Among the places of worship in Cape Town the most important are St. George’s Cathedral, which was built in 1830, and is of Grecian style of architecture, and accommodates about 1,200 persons; and the Dutch Reformed Church, which possesses accommodation for 3,000 persons, and is not unappropriately named the Colonial Westminster Abbey.  Beneath its floors lie buried eight Governors of the Colony, the last one being Ryk Tulbagh, who was buried in 1771.

No account of Cape Town would be complete without a reference to the important Harbour Works, and Breakwater, which at once attract the attention of the visitor, and which have been in course of erection for several years past, from the designs of Sir John Coode.  These works have been of the greatest importance in extending, and developing the commercial advantages of the port.  The Graving Dock now named the Robinson, after the late Governor, Sir Hercules Robinson, was formally opened during the year 1882, and it so happened that the first vessel to enter it was the Athenian, in which I returned to England, at the termination of my tour.  The whole of the works connected with the building of the Docks and Breakwater reflect credit upon all who have in any way been engaged upon their construction.  The amount expended on them up to the end of 1887 was L1,298,103.

Before leaving Cape Town, at the invitation of the Naval Commander-in-Chief, Admiral Wells, I paid a visit to Simon’s Town, the chief naval station of the colony.  The railway runs at present as far as Kalk Bay, which takes about an hour to get to from Cape Town.  Kalk Bay is a pleasant seaside resort for the inhabitants of the colony, the air being regarded as particularly invigorating.  The remaining distance of six miles to Simon’s Town is performed in a Cape cart, which is a most comfortable vehicle on two wheels, drawn by two horses with a pole between them, and covered with a hood, as a protection from the weather.  The scenery from the Kalk Bay station to Simon’s Town is very picturesque.  A bold sea stretches out on one side of the road, and the mountain on the other.  Amongst other things which attracted my attention at Simon’s Town was the Dockyard, which embraces about a mile of the foreshore, and contains appliances for repairing modern war vessels, a repairing and victualling depot, and a patent slip, capable of lifting vessels of about 900 tons displacement.  I went with the Admiral, and a party of ladies to have luncheon on board the Steam Corvette Archer.

Simon’s Bay is very sheltered, excepting from the south-east, with good holding anchorage ground.  It seems a quiet, secluded spot, well-adapted for a naval station in this part of the world, although I have heard that an opinion prevails that the fleet should be at Cape Town instead of Simon’s Bay.  The Raleigh is the flag-ship; I saw also some other vessels of the Royal Navy at anchor in the bay.  The fortifications which are now in progress for the protection of this important point in our chain of defences will, when completed, render the place practically impregnable from sea attack.