Morning journal and courier., 1884-09-10

long tunnels, crawled laboriously up steep grades and dashed over bridges that spanned mountain torrents. Now we were in the picturesque Ozerna valley, enclosed by lotty mountains, with peach orchards and vast vineyards on the terraces. Now we were in the charming valley of the Mehadika, gimp sing occasional Roman remains to the right and left
 At Porta Orienta1is we had reached the highest point in the pass, and then com valley of the Temes. At length we de- bouched into the plains, and continued to traverse level ground until our train rolled into the grand covered depot of this great Hungarian capital. English speaking peo- pie have now properly got into the habit of speaking of this city as Buda-Besth, and ac- cordingly have so dated my letter. Most of these cities of farther Europe would feel, however, that they lacked the clements that go to make up metropolitan character if they were not equipped with half a dozen names; and so the Hungarian capital rejoices in ali ases Pest is considered orthodox, as it en- braces the chief or eastern city. Pest often is compound equivalent to Buda-Pest in common usage Pesth is another variation, which some of our friends may prefer. The truth is that Buda-Pest is the legal name, adopted in 1873. It includes the four towns of Pest, Ofen Cor Buda in Hungarian), Alt Ofen and Steinbruch. As matter of con V6Il1enCS pll6 HdI10 may Do HUI AOo two component parts when it is desired to refer to either side of the river definitely. Buda, or Ofen, is of course the city west of the Danube, and Pest the main city, lying to the east of the Danube. The whole ineor- porated city now has population Of about three hundred and seventy five thousand per sons, approximately two-thirds of whom are Roman Catholic, and more than half of the remaining third Jews.
 E3udA-PeSt seems tO me to have OutgrOWn Hungary, just as Bucharest has outgrown Roumania. In each capital the native Ian guage is the recognized medium of inter course, but the influx of modern ideas and rper civilization have crushed out all that was once distinctly representative of the country. Peasant life as seen at one or two towns where I stopped on the way, and as occasionally seen from the car-windows, IS by no means abreast of the advanced and pretentious life to be witnessed in the capi- tai. Really Buda-Pest belongs in the cata- logue of first-class European cities. Its arch itecture is lofty, massive, frequently magnif- icent. Its streets are remarkably wide and well paved. Tram cars, with first and sec ond-class departments, traverse all the prin- cipal streets. With statues, public foun- tains, immense hotels, spacious boulevards and various public institutions, it is richly endowed. The finest part of the city fronts the Danube for a distance of nearly three miles looking toward Buda. The buildings for most of this distance nothing short of palatial while the view of the rugged hills opposite, at the foot of which the western suburbs struggle, is really worthy of tourist recognition The Danube is spanned by two magnificent bridges, one of which was con structed by English engineers at an immense cost. It was seven years in building. The chains are supported by two pillars one hun dred and fifty feet in height, it's total length is ,254 feet and it's breadth is thirty nine. Then there is tunnel under the river five hundred and ninety feet long.
 The river is still very muddy here and it's current, as almost everywhere else where have surveyed the river, is fur1ously rapid The little ferries that ply back and forth be- tween Buda and Pest have to sidle along from shore to shore after & most awkward fashion Sidewheel steamers, of greater or less burthen, are moored to the skillies on the Pest shore in great numbers. Some go north to Vienna and Linz, while others go south to Belgrade, Orsova, Roustchuk and Galatz The strength of the current makes the ascent painfully slow and tedious pro cess; while the descent is accomplished at full speed with scarcely any steam. In rounding curves have seen the wheels re versed on account of the dangerous swiftness of the current. Rafts of logs and barges go rushing down the stream at speed that nearly makes you dizzy; while the towing of the barges back is a very laborious task. It takes B most skillful man with thu rudder to keep barge from running into the banks where curves occur, when the passage down is being made. An abrupt hill on the Buda side is crowned with fortress and the hand some royal chateau. The ascent is made by means of a wire-rope inclined railway.
 Buda-Pest is the seat of the Imperial Diet, of the Hungarian Ministry and Of the Curia Regia, or supreme court of justice. The Royal Palace, which partially destroyed by conhagration in 1S49, has been restored on a splendid scale It now contains two hundred and three rooms, to which visitors are admitted during the absence of the king. Being surfeited with royalty, l concluded to slight the king by not visiting his establish nent, although he was away. The opening of the Hungarian Diet takes place in the throne room. The royal regalla (crown, sceptre, sword, coronation robes, &c) are to be inspected The palace is built on the Blu da side upon the summit of commanding knoll, so that it is both conspicuous itself and looks down upon the most conspicuous architectural monuments of Pesth. The grounds are very extensive, and as they slope down almost to the rivers edge, they appear like map laid out for the eye to scan. The terraces are made lovely with waterfalls, statuary, flowers, trees and shrubs disposed with consummate skill. The palace was built by Maria Theresa.
 The favorite resort of the citizens is to Schwabenberg, lofty hill in the suburbs, the sides of which are dotted with hotels and restaurants, from which superb views of the city and the Danube are to be had. The as cent q ,463 feet) is made by means of a 'FRack and Pinion railway"
 The importance of Buda-Pest, which IS now second only to that of Vienna in the empire is due to the Hungarian grain trade, of which it is the emporium. On the Franz-Joseph's Platz, near the end
 
 is a splendid Renaissance edifce, with mar ble columns of different colors supporting it's noble vestibu1e This is the Academy, the foremost scientific institution in Hungary to-day The Academy was founded by Count Stephan Szechenyi for the purpose of promoting the study of the Hungarian language and of the various sciences. It now numbers three hundred members. A letter on modern Hungary would not be complete if it ignored this vast institution. The first floor is devoted principally to a grand hall where the academy meetings take place. The second and third contain the na- tional picture gallery, formed of the we'll known Esterhazy gallery, which was pur- chased by the State for 1, 1,300,000 horins in 1865 It you want to see what treasures of art belong to Hungary just step into this gal lery and wander from room to room all day, with only one eye open if you wish. The catalogue says there are seven hundred and twenty-six pictures, fifty thousand engraM wings and two thousand drawings. I am not an art critic, and newspaper article is not the place in which to analyze art; but I am sure even the most commonplace mortal would find himself we'll entertained for a few hours in the sixteen art saloons of this Buda- Pest academy. If you find yourself bored you can adjourn to the National museum, where coins, arms, natural history specimens and various antiquities may be examined ad hbitum.
 I notice here for the first time system which may be quite general in Austria and Germany. It is that of public porters and commissionaires. The city swarms with them. In front of every hotel, railway sta tion or principal cafe they may be seen wait ing in uniforms, with their number on met al tablet appended to the coat lappel, and word on the hat in large letters to signify what branch of the service they belong to. There seems to be large variety of labels, but as each man is ready to do any job, in fer that the distinctions are mainly poet1cal Last night hailed one who wore the tamil jar word 'FExpress' on his hat, and Jocularly asked him in my best German why his word was 'sexpress'' rather than any one ot host of similar words 'EO.' he replied, fIch bin sehr schnelli" There is an authorized tar1H for a service, but these Europeans can't be made to understand the nature of bargain, and it has become customary to give some thing in excess of the proper fee as a present. A present. The word is robbed of all it's nrecious meaning by this indiscriminate be-