221
ACROSS THE OCEAN
OUR FOREIGN LETTER-BRITISH PARLIAMENT AND DIGNITARIES
The Adjournment of the Session--Tourists Returning Across the Briny--Theatres of London Open For the Year--Criticism of the Great Naval Parade.
Special Correspondence of the Sunday Register
LONDON, August 17--The Houses of Parliament have closed for this session, and the law givers of England have left the city on their summer vacations. The heat of Juner and July does not bother the members, as their working hours are at night, between eight and three o'clock, and sometimes business extends until breakfast hours.
The ocean steamers are over-crowded this summer, and the unfortunate American visiting in Europe who fails to purchase a round-trip ticket when he starts on his journey, finds when looking for his return passage that rates have materially advanced. The ship owners can hardly be blamed for their doing, as it is business. "If you would a tourist he, you must pay for the sights you see."
The theatres of London are open the year round and large audiences are a rule. A number of the plays now on the boards contain scenes and acting of interest to Americans The enterprising manager are aware that a great deal of their patronage at this season of the year is derived from the "Yankees" and they are on the alert. One abominable feature of attending
THEATRES IN LONDON
is that you have to pay for the programmes of the plays. An American would laugh if he were asked to pay four cents at a home theater for a simple piece of paper containing the names of the players and their parts. It is little things like this here and there that disgusts the average visitor. You can't ask a question or occupy a vacant seat in some of the places of public congregations without felling someone. Even if you take a dinner for a quarter, the waiter (who is paid by the day: expects a few cents from you.
The papers of the United States are prone to praise the navy of England and say sarcastic things regarding the several ron-clads of which the United States possesses. The press of London (at least part of it) does not think the British navy is what it is reputed. The Fall Mall Gazette, speaking of the matter, says in substance Suppose the mimic battle manoeuvres Her Majesty has been having had been real ones, wouldn't the navy have made a very bad showing Three boats were disabled from petty causes.
TWO IRON-CLADS COLLIDED,
and a gun burst on one of the ships, and the two weeks' work of sham action almost worried the members of the boats to death. This when Victoria's navy playing, what when it is in real service?
There is hardly a person who is acquainted with London but who knows the section called "Petticoat [word?]." Tea Hebrews continue to swarm at this place, and the money made by them in business is something great to contemplate. A $50,000 annual income is twenty times more numerous among the London Jews that the rest of the population The Hebrews in question are noted for their fine appearance and healthfulness. Their wealth has always been traditional. These people close their shops on Saturday to observe the Sabbath, but on Sunday everything is on in full tilt again.
Brighton is the resort of the aristocratic English people, and that place is at present entertaining several thousand Londoners each day. The city is about fifty miles from London and fast trains convey passengers there and back at all hours of the day. Brighton has an elegant beach, but there is not a tree along it. How much pleasanter it would be to have
A SHADY RETREAT
at intervals rather than the hot rays of "old Sol" continually. Margate, down the Thames river and Lemington, between London and Liverpool, are also summer resorts. There is more "jolly, good fun" at Margate than either of the places.
Although one or two attempts have been made to stop "Buffalo Bill" on the ground that it is a nuisance to the residents near-by, the energetic showman still holds sway. The American exhibition is in the same grounds as the Will West and is a miserable failure, and it is my candid opinion that if it wasn't for the Indian and Cow boy show the American exhibition given at Manchester, England, as present, is a good one, and although it is a local, display, it vies well with the Great World's Show held in New Orleans in 1831 85- DICKENS
223
THE STAGE AND THE RING.
THE RAGE FOR FOREIGN ACTORS
LUCK OF ENGLISH AND AMERICAN STARS
The Wild West Show–Buffalo Bill's Big Time–Crowned Heads Among the Cowboys–A Princess in the Indian Males.
[Special Correspondance of Baltimore Sun.]
LONDON, Aug. 14.–It would be rather a difficult task to calculate how many thousands, or millions of dollars for that matter, English and continental singers, players and literal[?] have picked up in the United States in the last thirty or forty years. It has appeared to be only necessary for a reader, a lecturer, a singer or an actor to hail from this side of the Atlantic to be saluted with a golden shower when appearing on the stage in any city of importance in America. Now and then some of those who have landed on our shores filled with anticipations of dramatic, histrionic or musical triumphs have been disappointed, but these few exceptions do not in the least invalidate the rule. English "professionals" in particular have most always met with a warm reception in America, have pocketed out dollars and have been made social lions. To be "English, quite English, you know," has been the "open sessme" to American hearts and American purses. Our artists have generally had a different experience on this side, and it is only a small portion of those who, having achieved deserved fame and success at home, and who, coming here from fresh triumphs, have met with the reception to which their talents justly entitle them. It is a matter current in theatrical circles that more than one American star has lost in a disastrous English campaign the money accumulated at home, and it is asserted that a liberal estimate would not give to more than one in two of those who have made ventures in the old world a return sufficient to pay expenses. This reason, however, an American venture of this character has achieved a success both in a social and pecuniary degree which is absolutely unparalleled in either Europe or America. The "show," for it can properly be called by no other name, which has this distinction has made the tour of the United States I do not know how many times, and while it probably always attracted average "paying" houses, it was never considered "swell," and one would not meet there the kind of an audience that would be seen on an opera night. Here this "show" has "caught on" in the full meaning of the term, and at its performances the attendance has rivaled if not exceeded in point of fashion, elegance and distinction the combined attendance during the same period at all the principal theatres of London.
THE WILD WEST SHOW.
