The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1878-08-10

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cut stone, with a mouth running into the
river, through which the ships enter at
high tide, the tide rising and falling every
day about sixteen feet, and then close the
mouth by huge iron gates, that holds the
water in the dock when the tide is out.
Then before a vessel can leave the dock
they must wait until the tide rises up to a
level with the water in the dock BY
means of these docks all the shipping of
this port is accommodated, they running
for miles alongside the river, ali walled in
with the most substantial masonry, with
gates leading into the river to let the water
enter as we'll as the vessels pass in and out
1t is useless for me to attempt to speak
of the magnitude of this city, containing
over three millions of people, and not very
readily inspected by a casual visitor.
There are, however, prominent places in
it. that are sought for by all persons
who chance to get here. Among the first
places visited was the bank of England,
the largest monied institution in the world
found it to be in building, constructed
of dark stone, resembling granite, but one
story high, covering a space of three acres,
street running all around it, and no
windows facing the street The formation
of the structure surprised me, it being so
unlike all other public buildings of the
kind that have seen. Being informed
by one of the officers that | could pass
through the building to see it, at once
proceeded from one apartment to another
until became tired, so large is the place
found the several apartments occupied
by clerks, of whom there are about one
thousand, engaged at work, entering up
accounts aud so on; whilst at other places
they were receiving bills, money and SO
forth, and at other places paying dividends
and money generally. Inside of the build
ing are a number of open spaces, with
playing fountains, afording air and light
for the use of those engaged within. There
are a number of porters, as they are called,
sitting around in various parts Of the Bank,
wearing large red gowns, trimmed with
gold lace, and French chapeau on their
heads. There are, am told, special po-
lice for the benefit Of the institution
The next place we visited was the Lon
don Tower. This is not, as one would
suppose, high building, usually called q
tower, but was erected for palace and
subsequently became prison, as well as
place of extreme torture and execution.
1t occupies a space of about thirteen acres,
and around the building is a wide and deep
ditch, securely walled, designed to be filed
with water, when deemed necessary, for
the protection of the place The entrance
is through heavy, massive gate to the
edge of the moat, and from thence across
the moat to a second gate, which leads into
the interior of the building. The walls
of the building itself are fourteen feet
thick. There is also q small church, or
chapel, in this building, which was used
by the Royal family whilst living here;
the date of its origin am unable to give,
but it is certainly very old place. When
it ceased to be the home of the King it
became place of confinement, and the
guide pointed out to US a room in the lower
story in which large numbers of people
were confined, on numerous occasions too
many in cell so that some smothered for
the want of proper ventilation. The poor
and weak were not the only people that suf-
fered in this tower The two sons of Edward
", their uncle Clarence, Anne Boleyn,
Lady Jane Grey and Sir Walter Raleigh
were all executed in this famous place. 1t
is now used as a museum for the exhibi-
ton of coats of arms, swords, pixies, guns,
pistols, balls and war implements general
ly, used in the past, and preserved in a
most remarkable state of perfection. There
are also about one hundred thousand stand
of arms stored here.
The next place was the British Museum,
said to be the finest in the world There
is a stuffed skin of almost every animal in
the world found in this place, and it is
wonderful to see how well and natural the
things appear. The bones of the great
Mastodon, dug up many years ago in Mis-
souri,, are here. The main bones of the
legs are nearly six inches in diameter, and
it must have been an extraordinary beast
that possessed them, every other part be
ing Of the same proportion. Besides
stuffed animals, all kinds of birds are here,
and every species of mineral and other
natural productions conceivable. The lii
brary, they say, exceeds 100, 900 volumes,
and they boast of having larger number
of United States books than we have in
any library in our country.
From that we went to Madam Tussand' 5
Wax-works This is a remarkable place,
containing a life sized wax figure of nearly
all the prominent personages in many
parts of the world | here saw Andy
johnson, Abe Lincoln and Gen. Grant, as
large as life, dressed in their usual cos
tune, and looking remarkably natural.
They also have two of the First Napo-
Icons carriages and other things of the
French court on exhibition. The hall
measures 243 feet deep by As wide, wholly
taken up with exhibition of figures, the
mementoes of the French being in a side
room.
From thence we proceeded to the Ma
tional Gallery of paintings, being a very
large building, containing eighteen rooms,
filed with fine oil paintings.
We also attended a performance, by
Southern, at the Hay Market Theatre, and
were remarkably well pleased with the per-
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