The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-10-05
THE TRAVEL OF THE FUTURE
A Rapid Journey to India.

In a recent number OF the Madras Times vi
6ud this sketch OF tour to be taken il
January, 1890, by an impatient traveller, from
London to Madras:
1sr JANUARY, 189o.-Arrivea here yesterday
after rather rapid p asage from London OF hve
days. Left London on the 26th December foi
the Christmas holidays, IN the hope tsat
scamper through India would prove bench cla
to nv health. Was advised TO proceed by rail-
overland BY way OF the Euphrates Valley, but
considered that route too slow and fatlsulne
for nv purposes. Preferred sea voyage also
under mehical advice. Took berth on bolrd
the CamiIla,a magnificent vessel of seven thou.
sand tons burden, one Of the ships fthe Great
India and Oriental Company. Paid s5 for flrst- II
class passage via Egyptian canal to SueZ. was
shamefully delay ed ten minutes at Graresend,
while weigh vas got upon the Camilla bv means
Of her donkey electrical engine. Mem. to
complain to the company on this point.) Once
upder weigh, engine put out OF gear ard the
Camilla proceeded on her voyage, her az pair
ofpaddle-wheels worked by her motion through
the water. Slow work at first, but speed wish
each mile faster aud faster.
Passed across tho Bay Of Biscay at the rate
OF from one hundred to two hundred knots an
y hour. In the evening some one said, Ihere's
Malta" Looked up from book was reading,
but was told the island was already one hua-
light night in the Mediterranean. Converse
tion with the captain. Observed upon the
velocity of our speed, noticing that although
our vessel was heavily laden her keel only
skinned. the water as consequence OF our
tremendous rsOgress. The skipper declared
full but complicated electrical contrivauce BY
which the vessel can be stopped almost iustan-
taneously.
Next morning entered the Egyptian Canal,
the ship going one thousand knots an hour.
Could see nothing oft as we we're at suez i9
an instant of time. Was tod that the canal
vas ten miles. broad and three hundred feet
deer. Pity poor old Lesseps could not have
lived to this day to see the. success OF that pro,
iect at which an lncredulous world laughed
twenty years ago. Stopped at Suez without
difficulty, but the dizziness produced by the
ship turning for half and hour on pivot With
extreme rapidlty very disagreeable,
To avoid the notorious heat of the Red Ses,
took belnh on board the Submarine Com
pany's vessel hlbecore, three thousand sons
burden. This ship is SHAPED upon ihe lines
of q fish, and bears striking resemblance 70
On enormous dolphin. The locomotive power
is in the tail, which is worked in precisely the
>same manner as fish tai. by electricity. She
Fhas electrical fins, also of wrought iron. and
her speed is about one hundred and fifty
knots an hour. All the passengers on board
the Albecore were sunk ten fathoms beneath
the water, when We got underway without
more ado. Very cool, but no daylight. AS
the ship was splendldly lit with the electric
light, this, however, did not much matter.
Felt rather nervous at the idea OF collisions in
this crowded sea, but was assured there was
no danger:
AT Aden in the afternoon. Anxious to see
Abyssnis where twenty years ago We had an
expensive kind Of little war, took seat on the
African Atmospheric Railway to Magdala, and
arrived there the same night Passed the next
day at Magdala. Greatly pleased with his
Hishness Of Abyssinla. Returned By atnos-
pherlc rail to Alden, and took a berth in the
electrical Erlal Mail Balloon which sails to all
parts of the East every ten minutes. Found
the accommodation very superior, only ninety
passengers besides myself. Rose seven thous-
and feet above the earth to get clear OF foul
winds, then brought our electrical engines into
play, when the enormous fans worked beautl-
fully, driving US through space at the rate or
two hundred miles an hour. .OTer Cevlon 10
the evening, where We descended to transfer
passengers. At Gale took ano, erlal mail
TO Madras, where landed yeste4uay evening,
much pleased With the rapidity of my trip
F.op, IprHon