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Journal Of Contemporary Urban Affairs
2019, Volume 3, Number 1, pages 44– 51
A R T I C L E I N F O: ABSTRACT
Article history: Most of the cities around the world are dealing with different kinds of the problems
Received 28 March 2018 such as social, environmental, economic and others. However, for many years,
Accepted 26 April 2018 urban planners have attempted to find solutions that fit within the context and have
Available online 15 June 2018 put them into practice in order to shape the form of a city accordingly. One of the
Keywords: controversial problems which most of the developing and developed countries deal
with it is urban sprawl, which affects everything and everyone in different scales.
Public Awareness;
For last three decades, even in case of T.R.N. Cyprus, urban sprawl has become
Sprawl Impact; inevitable; urban sprawl is recognizable, sprawl construction becomes a profitable
Sprawl Phases; business for construction, real-estate, and others involved in this business.
Urban Sprawl . Unfortunately, some communities to realize their vision welcomed to urban sprawl
construction and enthusiastically embrace it with open arm, such communities
sacrifice sociability opportunity and vibrant neighborhood to those single-use towns
which is one of the main characteristics is social exclusion and psychological
problems, fundamentally one of the key factors can be found in lack of public
awareness especially for who prefer to live in sprawl town. In T.R.N. Cyprus urban
This work is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution sprawl didn’t promote auto-dependency. Despite urban sprawl in T.R.N. Cyprus
- NonCommercial - NoDerivs 4.0. have many repercussions, one of the important impacts which are considered in this
"CC-BY-NC-ND"
articles are psychological impact of urban sprawl, also this article attempt to divide
urban sprawl leaving condition into three phases, and promote the contemplate
phase which makes sprawl inhabitants think and return to inner-city neighborhood
again.
JOURNAL OF CONTEMPORARY URBAN AFFAIRS (2019), 3(1), 44-51.
https://doi.org/10.25034/ijcua.2018.4709
www.ijcua.com
Copyright © 2018 Journal Of Contemporary Urban Affairs. All rights reserved.
scholars and thinkers measure a variety of
1. Introduction impact for this multifaceted phenomenon.
At first glance urban sprawl is a simple word, Sprawl which is low development and this land
which means involving a wide range of development occurs at the edge of the urban
professions and specialization, however it can location which is prompt auto-dependency.
be defined as scatter, unplanned, wasteful Sprawl attempts to transform thousands of acres
patterns development in suburban, this kind of of the green field into single-family and
construction out of the city boundaries has detached houses increasing the administrative
brought wide range of problematic issues such
as ecological, environmental, psychological, *Corresponding Author:
social exclusion and fragmentation, loss of Faculty of Architecture, Department of Architecture, Eastern
community, increase in household expense and Mediterranean University, Famagusta, Northern Cyprus
E-mail address: kamyar_fuladlu@yahoo.com
so on. In most of the literature, urban sprawl is
called as a multifaceted concept; most of the
JOURNAL OF CONTEMPORARY URBAN AFFAIRS, 3(1), 44-51 / 2019
cost for government in providing sufficient basic course in order to provide cheap houses,
infrastructural amenities such as access way, development will inevitably move creep
sewer/water pipe etc. (Soule, 2006). beyond city boundaries.
History of the sprawl dates back to 1920s, Whenever this sort of the low density and single-
people in America and northern parts of use developments out of the city border occur,
Europe, started moving out of the urban they provide inadequate infrastructure which is
boundaries, people who are moved to suburbs not appropriate to provide sufficient services for
were affluent and powerful. However, over a newcomers and inhabitants nevertheless such
period of time, this became a mass movement. kind of leakage somehow will be balanced by
For instance, during the interwar period in sprawl inhabitants base on auto-dependent to
London, tens of thousands households from provide their primary necessity, hereof the
medium income class of society and capable turning point to the problem which is loaded by
to move out from over-populated central urban sprawl, everything starts to effected
neighborhoods relocated to row houses, single- accordingly probably later on sprawl
family and detached houses in suburbs inhabitants get relevant reflects of sprawl in their
(Bruegmann, 2005). lifestyle
One of the main factors is overpopulation, The aim of this article, focus on psychological
everyday urban population grows and this impact for urban sprawl inhabitants and
growth is inevitable. The roots can be found in recognition the sprawl phases, this study as an
increasing the number of the immigrant to the objective consider the possibility of return phase
urban and higher number of births than deaths as rescue process to bringing urban sprawl
are important factors and contribute to inhabitants into the neighborhood.
