Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-09-16
WALES AND LONDON.
The One q Picturesque Country; The
Other q Great and Growing City.
HARD NAMES TO PRONOUNCE.
Ono Of tho Difficulties With which the
American Traveller meets-Caiis for
DIR. McGuirc-Richmon Abroad.

Il
| Renders Of the Dispatch have found
both pleasure and information In the pc
| rusal OF the bright letters that We have
| published from the pen OF Mr.. Thomas
Potts, who, with his wife. Is travelling
! abroad. The two which follow-one writ
| fen from Wales and the other n few days
later from London-will be found equally
as entertaining.
| This a. the one descriptive of the pic
| turesque country from which our Welsh
| citizens come.
ST. GEORGES HOTEL, LLANDUDNO.
| N. W.. August 2s.-The strong sea breezes
| ON the Isle of Man and the healthful ex-
| ercIse taken there in its COOL crispy air
| added much to our comfort We turneo
| our faces from the isle Tor the shores
| of North Wales. and, after run OF
sixty miles across the irish Sea, found
ourselves in this fashionable seaside re-
| sort for the people OF England and Scot
| land.
The entrance from the sea brings you TO
| n crescent-shaped bay, bounded on both
! horns of the crescent by great rocks
| known as Ormes Heads. which stand 61s
| feet high. and behind the crescent you
have mountain and hills, which together
make this one OF the most desirable
watering places in Wales. The sea has
| full force to wash the beach,
| and while safe to the people who
| enjoy a sea bath, 1t at the same time
| cools the faces of those VINO are more
| tmld, and who sit on the shore.
BEAUTIFUL ASPHALT PROMENADE.
The town Of Llandudno, In its wisdom,
has made promenade from headland
| 10 headland, a distance or two miles
| and this beautiful walk Is made OF asphalt
| and as smooth as the floor OF the Planters
Bank. of Richmond, and as clean as the
walks at the Old reservoir were when
CAPTAIN Rose had the care Of It. The
| Town is full Of good hotels and boarding
houses. and when you know that 1000
strangers are here at present you can
see how important II Is 10 have ample
room for the comfort Of those who visit
this section.
a carriage drive OF five miles around
the head Of the Great Orme-the greater
part of this marine drive beng cut out
OF the mountain, at a cost OF over 1000
gives the visitor at the height or sew
eral hundred feet, view Of the sea
which would be difficult TO find elsewhere.
The city is well lighted by electric light
and gas. Lord Mostyn, who is largely
interested In the town, Is most liberal
toward all improvements. At present
beautiful memorial church, in memory
Of the late Duke OF Clarence, IS being
erected. and, when finished Will scat
1000 persons.
WELSH Is HARD TO LEARN.
think / said in my former letter
the Irish and ManX languages were fast
passing away but this cannot be said OF
the Welsh, as the youths all speak IL,
and the mothers teach the children the
native speech before going 10 the public
schools, where English alone Is taught.
Manx and Irish are easy I'm comparison
10 the Welsh tongue. 1t looks as II every
letter In the alphabet is used not once.
but twice. and IL IS simply beyond the
power of a stranger to spell Welsh words,
or to give the proper pronunciation after
you have written IT. This is jaw
breaking language. and only Welshman
can form his tongue and bring forth the
proper sounds.
Bangor, with the Menai bridge. Is worth
a visit. Major John ?. Branch told me Of
this wonderful bridge built by Thomas
Telford in 1925 which spans the Menai
straits, and to-day it is u wonder Of
engineering skill.
CAERNARVON CASTLE.
Caernarvon, with its great castle. where
it is said the first Prince. Of Wales was
shown to the people in the year 1884, and
declared that he was their Prince Of
Wales. is an attractive place TO visit
The window, or Queens entrance, In the
palace is always visited by strangers,
and the old story told again. During
July of this year the Prince and the
Princess OF Wales visited CaernarvOn Gas
tie, and their visit to Wales was much
enjoyed by the people of all ranks. In
looking over the list Of Princes OF Wales
! find that Albert Edward is the seven
teGnth since that memorable day in
1891 when Edward OF CaeTnarvon was pre-
scented.
A CLIMBING RAILWAY.
For beauty OF any description. "Bettws
y-Coed" is, perhaps. the most beautiful
place in North Wales \ ramble around 1
its walks, waterfalls, and valleys Will
repay the traveller and we can recon-
mend visit to this locality Conway AMI
its old castle Is well worth q visit, 10
those who take an interest in the history
of the past We had a coach-ride OF about 1
- miles TO Port Madoc. where We met
the Festiniog toy-railway Of Wales. This
railroad was built to carry slate from the
quarres down TO Port MadOc but the
public were so anxious 10 see the noun /
tains where the slate came from that the
company agreed 10 carry passengers over
the narrow-gauge road. You leave Port
Madoc. and climb To Festinlos. over this
mountain-road rising during Is miles some
500 10 800 feet, and often passing over
mountain gorges on solid mason work, |
only a few feet wide on the top. and
spanning gorges Of over l,0D feet. The
track. TO be correct. is foot II II inches. |
but IL is called the 2-foot guage.
The wheels OF the engine are feet s
inches high, the stroke IA inches. and the
cylinder 9 inches. and the engine can
carry 50 tons and run 10 miles an hour
The road cost on an average 10000 per
mile. and it pays a good dividend to the |
stockholders
OUR SCENERY EQUAL TO ANY.
After enjoying the grand sights O,
North Wales on its railways AMI coach !
rides. yet | can with truth say that tho !
Chesapeake and Ohio railway. on the New |,
River Division. has as grand and bcaut.- !
ful scenery along its line as anything in |
North Wales This IS not my opinion |
alone. but others who travelled with me /
said the same
The railroads are very fine, both as TO |
machinery and road-bed, but not superior |
TO Major Fred. SCOTS road from Rich |
mond TO Petersburg.
1t will repay any person who desires |
health and pleasure TO visit Wales. for |
il Is charming place, and fills the !
stranger with admiration.
The new tariff at Washington gives
general satisfaction. and the people OF
England hope for great results from it, |
operation.
Owing to the constant wet weather. |
the wheat crop is very poor, and our !
wheat will be wanted.
We 60 10 London, and thence TO the |
Isle of Wight To see the seashore on the |
south of England.
THOMAS POTTS.