made to last Tor -ages.
! 1t can hardly-be expected that the
letters which from time to time | shall
write during my stay on this side Of
the Atlantic, will contain minute
detail Of all / may see and hear; but
!. shall note whatever I may deem
most instructive and amusing.
Our arrival here was, most oppor-
tune. The past week has been
Wbitsuntids Holidays: the gayest
season for London in all the year
4 Its thousand and one places Of re-
sort and amusements have been
crowded to jam. One of the OBJ
Ijects of especial attraction which en-
gagged our attention, il the Great
Eastern or mammoth Steam Ship
! Leviathan. This is the wonder Of
! the age, and the largest vessel that
ever floated in water, not excepting
the large craft built by Noah, The
venerable anti6eluvian. That you
may have some idea Of her capacity
III will give her dimensions. Her
tonnage is twenty-five thousand; her
length six hundred and ninety feet;
| breadth -eignty.tvo feet; depth sixty
feet; extent across the paddle boxes
one hundred and fourteen feet--she
has four decks, ten boilers, one hun.
dred furnaces, ten anchors, snd draws
when loaded, thirty fee: OF water
The weight Of iron used 10 her con-
strnction was ten thousand IONS
! She can stow away eleven thousand
| tons OF coal; enough for censump-
! ton To India or Australia and back.