The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-08-09

NATIONAL HOTEL Long BRANCH, August Z, lSol'
TM Excitement about Mrs. LincoIas Anticipated ART
ra'-Facs and Specsations achieh Hotel She 'ci
Sdect--ficef Campaigns Generdlly-The Routes to Lang
Brdnch-The Steamboats, and Their Captains-The
Scenery-Long Branch, It's appearance and Its Hoieis-
Amusemefts and Fancy Dress Bau--The Visitors and
he Residents, DC, dc.
Tho announcement in the HERALD Of this morning that
Mrs President Lincoln had selected Long Branch her
summer residence and that she would be holding
her court, like Canute by tho seaside, has created a
great deal OF excitement here and completely ecipsed,
for the time the rival sensations Of masquerade ball
and Sddons readings In with all the watering
places Of the country Long Branch has suffered much
from the pressure Of the times this year few OF the
leading hotels doing comfortable business Out the
le the hustle, the crash and jam which made this resort
rival Saratoga in the good old times are not to DC ioahd
here Imagine, then, the sensation which was pro-
duced by the intelligence that Mrs. Lincoln was about
10 arrive and TO draw hitler all the fashionable world in
her train; that this be the place OF the season.
that whatever might be the fate Of other resorts this
was to have the old animation and gayety restored.
or the first question what hotel will Mrs
Lincoln stop? At her hotel all the crowd wished to be-
That would be sort of wheel within wheel, and have
the greatest and most fashionable of great and fashion
able crowd New Workers thought that she would go to
the Mansion House--their hotel but the Bonifaee Of
that hotel knew nothing Of the matter. Then the
aristocrats selected for her the Metropolitan
which is certainly the largest and most luxu-
rious but landlord of that honse equally In the
dark. In fact, it appeared that Mrs. Lincoln had
engaged rooms anywhere; but the little, busting, eff
cent proprietor Of the National had received hint and
upon that hint he spoke. 1t that time ago
Mrs. Lincoln accepted invitation pass the
at this house. that she would be here by the
August The extraordinary session Of Congress has
detained her in Washington later than she an
ticpated, however, and her visit has had to
be deferred until No letter giving the exact
date Of her arrival has yet been received,
but is daily expected and it is not supposed that
she WILL at this late hour any other hotel than that
which she at first selected So Peters, host expects
the Presidents lady to here and all of us who
here ia state Of delightful anticipation
cordpgy and look down upon the guests OF other hotels
from elevated pazz and our sense of superiority
For my part have idea that the matter will be
settled 50 quietly and imagine that there Is great
hotel quarrels about the Japanese about the Prince Of
Wales, about the Lincoln family in Albany, about
President Lincoln in New York; recalling the nice
diplomacy the tact the enterprise, the secret agents,
the influences brought to bear all sides and from all
quarters, tho numberless letters, &C., &C. am not dis
posed 10 think that the Presidents lady who comes like
Godsend to Long Branch, will be allowed to choose her
hotel uninuenced and unsolicited. During the in
u gene
rally nncyiwll be something too good and spicy for us
to lose.
But an event which creates such excitement here will
not fail to your fashionable world, and people will
be anxious 10 know how to get TO Long Branch, and
what is to be seen here. Long Branch can be
reached by railroad from Philadelphia; but the most
popular route and that by which Mrs. Lincoln will pro-
badly come, is via New York Thence there are two
routes partly by railroad and the other wholly by
watcr-both starting from the foot Of Robinson street.
OF the railroad route say little, but travellers find
the steamboat line sufficiently comfortable speedy and
pleasant If you start in the forenoon you proceed d.
rectiy to Long Branch in steamer named after the
terng place. and captaned by Commodore C0resa regu
lar steamboat man, who Is Indifferent to everything
cept business the comfort Of his passengers No.
he is not indifferent to hattcry, for he has
on board his boat curious sort Of fellow
deck hand something Of that sortwho very often,
to the intense delight of the passengers sings doggcel
in praise Of the captain tuned to negro minstrel
chorus; and sight to the gallant Cofes smiling
bengnanty upon the crowd on those occasions with all
the sweet satisfaction of Roman Emperor receiving q
triumph after victorious campaign-proud but con-
scious Of deserving all the applause.
