The Cecil Whig., 1872-12-07
OVER THE OCEAN.
BREsT, France,
Sept. 80, 1872.

BREsT, France,
Sept. 80, 1872.
| Gravesend contains some 10000
this number includes Milton, few years
ago distant village; but now part Of
the town. The river front is about
! two miles in length, has three iron piers
for the accommodation of passengers,
namely: The Terrace, Town, and Rocher.
vile Gardens, famous Holiday resort fol
Londoners, who crowd here in large num-
bers every day during the summer season
The gardens are very pretty and wholly
artificial, the place where they now occupy
was originally chalk quarry, belonging to
a Mr. Roster; joint stock company took
the affair in hand and by immense outlay
and labor, succeeded in creating one of the
prettiest and most agreeable places of resort
in the neighborhood of London. The streets
of the town in most cases are of considera-
Bile length, and contain fine shops and
private dwellings. There are several very
ancient churches considerably modernized;
but the few public buildings have little
striking or remarkable about them. The
business of the town outside the local re-
quirements is exclusively confined to the
river trade, pilotage, SC; in general, YES
sells going up and down take their river
pilot here. The near vicinity of several
military stations gives it now the appear
ance of military garrison, (Tilbury Fort
garrisoned by artillery; on the opposite
bank of the Thames, Milton barracks two
miles, and Chatham, Rochester and Stroud,
the furthest ten miles distant. have always a
large quote of their men on liberty, or
otherwise paradimg the streets, or filling
the rum shops. During our stay we had
lively times of it, most of the men had lib
erty for "a hours, and some for longe,
terms. London being only twenty-seven
miles distant, was largely patronized, this
with the exception of Southampton, bein.
the only place where the language has been
understood. AS general rule, absence
without leave has been the order OF TIL
day, 81 of them forgetting to come bacl
altogether. The total desertions from the
fleet since its arrival in English waters, is
1S5; mostly composed of men belonging t"
the British Isles and unaccnstomed to sea
life. Their loss. however, was easily sup
piled. as their places were filled up by mel
of similar stamp who will, no doubt, re
main until they get tired, and when oppor
tunity occurs they will follow suite. Sew
eral jumped overheard from the Brooklyn,
g of them prisoners) and either swan
ashore or were picked up by shore boats.
One adventurous individual, Dutchman.
wishing to be as economical as possible, and
be provided against rainy day in for
eign country. rigging himself out in a sui
of clothes, heavy sea boots and bag OF
hard tack, committed himself to the arms OF
old father Thames. 1t appears he and his
old friend did not agree long, for shortl,
after getting over the ships side, he com
menced to call out for boat or somebod,
to come to his assistance. Somebody took
him in charge. On getting on board again
he was rewarded by ten days bread and
water. Two points of prime Importance
to me is, what to see and how to see it
Many fine object of interest is lost 70,
want of fine treatment Oft by the observer
The guides abroad understand this, whel
they lead person, blind ways and some
times blind the eye, until they deboucl'
you on the right spot; then look and won
der. have seen Eesuvius crest and era
ter, St. Peters pillars and dome; but non'
of them can vie with London. Above all,
our own America, none can beat her; th'
home of the free and oppressed, of all ma
tions have not seen in all my travels, q
place like home. This is force, and fore,
to-day rules the world of science, and has
always ruled the world of imagination
London with its one hundred and twenty
nights of gala season; you will conceive th'
possible picture of its wonderous festivi-
ties. l wish you could walk into Hyd'
Park on fair August afternoon to make
this imagined W orld real before you. Here
are all it's members and element: Dukes,
Lords and Courtiers, and renowned Colo
nels of the guards Priests and Ministers
of the National church; and Prime Minis
ter of State with their daughters land theil
daughters lap Dogs. The handsome
houses of the nobility that hem this Lon
don pleasure field in on all side; have
seen the Vienna Praeter and the Partisan
Bois d Boulogne; but neither present
scene for fashionable promenade so attrac-
tive as the Hyde Park pathway. l took
my stand at Apsley House, which COM
mands the length of the riding track, and
within an hour the track turned black with
gallant riders. They brake in from every
side and from every entrance way of the
park, singly, in pairs, in hundreds, and
come galloping more than 30 abreast. The
English young lady is trained or coached
to the saddle, where she seems hardly less
at home, than our bright-eyed American
girls in the national rocking chair. 1 have
seen English women mount the widest
Arab horses with fearlessness that would
do credit to the Arabs themselves Speak
ing Independently. Our American girls
would say that the English young lady
lacked social tact and vivacity, land l fully
agree with them. There is any number
of Jews in London, and would seem as if
they had abandoned all ideas of returning
to Palestine, and were content to substi-
tute Londen for Jerusalem. l visited the
tower of London and St. Pauls Cathedral,
and hall never forget my visit. Wher
ever I went was treated with civility.-
The majority of the people took me for a
Frenchman; some looked at me suspicious
ly, probably thinking l was after Napo-
leon, to talk Republic to him.
Red table napkins are coming much
into use in restaurants, and it is suggest
ed as reason that it is because people
used to mistake the white ones for pocket