Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1872-07-29
Some sishts London.

iiness, and savage desolatlon.
------s--as-n---- 'iti
1877 Some sights fn London. -
The London Echo recently gave al
, account of visit of Prince Charles Be
naparte to some Of the worst places il
London. Previously to making tn,
visit, the Prince applied TO NJ. Filou
private secretary to the Emperor Ma
poleon, at Chiselhurst for instruction.
how to manage the affair. NJ. Filou ac
\ cordingly requested the well-knowr
dramatist and writer, Mr.. Blanchard
IJerrold, to act as the Prince .eonduc
tor, and that gentleman at once procured
a police escort, and, attended by his
suite and a special reporter-where is il
that special reporters will not go?-the
Prince descended to the internal re-
gions, after the manner of Knas, in
the Kneid. Indeed, there is no
small similarity between the two.
The party proceeded about ten o'clock
at night to that portion of East London
called Whitechapel, notorious for its
squalor and rufiianism, and though they
were the observed of all observers, 2
they penetrated through dark, dirty and
narrow lanes and passages, to the quar-
ters where the regular professional
thieves ard burglars find shelter Some
idea OF the extent of this colony may
be formed from the special reporter 5
statement He says, rents are high in
the locality, and the householders pay
them willingly, as the price of an ines
timable privilege-that of herding to-
hot nf kn, -, al IL q
establishments kept by the receivers of
stolen goods, and the 5000 resorts where
the weary mind may be refreshed after
the labors of the day, and where the con
federates meet without fear Of intrusive
listeners, and plots are Matched and
plumber calculated naln9sqs asuE sd
The reporter is speaking of Londoners,
who are familiar with the extent OF
what is called Whitcchapel, and who
therefore feel no surprise at the above
statement; but foreigners need 10 be
told that the district in which these ten
resorts are publicly open to say nothing
of the filthy dens in which thousands OF
outeasts OF both sexes dwell, extends
over an area of six square miles, and in
cludes the resorts Of sailors along the
north shore of the Thames, from Wad-
ping Old Stairs to the Docks, and from
the river to Bethnal Green. Prince
Bonaparte was introduced into some of |
these thieves kitchens and public |
houses, where it would be dangerous to
90 without an escort of police, and he |
paid the price of his welcome by stand |
ing treat, as is customary when |
'sswells visit such places What his |
were at witnessing this seeth.
ing mass of human depravity are not
old.
The reporter adds: The party visited
Iome Of the cheap theaters and places Of
musical halls and dancing
Ialoons, and we're surprised at the gene
al order and decency which prevailed, a
)roof that there are redeeming points
wen among the most degraded; and it
8 to these points that the. London home
Missionaries are now appealing, in hopes
II resculng some of those outeasts from
be abyss they are in. But after all, it
Vas found that the saturnalia of drunk.
nness and debauchery were at their
eight in Ratcliff highway, thorough
are which plays prominent part iu
dickens novel, Our Mutual Friend
long, narrow, crooked street, bordering
le Thames, and frequented almost en-
rely by sailors, very quarrelsome,
lotley lot, composed of all nationali-
es, and by those who minister to the 4
leasure Of Jack ashore, relieving him '
his money, and occasionally Of his
fe. 80
The Prince and his party there wit %
essed the drinking and the dancing, /,
Ie yelling and the fighting; and what i
llowed is thus described by the re.
orter: Mr.. Jerrold conducted the
lrty, at Prince Charles desire, to the
famous dens in Shadwell, where the
,ium smokers of London collect for the
joyment of their CHASTITY dissipation.
Dom after room, filed with smokers in
fferent stages of stupefaction, until at b.
st the explorers reached the chamber
lere Charles Dickens first conceived
Q idea Of "The Mystery Of Edwin
'ood. The place was exactly as the
velist sketched it. The husband (even
in the terrible nightmare OF De Quin-
y, lay on the bed motionless, the little
ass pipe having fallen from his hand;
d beside him his wife, with pan and
ht and pipe, was extended in the Z
nter of the foul aud ragged bed, still
oking and gazing yacantly at the Wis
rs. A visit to the casual ward at the -
ighboring almshouse concluded the 81
,hts entertainment" being, perhaps,
, most melancholy sight Of all.