New-York tribune., 1873-05-03
AMERICANS ABROAD.
THEIR GRIEVANCES IN ENGLAND.

fFRoM THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT THE TRIBUNE
LONDON, April ia recent leading article in
The Times, followed up by amusing letter from "A
vicmo has touched topic that travelling Amer-
cans have found And It quite time that
some high authority should protest against the syste
matte extortion OF which Americans the victims in
London. The hotels OF this great capital are among
those which learns soonest to avoid, and are,
verify believe main why Americans spend
40 little time in London Our 'vctim" states his
rather strongly but with substantial truth, when he
says that Americans a rule turn their backs upon
London, with thorough dislike for it, chiefly because
they are so Outrageously imposed upon II they
charged high prices IN Paris they az least get something
like the value Of their money Here they do not. The
hotels ruinousy extravagant and yet the accommo
dation they afford s such decent hotekeeper in
New-YOrk Boston, any other great city, would
ture to offer 10 his guests" To which The Times says
ditto and avowing that in London in the midst
of the best markets in the world you find yourself
stnted, If not absolutely starving" and adding, It
would be something II hotel prices bore remote
relation the prime cost Of the article but is hard
to pay like millionaire, while you are living ike an
anchOrite."
Such illustrations as the Victim" gives are neither
exceptional confined TO any particular class OF hotels
He points out that the walters and porers are beggars
and the large sum exacted by the landlord for at
tendance in itself prepOsterous charge-does not
relieve you from further demands, based the plea
/
sum you pay The food Is abominally cooked. For a
cup OF tea the Victim" charged half dollar; with
two stale eggs and bread the a dollar. Seek
ing TO reduce his expenses he and his wife tried dining
in the middle OF the day with the children. The dinner
consisted OF fish and plain JOINT The nurse made her
dinner off what left The result not encOurag
ing The British landlord proved equal 10 the occasion
and charged him three times for each dinner; rst for
ourselves next the proportion OF the days board for the
children two OF them under two years OF age one
haby arms and thirdly the proportion OF the servants
board the said not eating thing more than had
appeared table. SO with every other meal
The Victim thinks his American trunks were to
bame"wherever they appear great the joyof che hotel
keeper and his assistants" No doubt they are respon-
sble FOR a few extra smings pounds. We Americans
have sad reputation for spending money easily, or sub
hitting readily extOrtOn which comes TO the same
thing We 90 the dearest inns want the best rooms,
order expensive dinners and above all are ignorant OF
European customs and either know not when to save
and when to spend 10 Mt wish to seem not TO
care some OF US find certain enjoyment in those ex
aggeraed demonstrations Of respect which the English
uneeper and his servants know how TO offer on occa-
sion II may be permitted 20 do So should Ike TO say
word this point 20 the few Americans who need
IT, In England and In Europe generally the sure tokens
of vuearty are display spending for the sake OF spend
ING and the fear to be thought mean the wish 10 DE
thought Indifferent 10 money. No Englshman (unlcsS
he has made Is money very recently ls
| ashamed 10 economize or thinks 10 shame 10
say he cannot afford any particular expense.
Those Americans whose fortunes date from
the discovery OF California gold petroleum. or from
war contracts have createdthe reputation which costs
their fellow countrymeD, wish 70 see Europe in
moderate way dear They VIII, suppose 20 on scat
erug dollars. They Will toss hasOyereIgns instead or
ypences 10 servants who scarcely hide their con-
tempt for the ignorant fOishness Of the giyer Their
wives and daughters viii 20 shopping IN the morning
.HHaa ~ Il #rwff fNu
London price for shawl, the daughter will continue to
exclaIn. Did yOu hear OF anything 80 cheap
and the mother Will answer % We should have paid
double 10 sewarts and for the next article they buy
they VIII the pleasure Of being asked three prices
instead Of two by the obgng shOpkeeper This sort OF
thing has gone far that IN manyI had almost said IN
most-of the fashionable London shops there is one scale
of prices for English customers and another for Amer
cans and in some clerks permitted aud encouraged
To get what they can from Americans, aud commission
! is paid them all they extort beyond the regular
! price.
Against such a system know Of but one way IN which
Americans can protect themselves. FOR though do MT
carry our eltae trunks 20 shop we Detray ourselves
instantly 10 the practiced acueness Of the London
counter Jumper by dress, accent, and manner have
lived six years in London, and when went home for
visit two wears ago was reproached more than once
most uniustly, proes-for some English characterl.-
! tics was Thought TO have acquired Bat am known
for an American moment set foot IN London shop
II want thing ready-made am asked how soon
shall leave town When inquire the price, 1t is gen
orally put from 20 TO 100 per cent above what know
ought 90 be- aud the chucng clerk adds that i've per
cent discount Is allowed FOR cashal Americans paying
cash as a matter course-and never occurs TO this
astue Londoner that shall suspec, he has put on so
per cent to allow OF the five per cent being taken OH
without serious loss 90 the trade. There is, Us was
saving lust one way 20 check ns and that Is 10 know
beforehand the usual London price OF the thing you
want 10 buy decline 90 pay anything more ana never
10 enter the second time shop where extortion mas
once been attempted Il right TO add that there are
.pops in LJudou-aud they usually the brst-vtere
even an American Will be- 90 fairly dealt with as an
Eng.ishman
To return 20 hotels The Victim" has tried TO per-
suade his landlords that lac Is al EnglIshman md thinks
he might have succeeded (which he certainly would noD
but for his trunks. These be fuds too substantial 70
explain away aud offers to sell them cheap II an en-
terprising American trunkmaker would supply good
limitations OF English trunks the traveller would do "eu
to buy them and not 70 paint AeWAOfk III large etei'
on the ends shall he escape some OF the smaller and
more ANNOYING his purse by porter5 ana cab
drivers Let HIM not think 70 delude the MOTEL keeper
by any such precauton, indeed will he want to Try
for he will take a proper pride IN being an American
The point IS merely not 10 exhibit his pride Where J
will be thrown away ana prove expensive. Nor can
encourage him 10 hope he can resist ehectuaily the
organized system of plunder which he Will nnd IN force
in a London hotel. II he makes stand against over
charges, he will be told they are the
custom and when an Englshman has said
that he thinks there is no more TO be SAID
II is the custom charge half dollar day per head
for attendance. as much for lights twice as much
for ire in private paror. and eight shillings Tor
bottle OF wine worth threeor probably not worth three
nor any other sum- the vintage being what II IS Nor do
l. after much experience. know any hotel in London at
once cheap aud good The cheap and bad do exist but
are not likely 70 be found by the arriving traveller
should he prefer them The dear are eyeryWhere tine
dear and goOd-pretty good-do also exist Americans