Middletown transcript., 1869-03-27
Sotes of Irarel,
Rec0llecti0ns OF pAPis,
Writtenfo the Middletown Transcript.

Of Paris it may almost be said that ev
cry road leads to it. To American travel
lers who visit France and Paris for the
first time, few words OF introduction may
be useful, to point out the desirable modes
of communication from London.
Departing from Charing Cross Station
for Dover and Calais. France, at 1875 A.
M. or $50 P. NJ the visitor is ushered
into Paris at the end of eleven hours. This
is the great mail route and the most fire.
quented. as the sea journey across the
boisterous English channel between Eng
land and France is the shortest of all the
routes-being only 21 miles. From the
nature of the waters between the two coun-
tries and the necessity of crossing in dirty
little hoats, the channel is called by French
men the Styr. The whole distance by
this route between the two cities is 312
miles. The fares on this line are; first
class 57s-10d, and 42s, Cd. Equaling
in American gold at the present rate of cx-
change, about $3.50 and $12.75.
The other routes to Paris are as follows:
Via Folkestone and Boulogne (267 miles. }
Sea journey, 27 miles time of crossing l
hour and 40 minutes. Via Newhaven
and Dieppe (240 miles, sea journey, go
miles; 6 hours are consumed in crossing.
Via Southampton and le Havre; Monday
Wednesday and Friday, at 8 p. NJ, from
Waterloo, arriving at Southampton at
11.45 P. M. The fares by this line are
about $3.50 and SO 90. This is the
cheapest route of all, and those who are
proof against sea-sickness, and are willing
to put up with inconveniences can reach
Paris by this line as early as travellers by
other roHtes. The boats connected with
all the lines are small and inconvenient,
and lonkod npon with contempt by Amer
leans especially, who are accustomed to al
ry and convenient steamers. These En-
glish steamers however. are noted for
their speed, strength, and safety The
steamers which ara canstantly crossing the
English and '.s} .haun,ls literally run
und = I'll "as a, he rate Of twenty
antics p-1 'auy
IA ths An sts5 he moihef-land seems
Ike his o1n uaylg cline, from tho fact
that the language and customs Of the peo-
pie are nearly approached by his country
men. but nearing the Continent all is
changed; the costumes, habits, speech,
and characteristics of the Frenchman re-
mind him that he is in strange land -
Although he may be a passable French
scholar at home. and thought before sett-
ing out across the Atlantic that couriers
could be dispensed with on his arrival at
Calais, Boulogne, Dieppe, or Havre, he
soon finds that the French language of the
porters and railway employees of France
is not easily understood. and Immediately
calls for guide to conduct him to his
journeys end.
On the French railways generally the
rate of travelling is slower, the time kept
more accurately, and the general comfort
of the traveller when in the carriage better
attended to than in England. The ar
rangements for securing luggage are trou-
blesome, but very effective. 1t is regis
tered, and not more than go pounds al
lowed. The fares are generally lower than
on English lines, and the second-class ear
riages much more comfortable.
The traveller with baggage should take
care to reach the station half an hour be-
fore the departure of the desired train.
French cabs and omnibuses are extremely
slow, and the delivery Of tickets at the sta
tions is very tedious process.
On arriving in Paris, we were ensconced
in the "Grand Hotel" in the Boulevard
des Capucines, the largest in the world,
and the great resort of the American. M.
Pasquier is the manager-in-chief. and NJ.
Hoffman is in charge of the apartments.
This hotel contains 700 bedrooms, Il is
possible to live very comfortably at this
carayanserie at the rate Of from 20 to 25
francs per day. The charge for sitting
rooms, in addition to bedroom, is ex-
ceedingly high. But more will be said Of
this rendezvous by,and-by.
Paris is the queen city, of the world.
covering 1000 acres, containing two mil
lions Of inhabitants, and fifty thousand
houses Recently Baron Haussepsanm,