Buffalo Bill and his company were brought here merely as an adjunct to the American Exhibition, but it is the most remarkable case of the tail wagging the dog that was ever known. This American Exhibition was heralded in advance with a great blowing of trumpets in both hemispheres, and President Cleveland was announced to open it by Atlantic cable. The auspices under which it was conducted are said to be entirely proper and respectable; and there seems to be nothing that is not strictly legitimate about it, but somehow or other it was not enthusiastically taken hold of in the United States, and the President, after reflection, declined to have any official connection with it. The exhibition is not much. It puts one in mind of the old Maryland Institute fairs. It is, however, in a most eligible location. The grounds, which are very large, are the joint property of seven railroad corporations. These corporations gave the grounds free of charge, and through their branches, underground and otherwise, they are getting pretty well paid for their liberality, as they have conveyed passengers by the hundred thousand. The grounds are very tastily arranged and adorned, and at night, with the display of electric lights, gas, Chinese lanterns, etc. the effect is quite inspiring. But, as I have quite intimated, the exhibition is really "very thin," and there is not much loitering around the "chestnuts," which have done duty[?] at one and another town and county fair in the United States for lo![?] these many years. One glance is given, and the visitor then hurries on to get a seat in the vast amphitheatre where Buffalo Bill and his company prance around and burn powder. The character of this performance seems to have taken a deep hold of the British mind as furnishing a type of American life. If it was realized that such scenes and customs as are depicted are really as unfamiliar to nine-tenths of the American people as to themselves, it is altogether probable that the English would not take so much interest in them. Be this as it may, the fact remains that Buffalo Bill has taken all England by storm, from loyalty and nobility down. Frequent intimations of this have been sent to the United States by cable and letter, but I was totally unprepared for what I find to be the case by actual observation. Buffalo Bill commenced his performances on May 9, more than three months ago. He has given two performances every day since that time, Sundays only excepted. I saw both the afternoon and the night performance of yesterday, and at the two there could not have been less than thirty thousand people. Yesterday was damp and chilly, and the attendance was much under the average, which is 60,000 per day. The daily attendance at times has gone up to 80,000.
224
THE WICKED ARMY MULE.
Buffalo Bill Gives a Bit of His Experiences as a Dispatch Carrier.
I started once more of the road for Fort Larued, and proceeded without interruption to Coon creek, thirty miles from Fort Dodge.
Here I dismounted and led my mule to a pool to give him some water. I also stood myself a drink, using my hat for a dipper, and while engaged in procuring this refreshment my mule suddenly jerked off and rambled away down to the creek. Then it flashed across my mind that in the hurry of departure I had omitted to make my larait fast to him and that he was at large.
I followed him gently, in the hopes of getting hold of his bridle, and that he would perchance stop. He did not. He made straight for the wagon road, but instead of making for Fort dodge, as I expected he would, he turned toward Fort Larned and jogged merrily along with a most happy and unconcerned air. Several times I succeeded in getting just up to him when he would put on a sport and go ahead, easy slacking down as soon as I gave up chase. I was sorely tempted to shoot him with my fun, which I fortunately held in my hand, but the report would have probably brought the Indians down on me, and as he was besides company for me, I restrained. And thus the mule marched on and I followed on foot cursing.
From Coon creek to Fort Larned is thirty-five miles, and we - that is the mile and myself - made pretty good time. There was nothing to hold the mule, and I was striving hard to catch him, which urged him on. In addition to the excitement of this pedestrian competition I had the knowledge that I might at any moement be pounced on by Indians and have my hair lifted.
The mule stuck on the road and I stuck to the mule. Just as day began to break we found ourselves still in the same order of procession on a hill looking down on the the calley of Pawnee fork, with Fort Larnedd looing up in the distance, and as I surveyed the scene, and the mule surveyed me, the morning gun belched forth half a mile away.
We took a stock of each other with expressions of mutual distrust. Then, addressing my opposite neighbor, I spoke.
"Time's up," I said, "and it's my turn. I am deeply indebted to you for your company, and we must part." Then I reaised my gun to my shoulder and blazed away, hitting the beast on the hip. Inserting a second cartridge I fired into him again, and twice more, until at last he lay stretched out nice and comfortable. Like all government mules, he was a tough one, and died hard.
My shots brought out the treops, and when they learned what had happened they all said it served him right. I then walked into headquarters and delivered my dispatchers, and received the compliments of the general. -Chicago Times.
225
Georgia's Escape. A very determined effort was made last winter to dragoon the State of Georgia into the support of a so-called American Exposition in London, and to railroad an appropriation through the Legislature. Similar attempts have been made upon several preceding Legislatures, and they will be made in the future. Georgia made a happy escape from this one. We had not heard of the exposition since the day it opened with a full assortment of hand soap and store teeth until now. The Baltimore Sun has a correspondent in England, who has taken in the show. He writes as follows: "Buffalo Bill and his company were brought here merely as an adjunct to the American exhibition, but it is the most remarkable case of the tail wagging the dog that was ever known. This American exhibition was heralded in advance with a great blowing of trumpets in both hemispheres, and President Cleveland was announced to open it by Atlantic cable. The auspices under which it was conducted are said to be entirely proper and respectable, and there seems to be nothing that is not strictly legitimate about it, but somehow or other it was not enthusiastically taken hold of in the United States, and the President, after reflection, declined to have any official connection with it. The exhibition is not much. It puts one in mind of the old Maryland Institute fairs. "But, as I have intimated, the exhibition is really 'very thin,' and there is not much loitering around the 'chestnuts,' which have done duty at one and another town and county fair in the United States for lo these many years. One glance is given, and the visitor then hurries on to get a seat in the vast amphitheatre where Buffalo Bill and his company prance around and burn powder." The days of expositions have passed, for a season, at least. The public has tired of them, and they do not pan out well in hard cash. The Federal and State treasuries should be carefully guarded against any more raids from the interested agents of expositions.