The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-11-01

Yesterday morning. and before noon, alt'i
= Eve bonr's Journey, reached the bcaltiiui
and attractive city OF Brussels, which II
snoken Of by writer's ~ Little Paris" OF
.sParjs i'm Miniature" on account oil the
Grand scale upon which the new portions
Of the city have been laid out and buiIt, us
MAGNIFICENT parks i'm the heart Of the cIty'
lis attractive bOnlcvards, elegant stores,
the architecture Of it, public buildings,
and. above all, the stirring business
activity and the thronged thoroughIares,
morning. noon, and night. Like Paris, II
has. in The heart OF the city, counter
mart Of the Champs Eiysccs, and the Gar
den of the Tuilcres i'm the ALE Nertc ana
the park.
CROSSING TIE LINE.
About two hours before we reached
Brussels the train stopped at the thriving
manufacturing town Of Ncrviers, which
Is tbe first Belgian town that Is rapidly
rising i'm importance, on account OF It's ex-
tensiys cloth manufactures, which are SAID
to Weld the large sum of S25,0OO,OOO per
annum. We observed the signs at the de-
pot to he in English, French, German, and
Flemish. which was the first indication
that we had crossed the Prussian frontier.
But other evidences were soon apparent III
the elegance of the dcpots, the absence OF
military, the superiority OF the SOL ana llS
cultivation, the tall chimneys Of foundrles
and manufactures. and. above all, that the
railroad conductors and officials, and even
the vendors OF sandwiches, spoke English.
The houses are principally OF red brick III
all the towns and villages along the route,
and wear more Of home-like aspect than
those OF any other country Of ON journey.
The cultivation of the soil seemed on II
more extensive scale, being principally III
wheat. though we passed many extensive
fields Of lax and the sugar-beet. The tine
rolling land was pleasing change IN the
landscape, whilst there was gratifying
aspect Of prosperity everywhere apparent.
Belgium furnishes very few Of the emf
grants thai reach America. a. there Is not
a more contcntcd and happy people in
Europe. or more bright and beautiful
country. The people love their King,
there is no Standing army to sap the young
life OF the nation, and it is possible for
energy, industry, and enterprise To en-
able the Young man 10 reap the fruits OF his
labor.
THE CITY OF BRUSSELS.
RrusscI, is the capital OF the little king
dom Of Belgium. The peculiar location OF
Belgium has made il the interest Of France.
Prussia and England that il shall AWAY,
maintain ils nationality, and stand Is a ncu-
trail ground separating the borders OF France
and Germany. Hence it is that Belgium +
exempt from the necessity Of warlike pre-
paraiIons. and is enabled 10 devote it>
whole energies To national dcvclopcmcnt
and the prosperity and happiness OF llr
people. Brussels j. the pride OF Belgium,
and everything that is required 10 bcauliiN
and ornament il il bestowed with a liberal
hand. I'm its parks, boulevard>, public
grounds, fountains, monuments, and broad
piaZZas. there are few cities that can
equal it. lis horticultural and geological
gardens are very extensive and attractive.
In fact Brussels has I'll the marks OF M old
and prosperous city. Everything has the
appearance of soIidity and wealth, and it,
stores, although not - numerous Is those
OF PaI1s, are equally ~ elegant and AZ
tracliye. The old portions Of the city are
crooked and the streets narrow, biit all the
new parts are on 4 grand scale. The popu-
lat0n Of Brussels is said to he nearly j00,-
600. including the suburbs. There are
nearly 10000 permanent English residents,
il being better climate, with much cheap
or liVins than London for families OF limit
ed means.
TIE FIELD OF WATERLOO.
Englislmcn visiting Brussels invariably
pay visit TO the Battlefield OF Waterloo,
and coaches labelled" Waterloo" are driven
around among the hotels in the morning to
secure passengers. There lSrcally nothing
there TO see, except the monument erected
10y Prussia, and the lion erected 10y Eng
land. in cOmmemoration OF the great battle.
There are guides there who undertake to
explain the position Of the different armies
and the points Of attack and repulSc; but
unless TO a student Of tactics, or an Eng
liShman who has been studying Waterloo
all his life, thc matter is OF little interest.
We had seen hattlc-iicds enough in our
time, with the sod strewn with bodies and
stained with human gore, to waste a day in
visiting Waterloo.
FRANCE AND PRUSSIA.
In passing ~ we have through the bOr-
dcrs. OF rather The boundary lines. OF France
and Prussia, the extensive military force
everywhere visible shows the distrIl,t OF
each other held 10y these two nations. AT
Strashurg the Notifications and garrison
buildings were thronged with German
troops. Almost every hour during the
day regiments OF infantry were marching
through the city. and troops were being
drilled at the citadel aud on the parade
grounds connected with the Notifications,
which cover almost Is much ground as the
city Itself. As We were coming out Of the
citadel gate three more regiments. with
their knapsachs all fully accoutercd. were
marching in, with their commanding of-
GERS all mounted. accompanied by bands OF
music and drum corps. We We're aW0kc
ut Cologne at daylight 10y a regiment
marching under our windows. and were
told that the garrison numbered 10000. So
also at Constance. which j. in Baden. The
large barracks there are swarming with
I'rllSSian soldiers, although il is only a
quiet summer resort.
At Maycnce, which is i'm Prussia. the
Notifications aud barracks were filled with
soldiers, and they were parading the streets
at all hours, the number Of troops there
being 900. There is large PrllsSian
garrison in the immense Notifications that
froWn from the citadel which commands
the Rhine. said 10 hc the largest and most
formidable fortilicaiom in Europe. At
Cologne Pril>sian soldiers SWarmrd i'm the
Notifications and garrisons, and rcgi-
ment was marching through the streets
Yesterday shortly after daylight. These
two nations are watching each other, and
are holding themselves in readiness for any
emergency that MAY arise. II is Il melan-
ch0ly sight 10 IN American TO see the
youth Of these countries forced into militia
ry service, in which they are compelled 10
spend the best years Of their life. TO es-
cape this service for themselves or their
children Is the cause OF the extensive emf
grafton TO America. There are very few
Of the people OF either switzerland or Bel
gllm-Which keep no standing armies
who ever emigrate, whilst the laboring
classes OF Prussia, Austria, and France are
only prevented from following i'm the same
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