Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1875-10-01
LIVERPOOL LETTER.

I'd IeL-Twelve days on The nne
steam ship Estate Of Pennsylvania
brought us from New York to Glasgow. ..
We had smooth sea, number of agree
able companions. and on the whole
very pleasant voyage, although there are
some discOmJ0rts inseparable from the sea.
At the time when sea-sickness was pre-
Vailing extensively, one of our compa-
ny endeavored to console US by referring
to the time when there should be mo
more sea-" It was unusually hot for two
days in the Gulf Stream. The tempera-
ture of the water itself was 81 deg
which our captain said was deg high
er than he had ever known il before IN
tweniy-six voyages across the Atlantic.
We landed in Glasgow in the rain, and
consequently our first impressions of the
place were not the most favorable. It's
situated on the Clyde. sixty miles or
more from its mouth. As we passed up
the narrow stream, with tug in front
and one in the rear, TO help guide the
monster steamer, 1 wondered that a COM
mercial business of such vast proportions
could have sprung up at such place,
where there are no better harbor accom-
modaiions My wonder, too, is increased
as I see the situation of Liverpool, on the
Mersey Her large vessels can only en-
ter at high tide, and the ebb and flow of
the tides are so rapid and powerful that
the ships cannot remain in the stream,
but must be brought INTO the docks i'm
mediately and the gates closed. The line
of docks extends up and down the river
for about seven miles. What would New
York or Boston do if they had to con-
tend against difficulties like these
The hotel 10 which we mad been "re-
commended" in Glasgow was dingy,
smoky place. quite in keeping with the
rain and mud without. And yet the GER
emonY and formality al the table were
excruciating; and when had done my
best to get a dinner there I was obliged
to go out into the street and buy some
fruit to satisfy the cravings of hunger
We were amused at the extreme precau-
tion against fire which they had adopted
Not finding any means of lighting the
gas in our rooms in the evening, we, in
our ignorance and innocency, rang the
bell and called for some matches. The re-
spouse was in the broad Irish dialect-"It
isn't matches that we get in this house.
They is so dangerous" And so the bus
tling maid brought taper and lighted
the gas, which for protection against being
left in total darkness, we were obliged to
keep burning all night. We availed our
selves of the hospitalities of the place for
one night only, and am happy to say
that we have been more fortunate in our
selections of hotels since
The ride from Glasgow to Liverpool,
and from Liverpool TO London, on the |
fast express trains, is very pleasant at
this season of the year. The whole coun-
try is beautiful, and as we approach with
in hundred miles of London, it seems
like one vast garden. so highly is the |
whole land cultivated We pass many |
large cities and pretty villages. Some of
the manufacturing towns, as Manchester,
Lancaster and Birming ham, seem to b e |
almost buried in smoke, which pours |
fourth from the great number of Chin
MES Liverpool, too, is not far behind in
this respect. Here, even the birds, so far |
as have observed, are all of on e color |
the color of smoke. But beyond the linn
its of these manufacturing towns the |
country is beautiful. and presents very |
attractive appearance.
We wonder what you are doing at
home, in America. For days have ex-
amined the papers to find some American
news, but aside from the money and cot
ton quotations, about the most impor- |
tant items of news have found were
the negro insurrection in Mississippi. and |
of JEFF Davis speech. On The other hand, |
is agitated on some questions of |
local interest. The collision of the Roy
al yacht, Alberta, with the. schooner
Mistletoe, in the Sole Mt, while the Queen
herself was on board the Alberta, has |
created quite sensation. The schooner |
was sunk Immediately, and three persons
lost their lives 1t has been the general |
feeling that there was objectionable neg
lect on hoard the Royal yacht, which LEI |
to the collision, but nevertheless, the |
Court of Inquiry which has been investi
eating the case, rendered its verdict yes
terday, ascribing the collision TO accident.
It, however, accompanies its verdict with
a rider to the effect that the commander
Of the yacht committed an error of judg
ment, and suggests that he had better not
do SO again. This will probably allsy
public feeling somewhat, and the yacht
wi II continue, though, it is hoped, with
some precautions against the occurrence
Of similar accidents in future.
Following closely upon the above was
the collision of the Iron Duke with the
Vanguard, two of Englands heaviest
iropelads. The two ships were accom-
panying each other, but thick fog set
in, SO that they quite lost their bearings
There seems to have been strange neg
lect of the fog signals on the part of both
vessels, and the Iron Duke, steaming at
the rate of seven and half knots, struck
the Vanguard upon the side, iniuring her
20 that she sank In an hour. The London
Times is rather disposed TO look upon
this as an involuntary experiment in ma
val warfare, and derives what comfort it |
can from that view of the case. 1t was
certainly very costly experiment, as the
ships we're valued at about half million |
sterling each-4s 100000 It, however,
showed the power Of the ironclad when
used as q ram, TO sink vessel of equal |
weight with ITSELF. The Iron Duke Yves
not specially constructed for use as a |
ram, and yet she did her work thorough
ly, and without sustaining serious injury |
herself. Doubtless the Vanguard could |
have withstood almost any amount Of
cannonsding from the best guns in use.
but single blow ffom her compeer was
sufficient to sink her in an hour. This
experiment" therefore, may serve to
change the atvla of Rr;tiah yyal uarfara /