Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1883-08-01
From Our Regular Correspondent
European lie tier.
LONDON. Emo. july |

LONDON, Eng, July TO- osI
The London season has been short but
brilliant, and the town is now rapidly
emptying. The queen remain ms at Windsor,
and seriously feels the Prin cess Beatriee's
departure for continental watering
place for the benefit of her rheumatism.
meant to have told you some days ago
that the respectable Americans here have
been putting on airs again because the
United States minister lodged the regular
celebration of the Fourth of July and went
to the Irving dinner.
This is nice thing to make fuss
about, isn't itP But the respectable
Americans in London are the crankiest set
of people alive. Some oftbem have come
over here with the notion that they must
celebrate Independence Day socially in a
foreign land.
When will Americans get over this
provincialism? To suppose that Minister
Lowell would give up going to dlnne.
with IL great English actor for sake of
meeting his own country people and
reviving the spirit of '76 is a most unrea-
sonable crotohet An American minister
can revive the spirit of '76 at any time,
but the chance to eat dinner with Henry
Irving only comes once in life time.
Among the agencies employed here for
the reformation of the degraded classes of
society, that which is just now receiving
the largest share of attention is the saliva
ton army. This army as it exists in
England, is different affair entirely from
what it has appeared to be in the feeble
incursions it has made upon the United
States. There it has encountered unfavor.
able conditions and has almost invariably
suffered defeat. Here, on the contrary,
it has found congenial atmosphere; has
met with much encouragement, and has
won for itself most prominent position.
Nor has this been done by abrogating CT
toning down any of its peculiarities, but
rather by diligently working these and
them into the foreground. 1t
was thought in America that slight low
ering of the standard in this respect would
add greatly to the chances of success.
But what was deemed its weakness in one
has proven, in the altered con
ditions of the lower classes in this |
land, TO be its chief sources of strength.
The army numbers over $4,000 fighting
men and won n, has accumulated proper.
ty to the value of about three quarters of
million dollars, is adding stations at
rapid rate for week and increasing its |
staff of paid officers in the same rates; has
$50 brass bands, forty-ive paid band mas
tiers and has expended total of about
$4,000 in band instruments. These
figures give an idea of the rapidty with /
which this strange movement is winning
its way here.
The French plays here were failure
till Bernhardt's arrival, after which hun
lreds were turned away. AS evidence of !
Bernhardt's energy, she played nine times
last week. She played twice on Saturday,
nd that midnight appeared in a stage
,la, at the New Club, lately Evans Gov
mt Garden, where the performance ran
IN to the small honrs of Sunday morning.
live hours later she started for Boulo gne
nd played at Boulogne Sunday night.
arrangements have already been made
With Judic and Bernhard at the Gaiety
ext year.
AUGUST. II