The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1876-02-22
FOREIGN LETTER.

FOREIGN LETTER.
The Peasantry of BOulogne-Lon-
don i'm yFinter--Tradesme of the
WOrlf,s Metropolis-Charac
tics Of E0reigners-Sheff and
Manchester, &c.
Correspondence OF the Star. 4
CHESTER, ENG, Feb. A. 1875.
I left Paris after setourn of over.
three weeks. Although under more diff
fculties and perplexities than at other
places, I enjoyed myself more, saw
more, and learned more than I did in
any other large city where was unable.
to speak the language. From Paris 4
went to Boulogne, and stopped over one
day to take look at the place, its grand
cathedral. but more particularly the
features OF the place, the fisheries and
The peasantry.
The port has feet Of nearly four hun
dred fishing boats Of all sizes, averaging
| from three to i've men for each boat, and
with their wives and families will make
a feature in a-commnnity where most OF
their women adhere strictly to the peas
ant costume Of short red skirt, white
apron, white cap worn on the back part
OF the head. with a frill starched and
fluted. which gives to them q wide
spread halo OF glorious beauty, and with
| long golden ornaments attached TO their
ears, beads about their necks, and fancy
belts around their waists; and an open
countenance full OF business and
| mouth full of the fshy vocabulary of
fish market. In one quarter OF the city
the streets are darkened with the nets
| that are hung across the street to dry as
| we do bunting to celebrate The Fourth OF
July.
From Boulogne across the channel
and up the Thames to London, after lay
ing too for six hours in fog at the
mouth of the river, and have been in a
fog most of the time since. London, for
great, large city, has less charm and
fewer attractions for winter lie than
any city that. have seen. In the VIM
ter season 1t is darkened with q thick
cloud of smoke and fog, and a wet, TALL
ing mist overhead, anu streets and side
walks covered with q black, greasy mud
1 that would discount Cincinnati by a
large per cent. for disagreeable weather
and muddy streets. IL is like a city
under a cloud. Theaters are the only
feature of gayety, of which there is a
large number; but most of them are
small, uncomfortable, poorly constructed
| anu lDdu4y COuGSluos Inv
| average of London theaters won't COM
pare with those of Cincinnati for COM
| fort and elegance. Theaters and rail-
road carriages OF all descriptions, in my
| humble opinion, are two OF the most
uncomfortable failures in this country,
| both of which are owned and controlled
| by capitalists, who have their superin-,
| tendents to tyrannize over all below them
through all the gradations down to the
lowest, and they in turn tyrannize over
| all the public.
| But that sort of dealing don't stop
| with the brass-buttoned railroad and all
other brass-mounted officials, but per-
meates and peryades throughout all the
branches Of trade. All shOpkeepers
| throughout the broad extent Of this
| country are the most unciyil in their way
of trying to sell. They seem to think,
and act as for granted, that if you call
and look at an article, you OF course
must and will buy, and proceed to wrap
itup for you, and before you know the
price, which they will withhold from you
not prove to be what you wanted in quail.
lity or style and you express your opin-
ion, they will ignore your Judgment by
1 telling you the most barefaced lies, and
leven abuse and insult you by telling you
that you don't know what you want and
don't want to buy, etc. If dealers in
Il America were to treat customers as
they do in this country they could do no
business, and would in short time
hang upon their walls assignment for
the benefit of ,reditors."
Our country, in the general average,
has very little credit for anything among
foreigners, only that we are avery driy.
ing and working people, and all carry
bOwIe-kniYes and revolvers, &C., with very
little respect for law or lie. Be that az
lit may, Pll stake the American people
against all Europe for more honesty and
integrity anywhere, more humanity
II ciyilIty and politeness everywhere. LII
, my travels l have found the Irish anC
Scotch people the most friendly, hui
name and civil to strangers, the Englist
: che most suspicious and distant; the
. Germans, with their very inquisitivt
friendship, aim to make all the money
out of you that they can; the Italians
with, can be relied on as cheats anl
frauds and accomplished beggars.
The Frenchman Is problem OF polite
ness and nervous irritability that nc
!. fellow can lind out unless you address
, him In good French. Otherwise he will
shrug his shoulders and walk of, anl
say 'sNon oomprenez" (don't under.
stand).
ii In my route by the Great North
, ern Railway through most delightful
farming country 1 stopped of at 'Shef
4 field to take look at the place, ant
4 found it about as dirty and smoky al
London, with about three hundred thou
sand Inhabitants. The chief industry o
: the place is the manufacture of iron
Z steel and cutlery, and by all odds th,
! most cheerless city ever saw. l ais
!, made q halt at Manchester, which i
] rather q fine.looking city Of about fiy
. hundred thousand Inhabitants, smoky
but cleaner than Sheffield; full OF larg,
: cotton factories and warehouses, an,
,, has the appearance Of wealth, thrife AM
, business.
From Manchester went down to tn
, lqueer looking little city Of Chester, wit
! its walls that completely surround th'
!. city. The rows are o curious and unique
! Feature Of the two main streets running
; through the city at right angles. Besidel
. 1.-The ordinary sidewalks Of the street
= there is continuous covered CALLER,
4 Through the front Of the second storj
OF the houses. On this upstairs stree
a all the better class Of shops are situated
= the others are underneath the level o
9 1.-THE street. Some Of the old houses hav,
& passages up and down stairs too 1oy
Q for man of me dium height with q stove
pipe too. The old houses with thei