The afternoon boa-hc Highland Lights Offered by
gentleman Of not less noticeable and enjoyable cha
racter Capt. Parker is small, light built intelli-
gent modest fellow, who fully understands and
think, to look at the man, that he is an
extensive Of steamboats, and real estate, and
of tho shrewdest Of self made business He has
maxim for every time, and he thinks this good time
to buy and bad time to sell land There is whole
volume Of financial wisdom in that sentence and the Cap
tain puts II in practice. His boat IL as good and as
staunch as himself
Well you start from New York in the Highland Light,
and after bestowing little attention upon the motley and
varied crowd Of excursionists, you have leisure
| to sec the fine water scope Of the Bay, the
beautiful views Of the Narrows forts trownng
grmly either Shore and then push out towards Sandy
Hook Thcreabouts the water is rough enough to give
faint and not unpleasant "reminiscences of that great
agaor and instgator of abdominal instruction and
cession-thc nal de Soon after you the Nave
sink Highlands, with Thompson's inviting pavilion,
guarded by twin light houses and there you trans
fcrred little steamer suited the navigation of the
Shrewsbury
separates the river from the ocean, and at the Ocean
House which is built upon this sandy peninsula You have
ake-like waters of the Shrewsbury in front
The little steamer in which you sail appears
to be that in which Fulton made his first voyage and its
captain pilot engineer and deck hand oil comprised
in young but well developed person, who steers the
boat with one hand blows enormous whistle-for
which he paid dear at any price-with the other and
there always plenty these boats that in the
camcst weather, you encounter series Of squalls
all the way down. Drifting along past beautiful
scenery, past fine views, past fisher
mems boats, looking in the setting sunlight like
Golden vessels sailing
Across flaming sea,
You at last arrive at Pleasure Bay and from thence
whrf and scurry Of carriages hard dusty road
brings you TO Long Branch.
The village Of Long Branch proper is situated mile
two back from the Shore and rs called here the
Poic probably because like the poles 1t is seldom visit
ed by any but the original inhabitants The hotel Long
Branch consists of long stragge of well built, piazzed,
porticoed sheds, built along the shore, and called
hotels All OF them front upon the ocean, anu the low
monotonops beating Of the upon the beach is the
constant music Of the place. The hotels all Of the
pattern, and that may be briefly described
improved cattle shed, with verandahs and piazzas and
eupoas and other knc knackeries scattered about in
great order and with great taste They very com
Portable however, and for this dolce far nee sort Of
life are capally contrved All around stretch close cut
green's before, Is dusty road, and beyond that Is the
ocean.
The routine Of life here is eating bathing walking, rid
ing, bowling, bardng, singing, flirting, smoking, dane
ing, drinking and sleeping; and one day is much like
another. Once in while, for vanity's sake, concert
is given at Of the hotels; in while we have
readng-SidGons is here n0w-and once in while ball
Tomorrow night, for example, are to have mas
qucrade and fancy dress ball at this hotel and Phillips the
costumcr, is here to assist in transforming common
folks into princes, queens, monks and foosvcry little
transformation is needed in that character often If the
dancers would only their bathing dresses 1t strikes
that they would be most elactualiy disguised. Such
motley set on the beach Of ane morning
fancy dress ball could equal must try and describe
| them for you somed day.
OF notabites have very few here at present
| and Mrs. Lincoln Will easily eclipse any minor
luminaries. A few Canadian officers are here per-
haps for ball practice they dance we'll The wallacks
and Mrs oey are cottaeing further down the beach,
and have most beautiful little snuggeries all 10 them
| selves. Altogether, however, we manage to keep up
something of the old style and dash Of Long Branch and
when Mrs. Lincoln may be able write you a
fashionable, personal and therefore, interesting
| letter.