New-York tribune., 1871-08-05
TRANSATLANTIC, STEAMSHIPS.
HOW To OBTAIN EASE AND COMFORT IN CRoSN-
ING TIE OCEAN-DEFECTS OF THE CUNAhD-
ERS-THE NORTH-GERMAN LLOYD.
l.AI-r, ,.ALIr L.-AI.L..

HOW To OBTAIN EASE AND COMFORT IN ChoNH-
ING THE OCEAN--DEFECTS OF THE CUNARD-
ERS-THE NORTH-GERMAN LLOYD.
lFROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT
LONDON, July 16.-Comparativcly few pco-
pie know how comfortable Atlantic voyage may VI III
these days Most Of those who cross for the niS' to
have very vague notions about the different neS WHO
MANY who have crossed more than once know but one
line and are quite unaware that ithey might escape INC
long ten days misery they undergo in iailaIs'u 'p
In former years crossed twice by the Cuhru no oN'
by the Inmau and within the last two months nav
made the passage both ways in steamers Vi VIC 'Oi
German Lloyd l hear great dcal iToin o'.''s "''O'
about their steamship experiences thNV oubH, " |
ful to intending Travellers 80 l may "' w" '''''0 "
print what the real facts are
Tho tIroo noints mostly considered in selecting "A
steamer are safety speed and comfort IA to the rst'
believe there is little TO choose There are Soc pooPo
who st'u think the Cunard line the only sure means VI
c.tnr across the and, 50 long as that super"
,; suryivcs those who clingto viii certainly travel
in those ships and it would be assty TO disturb their
faith But there half dozen other INES saihg nom
NcvYorl on any one OF which passenger may safely
trust himself certain that no Cunardcr ia bciter
commanded or better disciplined, or is, in any respect,
safer ship than the Rhcin and the Main, the two North
German Lloyd steamers in which have travelled Like
the Cunarders they were built on the clyde arc OF on
have watertght compartments and are in all respects
equal 10 ANYTHING adoat
As 10 speed the truth Is this. There five lines,
each Of which possesses some fast ships. Among the
Cunarders there are the Scotia snd the Russia The
Iuman line has the City of Paris and the City of Brus
sells. The French line Brest has the Pereire and
Vile de Paris. There ships the Hamburg line,
also which deliver their mails in good seasOn-beyond
that know nothing about them. OF the North German
Lloyd the Main Rhen, Donau, and others have great
speed For practical purposes there is little difference
between ships OF this class They make passages aver
aging about ten days TO Liverpool, Plymouth, South
ampton and BreSt sometimes little less OF more,
according 10 the and the weather 1t is ques-
ton Of ships rather than OF neshat Is if you want to
be of making quick voyage YOU must choose your
ship for all these lines have slow ships as well as fast
the proportion of slow ships to fast being greater on the
Cunard than on any other OF these five lines.
Now TO comfort The first requisite is that the state
room should not be the lower deck. am aware that
this rule excludes at once all the Cunarder except their
slow cargo steamers the emigrant steamers recently
built but cannot help that. The horrors OF that lower
deck passage are such as DO one would willingly un-
dergo when he has discovered that they may be
avoided The Inman and French lines built in the
way with stateroOms beneath the saloon Neither
on them the Cunarders can you enjoy light
or air, even bin outside tiers. The crowding, the
smells the noises, and the gloom Of that deck are the
things most TO be dreaded Atlantic voyage. In
the North German Lloyd ships. and / believe in the
rooms are on the saloondeck In ordinary
weather you may have your ports open day
and night while in any weather You nave
plenty of light, and with light degree OF
cleanliness not possible without H. There is in this one
circumstance all the difference between misery and com
fort during ten days passage. In other details, the
comparison Is not less the advantage of the North
German Lloyd. You get plenty of clean linen in your
sate-room and at table and plenty of attention and
civility For anybody who has crossed ON Cunarder
there no need point the contrast Nor can nuch be
said in favor Of the table on board the Cunarder The
cooking is Euglish and the service very clumsy The
cheap lines make pretension, believe except to sup
ply pain food in abundance. On the North German
Iloyd there is a table dhOte equal to that OF Berlin
hotel, and served N the same way.
WbaI say about the Cunard ships based partly on my
OWL knowledge-iudeed, said years ago III The IRB
UNE and no attempt made 10 deny -and party Oh
the constant complaints OF American travellers Recently
case has occurred rather worse perhaps, than usual
Two American ladies', mother and daughter crossed,
this spring in the Cunard steamer Russia Capt Cook
The mother died the passage The daughter writes
Our sateroom was dar ana horrible While mother was
dgiug laughing talking and singing on dec<
"Now let tel you few plain facts that for the sake o OILERS
oDgb to be MADE public What MI Bailey jerome
Sheridan think Of Capt Cook Russia bad out M'
suppog the captain which sne m not as she eonundel
bin With Capt conaad tod wne to Capt CooE
reeuesug BIN give table mthp' nolef was
deca the be eaele4 port Capt Cook
received IT, ss passenger be had note but be had no
acquaintance with lie notice OF request Our seats
acre next 10 the last stern where great
notion Capt CCok His table was
fed with hearty, healthy. re1lhy people hsn Of them
Young stoa Capt Cook by visit word
expressed the slightest interest sympathy mothers suffering or
nv re Not A. officer excepted did bis decent duty
It was the business Capt least last
aud tender Did otn. Of the ku' Moreover and here
is CRYING shame there such thing ct Tor hospital on
board deck called is They take
out passenger hah Of them dark staed and appropriate
no quiet airy apartment possibilities Of disease Il crime
against lady died ust amer leaving the Scotia only as
Whs, befsls Heerage passengers God oaly knows
As read that sad and shameful story, could not but
contrast il with what Of Capt van Otcrendorps
conduct board the North German Lloyd steamer Main
We had some iuvads board both in the saloon and
s1eerage. Capt OterendOrp was unwearied IN
his attentions all of them He often in the steer
age making personal inquiries about his sick passengers
aud children. IL the saloon and the quarterback he
was not less assduOus and whatever his ship contained
the service OF anybody who needed anything at
any hour. With all this geneness Of nature, he never
theless ruled his ship with IRON discipline that
not the most brutal Cunard captain-nOt Capt Cook Of
the Russia, hinself-could have improved upon AL Of
who made the passage on the Mainland there were
some who exceedingly well known IN New YORK
liked tf ship thoroughly and hope there II no reason
why should not say There is certainly none in my
relations either To the captain TO the Company
other passenger is who pays his passage money and gets
the worth Of II in safe rapid and comfortable ranspor-
tatiOn. q. ". e.
QUESTIONS FOR MRS PAULINA DAVIS
To the EdttOr Of The Tribune.