increasing of urban population (Bhatta, 2010) Methodology of this article based on case study
and this makes urban area crowded, urban in “Turan Kaynak Sitesi” town (Figure 1) and its
area with massive and compact housing inhabitants in T.R.N. Cyprus as well as problem
resulted in the decrease of greenery. On the solving and attempt to filling literature gaps,
other hand, the humanity based on historical especially in this subject there is lack of relevant
recorded always has rural lifestyle experience, literature in this subject which encourages
this scheme during the time transfer to the urban sprawl inhabitants to return again into
urban lifestyle. Despite now day’s again most of inner neighborhood.
the people prefer to have rural lifestyle, one of
the reasons is proximity to nature which is offer 2. Literature Review
healthy life, majority of people, who live in One of the significant and also important
crowded ill city want to escape and find their evidence about cities from the many years ago
dream at countryside in order to get peaceful until today shows that there was the enormous
life which is not achievable at downtown, also difference between rural and urban lifestyle.
people looking for houses with more privacy, Within the fortification city exactly like most of
bigger front yard with small garden (Iram, early cities, always visitors face with a very
Rasool, Shahzad, & Saeed, 2012). dense cluster with mass of buildings, narrow
In case of the northern Cyprus this trend also streets with cul-de-sac, and also a vibrant with
valid, most of the middle-income class and variety of rich dynamic urban life which is offer
those who are from the affluent group of to visit lots of option and this makes lots of
Cypriots community in order to realize their choice for especially those who capable to get
visions start to exodus into urban sprawl town them (Bruegmann, 2005).
and move out of city skirt, another supporting In opposite point of the dense cluster there is
idea is, detached houses in sprawl town was disregard trend of urban sprawl and become a
cheaper and sweet, thus such fascinating will primary method of urban expansion of course
encourage them to immigrate, as it mentions because of the negative effect in social,
such kind of the exodus mostly occur in affluent environmental and economy most of them
group of community, however, such trend can scholar criticize it especially during recent years
represent other repercussions which are social (Daneshpour & Shakibamanesh, 2011). On the
fragmentation and known as one of the other hand, sprawl intensify the cost of
important impact of urban sprawl to the infrastructure in several manners in order to
society. provide services for the fewer household
On the other hand, constructions companies government should provide their necessity such
didn’t trade off their business, they moved as road, water, and sewer if development was
towards promoting urban sprawl in T.R.N. compact instead of sprawl, same cost amount
Cyprus, they attempt to realize dreams of can supply more households (Burchell, Downs,
people at the countryside at affordable land, of McCann, & Mukherji, 2005).
Kamyar Fuladlu 45
JOURNAL OF CONTEMPORARY URBAN AFFAIRS, 3(1), 44-51 / 2019
Many thinkers believe that infrastructure cost escape from ill city nerveless urban sprawl
saving entail high densities rise, despite both present them reverse, actually, sprawl
businesses and consumers wish faraway development offered poor air quality because
location which is easily found inexpensive plot, of auto-dependency, weak and unhealthy
on the other hand, more clustering of businesses watershed, loos of walking opportunity from
anymore because of contemporary way of work and school to house raised the health risk
communication is unnecessary, therefore in several manners (Schmidt, 2004). There is the
people choose place to live far from urban definition of the health which is provided by
area and work it possible when the auto travel World Health Organization (WHO), according to
cost was low, however, there is negative impact WHO “Health is a state of complete physical,
and psyche costs especially for young and mental and social well-being and not merely
elderly people those who cannot drive, and this the absence of disease or infirmity.” Mental
make limit for them in order to access health itself can drive from the social
community facility and etc. (Ewing, 1997). A determinants (Manderscheid, et al., 2010).
study in both single-use and mixed-use show Sprawl has a wide range of impact in public
that people who live in sprawl area didn’t have health of course regarding the age, race,
a sense of community this because of the lack occupation, social class and so on all of the
of interaction possible in sprawl area was determine factors, some people bear more
environment (Ewing, 1997). risk than other. In sprawl community most of the
Most of the research base examined on travel was done by automobile and this make
depressive symptoms believe that the family life more involving with chauffeuring,
disadvantaged environments were extremely most of the family should be deal with
stressful for sprawl residents, of course, the collection of following mission taking children
cause of both mental health and physical from school and/or elder parent to doctor,
injuries may be determined as social running to the bank, shop and etc. however
disorganization (Latkin & Curry, 2003). From most of the research show that woman deal
another point of the view high quality of the more than man with mention responsibilities, the
urban which is found in neighborhoods with reason is women more involve with children,
variety and strong kind of the opportunely, for also mental stress which is related to driving put
instance, the cultural activity can increase the women at serious risk (Frumkin, Frank, & Jackson,
social cohesion, on the other hand, people 2004).
