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

Mr.. ID. W. Wiles writes from London
to the Hdgersto,Ca MaR, under date of
July s, 1878.
At noon last Monday, we bid adieu to
Paris, and entered the cars for Havre, 4
distance of one hundred and forty-six
miles, on our way to London. For about
an hours ride the lands in France are
rather thin and unproductiye. But after
that all the way to the seaboard is found a
scope of one of the grandest and most pro-
ductive countries in the world. In our
travels We passed through France from
Calais to Mt. Gents tunnel, and on our re-
turn, from Cologne to Havre, thus giving
US an opportunity to view large portion
of the country, as we'll as to see the people.
The French have, believe, throughout
the world, the reputation of being gay in
the extreme, with an extraordinary power
and taste of establishment in everything
that they undertake. This | find to be
true SO far as Parisians are concerned,
but these traits of character in no way
apply to the French people outside of their
capital, or the former localities of her
courts
The French towns and cities, beyond
those mentioned, do not in any material
manner differ from towns and cities in
other countries. As for the rural popu-
lation, there is more pride displayed among
our American farmers, in the construction
and embellishments of their homes, than
by the French farmers. There are some
large land holders in France, who have
fine and costly improvements, but the
great mass of farmers live in small one
storied houses, many of them covered with
straw, while their barns are nothing but
small stables. The land, however, is beau
tifully and carefully farmed, indicating to
the observer the conduct and habits of a
frugal, industrious and we'll ordered peo-
pie, much more so than is found in our
own country. Reaching Havre at FIVE
o'clock in the evening, | drove at once to
the steamer destined to carry us to South
ampton, which found lying beside high
wall, out of the water and apparently in
the mud. Meeting the officer remarked
to him that in my country they keep their
ships in the water, and not lying in the
mud. He replied, by nine o'clock, being
the time of departure, the ship would float.
Sure enough, the tide ebbs and flows so
rapidly that before the designated hour the
ship was all right, and at nine o'clock we
put out to sea.
Havre is an old looking city, presenting
nothing of the scenes and incidents so COM
mon in Paris. 1t is the chief seaport of
France and does large trade, having good
docks and a fine harbor, close to the Eng
lish Channel. Everything in the way of
trade, like all other ports of Europe, how
ever, seems dull and the people oppressed.
BY four o'clock in the morning, we arriv-
ed near the Isle of Wight and not far from
the place where the illfated "Euridyee"
lies buried in the water. That day was
the appointed time to raise her, but see
by the papers that they did not succeed.
By six o'clock we reached Southampton,
a city of about one hundred thousand peo-
pie, fine harbor, lying full Of large and
splendid ocean steamers and numerous
smaller craft. There being nothing here
to see or detain us, as soon as we got our
baggage through the custom officers We
entered the cars for this city, which We
reached by ten. All along the line are
the most beautiful lands, and generally
rich and productive, laid off into fields.
Although it being the I'd of July, the
wheat was all green, having the appear
anee of our grain about the first of June,
much of it having been knocked down by
a previous heavy rain. | would further
say that the crops, owing to the long wet
and cold spell of weather, do not appear
near so promising as they did in April,
when l first arrived in this country. If
one of our farmers were to see the growing
wheat of England, he would at once ex-
claim that the rust would kill it all, before
its maturity. The season, however, is
much later here than with us.
Having been nearly three months among
a people who mostly speak an unknown
tongue to us, you have no conception of
the pleasant sensation we enjoy in being
surrounded by a population expressing
themselves in our own language. 1t makes
one feel as though he were in the midst of
his own people, and almost at his own
home. In fact, can see no difference
between the mass of the people here and
those met in our own cities. Their dress,
customs, business habits and demeanor are
all similar to our own, and in viewing the
general aspect of London there is a strik-
ing resemblance of our own American cit
les. Whilst throngs of well-dressed people
parade the Bouleyards of Paris, and many
sip their drinks along the side walks in
front of hotels and cafes, you see the
streets of this city filled with a mass of
beings engaged in business, driving ahead,
as though they were moving Hemisphere.
In other words, the people do here like
business people act in our commercial
cities.
There is, however, a general stagnation
in trade, every man, merchant or other
wise so expressing himself. The first thing
that attracted my attention in London is
the magnitude of shipping done at this
port. have been informed that it is the
main bulk Of the trade of this immense
city. The Thames river, which flows
though the city, is narrow stream, re-
quiring but five arches to span it. This