110 AN AMERICAN FARMER IN ENGLAND. 



Napier mentions that the greater part of the 16,000 British 

 troops who gained the battle of Talavera, were men drafted from 

 the militia at home, and that they had but very recently joined 

 the army hi Spain. 



Coming up from the Eoodee, we visited the Castle. It is of 

 no importance in a military way, except as a depot. There are 

 30,000 stand of arms and a large quantity of gunpowder stored 

 in it. It is garrisoned by an Irish regiment at present, which, as 

 well as the yeomanry, has a very good band of music, by which 

 the town benefits. 



"We afterwards visited the public baths and wash-house. In 

 its basement there are twenty square tubs, each with hot and cold 

 water cocks, wash-board, and pounder, a drying-closet heated by 

 steam to 212 F., etc. In the first story are the usual private 

 baths, and a swimming tank or public bath, having a constant 

 influx of fresh water by a jet from below, and an overflow. It is 

 45 by 36 feet, 2^ feet deep at one end, 6 at the other, contains 

 36,000 gallons, and is furnished with swings, diving-stage, life- 

 buoys, etc. It was built by a committee of the citizens, and 

 bought by the town very soon after it went into operation. The 

 whole cost was $10,000, most of which was raised by a stock 

 subscription. The water is supplied from the canal, and is all 

 filtered the cost of the filtering machine being $200. The prin- 

 cipal items of current expenses are fuel and salaries. The cost 

 of coal (very low here) is $5 a week. There are four persons 

 constantly employed in the establishment, viz: superintendent 

 and wife, who are paid $10 a week, and receive something be- 

 sides as perquisites, (supplying bathing-dresses, for instance, at a 

 small charge ;) the bath-attendant, and the fireman, who each 

 have $7.50 a week. Total salaries $25 a week. The charges 

 for the use of the clothes-washing conveniences is about one cent 