those who have the transaction with such kind As it mentions the impact of sprawl distribute
of neighborhoods mostly was creative people between society member accordingly and
(Gertler, 2004). However urban sprawl in children were no exception, but children suffer
contrasted with social cohesion and increase from sprawl more than adult especially dose
another negative trend which is social children who are unable to reach school by
fragmentation, researcher substantiation that bike or walking on the other hand if their school
high level of fragmentation leads the society to did not offer any physical activity they face with
the lowest level of contribution (Chakravarty & obesity. Moreover, children who are living at
Fonseca, 2014). urban community has more opportunity to
The disadvantage of social fragmentation roam but in sprawl town because of parent fear
during last year’s became an outstanding this was eliminated, however, if we consider
discussion. In fact, there is an effort which is adult at least they have a chance to drive for
trying to show that people who among sport club (Frumkin, Frank, & Jackson, 2004).
fragmented society was dealing with long-term People those who looking for the green
mental health problems (Morgan, Burns, environment and for this purpose move to
Fitzpatrick, Pinfold, & Priebe, 2007). On the other sprawl this was a short change for them
hand, green accessibility shouldn’t be forgotten because during the time the green aspect
as an important issue which is impact on mental under other obstacle lost its values (Ontario
health, many researchers believe that those College of Family Physicians, 2005). In order to
residents who have appropriate access to attack urban sprawl government should
green environment for instance park, they are renovate and revitalized inner neighborhood
less than other people involved in risk of stress, which prevents city center decay of course by
also increase the social wellbeing are one of following such police city center enable to
the other important aspects of the green increase social interaction such cohesion
accessibility (Alcock, White, Wheeler, Fleming, & enhance the quality of the urban area
Depledge, 2014). (Brueckner, 2001).
People leave their cities to have a healthier life, Researcher shows that with a real prospect for
green accessibility, a cleaner environment and neighborhoods with government funding and
Kamyar Fuladlu 46
JOURNAL OF CONTEMPORARY URBAN AFFAIRS, 3(1), 44-51 / 2019
accompaniment of the relevant instituted by reflect the result need to define a certain main
following the correct strategy and control the category as below which are more classified
neighborhood in a way that increases the and easy to understand:
quality of life at inner city and decreases the Reason for living in sprawl town: “… always
crime level all of them together might looking for a quiet place, sense of relaxation,
encourage people to return to the inner city proximity to nature and green area, far enough
(Power, 2001). from Famagusta and rumors, out of the
congestion, detached house with more privacy.
3. Methodology Now two floors villa with big garden, enough
“Turan Kaynak Sitesi” which is one of the famous space for cars. However, this are in contrast with
and sprawl town in Famagusta district at a dose day’s which is lived at one floor
proximity of “Enkomi” (Turkish: Tuzla) village at apartment, just 3 or 2 beds, lack of enough
35°09°N and 33°53°E (Figure 1), this town can be space for activity, lack of parking space for
called as one of the earliest urban sprawl town cars, noisy and loud neighbors, untidy dark
in Famagusta district which is constructed in staircase…” most of them sell its apartment in
about 1994 and town had an area of 56 896 m2 order to realize their dream and with same price
with 63 buildings which are detached, or even less at “Turan Kaynak Sitesi” they have
semidetached and apartment units, most of the chance to bought detached house.
inhabitants are affluent, they are with variety of Increase in household expanse: Most of the
the occupation, nation, age, gender, marital inhabitants believed that household expense
status, ethnic and etc. data collection was increased, however, this didn’t affect too much
based on interview, observation and document their lifestyle because they are wealthy and/or
analyze from the “Turan Kaynak Sitesi” as case middle-income people, on the other hand,
study. auto-dependency problem was not concerned
them, even when they lived at inner
neighborhoods they were auto-dependent and
used the car for everyday life as Cypriot habit.
The main problem is, when a specialist needs to
be called for any mechanical or electrical
service, the service providers ask for extra cost
because of their house located out of urban
skirts.
Problems in daily life: They believe that during
Figure 1. Cyprus Map, location of Famagusta city and
the preliminary stage of town construction there
“Turan Kaynak Sitesi” at proximity of Enkomi (GIS developed
by author). were roads and access problem especially
inner town roads were dirt and this created lots
Thus, losing a sense of place led to decrease of the dust and noise especially while heavy
social participation/ communication, safety vehicle passed, meanwhile most of the time big
and lack of identity increased social conflict, trucks movement in town made threat to their
crime, and transgressions in towns. According to children. Additionally, water shortage on few
advantages and disadvantage of this era of days was a concern and water shortage
architectural design has been illustrated in continues during summer, but nowadays the
Table1. To sum up, designer tried to make main problem was inadequate lighting
integration between past and present so post- elements in some of the inner roads of the town,
modernism style started to overcome the on the other hand during winter or after any
objectives of the designs. heavy precipitation town face with
waterlogging especially on the main road.
