Daily Republican., 1889-08-27
WILMINGTON. Aug. 21st,


Mr.. VERNoN;-In complying with
your request to give you an account of
my recent trip TO Europe, / will not at
tempt TO defcribe the up-heavinRs per-
son experiences In making his first bow
TO King Neptune, as could not do the
tubject justice; its pleasures cannot be
imagined; 1t must be realized to be ap-
preeiated.
We left New York June 9Th on the
steamship Veendam of the Royal Neither
lands American Line. We had about 200
first cabin passengers, and better com
pauy never crossed the ocean. During the
day we enjoyed ourselves with reading,
paying games and listening to music,
vocal and instrumental. In the evening
the younger portion stripped the light
fantastic toe" We Lad splendid weather
all the way. June nth, sailing near the
English coast, we celebrated the anuiver-
sary Of the "Battle of Bunker Hill" in
patriotic manner. Arriving at Rotter.
dam, Holland, on the 10th, we bid adieu
to our friends with regret, hoping We
should meet again in the near future.
Rotterdam has nearly 100000 inhabi-
tants, and is the second commercial town
oil Holland. Its streets are all paved and
are kept very clean; 1t has &c many
eehAtS 40 bsioShpb ~ 10 a SOihlhoh blkht w
see a ship tied In front of house. The
water In the canals Is kept fresh ana
clean by the ebb and flow Of the tiee,
which rises ten to twelve feet. The In.
habitants are chiefly engaged In COM
merce, which Is the mainstay Of the city.
1t has many distileries and large ship.
yards, and a few statues;the most famous
Is that OF Erasmus. Boyman's Museum,
Geological Gardens and Music Hall are
PLACES OF interest. Boarding the cars, we
rode through beautiful country TO a
place called Delft. Now, l wish to say
one word about the European railroad
cars. The platform, or bed OF the car, is
about IS or 80 feet long, with 9 wheels
at each end; on this Is placed or boxes
or compartments, capable OF holding 10
or IL persons, (accordlug to class) facing
each other, one-half riding backwards.
You enter at the side, the conductor
walks along the outside, looks at your
ticket, shuts, and in some cases locks the
door; thcn he blows a little wifi tie, the
engine squesks. another whistle from the
conductor, then some one blows horn,
and away we go.
The cars are divided into classes, LIST,
% and 3D.. The 1T class are very COM
Portable, having well upholstered seats,
good head rest etc; this class Is always
express. If you get one of the four end
seats you can get aloeg very well. The
ears are very poorly ventilated. Tho I'd
class Is fairly good The Sd class is very
bad. Nothing tut hard seats.
Delft. A city of 10000 inhabitants, Is,
In regard to characteristics, national
features and old architecture, as inter
eslipg as any of the other old cities of
Holland. The new church contains the
tomb Of the Orange family; 10 this church
all the members OF the family who have
reigned over Holland for centuries pas
have found their last resting place. The
factory Of old Delft GINA Is well worth
seeing. Boundless green flats with num-
erous spotted cows enjoying the repast
afforded by the very rich pasture IL very
pretty sight as one goes whlrling through
the country. Our next stopping place is
Hague. This is TO Holland what Wash
ington is to the United States. The royal
family reside here; 1t has always been
the political centre OF the country.
Here is a lake in whose waters The walls
and turre.s of beautiful buildings are re-
fiected, and by Whose banks run the most
fashionable promenades of the city. One
of these buildings is the Mauritshuls,
once the residence of the great soldier
whose name 1t bears -now, the home OF
magnificent collection OF pictures, one
of the best in Europe. Here may be
seen Potter's "Bull," Rembrandt's
ANATOMY" also paintings of Jan Steen,
Gerard Dow, Michael Angelo, Adrian
Van oslade. and many others.
A large statute In the Noord. Eindo
opposite the ROYAL Palace, keeps alive
the memory of William the Silent, the
father OF the country, whilst q magnili.
cent statute on Waterloo Square com
memorates the foundation of Holland s
Independence. Getting on top of Tam,
or street car, We rode through a beautiful
row OF shade trees to Scheveningen,
which Is one of the most fashions Bile
watering places in Europe. AS it is APP
proache 4, the eye tlIst falls on the dunes,
a natural formation by which the country
is protected against the power of the
waves from the North Sea. In July and
August crowds of people from almost
every nation on earth gather there 10
enjoy the bathing. Music and dancing,
or strolling up and down tie beach, il
presents most animating picture. The
bath houses are on wheels, open on the
seaside; you enter by means OF steps, and
don your bathing suit while being rolled
out into the seri; after finishing your
bath you re-enter aud while dressing are
pulled In store; on Is not exposed TO the
crowd. don't Think these bath houses
would be popular in America.
The Scheyenipgeners are peculiar
race; they wear gold b, net head dress,
with horns of the same standing out
several inches from their faces, brilliant
earrings, wooden shoes and short dresses.
Returning to Rotterdam, we took
steamer for Harwich, England; It was
very rough crossing the North Sea, but
having our 'sea legs" on, did not mind
1t. Arriving at Harwich about o a. M.
took the cars for London; on our arriv
there we went to tho "Great Ea: tern
HOTEL" alter taking bath and lunch,
we started ont to do the town. felt
like the boy who said he "could not see
the city there was SO many houses" 1t
would be imposs ible for me TO give full
description OF the many objects OF interes
to tourists who visit London.
w stminster Abbey, the shrine OF
ashes OF some OF the most illustrlous and
greatest OF EnglaDd's dead, Sin arms, in
arts, In song" In rank of nobility and in
statesmanship, is perhaps the most in
teresting. The new palace at West
minister, or the Houses of Parlla ment,
are best seen from the river. The cham
bers in which the debates are carried on
can be seen on Saturdays when the
houses are not In session. Through the
poiiteness OF Mr.. Gill "a member) we
were taken all through and listened to a
very animated debate.
In the National Gallery upon the north
side OF Trafalgar Square, we saw fine
collection OF paintings; each picture has
inscribed upon IL the name OF the artist,
the dates OF his birth and decease, aud
thn euliact ranr.capt,l