The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1873-08-14
Pho nssEurope.n Correspondence.
LONDON, July q

London, any one would naturally ex.
poet to find very crowded; but through.
out the whole city ara scattered par ks
and public squares, which perfume the
air and add greatly to the city's attrac-
ton. Large sums are voted annually
for their maintenance. The residue
from the actual expenses. which is some.
times more than half, is given to the
Lord OF the Park for his support. The
largest park in London is Hyde Park. It
is exclusively the drive of the nobility
and the fashionables. Every coach which
drives there must be in full livery; no Ii
other parks, as st. James, which is the
resort of the lower class. Here you cah
see everybody, from the sight-sesr to
the Gypsey.
The Bank of England, of which every
ono has heard, is an old granite build
ing, occupying about iour or five acres.
in tho very heart o: the old city. It has
no windows facing the street; the light
is furnished through few openings upon
the courtyard. This is for protection
against those riots which, though few.
are 30 terrible. It is guarded all the
time, and no one is allowed to enter
without passport from one Of the di-
rectors. Opposite the bank, is the Lon
don Exchange. II is not so fine AS the
one ut Liverpool, but, of coufse, moro
frequented. Facing both the Exchange
and the bank. is the Mansion House, the
residence of the Lord Mayor. It is
gloomylooking old house, and would
be better suited for prison than n
home. TIE Lord Mayor is compelled 10
live there, but he manages to drive off
the "blucs" in winter, by balls and ban
fquets. and in the summer, by leaving
it. His salary is about $4,000 q year,
his expenses nearer 100000 But it is
one OF the chief requisites Of candi.
date, that he should be rich enough to
sustain the dignity Of his Office. The
election comes off annually, and gene
rally the Oldest alderman is chosen. II
lie has been free with his money during
his term of Office, and has entertained
we'll, the Queen makes him peer OF the
United Kingdom. The wall which once
surrounded the city proper, has now dis
appeared, all except the old gate. Even
now, when tho Queen wishes to visit
London, she has to wait without until
the Lord Mayor comes to give her the
keys of the city. The gate is unlocked
and she passes on, after returning them.
This, OF course, is only keeping up old
| other times. Monarchy is dying out so
fast here, that the nobility have to keep
up these old customs, to remind the
people that they are not yet republic.
Not far from here is the Old Bailey
and Newgate Prison. The walls are
forty or fifty feet high, and, seemingly
to the eye. they are as strong now us
when they were built. The old oity is
devoted entirely to business; nearly all
the fashionablcn live up town, or what
is called West City. The streets are
always crowded with hacks. cabs or
drays; yet the police arc 30 efficient that
but few accidents ever OCCUR. One Of
the finest improvements of the present
day is the Victoria Embankment Not
long back. the left bank of tho Thames
was mud bank. where the tide left the
filth of the city. Now, they have built
there magnificent granite wall, lighted
up by hundreds of gas-iets. The ground
behind it has been laid out in parks, Or
namented with howcr-beds and shrub
berry. The people are very proud OF it,
and taoy have every reason to be so.
The river is spanned by numerous
bridges, which connect the two parts of
London. The bridges are paved the
Same as the streets. The Waterloo is
said to be the finest stone bridge in the
world, and the Blackfriars the finest
iron one. Tug boats ply up and down
the river every five minutes. and will
take you to any part of the city for o
penny. This is one of the best ways to
get birds-eye view OF London. AS
you pass up the river, you see the
Tower, st. Paul's, Houses OF Parlia neut
aud Westminster Abbey. Charing Cross
Hotel is situated on the river. It is the
handsomest hotel in London, and, next
to the Langham, the most fashionable.
The hotel has erected ine monument
in front Of it to the memory OF Queen
Anne. It is near 100 feet high, aud de-
corated all over with carvings and sta
tues. The hotels here are not as tine as
| ours. In some OF them, they charge
I you for ice water. have been to Sara-
toga, Mag IRA, Capo May and nearly all
the watering places in America, and
have heard the people complaining
against the custom Of feeling walters;
but London surpasses them all. The
walters will not do the least thing, with
ont expecting fee. The habit has be-
come so general, that in some cafes the
servants pay the proprictors to let them
wait on tho guests. An American COM
pany has bought the London Colosseum,
and will soon build regular American
Il