3.1. Interview Opportunity to socialize: Town inhabitants
The interview conducted among approximately mention that there is no social activity in “Turan
half of “Turan Kaynak Sitesi” household, and few Kaynak Sitesi” or in the town nearby and to
Cypriot citizens who plan to move to this town in involve in social activity or some other event
future, and it was with diverse social as well as they need travel to Famagusta or other big
psychological trend also multiplicity of the cities around. However, most of the inhabitants
interview base on the personality, occupation, have a common opinion “… time was not
age and etc. Relevancy of interview regarding enough to involve or get benefit from the social
the personality and characteristic of activity, some of them spending time with
interviewee make interview process more children, elder parent, some of them suffer from
difficult, however, to interpret interview and commuting, some of them invite friends to the
get together over weekends …”
Kamyar Fuladlu 47
JOURNAL OF CONTEMPORARY URBAN AFFAIRS, 3(1), 44-51 / 2019
Neighbors: Town inhabitants mostly thought that victims of urban sprawl, because there is no any
they know their neighbors, however some of the sociability and communication opportunity for
people didn’t know them because “... some of them at town, such difficulty has wide range of
them was just an empty house or some of the repercussions, of course psychical impact is
house residents were foreigner, despite most of inevitable.
the town residents in order to find playmate for Most of the town inhabitants were not aware of
their children should know their neighbor, some sprawl and related impact into their daily life,
residents need neighbors to get help in trouble most of them during interview even understand
…” impacts of urban sprawl and this directly related
Neighborhood benefit: Nobody has any clear to lack of awareness, still between inhabitants
answer for this subject, some of people there are some people who willing to return into
believed that “… neighborhood and sprawl neighborhood, however some of them has
town both has its benefits …” some people reason to stay.
believed that “… despite neighborhood has
problem, but at least vibrant and provide
chance to meet friends …” some of them for
reasons stay “… because of my parent, I should
live in in “Turan Kaynak Sitesi”, otherwise prefer
neighborhood …”
3.2. Observation
Observation work as interview complementary, Figure 2. Inadequate greenery and lack of sidewalk, “Turan
it was personally and deep observation, with Kaynak Sitesi” April, 2015 (Photos taken by author).
same structure but it conducts from a different
perspective, however observations process 3.3. Relevant interview and document analyze
from “Turan Kaynak Sitesi” town and living To clarify the process of interview and
condition of inhabitants show that there are observation for this methodology, analyze
some conflict and missing part in interviews, of relevant document as well as an interview with
course observation attempt is expletive those who are specialists in planning and work many
missing parts which are not covered by years directly with “Turan Kaynak Sitesi” are
interviews, observation from the town put in to inevitable:
the following categories: According to Batuhan Bayramoğlu (May, 2015)
There are limited and inadequate interaction head of planning department in Famagusta
and communication between people, they municipality explains that “… after bankruptcy
know each other somehow somewhere but in of the “Turan Kaynak Sitesi” construction
fact, they don’t want to be involved with each company about more than half of the houses
other, and actually they didn’t know their leave as unfinished and sold to customer and
neighbors as family friendly, interview also proof even were not certify by municipality, this
of this, they looking and communicate with means that those houses are an illegal
each other for a certain reason. constructions from municipality point view …”,
Inhabitants feel that they belong to the wealthy this means that those houses are not safe
group of society and “Turan Kaynak Sitesi” town houses from the structure and/or architectural
also belong to affluent and wealthy people, point of view which is harmful and dangerous
such point of view result in deep social for its resident.
fragmentation and high level of social According to Naci head of water department
fragmentation reflect in social resentment. in Famagusta municipality, “... summer water
Town minimized in sidewalk even available shortage, winter waterlogging, “Turan Kaynak
sidewalk used as car parking lots (Figure 2), on Sitesi” is one of the problematic towns in
the other hand, inadequate greenery which is Famagusta district for supplying water and
the contrast with the idea of proximity to nature sewer most of the citizen had complained in last
is another aspect, all of them accordingly effect decade for water shortage in town, however,
on the human sprite. they team satisfied to solve this problem, from
Children mostly alone, they entertain itself within 2005 municipality start a project in order to
plot boundary, indeed there is no playmates in increase the water pipe diameter and change
neighbors also they didn’t have chance to run the water pipes with High-density polyethylene
out, because of parents fear, elderly also in (HDPE) … Naci Taşeli mention water shortage
same manner imprisonment within house during summer still is main problems, because of
boundary, especially children and disable or increasing temperature increase water
dose who are not able to get benefit of car are consumptions accordingly, on the other hand
Kamyar Fuladlu 48
JOURNAL OF CONTEMPORARY URBAN AFFAIRS, 3(1), 44-51 / 2019
during winter because “Turan Kaynak Sitesi” soil etc. they find solution in sprawl town which
is not permeable after heavy precipitation encourages them to move out of city skirt.
