Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1892-11-17
For the Ellsworth American. (
Rambles in Old England.

For the Ellsworth American
Rambles in Old England,
| would like to try and tell your readers
something that would interest them con
cerDing that famous, world renowned
structure the Tower of London. Wheth-
er or not | can write anything interesting
amid my present surroundings is ques-
tion. The question is: Could | write
anything of interest, under the most pleas
ant conditions: As | shall feel the need
of many excuses for this poorly connected
letter, will tell whoever may chance TO
read it, something of my present surround
ings, because they, too may want an ex-
cuse for the writer, as well as for them
selves
No doubt your paper enters the homes
and is read by hundreds who hsve little
idea of the care, anxiety and dangers con-
nected with that performance. termed In
nautical psrlance, Running down your
eastern" in other words. running TO the
eastward between the continents Of South
America and Australia, on voyages to
Australia, the East Indies, China aud Jap
an. This running TO the eastward is done
by American ships usually about the par
allel Of IS deg. south. Meteorological
statistics prove that the southern hemi-
sphere Is colder, parallel for parallel, than
he bay In fn
Cape Horn to New Zealand, and from New
Zealand to Cape Horn, there are constant
westerly gales. There is never time that
there is not q heavy gale blowing from
westerly direction in some part of this vast
area. Those constant gales send high
long sea rolling from west to east around
the world, all the time. With this ready
made sea, it is very short job for heavy
gales TO raise the highest known seas of
the world. Those westerly gales are fair
winds. and a. they are seldom light enough
for the best found ship to fy all her
kites, the question becomes: How much
will she bear? Over this part of the world
sailors wages for the voyage are reduced
In proportion TO the amount of canvas
carried, and before entering this belt of
gales new sails are bent and good gear
rove; and the master who has his en-
ployer's interest at heart. has his ship In
condition to do her work, before he puts
her into this tempestuous streak.
II you can imagine the awful grandeur
OF the picture that ship would make be-
meath the dark canopy Of a stormy sky,
the one living object upon the storm
wripkled face OF old ocean, thrown into
such condition that when you stand on
the deck of a 100 ton ship and see her
toss heavenward on the top of watery
mountain, one moment, and the next sunk
in valley between two of them, so vast
that in your own mind you compare her to
chip adrift, can see every piece Of cor
dage delineated like bars of iron against
the dark sky, feel her quiver from truck
to keel under the enormous pressure of
tempest-stretched canvas you are forcing
her TO carry, when you see 100 feet of her
lee rail that stands (when upright) four
teen feet above sea-level buried two and
three feet deep beneath blue ocean, see
tons of boiling seething water come pour
ing in on deck, and go rushing fore and
aft in foaming torrents, taking all things
not well secured with it along the decks,
and realize that all this is being done with
yards braced well forward, under pres.
sure that is forcing the ship through this
din and clash Of wind and water thirteen
knots an hour; if you can imagine all this,
and have had the responsibility of il ears
enough to understand the hundred other
conditions pertaining to this running
down the eastern" such as loss of life,
spars, etc, you will be able to realize that
there might be some difficulties in the way
of such chap as I aU undertaking to
write Interestingly upon subject so Der.
manently established, well grounded and
stationary, as the Tower of London. How.
ever, l will tell you of some things saw
there; also tell you of some other things
that probably many of your readers know
more of than do; since to do so will
quote at random little history now and
then, that pertains to that ancient struct
ure. 1t will hardly be quoting history
since shall not confne myself to the ex
act reading of those passages, but tell |,
my own way as correctly as can.
The ground upon which the tower stands
was chosen by William the Conquerol
soon after he obtained the kingdom. The
tower stands partly within the ancien,
walls of the city, which was built by ths
Romans ABOUT the year A. D. $50. The
tower proper is supposed to have beer
commenced about 1918, previous to which
date, Roman and Norman fortiHcations
consisting OF earth works and wooder
stockades. occupied the site. The Who'll,
tract Of land comprising what is called
the Tower Liberty is twenty-six acres
the buildings covering twelve acres. Le
me here tell your readers that do not know
that the Tower of London does not meal
one building or tower, but is several build
ings of different shapes, connected by pas
sages under or above ground. in somt
cases, both ways; and there is, think
thirteen towers Of importance, besides
many buildings. The buildings are main
ly of the Norman period. and of Henr!
III, but nearly all the styles of architect
ure that have fourished in England ar
found here. The tower has been used a
fortress, palace and prison. As . for
tress and palace, its days are probabl.
over. It would scarcely be considered q