Daily Republican., 1882-08-22
I.zrrER FROM EHGLAND.
WhaS u W1lmiugeOn1an Has 80
Say About the Island Of wight,
England, sY -

VENTNoR,- IsLHGOF M40AT, Aug.
9th, 1882.-It was an agreeable and
pleasant change to leave the hustle
and stir of London, to get off its busy
streets and crowded side walks, where
one Is subjected to cor siderable elbow
ing In order to make his way through
the surging crowds in the great thor
oughfares Of the Metropolis, such as the
Strand or Chea psde. To go from one
side Of the Strand to the other in the
vicinity of Charing Cross or to cross
any part of Cheapside, Is a risky thing
to do, indeed you have to wait your
chance, so as to run the gauntlet
when there is little let up to the rush
OF conveyances Of every imaginable
description from q donkey cart tu q
coach and fou-. When we finished
Our sight seeing in London, we made
haste V, reach Victoria station to take
the train for Portsmouth and after q
pleasant ride of two hours and half,
passing through a beautiful and fertile
portion Of England with fields Of golden
grain on every hand waiting for the
sickle, interspersod with vegetable
gardens and fruit orchards in abun-
dance.
At Portsmouth we went on board
one of he little steamers that ply be.
tween the Isle of Wight and the ma in.
land. At present Portsmouth is very
busy place, on account of the unpleaS-
antness in Egypt. In the harbor we
saw the steamer Catalonia, of the Cum
ard Line and the City of Paris, of the
Inman Line, which have been char
tered BY the English Government to
convey tr' DDS to the seat Of war in
Egypt. A sail of half an hour landed
us at Ryde Pier; this pier projects into
the channel half mile; the railroad
has b; recently extended to the end
OF the pier, 80 taking our seats in the
cars again We soon reached the depot at
the Esplanade, in Ryde.
The Isle of Wight is indeed verit-
able Isle of Beauty. think 1t Is Chas.
Dudley Warner who has said that 1t is
one of the three most beautiful places
he had ever sC N or heard of. The
Island is about % miles in length and
IL miles in width and is separated from
the mainland by the river Solent, which
varies il width; from Ryde to Ports.
mouth the river is about miles wide
The Island is celebrated not only for its
beauty but for its delightful climate as
well; the climate is such that the floral
beauty of the Island is unequaled; deli
cate plants bloom here in winter. The
atmosphere is healthful, the heat of
summer ia tempered by the inVigora-
ting influence of sea breezes. Tie
principal town on the island is Ryde
which is beautifully located on rising
grounds It is a well built, handsome
town, W.sn a population of $4,000. It's
principal thoroughfare for business Is
Union street, which, with It's elegant
and attractive stores, would do credit
to some of the larger towns and cities
The major portion of the dwellings are
of the better class of houses, with pret-
ty and attractive gardens. The entire
Town has the appearance of comfort and
indicate that the residents are Well-to-
do in the world.
Osborne House, one Of the residences
OF the Queen, is miles distant from
| .yde; the palace is finely situated, the
gardens are arranged in terraces, the
lawn sloping to the waters edge and
from it most delightful views are to be
had. AT present the Queen is y0joErn-
ing at Osborne.
A little beyond Osborne is located
the town of Cones, which is the port of
entry for the Island, the Custom House
being there; it is also great yachting
station. The town has Park Of 100
acres, which doubtless the inhabitants
appreciate.
Newport the capital Of the Island Is
nice little town situated in the valley
Of the Medina; the principal attraction
here is St. Thomas church, the corner
stone of which was laid by the late
Prince Corsort in August, 1854. The
monuments in the church inclnde that
Of the Princess Elizabeth, which was
erected at the sole expense of Queen
Victoria; she is represented as reclining
at full length on one side, her face rest
ing on the last gift of her father, an
open Bible. in which position 1t is said
she died. The Bible is open at the
the text "Ceme unto me all ye that
labour and are heavy laden and will
give you Rest The likeness is said to
be faithful ono being from a portrait
in the Queens possession. The mo1u-
ment is of pure carrara marble in an
ornamental shrine, the inscription is as
follows: "ro the memory of Princess
Elizabeth, daughter of Charles First,
who died at Carisbrook Castle, on Sun
day, Sept. 9Th, 1850. This monument
is erected as token of respect tor her
virtues and of sympathy for her mis-
fortunes.by Victoria r. 1856.
A short distance from Newport a
walk of say fifteen minutes, lies the
village of Carisbrook, with its ancient
and somewhat famous castle, which Is
supposed to have been founded 45 years
before the Christian era. The present
castle which is now in ruins was built
in 1906. From Newport we had most
delightful ride on the top of Tally Ho
Coach, drawn by four horses to Fresh
water Gate, eleven miles distant; the
scenery here is lovely.
Fresh water chalk cliffs are 400 to
600 feet high and miles long; from
there we rode onI to Alum Bay and the
Needles about miles distant, passing
on the way Faringford, the home of
Tennyson, England's Poet Laureate.
At Alum Bay there are high cliffs of
brilliantly coIored vertical strata Of
remarkable beauty. "One side OF 1t Is
| wall OL SlOWluR CudlhJ Sno othoA p"L
rier of rainbows." At the western end
Of the bay the cliffs taper boldly, but
narrowly at point into the sea, beyond
which are the three wedged shaned
Needle Rocks, on the outermost one of
which there is o light house. From
Newport we came to this place, Vent
nor, which is located in the southern
part of the island. 1t is a romantic and
beautiful town, with population OF
over 5000. 1t is b1ilt on succession
of natural terraces extending'far up the
high hill which protects the town from
the north winds of winter. The town
has a southerly aspect and exten1s
down to the shores of the English chan
mel. In winter 1t is much resorted to
by invalids, the writer having spent
three months here five years ago, tx
tending from February to May. Dur
ing that time great many consump-
lives were stopping in the town, many
of them muzzled with resptrajors aud
lin all stages of the disease, some ust
| beginning to feel the disease fastening
/ =, A. s,,N hnF nH