make town waterlogging …”. The second phase call obstacle phase, this
According to the Statistical Service Cyprus phase occur while living in urban sprawl town,
(2010) published report, 84.3% of trips made by people start to experience and perceived the
motorized vehicle, 14.8% none motorized problems and relevant impacts which belong to
vehicle and just 0.8% by public transportation, it urban sprawl, the outstanding are auto-
shows that Cypriot people already auto- dependence, increase household expense,
dependent and it should be taken into lack of primary infrastructure, loss of sociability
consideration, sprawl in Cyprus was not and communication, psychological and health
promoted auto-dependency, in fact Cypriot impact and so on, most probably during this
didn’t have any choice, lack of public phase the initial ideas lost its main value,
transportation because of inadequate demand because inhabitant face with wide range of
to run public transportation as well as lack of obstacle which is not predicted before.
biking path and minimized in proper sidewalk, Finally as contemplate or thinking phase, if
make them chauffeur. On the other hand, auto- inhabitants aware about urban sprawl impacts,
dependency is still inexpensive and easy for they start to make comparison between sprawl
families, and this aspect from many years ago town and inner neighborhood, decision should
combined with their culture, of course yet either be patient and deal with problem or
Cypriot are a social and well-being people and return back to inner neighborhood, still there is
it was one of the valuable issues which are possibility for who are not aware of impacts,
combined with their rich cultures. indeed this directly or indirectly related to
impressed degrees of impact by urban sprawl
3.4. Result Visualization whiten periods of living at sprawl town, however
By getting accurate in collected data and awareness of the difficulties of living and
literature, this idea comes to mind that, three impacts of urban sprawl can shape inhabitants
phases are shaping the urban sprawl, this phase decision accordingly otherwise they stay with
are vision, obstacle and contemplate, vision tolerance.
phase occur while people decided to move
into sprawl town and the rest phases while living 4. Discussion
at sprawl town while experience the situation By consider finding phases this outstanding
and this represent obstacle and contemplate question as an objective of this article come to
phases, of course, all the phases are depended mind as well, does any rescue possibility for
to each other and run one by one as sequence urban sprawl residents? In fact there is lack of
(Table 1). proper literatures and research in order to
provide the clear answer for this question,
Table 1. Main sprawl phases while people moving and however there is some inadequate research but
living.
even most of them didn’t consider properly a
While moving
to Sprawl
While living at Sprawl possibility of inhabitants to return into inner city,
Contemplate researcher is insistence on role of government,
Vision phase Obstacle phase
phase of course, role of governments are crucial,
-Proximity to according to the Jan Brueckner (2001) and
nature -Be patient and
-New life style
-Auto-dependence dealing with Power (2001) government and relevant institute
-Increase household problem should be followed practical policies in order to
-Fresh air
expanse
the revitalization and renovate the inner
Grounds
-Escape from
-Lack of primary
ill city neighborhoods as well as taming crimes and
infrastructure
-Increase
privacy
-Loss of sociability vandalism which are resulted in social cohesion
and communication -Return back to and this reflects on enhancing the quality of life
-Detached
-Psychological and the neighborhood
house
health Impact
at inner neighborhoods, following such policies
-Bigger and “… might encourage ‘urban pioneers’ to move
green yard
into inner city neighborhoods …” and it can be
a tackle to social exclusion and fragmentation
In vision or initial phase people start to perceive as well (Power, 2001).
that, there is a necessity to move into sprawl Although if urban sprawl phases which are
town, they want to realize their vision such as present in this article become practical, whole
proximity to nature, fresh air, new lifestyle, sequence are summarized as following
escape from city center, increase privacy, flowchart (Figure 3), process look like a loop
detached house, bigger and green yard and and all sequence directly dependent to the
contemplate phase which is shaped urban
Kamyar Fuladlu 49
JOURNAL OF CONTEMPORARY URBAN AFFAIRS, 3(1), 44-51 / 2019
Kamyar Fuladlu 50
JOURNAL OF CONTEMPORARY URBAN AFFAIRS, 3(1), 44-51 / 2019
Kamyar Fuladlu 51
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European revolutions and wars, surround the State department, and
infest unsuspecting politicians with illegible testimonials in unknown
tongues.
August 5th.—The roads from the station are crowded with troops,
coming from the North as fast as the railway can carry them. It is
evident, as the war fever spreads, that such politicians as Mr.
