The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1890-10-09

The Nitro Inn-ColIeges at Cambridge
The Scenery of England and Roads-oid
Cathedrals-Rotter and an Incident
The dutch Have Taken HOlland''-
Deft Haven and the Cities-The Kings
PaIace-sea Bathing In Holland-The
Hogue - Table dHote - Leyden Univer-
sity-CathedraI of St Bavon-Dykes and
Gates Regulating Water-Courses-Am-
sterdam and the Zuyder Zee.
Especial Correspondence of the Bdhner.l
NUMBER II.
The Mitre Inn, built in 400, is still
used as hotel, and is a great curiosity
The stone paved entrance, large enough
to drive carriage through, extends to
an open court in the rear; passing
through this on the left is a room two
sides glass, which contains the modest
bar, and where occasional meals are
served, called the tap room. Here sits
in state the female who is in charge,
women fill the position largely in Great
Britain, looking after everything, in
Guiding the bar. Back of the tap room
was the kitchen, and directly opposite,
the queer old stairs leading to the second
floor where were the sleeping rooms and
very ancient, but comfortable withal,
and here the dignitaries of town and
college have resorted for 800 years.
We visited Cambridge to compare the
two great Universities, but found town
and colleges much inferior in every way
to Oxford, though two of the colleges are
charming; Trinity with its beautiful
open work wall, and st. Johns with its
lovely park full of grand old trees, and
handsome bridges crossing the river;
one of which from its resemblance to
the famous Venice bridge is called the
"Bridge of Sighs." The chapel of King S
College is a very large and handsome
church, the largest college chapel in the
world.
From Southampton to Oxford we
passed through rolling country full OF
splendid trees, with some fair sized hills,
but beyond Cambridge it was perfectly
Ilevsl as far as we could see, like Illinois,
with the same rich black soil. The
streams were all dyked and many great
bitches crossed the plain. The crops
everywhere were splendid, the wheat
particularly heavy, but the almost in
cessant rain had hurt everything. The
fine finish and park-like appearance
make the country most beautiful to see,
and the splendid roads render travel
and teaming very easy. In spite of all
the rain there was no mud anywhere. II
our farmers could only spend one day III
Europe they would surely come home
and begin straightway to have decent
roads. Nothing but rock broken to a
certain size is ever put on road there,
md everywhere are the piles of stonC
ready to fix any bad spot. The only way
we will ever have decent roads will be tC
make their care direct tax, and have
the State build them; better yet, tht
National Government. The farmers
would save largely in the end over th'
present method, in the lessened weal
and tea" on h rs's ha"ne' and wagons
besides the great gain in time from gOOt
roads, full loads to be drawn easily at al
times, every man would be miles ncare
his market, because Of the ease in getting
to it.
Another thing that helps the roads
there is the universal use of 4-inCh tire
On all team wagons; these pack the roads
lins cad of C. ing them, and heavie
loads can be drawn. In test tw'
horses drew 5000 pounds on 4-inch tire
= over a ploughed field easily, and tn,
same team could scarcely move 100
pounds with the usual tire. Will no
some enterprising man begin to use sucl
tires and demonstrate their value? /
would be good investment for ever,
town and village to put down littl
stretch of macadamlzed road as an Objec
lesson, for five minutes seeing, is bette
in results than hours of hearing abou
such roads.
Ely Cathedral is on hill; an island o
of land in the great surrounding fens
with the towns built around it: w
thought it the handsomcst, as it is tn
largest, of the English cathedrals W
: saw. 1t is nearly 600 feet long, and look
: ing through the great building one see
a grand vista; the interior is finely fin
ished, and the great gothic dome in it
y construction is unlike any other in tn
. world. All the English cathedrals sui
fered at the hands of CrOmwelfs soldiers
every statue was thrown down from it
place and destroyed, the empty niche
bear witness to their vandalism. Ell
suffered greatly, and in the lady chape
even the small heads in the stone carvin
were knocked off, and nearly al
the beautiful old stained glass brokel
] out.
4 Peterboro, another splendid old cathe
/ dral, is only a few miles from Ely, and
| queerly situated behind the buildings o.
the main street, being reached through
quaint old gateway. The front is grand
i with its three great recessed entrances
q the interior will be fine when they &c
I rid of the wbitewash put on the walls b
Cromwelrs men, while the setting 9
smooth lawns and venerable trees,
L charming. The town is very quaint
l. such old inns and houses, very nice
4 look at but far from agreeable to live il
= The railway stations in England are $
Il crammed with advertisements, that ]
Il looking for the name of station !
II passing, all one could see was Sunligl
II Soap, Linseed Meal, Choclatina, Pear
a Soap or some such thing.
n Approaching Harwich pronounce
Hair-itch), we had some fine views {
II the various bays setting in from the SCI
II reminding us much of the scenery abo'
III Pictou, Nova Scotia. From Parquesto
a Quay steamers cross the channel, OF
4 line going to Rotterdam, the other
II Antwerp; both controlled by the Grei
Eastern Railway of England. We crosse
to Rotterdam and had a queer expel
ence. As we entered the cabin we heai
" "Gentlemen down there, ladies tn
= way" and did as we were told, N
III understanding the reason. | had @
II gagged a state-rOom, so inquired. for
and was informed that all the ladies HI
state-rooms opening from the ladie
= cabin, no gentlemen being allowed, the
p rooms opening off the gentlemen's cab
on the floor below. said, do you mei
- to tell me that my wife and must
II eparated in that way, SUPPOSE an ac'
~ dent happens during the night, he
( could i reach her and help her? w
: the rule was so made, and lit must t
ON and all the gentlemen had to leave tht
4 wives and go down to the lower cabi
nj all expressing very uncomplimenta
"a opinions of the people who made t
= rules, and hoping there might be
s trouble in the night on the treachero
channel, but fortunately we had qui
passage. The absurd rule was carri
so far that several gentlemen who We
u talking with their wives in the ladi'
cabin for moment, were ordered 0
y instanter, as soon as the passengers fro
4 the next train were heard coming
,ch board; for fear some lady shonld find
its;
rk' 0 NJ | lIINlNIOl In.