Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-04-07
FOREIGN LETTER,
A GLIMPSE AT IRELAND FROM
AN OCEAN STEAMER.
Railroad "trip in Englaud-Sccne
in the Country -Aristocracy
at a Disc 1unt.
Correspondence of the REcoRD-UzIos. /

Correspondence of the REcoRD-UEIos
LONDON, March II, 1888.
We came IN sight of the coast Of Ire
land ON the morning of the 4th instant
(MaFch), and were glad to see land again.
Even land owned by Lord had as much
of charm for us as though it were our
own. The beautiful fields, contrasted with
the insignificant tenant houses, offer to ne,
even at this distance, an argument in favor
OF adding at least one more grain of corn
to the scanty fare of hungry babe Said
an Englishman to me this morning Gig
norance is the cause of one-half of their
misery, and rum the other half" There
is evidence sufficient to believe that both
ignorance and rum have ruined Ireland;
but that the cause Of her misery results
entirely from it is, | think, not the case.
That Irish tenants have, in numerous
cases, been shamefully and mercilessly
treated is true, and the appealing cry of
the furnishing mother and the heart
rending means of her perishing children
ought to reach the hearts of their OPP
pressors to relieve them from their suf-
fering.
RAILROAD TRIP IN ENGLAND.
We left Liverpool at 9:45 A. NJ. on the
London and Northwestern Railway, and
made the distance of 204 miles in four
hours and thirty minutes, including all
stops by the way The ballast Of the road
is nowhere excelled. The officials were
very courteous, but the little coops to ride
In are not modern nor medieval, either in
construction or comfort. What little con-
cernsl They viii discommode eight per-
sons at one time, while q lesser number.
say four, could sit awkwardly and get
there" No one but Americans complain.
When they think Of Texas they want more
room. Well, here l am. Let me see ::
this institution is about . by q feet, and
is only 81 feet from floor to ceiling. But
where is the heater? 1t is 400 Fahrenheit.
and when the train moves forward it will
be colder STILL Oh! here he comes with
stove No, that's no stove. Well, it's
hot, anyway. The apparatus looks like
one OF the mercury slugs of California,
only on larger scale. They are filled
with hot water, and serve to fever the feet
and freeze the remnant of the creature.
ENGLISH FARM DWELLINGS.
The buildings along the way of our trip
are all made of stone or brick. They are
antique structures and are covered with
tile or thatch. House, barn, chicken coop
and pig sty, with few exceptions, occupy
close quarters, but are kept neat. The
quaint architecture and the dingy appear
ance of these buildings are not calculated
to impress the visitor favorably. Dormer
windows abound, and of chimneys there
are some to let. The myrtle and the ivy
cover many of these houses with their
green foliage and make them appear
beautiful.
THF FARMS
Are kept fertile by constant attention to
the enrichment OF the soil, by change of
crops and surface applications. Few
fences are seen, but, what is better here,
well-preserved hedges, inclosing fields Of
two to ten acres. The farms are yery
large are all owned by English Lords
who rent for cash at from So to SO per
acre, depending on the value of the land
and its ability to produce. All along the
railway the renters were preparing their
fields to raise table stuffs for London
markets. They pay no attention to wheat
raising where garden products yield we'll
The past seven years have lessened the
value of the grain lands, and many farms
are idle, and will be until the price of
wheat rises high enough to justify the
renter to attempt its production. ! saw but
two orchards along the line. The indig-
enous oak and elm are stubby and
have knotty growths that consume the sap
and prevent their becoming well-formed
trees. The severity of the coast winds and
fogs are the cause of it.
LARGE HOLDINGS AND THE ARIsTocRACY
If these large tracts of land could be re-
duced to smaller lots, and families of mod
crate means would buy them, they could
be so improved as to double their products,
and besides, the educational facilities of
more densely populated community would
contribute far more to the future great
ness of England through the literary and
moral development of the posterity of
this generation, than all the pretentious
and vaunting boasts of the aristocracy of
her baronets and PEGS. The pretensions
of aristocracy is relic of the Feudal Age.
1t has land as its object, and will have it,
even if Wat Tyler has to die for it. There
are poor bare-footed boys and girls of
nobler birth, but humber station, crushed
by these lowly upper tens, who ought to
be permitted to exchange places not be-
cause of comfort, but in order to improve
the station, and give society a living, act
ing agency in favor of the development of
the highest possibilities of all classes.
III, j. BECKER.