Crittenden, who resist the extreme violence of the Republican party,
will be stricken down. The Confiscation Bill, for the emancipation of
slaves and the absorption of property belonging to rebels, has,
indeed, been boldly resisted in the House of Representatives; but it
passed with some trifling amendments. The journals are still busy
with the affair of Bull Run, and each seems anxious to eclipse the
other in the absurdity of its statements. A Philadelphia journal, for
instance, states to-day that the real cause of the disaster was not a
desire to retreat, but a mania to advance. In its own words, “the only
drawback was the impetuous feeling to go a-head and fight.”
Because one officer is accused of drunkenness a great movement is
on foot to prevent the army getting any drink at all.
General M‘Clellan invited the newspaper correspondents in
Washington to meet him to-day, and with their assent drew up a
treaty of peace and amity, which is a curiosity in its way. In the first
place, the editors are to abstain from printing anything which can
give aid or comfort to the enemy, and their correspondents are to
observe equal caution; in return for which complaisance,
Government is to be asked to give the press opportunities for
obtaining and transmitting intelligence suitable for publication,
particularly touching engagements with the enemy. The Confederate
privateer Sumter has forced the blockade at New Orleans, and has
already been heard of destroying a number of Union vessels.
August 6th.—Prince Napoleon, anxious to visit the battle-field at
Bull Run, has, to Mr. Seward’s discomfiture, applied for passes, and
arrangements are being made to escort him as far as the
Confederate lines. This is a recognition of the Confederates, as a
belligerent power, which is by no means agreeable to the authorities.
I drove down to the Senate, where the proceedings were very
uninteresting, although Congress was on the eve of adjournment,
and returning visited Mr. Seward, Mr. Bates, Mr. Cameron, Mr. Blair,
and left cards for Mr. Brekinridge. The old woman who opened the
door at the house where the latter lodged said, “Massa Brekinridge
pack up all his boxes; I s’pose he not cum back here again.”
August 7th.—In the evening I went to Mr. Seward’s, who gave a
reception in honour of Prince Napoleon. The Minister’s rooms were
crowded and intensely hot. Lord Lyons and most of the diplomatic
circle were present. The Prince wore his Order of the Bath, and bore
the onslaughts of politicians, male and female, with much good
humour. The contrast between the uniforms of the officers of the
United States army and navy and those of the French in the Prince’s
suit, by no means redounded to the credit of the military tailoring of
the Americans. The Prince, to whom I was presented by Mr. Seward,
asked me particularly about the roads from Alexandria to Fairfax
Court-house, and from there to Centreville and Manassas. I told him
I had not got quite as far as the latter place, at which he laughed. He
inquired with much interest about General Beauregard, whether he
spoke good French, if he seemed a man of capacity, or was the
creation of an accident and of circumstances. He has been to Mount
Vernon, and is struck with the air of neglect around the place. Two of
his horses dropped dead from the heat on the journey, and the
Prince, who was perspiring profusely in the crowded room, asked me
whether the climate was not as bad as midsummer in India. His
manner was perfectly easy, but he gave no encouragement to bores,
nor did he court popularity by unusual affability, and he moved off
long before the guests were tired of looking at him. On returning to
my rooms a German gentleman named Bing—who went out with the
Federal army from Washington, was taken prisoner at Bull’s Run,
and carried to Richmond—came to visit me, but his account of what
he saw in the dark and mysterious South was not lucid or interesting.
August 8th.—I had arranged to go with Mr. Olmsted and Mr.
Ritchie to visit the hospitals, but the heat was so intolerable, we
abandoned the idea till the afternoon, when we drove across the
long bridge and proceeded to Alexandria. The town, which is now
fully occupied by military, and is abandoned by the respectable
inhabitants, has an air, owing to the absence of women and children,
which tells the tale of a hostile occupation. In a large building, which
had once been a school, the wounded of Bull Run were lying, not
uncomfortably packed, nor unskilfully cared for, and the
arrangements were, taken altogether, creditable to the skill and
humanity of the surgeons. Close at hand was the church in which
George Washington was wont in latter days to pray, when he drove
over from Mount Vernon—further on, Marshal House, where
Ellsworth was shot by the Virginian landlord, and was so speedily
avenged. A strange strain of thought was suggested, by the rapid
grouping of incongruous ideas, arising out of the proximity of these
scenes. As one of my friends said, “I wonder what Washington would
do if he were here now—and how he would act if he were
summoned from that church to Marshall House or to this hospital?”
