Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-09-26


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Tho Thames Is a lovely little river,
with an immense volume OF trafic on II.
and no one can see 1t without being
convinced that Richmond's waterfront
on the James Is capable OF immense
development.
THE idea that the houses are not as
tail as they are in America soon I'M
presses itself upon the stranger, and nc
gets the same impression about the In
feriority Of the English TO our people
in size The train and hotel service are
not equal 10 ours, and the cost or living
Is no less. But in one particular Eng
lishmen are far and away beyond US.
They have the most magnificent streets
and roads in the world. Tho average
country road appears 20 be about % rect
wide. and they are all paved or ma
camadlzed infinitely better than the
streets OF Richmond. The system OK
drainage Is as near perfect as first-class
engineering can make IL. The General
Assembly OF Virginia should al once
turn it's attention 70 our country roads.
FOUND IN THE ICE.
1--WE made a short stay In Holland and
Germany. where we found the roads
equally as good and spent some time
in Switzerland. Thorwaldsen's lion, OF
Lucerne, carved out of the solid rock
near that city, concentrating the
valor Of the Swiss Guards who fell in
defence Of vacillating King Louis XVI,
at the Palace OF the Tuileries. on the
memorable 10Th OF August. lIs2, rivets
the attention Of the beholder as nothing
but the masterpiece Of a genius can DO.
The curious traveller cannot help think
ing of what a tremendous lease OF power
TIKI ont hQI
their representative been bold and
dashlng leader, ready to fight for his
crown at that turning point In the
French revolution.
1--WE spent some time in the higher
Alps. and while at Chamoix, at the foot
OF Mont Blanc, heard the fate of an un-
fortunate mountain climber. On the 18th
Of October. 1866, so says the Alpine Jour-
nal, Captain Arkwright. with his guide,
two porters, Couttet, and servant, be-
gan the ascent of Mont Blanc. They
took the route Of the ancient passage"
and had assembled a little way, when an
avalanche fell from above Couttet saw
what was coming, and, along with the
servant, managed to get out of the way
Captain Arkwright and his guides either
remained immovable or tried TO escape
in the wrong direction; they were over
Of them was dscernable by the sur
vivors. His body was found while we
were there. and buried. having been in
the fee for more than thirty years. His
features were said to be readily recog-
niZable The ascent Is no longer as
difficult as formerly, but we contented
ourselves with watching it from the viii
lage Of Chamoix made by tourist. We
followed him with our eyes as long as
we could, and then we used a great ,tele-
scope. 1t looked better perhaps, than
It felt TO the weary fellow with the
singular ambition. The Swiss mountains
are very pretty, but nothing like so i'm
posing as those we have on the north
west coast OF the United States. A man
who has seen both cannot nave a dlffe-
rent opinion. The mountains of the
States OF oregon and Washington are
superior IN natural beauty.
THEY WENT TO PARIS.
From Switzerland we went 10 Paris,
the only city in the world which is moro
beautiful than what he who has never
seen It imagines Il TO be. The typical
little Frenchman with the curled NOUS
tache we see through English spec
tacles does not exist in Paris. The real
Frenchman is a joyial, fine-looking, hearty
fellow, proud Of his gallant race and his
great republic. He treats Americans as
they are treated nowhere else In Europe,
as citizens Of a sister republic. the only
two civilized countries having the proper
form Of government.
1.-THE reception Of President Felix Faure
by the city Of Paris upon his return from
Russia was a most imposing spectacle.
Thousands of soldiers of the regular
army were there to receive him, and the
people were all out on the streets. The
French cavalry were specially noticeable,
being the best mounted and the largest
soldiers L saw in Europe. Their style
and dash was peculiar to their great race.
No man could receive the monster ova-
ton rendered NJ. Faure unless he was tho
real choice of the people. The President
is a handsome man of fine presence.
PLACE DE LA CONCORDE.
perhaps the spot OF most interest in
Paris Is the Place de la Concorde. IL
forms a beautiful link between the Louvre
and the Champs Elysees. In its centre
stands the great Obelisk of Luxor, Y
feet inches high, marking the spot
where Louis XVI, Charlotte Corday, the
Duke of Orleans, Danton Robespierre,
and $500 other persons were guilllotined,
between January q, 1898, and May 3,
1885 The square is enclosed with balu-
Strades, terminating In the easements OF
eight colossal statues Of the chief pro-
yincial cities OF France. That one to
Strasburg is always decorated with fresh
flowers and funeral emblems in memory
of the cession of that town to the Ger
mans, in 1871. On the north stands the
Church of the Madeline, the most ex-
quisitely beautiful church building in the
world; TO the south, over the bridge
across the Seine, are the Legislative
Palaces, behind which Is seen towering
the dome Of the Invalides, where the re-
mains OF the great Napoleon found their
last resting place.
'The tomb Of Napoleon is far more i'm
posing and impressive than Westminster
Abbey. No one can visit 1t without be-
ing profoundly impressed with its ex-
traordnary grandeur and magnihcence
and the beholder feels satisfied that after
life's fitful fever, the great warrior has
found a resting-place in every way worthy
OF him.
IN THE LOUVRE.
paris shows no outward marks or
former wars and instructions. In the
Louvre my attention was attracted by
the portrait OF a man with particularly
sad face. 1t was that Of Coubert, the
noted painter, who cast his fortunes with
s---a&z.-.zz.-...-z.--s~z-..--
Out into the Darkness.