Fishmongers Hal

Blackfriars Br.

BRIDGE.

St Dunstans

VIEW FROM

LONDON BRIDGE.

Billingsgate

Gustom House

Leaving Stafford we pass LICHFIELD (148 miles), (Hotels: George, Swan), population, 7347, an ancient cathedral city, situated in a valley surrounded by hills of no great height. The principal trades are the carpet manufacture and brewing.

The Cathedral is ancient, principally early English, but with traces of the preceding Norman style. It is a very fine building, with a central spire 258 feet high, and two at the west end 183 feet high. It has a fine peal of bells, the largest of which weighs 2700 lbs., and is of remarkably clear tone. In the library, over the chapter-house, may be seen a Saxon copy of the Gospels, a Koran taken at the siege of Buda, an illuminated Chaucer, and other rare and curious volumes. In the south choir aisle of the cathedral is the beautiful and famous monument to the two children of Mrs Robinson, designed by Chantrey. Amongst the distinguished natives of this place may be mentioned Dr Sam. Johnson (the house in which he was born still standing), David Garrick, Addison, and Major André. There is a statue of the first-named in the town, and monuments to him and to Garrick in the cathedral.

The next place of importance is TAMWORTH (154 miles), (Hotel: Castle.) Population, in 1880, estimated at 14,589. This place formerly belonged to the Marmions, hereditary champions of the Dukes of Normandy, one of whom Sir Walter Scott has made the hero of the poem which bears his name. Of late years it has been associated more familiarly in the public mind with the family of Peel, whose seat of Drayton Manor is very near the town, and whose members have for a long time represented the Borough in Parliament. The church of

St Editha, originally Norman, with additions in later styles, is a very fine building, containing monuments of the Ferrars, other ancient families, and the Peels. The remains of the castle are incorporated with the castellated mansion of the Marquis of Townshend, the representative of the Marmions, and lord of the manor. We next arrive at

RUGBY (181 miles), (Hotel : Royal), celebrated for its grammar school, of which the late Dr Arnold was, for some time, head master. In the neighbourhood, 1 mile distant, is Bilton Hall, once the residence of Addison. After leaving Rugby, express trains make no stop until their arrival in London.

At Wolverton (212 miles), the line is carried over the Ouse by a viaduct 660 feet long. The London and North Western Railway Company have chosen this place as one of their factories, for the repair and construction of rolling-stock. Its population of 8395 consists principally of persons employed by the company.

Eleven and a quarter miles before reaching London, we see, on the left, the church and school of Harrow, beautifully situated on a hill rising from a plain. This celebrated school was founded in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, and is one of the first in the kingdom. Among the many distinguished men who have been educated here are Lord Byron, Sir Robert Peel, and the late Lord Palmerston. In the church is a monument to Dr Drury, once head-master of the school, in which he is represented with Sir Robert Peel and Lord Byron, two of his pupils. A few minutes afterwards we reach Willesden Junction, where passengers will find trains waiting to convey them to various places on the local lines

reaching to different suburbs of the city. A few minutes bring us to the London Station at EusTON.

'A'

LONDON.

RRIVAL.-On his arrival at London by railway the traveller finds always an abundant supply of hackney carriages, ("four wheelers," and hansom cabs,) drawn up alongside the platform inside the station. He has only to secure the services of one of the porters, who are always ready at the doors of the railway carriages on the arrival of all trains, and point out to him his luggage as it comes from the luggage van. The porter at once places this on the cab. He expects a fee of 6d. to 1s. The detention at the station after the arrival of trains is less in London and in England generally, than in any other city, except in cases where travellers have arrived from the Continent, in which case luggage is sometimes examined by the customs, and some delay is necessary.

CAB FARES are calculated by distance, 1s. for any distance not exceeding two miles, and 6d. per mile for further distances. At this rate the ordinary cab carries two persons, each additional person is 6d. for the whole hiring. Luggage carried on the outside of the cab, 2d. each package. Drivers expect no gratuity. It is well for strangers in order to avoid any discussion, to direct the hotel porter to pay the cab

man.

HOTELS.

From the multitude of London hotels we have selected the following, all of which deserve the title of first class, and all of which are reputable and worthy of patronage. A large number of the large modern hotels of the first class have accommodations and a scale of prices suited to the means of nearly every class of travellers, and it is no longer necessary to seek second class hotels to find moderate prices. Many of the hotels named have rooms for single travellers, upon the upper floors, accessible by the lift, at 2s. 6d. per day, and double rooms as low as 4s. to 5s. per day. The restaurant charges in most of the best hotels are very nearly the same, and are generally reasonable. Persons remaining for a week or more may often arrange at the large hotels for a fixed price per day, on the American plan. This price varies from 12s. to 15s. per day in the busy season, to 9s. to 12s. in the dull season.

AT OR IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD OF CHARING CROSS, which may be called the geographical centre of London, are the following The *GRAND HOTEL, Trafalgar Square, Charing Cross, opened in May 1880, under excellent management, and sure to become one of the most popular hotels in London; Morley's Hotel, opposite the last named, old, and latterly fallen off; adjoining it in the West Strand, the Golden Cross Hotel; at the Charing Cross Railway Station, the Charing Cross Station Hotel, largely patronised by commercial travellers, and not well suited for families. In Craven Street, Craven Hotel. In or near Covent Garden are the new Covent Garden Hotel, the Bedford, the New Hummum's,