The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1874-09-24
ENGLAND.
The March of Progress in the "mother
Country"

Country."
Cor. Courier-Journal
The notion that Old England is in her
dotage, that her national vigor and en-
terprlse are declining, and that she is
TOO stupidity conservative to follow the
progressive instincts of the times, pre-
walls very largely In the United States
In fact, very few people, except the
travelling element of our po oulation,
regard England with an intelligent eye.
To most Americans she is kind of fos-
sll, an old fegy, stereotyped in all the
old ways, and almost utterly adverse to
Improvements and changes for the bet
ter. After an absence of several years
from her shores, I am sure, from what I
have seen, that the old lady is not only
as young and stronger than ever, but
that there are no signs of approaching
age or feebleness. The travellers first
view of Great Britain is one of the best
and fairest of her material and CONNER
cial strength. Leaving the Irish chan
mel, studded with lighthouses, bell
buoys and other contrivances for the
safe conduct of her vessels, an immense
line of massive docks present its bold
front to the waters. This is a work of
modern time, and marvellous even to
sea-faring eyes. In a few more years,
what is now barren beach at the south
end will be occupied by an extension of
the docks. Such is and viii be the pro-
gress of the country at this point and in
this direction. At other ports of the
kingdom, such as Bristol and London,
great undertakings are to be begun. So
that the recent sensation which has
filed Europe with regard to the designs
of the Russian Bear has not completely
stupefed the maritime senses of Old
England.
The new landing stage, destroyed "A
few days after my arrival, was certainly
an achievement of very high order of
engineering skill, and a proof, among
many others in the same locality, that
the power which made England what
she is, can and will make her still greater
as she grows older.
That portion OF Liverpool bordering
on the Mersey has been, since my last
visit, dozen years ago, so entirely
changed, SO vastly improved as to be as
new as a strange country to me.
London has not been asleep while the
great cities of the world have been
marching on, during the last decade.
Her underground railways, running IN
every direction and to every point,
are simply wonderful. Her old-nar-
row streets are being widened at an
immense cost. The most costly prop
erty in the world is being converted |
into capacious streets, and superb !
structures are everywhere in process of |
erection. The new Victoria street, run |
ming from the Mansion House, is already /
but when finished will be |
still grander. The famous Poultry will |
soon be at least as wide as 6heapside. |
London is also on the alert to get the |
best pavement. Her streets show that |
she has tried everything that has ever
been known. Cheapside AMI many other
streets seem TO succeed finely with the
asphalt, which has been recently laid
On Market, from Fifth to Third, in our
own city. It is interesting to watch
with what ease and precision the i'm
mense traffic of Cheapside is condU cted
Ipon this asphalt pavement. I fire.
luently remarked that it was less slip
Oery than the Nicholson and stone pave
nents. I hope it will prove to be as
3erviceable in Louisville as it is pleasant
md economical as to space in London.
The spirit of progress is as much an
cOnoclast here as elsewhere. The an
,ient and even the famous things must
'ome down and pass away to make room
or the new. The palatial NOrthUmber-
and House, opposite Trafalgar Square,
will shortly fall, and in its place will
Use sundry petty kingdoms, where
princes of n different order will hold
,ourt and drive the car of commerce.
)ne evening I rode through Temple
Bar, from Fleet street, into the Strand.
On the next morning vehicles of every
were prohibited from pass
ng through, as the keystone was loos-
ned and there were sundry ominous
,revices in the center arch. Crowds of
people loitered for days on the Fleet
treet and Strand sides, as if anxious to
De present when the final catastrophe
LrTived.
The danger which threatened demoli-
ion to this old memorial of the city, |
quite lively interest among
he people, and the papers were agitated
With the question, What to do with
t ?" The first impulse with all was to
ave it if possible. If it could not be
upon its present site, they
,uggested that it should be transferred
o one of the parks. Sundry supports
lave been placed under it, and other
epairs have been made, but all of
emporary character, for there is but
title doubt that it will soon be taken
lown and the street made wider,
The Thames embankment is only an
,ther of the numerous demonstrations
which old England is giving continually
hat the power which she is putting
orth TO preserve, magnify and perpetu-
tie herself is at least equal to that by
which the old Britons created her. The
oanks of the Thames were formerly
-ery unsightly places. Now they are
imply grand in their vast proportions
# masonry and the very spacious boule-
ards that now skirt the ancient limits
# the city. But to write of London in
Ter grand march of growth in all that
S substantial and beautiful in prosper
ty requires the space of tones rather
han a newspaper letter. Its vastness
S absolutely bewildering.
saw many of the leading towns of
he provinces which had known very
amiliarly when a boy, and was sur
,rised to find that what I have written
# London is measurably true of them.
Iany narrow streets in prominent local
ties had been widened, and streets of
buildings that had no better service for
he people than their antiquity, had
,een superseded by handsome struct-
res of much private or public Ttility.
The country was srrayed in all the
-lory of an English harvest time. The
resh green hedge rows skirting the
Dads from one end of the island to the
ther, are peculiarly charming. The
and is full of flowers in town and
ountry, so that old England still
looms in her seasons as regularly as
he year rolls round. i
Bathing Children.
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