The man who uttered these words was not either of my companions,
but wore the shoulder-straps of a Union officer. “Stranger still,” said I,
“would it be to speculate on the thoughts and actions of Napoleon in
this crisis, if he were to wake up and see a Prince of his blood
escorted by Federal soldiers to the spot where the troops of the
Southern States had inflicted on them a signal defeat, in a land
where the nephew who now sits on the throne of France has been
an exile.” It is not quite certain that many Americans understand who
Prince Napoleon is, for one of the troopers belonging to the escort
which took him out from Alexandria declared positively he had ridden
with the Emperor. The excursion is swallowed, but not well-digested.
In Washington the only news to-night is, that a small privateer from
Charleston, mistaking the St. Lawrence for a merchant vessel, fired
into her and was at once sent to Mr. Davy Jones by a rattling
broadside. Congress having adjourned, there is but little to render
Washington less uninteresting than it must be in its normal state.
The truculent and overbearing spirit which arises from the
uncontroverted action of democratic majorities develops itself in the
North, where they have taken to burning newspaper offices and
destroying all the property belonging to the proprietors and editors.
These actions are a strange commentary on Mr. Seward’s
declaration “that no volunteers are to be refused because they do
not speak English, inasmuch as the contest for the Union is a battle
of the free men of the world for the institutions of self-government.”
August 11th.—On the old Indian principle, I rode out this morning
very early, and was rewarded by a breath of cold, fresh air, and by
the sight, of some very disorderly regiments just turning out to
parade in the camps; but I was not particularly gratified by being
mistaken for Prince Napoleon by some Irish recruits, who shouted
out, “Bonaparte for ever,” and gradually subsided into requests for
“something to drink your Royal Highness’s health with.” As I returned
I saw on the steps of General Mansfield’s quarters, a tall, soldierly-
looking young man, whose breast was covered with Crimean ribbons
and medals, and I recognised him as one who had called upon me a
few days before, renewing our slight acquaintance before
Sebastopol, where his courage was conspicuous, to ask me for
information respecting the mode of obtaining a commission in the
Federal army.
Towards mid-day an ebony sheet of clouds swept over the city. I
went out, regardless of the threatening storm, to avail myself of the
coolness to make a few visits; but soon a violent wind arose bearing
clouds like those of an Indian dust-storm down the streets. The black
sheet overhead became agitated like the sea, and tossed about grey
clouds, which careered against each other and burst into lightning;
then suddenly, without other warning, down came the rain—a perfect
tornado; sheets of water flooding the streets in a moment, turning the
bed into water-courses and the channels into deep rivers. I waded
up the centre of Pennsylvania Avenue, past the President’s house, in
a current which would have made a respectable trout stream; and on
getting opposite my own door, made a rush for the porch, but
forgetting the deep channel at the side, stepped into a rivulet which
was literally above my hips, and I was carried off my legs, till I
succeeded in catching the kerbstone, and escaped into the hall as if
I had just swum across the Potomac.
On returning from my ride next morning, I took up the Baltimore
paper, and saw a paragraph announcing the death of an English
officer at the station; it was the poor fellow whom I saw sitting at
General Mansfield’s steps yesterday. The consul was absent on a
short tour rendered necessary by the failure of his health consequent
on the discharge of his duties. Finding the Legation were anxious to
see due care taken of the poor fellow’s remains, I left for Baltimore at
a quarter to three o’clock, and proceeded to inquire into the
circumstances connected with his death. He had been struck down
at the station by some cerebral attack, brought on by the heat and
excitement; had been carried to the police station and placed upon a
bench, from which he had fallen with his head downwards, and was
found in that position, with life quite extinct, by a casual visitor. My
astonishment may be conceived when I learned that not only had the
Coroner’s inquest sat and returned its verdict, but that the man had
absolutely been buried the same morning, and so my mission was
over, and I could only report what had occurred to Washington. Little
value indeed has human life in this new world, to which the old gives
vital power so lavishly, that it is regarded as almost worthless. I have
seen more “fuss” made over an old woman killed by a cab in London
than there is over half a dozen deaths with suspicion of murder
attached in New Orleans or New York.
I remained in Baltimore a few days, and had an opportunity of
knowing the feelings of some of the leading men in the place. It may
be described in one word—intense hatred of New England and black
republicans, which has been increased to mania by the stringent
measures of the military dictator of the American Warsaw, the
searches of private houses, domiciliary visits, arbitrary arrests, the
suppression of adverse journals, the overthrow of the corporate body
—all the acts, in fact, which constitute the machinery and the
grievances of a tyranny. When I spoke of the brutal indifference of
the police to the poor officer previously mentioned, the Baltimoreans
told me the constables appointed by the Federal general were
scoundrels who led the Plug Uglies in former days—the worst
characters in a city not sweet or savoury in repute—but that the old
police were men of very different description. The Maryland Club,
where I had spent some pleasant hours, was now like a secret
tribunal or the haunt of conspirators. The police entered it a few days
ago, searched every room, took up the flooring, and even turned up
the coals in the kitchen and the wine in the cellar. Such indignities
fired the blood of the members, who are, with one exception,
opposed to the attempt to coerce the South by the sword. Not one of
them but could tell of some outrage perpetrated on himself or on
some members of his family by the police and Federal authority.
