St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1879-04-11
Our New York Letter.

the desire to feel and see the strange
ness of far countries, is one of the in
born human instincts which is probably
never entirely lost, but which III youth
reaches such a climax of intensity, that
CULVER and Robinson Crusoe have be-
come immortal. Like the great forces
of nature this instinct is a bad master,
but like them also, it can be most ex-
cellent servant, and an enterprising
American has just now, after over two
wears of almost unremitting labor, COM
pleted harness by which it is going to
be made to draw the triumphal car OF
Education.
presume that most of your readers
have heard something, especially within
the last six months, about the Wood
ruff scientific expedition around the
world; and | feel sure that all of them
will be interested now that the pre-
paratory stage of this magnificent
scheme is drawing to a close, to learn a
few particulars regarding one of the
most novel and noble undertakings of
the century, the full story of which
would read like one of Jules Verne's
widest and most fascinating fictions.
Nearly ten years ago Mr.. James O.
Woodruff, a young citizen of Auburn,
New York, conceived the bold idea of
organizing and dispatching an educa-
tional expedition around the world.
But the obstacles in the way of any
thing so untried were naturally numer-
Gus, and the idea was apparently drop
ped. Only apparently, however. Mr..
Woodruff kept the subject in mind,
satisfied himself of the feasibility of the
plan, gradually worked out its details,
and finally in the fall of 1877, set him
self vigorously to the task of putting it
into practical effect.
The first step was to provide suit
able vessel, and right here lay the
greatest single difficulty of the whole
enterprise. Our protective shipping
laws refuse an American register to
foreign built vessels; but in this case
an American register must be had and
the price of an American built steamer
of the class desired would have been
ruinous. So Mr.. w. proceeded to
Washington and spent many months in
urging Congress to pass an act in his
favor, allowing him to go abroad for
his boat and giving it all American
privileges. He was finally successful.
The desired act was passed with the
provisOs that the vessel should be used
solely for scientific purposes, and that
she should pass a critical government
inspection as to her seawOrthiness and
general fitness for the work before her.
Fortified with this preliminary victory,
Mr.. Woodruff went at once to Europe
and soon returned with the large new
iron Clyde built steamer General Wer-
der, which being promptly approved by
the government inspectors, was at once
purchased by Mr.. Woodruff for $3.50, 600
(Which sum, large as it is, is only about
ne-half what corresponding Ameri-
can vessel would have COST and the
great central necessity of the voyage
was secured.
The general plan and purposes of the
Woodruff expedition have been so
much in the most prominent news
papers of the country of late, that they
are, perhaps, already familiar to your
readers. | will venture, however, to
re-state them briefly, mainly in extracts
from the very comprehensive pros
pectus which has been issued by the
management.
."This is Il voyage aronnd the world,
to be performed in sixteen months, and
and to be devoted to the education of
youth and the recreation of tourists.
For the students the expedition will
constitute a floating college, in which
the usual course of instruction will be
complemented by object teaching on a
grauder scale than has ever before been
attempted, while to the tourist it offers
every possible advantage for sight-see-
ing. The whole plan and purpose of
the expedition is educational. 1t under
takes to teach the most important and
useful branches of IL liberal education,
and turn out well-rounded student,
developed mentally, morally and physi-
cally.
''There is, moreover, nothing in the
plan of the expedition to interfere with
the purposes of the tourist who wishes
to see the world for his own pleasure,
No voyage that could be projected
would better suit the convenience OF
the sight-seer, or enable him to make
the world most comfortably and mex
pensively."
The proposed route of the expedition
is delightful and comprehensive one
SO arranged that each country will he
visited in its pleasantest season. The
first stop after leaving New York will
be made at the Azores island i'll mid
ocean. Then will be taken in regular
succession the principal ports of Ireland
England and Scotland. Then will fol
low a trip up the Baltic, visiting Stock,
holm, st. Petersburg and Copenhagen
From the latter city the principal points
touched will be Hamburg, Havre and
Paris, Lisbon, Gibraltar and all the
Mediterranean cities Including Con
stantinople and Joppa,) Suez, Alden and
the large ports of India and the trOpi-
cal islands. Next the seaports of China
and Japan will receive special atten-
ton, and then the General Werder will
set out on the hOmeward voyage, stop,
ping only at the Sandwich Islands anC
finally within the Golden Gate at San
Francisco. From here specially char.
tered train will bring the voyagers back
to New York, somewhere about Sep.
TENDER, 1880, after sixteen months O
travel and adventure, which, venture
to predict, will always be recognized
by each participant to have been thu
most interesting, enjoyable and usefu
period of that dur alton in his life. TIL,
above gives merely the skeleton of tn,
5 trip, which will be filed out by brie
inland excursions from many of tn,
r points above enumerated.
The privileges of this expedition ar
open both to students and tourists
, For the former a sort of collegiat
! course will be prepared, and will b
Snnerintended nv an able facnltu of to,