Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-05-27

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Brussels carpet artisans still hold their
own against Administers, Moquets, Au.
bussons and Wiltons.
The city, ana for that matter the whole
of Belgium, affords fine browsing for the
art collector, especially in the line of
old prints and paintings, curious silver
toys and weapons OF tho middle ages.
Nearly every important nation OF Europe
has at some time owned Flanders, and
relics Of their high families who have
lived here are still obtainable, besides
the work OF native talent. The country
has not yet been so thoroughly secured
by dealers as to clean out everything;
and Mrs. Malaprop could find many
"articles of virtue and bigotry" with a
little patient searching and outlay in
various parts OF Belgium.
The boulevards and parks OF Brussels
are extensive, varied and attractive. A
feature of them is the special provision
made for equestrians. Every grand
boulevard has broad, well-kept road
way for riding, and the parks are full OF
long, winding roads reserved for the
same purpose. A total Of over fifty miles
Of lanes, bridle-paths and roadways is
devoted to the exclusive use OF those
who love the saddle. The fanciful
French terms OF Cavaliers" and "Ama-
zones" are applied to gentlemen and
ladies who ride-both expressions being
strained and inappropriate. A man is
no more q cavalier on horseback than he
is when walking; while the sparsely-at-
tired, warlike females who straddled
steeds in the legendary days OF the Anna
IONS had little IN common with the trim,
tailor-clad ladies' of modern equestrian
ism.
4 Royalty is handsomely lodged In Bel
gium. A spacious summer home at
Ostend, a palace in Brussels larger than
the Treasury building. at Washington,
and an ornate chateau in a magnificent
park in the suburb of Lacken afford Mr..
and Mrs. Leopold and family places for
worrying through life with tolerable
certainty Of always having comfortable
roof over their heads. The court osci-
Hates between the palaces at Brussels and
Lacken, with the Kings predictions
rather in favor of the latter. 1t is an
ultra. ceremonious court, making up in
strict attention to every detail of royal
etiquette for the smallness of the king
dom. The diplomats Of Europe quarter
ed in Brussels seem to agree that it is an
excellent place to acquire knowledge OF
all punctilious obseryances, and that an
Ambassador or Minister who has served
term here can be sent elsewhere or re-
turn home serene in the knowledge that
he has learned his trade and will find no
other court where greater or more elabo-
rate ceremony is extended and expected.
A monarchy, of which the King is a
Saxe-Coburg and a grandson OF Louis
Philippe, and the Queen member of the
reigning Austrian family, may be forgiven
for exacting all the formality pertaining
to the business of royalty.
The United States has at present an
admirable representative at Brussels, the
resident Minister being Judge Lambert
Tree, of Chicago. He has handsome
domicile on Rue Belliard, one of the
choice residence thoroughfares of the
city, though he might search Brussels
and many other European capitals
through before he would find as elegant
homes as exist on the north side Of Chi
cago, his own included. Like the Russian
Prince in Robertson's comedy of Ours,
Judge Tree can say to any of his diplo-
matte friends, Believe me, when l am
at home am somebody" and that is
more than many OF the present Admins
| tration's appointees to much larger
countries can honestly assert. He and
his family are evidently much liked here,
and by their personal worth secure ex-
ceptional respect and advantages for
their country. But, then, they are from
Chicago, and their fitness for the place,
consequently, goes without telling.
Brussels has street railways on which
lxx IL .n.A 1.r<
been plenty OF experimenting with cleo
tricity as a motor in other countries with
promise Of much success, but / know of
has been practically realized. Each car
has an independent battery underneath
| the floor, connected with o special me-
chanism, which in its turn is connected
with wheels. The electricity is stored
enough being accumulated for a days
service. 1t seems to take some little
time to do the storing, as the cars which
are run by electricity are laid off for q
dav after their supply has bsen ex-
| hausted in order to have a fresh lot OF
| tightening crammed into their reservoirs.
This is done with great secrecy-the
knack evidently being regarded as some
thing highly important. A single wheel
on the front platform resembling an or.
binary car-brake, controls the movement
OF each vehicle. The cars glide along in
an uncanny fashion, with no visible
means of propulsion, and the system
seems successful, although q director oil
| the road told me that it was thus far no
cheaper than horses. The cars are used
on the same tracks with horses-the lat.
ter appearing to have no objections to
| conveyances which 60 alone-anc per-
haps they would net care much If nags
went out Of style entirely in connection
with the whole street-railway business,
The electric cars have been on trial stead.
| lily for about three months-long enough
to determine their value.
All the street-cars of Brussels resemble
those OF an American city more than any
others in Europe. Their only pc.
| culiarity is glass partition in the center
dividing each car into first and second.
class compartments-the latter being in
the rear and having plush cushions
There are comfortable waiting structures
at the ends Of the lines, and smaller
houses for the same purpose at important
street intersections. This absurd pamp.
ering of. the public will, no doubt, be
viewed with all proper scorn by the
managers of every American street rail-
way, as we'll as the other preposterous
European idea OF admitting nobody to 9
car after the seats are filed.
French being the official language oi
Belgium, its coinage has hereto
fore been inscribed in that Ian.
guage. But within a year or two
all the coins struck off have borne Flem-
ish superscriptions. The latter langu.
age at best is only tortured Dutch. al.
than the smoother French. The abne.
CATION of the latter in connection with SC
important a matter as coinage is only one
more straw showing how French suprem.
acy in Europe is giving out.
An American traveller in Europe who
| fails to include Belgium and Brussels in
his tour will have missed one Of the most