The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1876-02-12

BY Capt. Hall, the United States Arctic
explorer, 1869" Among the paintings
worthy Of note are the Death Of Captain
Cook, Battle Of Trafalgar, and other works
Of art. Also. the Nelson relics will be
viewed with interest. They consist Of the
coat worn by the hero at the battle Of the |
Nile, and Of the coat and waistcoat in |
which he was killed 1T Trafalgar.
Our boat now reaches Charlton, a
pleasantly situated town, with low green
hills, groves and gardens around II, aud in q
short time, Woolwieh. The principal objects
Of interest at the place are its celebrated
Arsenal, and its once celebrated Dockyard
The Arsenal is the largest IN the world, COW
ering more than 100 acres, and containing
about 5000 pieces Of ordnance, besides
other warlike stores II employs about 5000
hands, together with 200 machines, moved
by % steam enaiues. In the eastern past
has been laid out an extensive practice range,
where artillery experiments are carried on,
and new inventions tested Facing the com
mons lie the artillery barracks, aud beyond
to the west is the royal military repository,
enclosed with line Of field works mounted
with heavy guns. The Royal Military AcAd-
envy. for the education Of cadets intended
for the artillery and engineers. is situated
on the southwest Of the Repository. Ia the
dockyArd was built the Inflated Royal George,
which sank at Spithead on the 18th Of June,
1883. with nearly n thousand people on
hoard. But few large vessels are built here
now. in consequence of the shallOwness Of the
water, which all Tvs Of the operation Of
launching only At very high tides. Resum-
ing our trip down the river, we come to
Barking Creek. ON the left. and at
CrOssness, near PlumsteAd. on the right,
where are the works Of the
London Main Drainage system. The daily
amount Of London sewaSe discharged irtO
the Thames ON the north side has been cal
culated at over 10 900, 900 cubic feet, and on
the south at 1900. 900. 1t is first received
in immense reservoirs, and then at high wa
| bcAg ppohCo INV bhC hANcty ~
down by the ebb to point 26 miles below
London Bridge. On the Kentish side Of the
river we neIt arrive at Firth, whose fresh
and undulating woodlands conteast agreeably
with the reedy marches Of the Essex shore,
and whose ivy shrOuded church is . iietur-
esque object firm the river The abrupt
chalk cliffs Of Penheet, now lend a romantic
character to the left bank Of the Thames
and the landscape is further improved by the
bold outline Of Beacon Hill, which rises in
the rear Of and Immediately above the village.
| Penheet is said to have derived its name from
an exclamation Of Queen Elizabeth, y no,
viewing from its heights her vessels on their
way 70 encounter the Spanish Armada, and
mcdItating on the chances OF the unequal
contest, cried at pityingly, "Oh, my poor
fleet Y Here are situated the government
powder magazines, removed from Greenwich
in 1859. They are capable Of containing 3d.
prevent accident. Skirting the hartford
marshes, We pass from Long Reach into St
Clements Reach. where on the edge Of . slop-
ing lawn, and embOsomod among trees of lux
uriOus foliage, stands Ingress Abbey, built
with stones from old London Bridge. and was
the residence of the ancestors Of Sir Henry
Havelock. About p miles from London
Bridge we reach Greenhithe, a picturesque
little village on the river bank, with lofty
chalk cliffs above 1t, and clump of rich woofi
and coppice, whose vistas terminate in villa
residences. The neighboring chalk pits yield
geat quantities of lime From Greenhithe
sailed Sir John Franklin and Capt. CrozieI.
in the Erubus und Tesror, their last and
fatal expedition, in June, 1875
On the left bank, in the bend Of the river
called the North Hope, is situated the brick
makers village of Gray's Thurrock, with its
lovely church standing close to the river
bank. On the high ground above il planted
Belmont Castle. The west curve Of the river
is called Fiddlers Reach. On our right rise
the chalk cliffs Of NorthHeet, large and
prosperous village, with a considerable trade
in lime, fints and shipbuilding The sur.
rounding scenery is well wooded. undulating.
and full Of variety Conspicuous from the
river is the long -ange Of aims houses. known
as Higgins College, fou, ded by John Hug
gins, Esq, Of Sittingbourne, for forty decayed
tradesmen, each Of whom is provided with a
separate dwelling, accommodation for his
wife aud one female relative, and yearly
income of ESQ The handsome stoIe pier
I Whlrh ~ 4.
access to the Rosherville Gardens, which.
picturessuely laid out and surroundeded
by chalk cliffs, trees. and brushwood, present
many attractions for the visitor The boat
now reaches Gravesend, and we land Al
Town Pier. The population of Gravesend,
including the parishes Of Milton aud North.
feet, is about Is, 500, though in the summer
season double that number are located here.
Situated in the river here Is a training shiI
for the homeless boys Of the United Kingdom
As for the town itself, there is little t. see In
it; but there are beautiful walks, two mile,
or more by the sea wall. with the sight Of thu
river ON the one hand and the meadows on
the other. The Thames, at this point i.
three quarters Of a mile wide, and here may
be witnessed the ponderous ocean steamers
gong to SEA or bound up the river, or large
majestic sail ships, towed Dy small steam.
boats, besides boats and fishing smacks of All
sorts and sizes And here are all sorts and
styles Of people, dressed in poor and good
clothes, some with pleasant and happy looks,
and some otherwise. Here are numerous tea
and coffee shops. where visitors are solicited
TO enter and pArtAke of shrimps. water crosses
Of perry wrinkles for 81 Or Is or, if one ID
ot contented with this fare, there are plenty
Of hotels where one can call for Wha'ever lac
wants, and pay his money for whAtsver he
gets. Gravesend is twenty-six and one hall
miles from London. The trip is a delightful
one. especially on bright summer day. for
there is no end to the sight seeing. and the