The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1889-04-23
LETTERS FROM THE OLD COUNTRY
80. xxvu.-B1 Z. L. D.

varied scenes in the drama Of life
have been enacted. Originally it
was outside the walls of the city, and
was called Smoothfeld. Here were
held tournaments, sham fights, fairs
and plays. Catholics and Protes-
tants have here suffered death at the
stake. Public executions took place
here for years. For long time it
was cattle market, and now the
Central London Meat Market occu-
pies the principal part of the ground
that has figured so largely in his
tory. A large and handsome statue
IS erected to the memory of the
martyrs, and enclosed by an iron
paling. Travellers are provided
with every means of transportation
from one part of the city to another.
There are cabs, or two-wheelers,
which accommodate two persons, the
driver sitting at the back and driving
over the heads of the passengers
within. Honolulu boasts one of
these hansoms). There are four
wheelers which accommodate four
inside and one beside the driver
There are tramways (horse cars),
which run In many directions toward
the centre of the city, but are not
permitted in the narrow streets or
across the city. There are loo lines
of omnibusses which cross the Metro
polls by every possible route, from 8
in the morning till midnight. The
tramcars and buses have seats on
top for more passengers than can be
accommodated within. Convenient
steps on most of the lines permit
ladies' to reach the top unassisted;
and in pleasant weather these upper
seats are preferable to any other
The fare by tram or buss is most
reasonable. There are fourteen rail
way stations in London, but they are
each the terminus of as many lines,
that reach London from every point
of the compass, and being permitted
to enter the city only certain dis
lance, are not very near each other.
These railroads are not on level
with the traffic of the city, but are
elevated, thus preventing all acct
dents from terrifying animals as
we'll as people. Millions of pounds
have been expended in building these
elevated roads, which are miles in
length. Different companies run on
different elevations, thus you may
often see three trains crossing each
others tracks at the same time, one
above the other. The highest track
brings you level with many of the
chimneys. Besides these different
over ground, or high level lines, there
is the underground railway. For
this huge tunnels have been made
under houses and streets, and these
lines form a complete belt around
the inner part of London, while
branch lines diverge to the suburbs.
On some of these underground roads
$50 trains run every week day. The
cars are lit constantly, the depots
being lit with electric lights There
is n strong current of air as you rush
from station to station, still it is not
as enjoyable as the high level. The
stations are usually open sites, and
lit from above, and you descend by
flights of stairs to the tram. The
economy of this mode of travel rem
ders them popular. There is still a
want of rapid transit across the
city, and In all probability the under
ground roads will be continued and
supply this want Much time is lost
in this city of magnificent distances,
by the comparatively slow travel of
the buses, and in whatever other
respect the Englishman may be
moderate he does like to travel fastl
The shops of London are beyond
computation. The display of every
thing seems almost intermnable.
Great taste is displayed in the
arrangement of shop windows, and
the study of costumes, fashions, jew
elry, linen and silk wear, China,
paintings, and every variety of use
full articles, is almost endless. The
great fashionable streets for ladies'
shopping, where price is of no mo-
ment, are Oxford, Regent, Picca-
dilly, Bond street and many others
The study of character on these
streets is also unlimited. We have
not time to take you through the
city where the aristocracy dwell, nor
into the private galleries of paint
ing, to which ticket admission is
obtained through the influence of
some friend. There is enough left
to fill many visits to OVERLOOKING
with new and educating experiences |
each day There is everything to
entertain us as we walk the streets. |
What a pity the shoeblacks have |
risen no higher IN their occupation
than their forefathers. In America,
the customers occupy an arm chair |
and read the morning paper, while !
the polisher, standing up to his bust
ness like a true sspirant for the
does his work without
overstraining any muscle, or unne-
cessarily humbling himself. Here,
the customer balances himself on
one foot while the other occupies
the block on the sidewalk. Over
this, on his knee bends the artist
scrubbing for dear life. Truly the
pennies are hardly earned. Nrtice
how clean the streets of this great
city are. In the first place they are
thoroughly paved, some with wooden
blocks, some with cobbles and some
With asphaltum. This latter is as