Many a delator amici was suspected but not convicted. Men sat
moodily reading the papers with knitted brows, or whispering in
corners, taking each other apart, and glancing suspiciously at their
fellows.
There is a peculiar stamp about the Baltimore men which
distinguishes them from most Americans—a style of dress,
frankness of manner, and a general appearance assimilating them
closely to the upper classes of Englishmen. They are fond of sport
and travel, exclusive and high-spirited, and the iron rule of the
Yankee is the more intolerable because they dare not resent it, and
are unable to shake it off.
I returned to Washington on 15th August. Nothing changed;
skirmishes along the front; M‘Clellan reviewing. The loss of General
Lyon, who was killed in an action with the Confederates under Ben
McCullough, at Wilson’s Creek, Springfield, Missouri, in which the
Unionists were with difficulty extricated by General Sigel from a very
dangerous position, after the death of their leader, is severely felt. He
was one of the very few officers who combined military skill and
personal bravery with political sagacity and moral firmness. The
President has issued his proclamation for a day of fast and prayer,
which, say the Baltimoreans, is a sign that the Yankees are in a bad
way, as they would never think of praying or fasting if their cause
was prospering. The stories which have been so sedulously spread,
and which never will be quite discredited, of the barbarity and cruelty
of the Confederates to all the wounded, ought to be set at rest by the
printed statement of the eleven Union surgeons just released, who
have come back from Richmond, where they were sent after their
capture on the field of Bull Run, with the most distinct testimony that
the Confederates treated their prisoners with humanity. Who are the
miscreants who tried to make the evil feeling, quite strong enough as
it is, perfectly fiendish, by asserting the rebels burned the wounded
in hospitals, and bayoneted them as they lay helpless on the field?
The pecuniary difficulties of the Government have been alleviated
by the bankers of New York, Philadelphia, and Boston, who have
agreed to lend them fifty millions of dollars, on condition that they
receive the Treasury notes which Mr. Chase is about to issue. As we
read the papers and hear the news, it is difficult to believe that the
foundations of society are not melting away in the heat of this
conflict. Thus, a Federal judge, named Garrison, who has issued his
writ of habeas corpus for certain prisoners in Fort Lafayette, being
quietly snuffed out by the commandant, Colonel Burke, desires to
lead an army against the fort and have a little civil war of his own in
New York. He applies to the commander of the county militia, who
informs Garrison he can’t get into the fort as there was no artillery
strong enough to breach the walls, and that it would require 10,000
men to invest it, whereas only 1400 militiamen were available. What
a farceur Judge Garrison must be! In addition to the gutting and
burning of newspaper offices, and the exercitation of the editors on
rails, the republican grand juries have taken to indicting the
democratic journals, and Fremont’s provost marshal in St. Louis has,
proprio motu, suppressed those which he considers disaffected. A
mutiny which broke out in the Scotch Regiment 79th N. Y. has been
followed by another in the 2nd Maine Regiment, and a display of
cannon and of cavalry was required to induce them to allow the
ringleaders to be arrested. The President was greatly alarmed, but
M‘Clellan acted with some vigour, and the refractory volunteers are
to be sent off to a pleasant station called the “Dry Tortugas” to work
on the fortifications.
Mr. Seward, with whom I dined and spent the evening on 16th
August, has been much reassured and comforted by the
demonstrations of readiness on the part of the people to continue the
contest, and of confidence in the cause among the moneyed men of
the great cities. “All we want is time to develop our strength. We
have been blamed for not making greater use of our navy and
extending it at once. It was our first duty to provide for the safety of
our capital. Besides, a man will generally pay little attention to
agencies he does not understand. None of us knew anything about a
navy. I doubt if the President ever saw anything more formidable
than a river steamboat, and I don’t think Mr. Welles, the Secretary of
the Navy, knew the stem from the stern of a ship. Of the whole
Cabinet, I am the only member who ever was fairly at sea or crossed
the Atlantic. Some of us never even saw it. No wonder we did not
understand the necessity for creating a navy at once. Soon,
however, our Government will be able to dispose of a respectable
marine, and when our army is ready to move, co-operating with the
fleet, the days of the rebellion are numbered.”
“When will that be, Mr. Secretary?”
“Soon; very soon, I hope. We can, however, bear delays. The
rebels will be ruined by it.”
CHAPTER XVII.