Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1892-02-18
LONDON, ENGLAND.
Written By Hrs. +. Hoek1nnoH.
Part ,Sfc0R9.

At present the Tower is great mill
| tary storehouse in charge Of the War
Department, containing arms, accOutre-
ments for the complement of a large
army. The government. of the Tower
is vested in Constable Who has great
privileges and who is usually military
officer of long service and distinguished
mark. The Deputy Constable, also a
general officer of repute, is the actual
governor. He has small staff under
him, the corps Of the Yeomen of the
Guard, more commonly known as
Beef-Eaters. They are an odd looking
set of men, wearing a uniform of blue
cloth. The tunic or frock comes to the
knees and is trimmed with two bands of
red cloth. On the breast is worked a
crown with Y. r. Victoria Regina) be-
meath. The sleeves and neck are
trimmed with red bands, long stockings,
half shoes, q cloak like circular for
inclement weather, an old-fashioned
hat with feather, like Tam O'Shanter
cap, and staff, complete most unique
costume.
The IeOmen or Beef-eaters (whv
called Beef-eaters | cannot tell unless
they live on beef number about forty
eight, and are usually old deserving
non-commissioned officers. In addi-
ton, there is usually a battalion of
Infantry quartered in the barracks.
Our cousin, Col. Henry Machinnon, of
the Coldstream Guard, was quartered
here last Summer during our stay in
England
The different chambers of the Tower
have been turned into a museum.
What arrested my attention most par
ticularly of all the things which [ saw
in here, was the identical block upon
which Charles 1st was beheaded, one
can still see the marks of the axe, and
outside, below the Beauchamp Tower,
is the stone upon which Lady Jane
Grey was beheaded, which is now pro-
tected from the public by iron chains;
above this place one can see the window
of the room where Sir Walter Raleigh
was imprisoned SO many years, and also
"Princess Elizabeth afterwards Queen
EGzabeth) had to enter through the
''Traitors Gate" The regalia OF Eng
land is kept i'll the Tower, comprising
several crows, scepters, globes, and
Jewels of enormous value one has to
pay small fee to see these jewels.
Locking up the Tower is an ancient
and stately ceremony still in use, which
| know will amuse my readers as much
as it did me when | first heard of it. \
few minutes before the clock strikes
eleven, on Tuesdays and Fridays
twelve, the Head Warden (Yeoman
Porter clothed in his long circular red
cloak, bearing huge bunch of keys
and attended by a brother warden
carrying lantern, appears in front of
the main guard house Here he stamps
his foot loudly and calls out "EscOrt
Keys" The sergeant of the guard
with five Or six men then turns out and
follows him to the rs pur" or outer gate,
each sentry challenging as they pass
the port "Who goes there "-''Keys."
The gates being carefully locked and
! barred, the procession returns, arriving
once more in front of the main guard
| house. The sentry then gives a loud
stamp with his foot and asks ''Who
goes there ?"-"Keys." "Whose keys?''
"Queen Nictoria's Keys" "Advance
Queen Nictoria's Keys, and ALPS Well
The Yeomen Porter then eXclaims
"God bless Queen Victoria" The main
guard responds "Amen." The officer
on duty gives the word present Armsn'
The tirelocks rattle; the officer kisses
the hilt of his sword; the escort fall in
among their companions; the Yeoman
Porter marches across the parade alone
to deposit the keys in the Lieutenant
| Lodgings The ceremony over, not
only is all egress and ingress totally i'm
possible. but even within the walls nc
one can stir without being furnished
with the countersign. We visited the
Tower while in England in 1887 and
were members of q party of three East
Indian Princes, who with their attend.
ants all dressed in East Indian costumes
were shown the curiosities of the place
as we came out it was i o'clock and we
stopped to watch the officer fire the
guns.
While in the vicinity of the Docks, il
is Just as well to take them next as they
are one of the most interesting features
of the east end, and entirely the growtl
of the present century. They have
been formed for the reception, dis
charging, and loading of vessels. On the
north side of the river are st. kathrine'S
Docks, London Docks, the West India
Docks, the East India Docks, anG
Victoria Docks; on the south, Crane
Surrey Docks, and the Commercial
Docks. These comprise hundreds o1
acres of water, surrounded by miles 0:
walls and sheItering thousands of ships
here has been spent millions of pounds
and all this affected in the last hal
century.
St. Katherine's Docks, which We
visited first Having been supplied witt
Especial order from the Secretary who
gave us guide and opened the doors oi
the different warehouses to us. The
frontage of the quay is paved with cast
iron. The warehouses are four or five