Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1876-12-02
Ocean Travel BY the White Star
Line.

Under date Of London, Nov. 4, !"
&c. W. S." correspondent Of the
New York Tribune, hiss the following
remarks of the excellence Of the facil
tiles and accommodations afforded
ocean voyaeers by the White Star
Limo Of Steamships:
Two recent voyages across the Atlantic
in two ships of the White Stsr line, the
Germanic and Blitsnic, proved interesting
enough to Justify word about them. AT
the risk of seeming 10 puff commercial
enterprise l must sag that I think these
vessels much the finest ships ever sailed
in. The passage from Queenstown to New
York in the Gerranic vas made in Z days,
10 hours, 40 minutes The return from
New FORK TO Queenstown in the Britannia
occupied days, 16 hours, % minutes.
This is, I need rot say, much quicke than
the usual passages BY aay other line. In
fact, there is but orc Thip on the ocean, the
City Of Boston cf the Imam line which
preterds to compete With these. The Gun
artlers have abandoned all notion of equal
ing the White Star ships in speed. They
have copied, to some extent, the models OF
their younger rivals, but their two newest
and best vessels-thc Bothnia and Scytha
go on TRANQUILITY with their 10 and ll-day
voyages between Liverpool and New York,
che Germanic and Brittanic meantime do
ing the SEINE trips in little over eight OF
nine. The fastest passage on record west
ward has been made by the Britannia; the
fastest eastward by the Germanic. The
regularity oftheir speed is perhaps more sur
prisirT thar the speed itself. The Britanc
has made eight voyages out and home since
June iG, Every voyage was under eight
days, ard the average was f'r the outward
trip, Z days, II hours, 25 inmates. Her aN-
crago speed on the ei yht voyages in all sorts
Of weather was o-el Is knots or II miles,
On hour. People who prefer to get as long
q voyage as they car for their money must
h advised to choose some other line.
The superiority Of these ships to the av-
ersge Atlantic liner is not less marked Ill
ether respects Their builders have solved
th. most difficult problem, so tar as health
end comfort go. in naval architccture-tha'
of ventilation. l think l am within
the mark in saying that halfthe sca.sickness
we suffer from is due to foul smells. !
hardly expect to he believed when say
that Un these ships there are none. But
the fact is that with the ship rolling hcavi
~ and every port closed and the weather
doors to the companion way dashed fast,
l woke in the morning to find the air of my
state room much purcr than that 01 an or
binary bedroom. At the furtlcst end OF
the long passages between the statcrooms
furwad and aft, it was tic same thing. II
was the same in the saloons. | Was so
struck by tits that went over the whole
ehip-thc stcuragcs. the stewards dormito
~, and the forecast" an, it was sill ;h"
same-p,ire air AMI light everywhere.
There were ladies on board vino lad new
er r1ade voyage except in misery from
sea sickness, and who row went triumph
entity from port 10 port, going 70 every
meal and enjoying seattle tor the first time
The details of comfort in statcrOoms and
ealoons have been carefully looked after
plenty of clean linen and fresh water, and
good bathrooms. The table and service
were As good as that of a good Newly DIRK
hotel. There are be. Is to every berth, with
this remarkable peculiarly THAT they both
ring and are answered promptly. l WAS
told by friend who has just come over in
the Bothnia that bells are Still unknown on
the Cunarders. There the passenger, sick
or well, is left as If old to shout for stew
ard who generally does not come.
But are they safe, these splendid vessels
They have run for some years Wit. so far
as l know, exactly one serious accident.
The company lost one snip, which tilnid
people remember, forgetting that no line is
exempt from accidents, and that a Cunarder
has since gone to the b0ttOm-the Tripoli,
on Tuskar Rock, oil the Irish coast. 1t is
not q landsman's business TO be positive
about ship-building and sailing, but even
lan1sman has some means eli Judging, The
amount of vibration will tell you whether
ship is very strong or very weak, When
the screw begins TO turn, the ship usually
begins TO quver The Germanic had been
under way ten minutes before we found it
out below. These ships ac, in fact, as
strong vessels as font. They arc sailed
with what the passengers sometimes
thought over-caution, and all that could be
seen Of the discipline was qn;et and thor
ough.
This sounds like WHOLESALE praise, but it
is no fault of mine. During two voyages
the only serious complaint | ever heard
made WAS that some of the StnlerOOms woe