The record-union., 1891-09-26
; TEE SOARING EAGLE.
Wakeman Furnishes Up Our Ma
tiOnal EscutcheOn.
Found In the Old Washington Build
ings, Liverpool, Where Hawthorne
Represented the United States as
Consul, from 1858 to 1857.
Especial Correspondence of the RECORD
UNION. Copyright. 1S91.l

Especial Correspondence of the RECORD
UNION. Copyright. 1S91.l
LONDON, Eng, September Is, 1891.
1t always thrills the heart of an Aneri-
can traveller to see the blazing of soar
ing eagle with our national motto, "E
pluribus unum," streaming from its
regal beak, whether it be well or lily
painted, upon the escutcheons adorning
the office doors or inner apartments of
our consular Representatives in foreign
lands
The one discoveredin the old Washing
ton buildings, Liverpool, and which dis
closed the very apartment where Nathan
iel Hawthorne had been our Consul from
August, 1858, to September, 1S57-ofwhich
was at once able to make preof-was
the most welcome one my own eyes had
ever beheld. 1t had been painted upon
tin or zinc, and nailed securely to the
long, narrow panel, which it had been
made to exactly cover, between the old
fashioned fireplace and the tiny projec-
ton of a 'manLel above. Succeeding coats
of paint upon the woodwork of the room
had blended its edges with the fireplace
frame, and half century of English coal
smoke had all but obscured its rich Van
dyke tints.
With the weather. beaten Englishman's
CHEEKY permission, my handkerchief and
some petroleum, readily secured IN one
OF the ship supply stores on the Goree
Piazza below, [ soon had the fine es-
cutcheon glowing in its original beauty
and significance. Then it was delight
90 sit there, or wander back and forth be-
tween this room and the adjoining one,
which l found had been the outer and
business office of the consulate, and, with
a loving fancy, bring back into their ac-
custoIned places the surroundings, occu-
pants and belongings of these two little
old rooms.
In Hawthorne's time Washington
buildings-which is single huge
building fronting the river to the south,
brunswick street on the west and the
Back Goree on the north-was one of the
structural lions of Liverpool. Beneath
its great Moorish riyerward piazza scores
OF merchants did a mighty business in
ship chandlery. The Offices above be-
Iopged to the cotton kings and the great
ship owners and shipping merchants of
Liverpool. Every room in the vast hive
swarmed with head men and clerks, and
roared with blatant and profitable rival
ry. Opposite the piazza Were forests of
masts, busy wharves and thoroughfare,
packed night and day, under fiaring
creSsetS IN fogs and by night. with
'Iorries" drawn by immense Welsh and
Lancashire horses, tandem, with their
wonderful loads of the worlds produce.
Around Brunswick street and the Back
GOree swept and crowded the tremend-
GUS activities of the then greatest port of
the world. Here and there and all about
were quaint old inns. famous coffee
houses and wondrous snuggeries, where,
IN a still earlier time the old slave traders
met, and where later the shipmasters
came; the charter parties for cargoes
fE~cy i L
1nnumerable affairs of sea and land, rep
resenting almost incalculable values, We're
settled. Facing all this ON Brunswick
street, and extending around the length
of the two rooms on Back Goree, and on
what the English call the first floor"
that one first above the shop or basement
hoor, reached by unique, almost per-
pendicular, staircase of mahogany steps.
balustradeS and wainScoting, from Bruins
wick street, was located the American
Consulate of Hawthorne's time. then the
finest suite of offices in the great seaport
city.
Following the slender. twisted balus
trades you come to theiouter office. Its
door is at the street end of the narrow
hall. This is mo. l, Washington Build
1ngs." 1t was where Wilding, Vice Con-
sui, with his one clerk and office mes
senger, enacted the part of a sort of in
v1ncible breakwater to all the tides of
IlOLSalfl
Jetsam which set IN upon the kind
hearted Consul Hawthorne. 1t is now
occupied by one desk set on dangerously
high and spindle legs, one who squints
terribly as he whistles worse. and a Sc
we're man in chin Whiskers, a pucker of
stern but hesitant decision in his Iips.
and clothes that strongly SAVIOR of the
stable, whose office sign presupposes its
owner to be one James Winstanley,
Team Owner.'
Big, hulking fellows, with raspinp.
stutty voices, with coats slung over their
arms and ferociOus but harmless whips
Tor Liverpool lorrymen never strike
their horses, more honor to them!-doze
and lounge within. There are two huge
but dlminutive panel windows overlook
ing brunswick street. Two more admit
the light from Back Goree All Of them
We're made double, to exclude the deafen-
ing clatter Of the once busy locality. In
one corner, across the angle, is little
iron fireplace with fantastic ormentation,
The narrowest little mantel in all the
world is above this, higher than ones
mead. Next TO this. set into the thick
wall, is a safe like Dutch oven, andits
iron door Is as wondrous in bolts. hinges.
ut and finish as the door of frontier
cowshed. Really curious old appoint
ments are these, and they were made to
remain.
Between this outer office and the rear
apartment was, and is, little covered
entry-a box large enough TO hide and
hold a half dozen topcoats, hats and
mackintoshes. From this a small door
opened into Hawthorne'S private office.
or, rather, opened into another little box
OF an entry with TWO doors. One of these
opened into Hawthorne's room. and the
other gave passage to and from the hall
way. Hawthorne meyer entered the lat
ter door on arriving at the consulate.
lie always came into the outer office.
with great promputude of mornings.
and, after CHEEKY greetings, passed to the
Little closet, where he deposited his outer
garments and Immediately entered his
private apartment.
lftoo closely pressed by forlorn strang-
ers, obstreperous sailors, officious cap
tains, or more unbearable lion hunters,
he gently opened his door to the little
closet, donned his hat and coat noise
lessly and disappeared through the side
door into the hallway, from thence max
ing his exit into Back Goree through n
narrow and unfrequented side entrance.
When the coast became clear Wilding al
ways knew hls messenger would find
him, either wandering and musing in old
st. Nicholas churchyard, conveniently
near, or IN certain bakers shop, reached
through one or two narrow back streets.
where there was a lunch counter at
which one could stand and eat excellent
bread, butter and cheese" and where the
lad Julian might usually be found with
his now happy father.
There never could have been a more
quaint and tiny room than Hawthorne's
private Office. Honest Joseph Cork hin.
Tug Owner occupies it, and he is now
the proUdest man in England to know
that his Mersey tugs are for hire in
place so rife with associative interest.
Above the wide, low door iron bars,
a lQil ..aIl