The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1870-03-12
The Naval School.
SIR ROBERT EDEN.

The Naval School.
! SIR ROBERT EDEN.
In my last letter mentioned the faet
that the building used as Library by til.
! Naval School was purchased by Sir Robert
Eden for Governors house. This unfor
| tunate Governor who is described as a gen
tleman easy of access. courteous to all
and fascinating by his accomplishments.
landed at Annapolis in the year 116S and
remained until 1116. The last two wears OF
| his official career were not certainly pleas
| ant. The Council of Safety had taken
matters in hand. and there was sentiment
| abroad that was not friendly to royal Gov
erhors In 1916 Governor Eden sailed for
England, leaving considerable estate in
Maryland, which, under the sweeping act
OF $50 was confscatcd as the property of
British subject. In 1S4 he returned 10
Annapolis. i'll company with Sir Henry
Hartford, in the hope of recovering part of
his lost estate. Sir Henry. who had sue
ceeded to the Proprietary Government of
Maryland on the death of his uncle. Lord
Baltimore Frederick, also ment to look
after certain quit rents and other annutie les
guaranteed to him by many deeds patent.
and which had been accommodating during
the war, but he met with very Indifferent
success in his attemps at collection. and
soon returned to England in disgust. leav-
ing Sir Robert Eden in Annapolis. Here
he remained some time, residing in the
house on Shipwright street now owned by
Mrs. Dennis Claude. and attended by a
white servant he had brought with him
from England. His appeal for the restora-
ton of his property was disregarled, and
at length wearid and broken down by his
many reverses of fortunc, in land that
had become hostile to him. and among a
people whom the mighty events of the ten
years Immediately preceding had made his
enemics-alenc, friendless and broken
hearted-he died without a single meurner
at his bedside except his faithful servant.
DENIED GRAVE
At that time the only cemetery in Annap-
oils was the circular lot surrounding st.
AIMS Church. This small space had be-
come crowded with graves. and the city
authorities, shortly before Sir Robert
Eden $ DEATH passed an order prohibiting
burials in this cemetery. A new lot had
been provided on the west side of the city
lthe cite Of TIE present cemetery bat
which was then a rather wild, uninyitinr
spot. The servant asked permission to
bury his master in St. AIMS Cemetery, but
this was not permitted. on account of the
order to the contrary that had been passed.
He was referred to the new cemetery west
Of town, but his soul reyoited at the idea
of committing the body of his master to
'ground that was not holy" The city
authorities remaining firm in their deter
mination to prevent burals in St. AIMS,
the devoted servant carried the mortal re-
mains ofhis master across the Severn river
and buried them i'll a graveyard attached
to the Episcopal church that stood about
three miles from the city on the farm now
owned by Mr.. Winchester Some time
about the beginning of the present century
this church was burned Whatever mem
orials were set up over Sir Robert Eden's
grave have long since disappeared, and no
man now knows the spot where his ashes
repoSe.
MIDsHIPMES's QUARTERS.
The large new building which occupies the
west end Of the enclosure has none of the
mould Of antiquity about it thaving been
erected in 1865 but it is one of the most
substantial structures in the United States
and looks as if it might be a fine subject for
antiquarian admiration thousand wears
hence. 1t cost one hundred and fifty thou
and dollars, and seems to be worth the money.
1t is built of brick, with sandstone trim
mings and slate roof. The length is three
hundred feet. the width is forty feet Four
full stories rise from the first floor. with
finished basement below. Each floor is
traversed by wide hall, except the first.
where the hall runs through the south wing
and stops short at the
DINING ROOM,
Which occupies the first floor of the entire
north wing. No prince could wish a ban
quoting hall more magnicent-onc hum
dred and twenty feet long and forty feet
wide. Sixteen windows admit the day-
light and by night five curiously wrought
chandeliers (the twelve bro -ou RING ,fo,.h
chandelier terminating in a burner diSpel
the darkness. This beautifully painted and
frescoed hall is known by theebcli;tins
name Of "The Mess Room
"LOvELY WOMAN BANIsHED."
lfany Of the fair housekeepers of the
land should ask how this dining room.
which knows not the busy care of woman,
is kept, answer tidy, very tidy. The floor
is waxed and rubbed till it resembles pol
lshed mahogany; the table linen is white
and spetless; the silver shines with a lustrc
suggestive of the furnishing labors of sturdy
arms. Each Midshipman has plated
knife and fork and silver napkin ring. on
which his name is engraved and all of
these are kept free from the least faint of
oxidation.
If any inQuisitive soul wishes to know
upon what these lively young seamcn sab
sist, here is the
BILL OF FARE
For Tuesday, February 9, 1870: