Knoxville Whig and chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1875-1882, 1875-06-23
OUR EUROPEAN LETTER.
Voyage From New York to Liverpool
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND,
~

10 IlNerpOol, tnluk tnat L snail De-
stow my patronage on the lair line
company, il such company should,
by any good fortune, be in existence at
that time. | don't wish by any means
to be understood as having any but a
good word to say for the ship that has
brought me safely over, but | do wish
it to be distinctly understood that safe.
ty and feeling of perfect and complete
satisfaction with ones ownself and his
fellOw-man are not invarlable concom-
itants. A man, however philosophic
he may be by nature or nurture, who
for five mortal days and nights
has feeling of the greatest inward
horror at the bear suggestion on
thought of food, and whose gastronom-
ic receptacle obstinately refuses to hold
even for the space of few minutes
the smallest possible quantity of any
form of aliment, can not be denomi-
mated happy man, and ! was that
man. The remembrance of ii is yet so
fresh III my memory that l can not
think Of 1t with anything approaching
comfortable feelings, and / shall spare
those of your readers. The life aboard
ship is proverbially monotonous. Even
the bright and witty man becomes
stale when his stock of stories and
sharp sayings have become exhausted,
and the lovely and bewitching yonng
lady becomes tritie tiresome when
she puts in her appearance every day in
the same always unbecoming suit of
water-proofing. One naturally longs
for excitement other than cards, chess
or draughts can furnish, and anything
that offers it is hailed with great de-
light.
During the last three days of our
passage we had the good fortune to
meet with something that does not
happen every day to passengers across
the great ferry, 1t was an
OCEAN BOAT RACE.
The White Star boat, 1.-The Baltic, ]"
left New York the same day that we
did, but some hours later, and took
the northerly passage, which is some
hundred miles shorter than the south
erly route, which the Nationtl line al
ways follows. When three days off
the coast of Ireland, the masts of a
ship were apparent above the northern
horizon, and soon the officers made
her out to be the Baltic. She was at
that time abreast of us, as the
bearings of the compass showed ;
and as both ocean vessels were
bound for the same port, fair race
was before us, and trial for the speed
of the two vessels could be fairly test
ed. The White Star Line has always
considered their boats the fastest on
! the Atlantic waters and a trump over
one of them would be something to
boast of. Consequently our officers
were more than anxious to outstrip
her in this fair contest. or course as
soon as it became known how matters
stood, the excitement among the pas.
sengers reached a fever heat, and the
Captain was implored not to let the
Baltic beat us in"
For three days and nights this race
upon the broad Atlantic continued
and was watched by the occupants OF
both vessels with the intensest inter
est. Sometimes one would be gain
ing and sometimes the other, and
the poor Captain was continually
piled with the question, are
we gaining on her now ?" And when
it was announced that we had gained
q point during the last 5 hours, the
delight among the passengers was
made manifest in variety of ways
and the captain again was warned not
to let the Helvetia be beaten. When
at last we came in sight of land, the
excitement increased still more, for We
knew the goal was nigh, it was the
" last quarter of the race. Whoever
passed Fastnet Light House in st.
Georges Channel first, was to be the
winner. We We're in plain view o.
each other now, we could almost see
the passengers on the deck of the Bal.
tic, and both vessels were steering
straight for the Light House. 1t was
hard pulling against head wind, bu
with this disadvantage our engines
carried us on at the rate of thir
teen miles an hour. Soon it began Il
be apparent that we were leaving
cur rival behind, and the officers as
sured us that according to the compass
we were certainly gaining on her rap
idly. The Baltic fell gradually more
and more astern OF US, and when we
steamed past the Light House she wa
fairly in our wake, and the White Sta
line had one more feather taken from
her cap. When we passed Queens
town the Baltic was barely in sight.
Th' weather during the latter par
of The voyage was very pleasant
bright Us with no fog, and not mucl
wind. The last day on board had al
| Noo HuiNC "
me, viz: reading by daylight at i
minutes to 10 O'Clock. This is one O
those instances of the action of the Law
of compensation, where, in the sum
mer, the length of the day is extende,
to make up for its equal curtailmen
; in winter.
When we reached Liverpool, I sud
denly discovered that | was in YER
embarrassing predicament. In tn
: hurry of leaving the vessel had lai
: my keys down and come away with
out them, 1--WE came in a tug for fifteel
miles, as the tide was out, when W
! reached the port, and it is no
possible for vessels to enter Liverpool
! except when the tide is in.) L ha
! now, in order to get my baggage pass
ed, enter to break the trunks open O
! run them through on my " check"
thought, as it was less expensive, tina
, / would try the latter plan first, an
being an American, of course / sue
ceeded, though L have no doubt tina
the shilling / slipped into the hands {
the young official into whose clutche
: 1 had fallen, smoothed the way yer
@ materially. Which proves that i
other places than in America, officis
y | favor fo pnarahanfahla articIa-ua,