Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-11-14
AN UNDISCOVERED CITY.
Victoria, a Bit of England on Pacific
Shores.


of the great Pacific ocean, its high
cliffs gently washed by the placid wa
ters of the straits of Juan de Fuca;
situated on the bold promontOry thar
iuts out from Vancouver island into
the straits like the index finger OF
hand. stands beautiful city that uhtll
the past year or two was almost as uil-
known to the rest of the world as
America was before the visit of Column
bus Even the citizens themselves had
not discovered it. They knew. indeed.
that ii was all they wished for as a city
in which to make home. They
We're never tired of sitting out on the
cliffs or on some sheltered beach. and
watching the ever-changing light on
the magnificent Olympic range or
mountains, whose hOary heads rear
themselves against the sky as they
keep their eternal vigil over the Medit>
erranean-like waters Of the straits.
They knew that they had all the outdoor
field sports for themselves and their
children that their hearts could wish
for; and their evenings, spent in lei
surely padding their boats and canoes
along the enchanting waters of the
gorge. were such that they had no wish
to quarrel with the fate that had
caused their lot to be cast in such pleas
ant places. They knew, in short that
their lives followed much the same
lines as those of their fathers in old
England. but they did not know that
this very fact lent an especial interest
to their island city. and so it was only
when the tourist came along with his
glasses nd
tlacaiiy discovered the city, that the
people Of Victoria became aware of the
fact that they had a city that for its
charm of situation. natural scenery
temperate climate and opportunities
for enjoyment WAS unsurpassed in the
whole wide world. 1t is certainly Eng
fish i'll its institutions. customs and
manners. The British soldier. sailor
professional man. servant and business
man are everywhere in evidence. The
gardens ;lre English, the owners are
English, the w:'y they do business is
English. and the way in which they
keep every holiday English
1t has been described as n ..hit Of
England ON the'shores of the Pacific"
ana rs such is proving of immense in
tereSt 10 those visitors who have been
OF Wnom would find it altogether i'm.
possible ever TO visit England. 1t was
no small surprise to her citizens 10 he
toiu py H. X. H., the Prince of Wales.
''i''t Victoria was i'll the midst of the
most beautiful scenery he had seen il,
the whole of mis- trip through the Brit
1911 empire. But NictOrias situation
Wen deserved such a tribute. because
III / 1,
~ IL impossible to imagine a more
beautiful spot.
vi course all its scenic attractions I
are natural, and they give one some |
iaiit idea OF what the Almighty's con-
cep'ich OF the beautiful must be. for
.Hey are as they originally came from
Ills mana centuries before man was
permitted to gaze upon their fascina,-
ing and pewiidering beauty.
Inc summers in this lately discoy-
ere" city Of the Pacific northwest the
eve. Sften cltN Of Canada. are simply
p'i4tct. III is here that the man who
h"o"S WHAT 1t is to do business in a
'ei'il'" lure or from 80 to 1I6 degrees
III 'he shade should spend his summers
vacation, Tor 1t is not once in dozen
9e'rS ihat the thermometer registerSl
over ~ degrees. although there is Il
o'ilS average of seven hours of sun
shlhe Tor SIX months every year. The
winters, too. arc mild. frost being, ex-
cept IN rare years, almost unknown.
lhiS Is the land of roses. Almost
every garden. whether it belongs TO y
cottage or Il mansion. is rich in The.
possession Of roses OF all hues. shades.
colors and Varieties which grow in be-
"ih'erin2 rrofuSion. while even the
residential streets and suburban driyesl
are frlnS"d on both sides with glorious
bushes of the wild rose.
Now that the tourist has found this
quaint city it will not take long for it'll
10 become one of the famous resorts
OF the continent. The citizens. while
they nave been contented to live their
own life and to make no great fuss
ABOUT the natural attractions of their
city. have been careful to erect for
themselves some magnificent public
buildings. The parliament building.
Tor tte city is the capital of British
Columbia. cost $1.O0O.OOO and is ac
knowledsed to be one of the most
stately and beautiful buildings on the
misunderstanding in Canada. Anoth-
er interesting thing about this favored
city is that it is the most western city I
in the kings dominion. You cannot
get any farther west. and no matter {
whether you go forward or back. you
go east-if you go west you still gol '
east. 1t is not surprising then that in .
this western threshold of his dominion
King Edward should maintain a naval .
base and supply point. In fact this is i
the only naval station Great Britain I
has on the Pacific coast of America. ,
In case of any trouble with Great i
Britain arising out of the present war t
in the East. Victoria would be one i
city upon which the eyes of the world {
would be conferred. No wonder then, t
that one of the most familiar sights on q
the streets of Victoria is Jack tar or q
Il soldier of the king. as there are sew s
eral warships stationed here and de- !,
tachments Of the royal garrison artil- !
lery and royal engineers. "
The warships are Invariably open to I
the inspection of visitors. and it is an a
excellent way of putting in the after t
noon to take an electric car to the {
beach, stroll through the dock ward \