New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-09-06
AIN THE STEERAGE."
AN EXPERIENCE on A CuyARDER.

BE HAD-THYISG TWENTY-FIVE POTATOES ~
VAIN TO FIND 4 GOOD ONE.
lrnoM THE REGULAR coRREsI oSDESr or THE TRIBUSr.l
LONDON. Aug 15.-Three remarkable letters have
appeared this week in The PdU .Eall GGzee describ-
ing the writer's experience In the Storage of
Cunard Steamer" 1t lisa bold thing to publish such
an account IL is always bold thing to attack u
superstition in this country and the readers of The
Pail Mall are among the class-rapidly dwDdling,
but still numerous-who regard the Cunard Line rs
one Of the supports of the British Constitution.
few such narratives that now published would
do much to dispcl the Illusion. In dis
cussiug quite different topic, the same journal
remarked yesterdaytha there is much which is con-
fused obscure and antiquated in this Constitution.
The hallucInation about the Cunard Lac belongs
in this category. The ships sailing under that name
have merits. but most OF them belong TO a past ger
Grafton. Moreover, the readers of The Pan Man do
not make of the social stratum which supplies
recruits for the steerage of The Cunagd, any
other line. But apprehend that the attractions of
the saloon VIII hardly be enhanced by knowledge
of tire horrors from which il is separated only by
hukhead.
Horrors is not too strong word for tho state OF
things revealed. The account is not at all piece
Of hearsay testimony compiled from the stories OF
various sufferers. 1t is record Of personal expert
encc. The author himself endured what he de-
scribes. He showed a rare degree of determination
in committing himself TO the enterprise Lest his
resolution should fail him. he put all his money be-
yond his control except enough pay his passage,
and - lle frankly cCnfesses that the precau-
tion was not unnecessary-that If he had bad
the means to do SO, lac would have followed
the example of two fellow-passenger who.
at the first sight and smell of the den
10 which they consigned went TO the
purser ana paid the difference for cabin passages. 1t
- Tor the benefit Of the poorer travelling public
that lac was forced TO be n hero in spite of himself
Slow rs reforms come in this country, and sluggish
rs the Cunard management is about improvements,
il can hardly be that some good should not be
done 10y such publication.
can Indicate only in the briefest way the nature
OF this account. 1t would be better If You could
lind room TO copy the three articles in full hut as
they fill six columns | will set down the heads of
the narrative with an extract or two.
The steerage was wooden cell Some SO feet
in length. II feet wide Mt one end, narrowing 10
. feet at the other instead of ceiling hatch
way opening upon the main deck; two dirty
ladders placed almost peTpendicuIarly, forming a
staircase. This agreeable refuge was IN tho hold Of
the ship below the main deck; no light or air
reaching 1t, apparently, save from above-or below.
On either side were the berths. The floor was COW
cred with sawdust. "Ornam ntally disposed IN the
form Of a cross beginning at the further and mar
rover end Of the cell Were seven medium-sizod beer
barrels. standing on end. -Four of these contained
empty beer bottles two broken odds and ends, and
the remaining was filed with decOmposing rem
namts Of what had been food IN the centre OF
the floor was an open wooden grating the entry 70 the
stewards storeroom. This ventilated" direct into
the steeraFe; salt and cured fish being item of
it, contents "This dirty. boarded space. not nearly
vii he s1lD
dnng-room, and living room for steerage pas
sengers and was certified to contain $50 persons.
The stencil combined with the heat simply in
tOlerable." Nor does this exhaust the list ot ITS
attractions. Close to the hatchway above, through
which the stecTage was entered. stood three bar
res,. each half filed with kitchen refuse. These
stood directly under the RAYS of the sum- the tenn
perature being over 00o in tho shade. There they
remained during the whole voyage. receiving daily
d,tions from the kitchen aud scullery. Ana,
"opening upon this hatchway, without any part'-
ton whatever were the sailors quarters rcdolent
of oil and tar soled smocks and unclean guernseys,
Three lavatories directly faced tho passage The
materials of pleasant atmosphere. surely
The sleeping accommodations on each side of tho
PASSAGE above described, consisted of two-storied
cupboards containing each sixteen shelves. each
shelf or tray being six feet long by eighteen inches
VIDE. and divided from each other by partitions
ten inches high. The berths were the bare boards
which formed the shelves: and further convent
ence of any kind description there was none
whatever. They ventilated directly INTO the - sa-
loon aforementioned. Into each OF these cup
boards were packed sixteen human beings AS far
MS they would 20. There were not passengers
epoug TO half Gil the cupboards, but the steward
insisted on crowdng the full complement into each
cupboard, and then locked up the remainder empty.
In theory, the married separated from the nm
married and the single women from BOTH In fact,
the one married couple placed III an end berth,
and the single women were simply berthed together
in one cupboard.
For the rett--well. the weather was hot, and the
door always open; the PARTITION ran only 10 within
Thought il unnecessary 60 provide separate sleeping
accommodation for women passengers, III was not
for the men % protest.
To have done with this part Of the subject.
quote the of the uony of getting up IN
this separate part of the Storage;
"Wbile the Others were engaged upon their meal
had the opportunity OF seeing the ladies rice from
their sleeping travs The door of the berth was
open and 1 was seated opposite. DOR steward
la mani with the easy familiarity OF q person ac-
custOmed 70 such scenes, was inside tue single
womei's compartment, helping one 10 emp OF conce
in bed. joking with another, ana amlablN threaten
ing a thlrd-a young and extremely pretty gir!-to
rouse her unless she speedily got mp NV compGgH0as
de rOva1e seemed 10 think this nothing unusual
They hardly noticed it among themselves, and few
DAYS accustomed me 10 these and similar sights
The spectacle primitive and indicative % SIM
pie confidence but mefhoUght hardly to be ex-
pected on board a transatlantic line"
So much for the steerage quarters. They are net
luxurious, but with cyity from the stewards and
good food. might be endurabe. Neither ciyihty nor
good food however, was included in the CUnard
contract. "B."-as the writer signs mmself-scems
TO be a qret sort Of person. used TO the sea- good
sailor and not easily upset by weather or what is
worse) foul air. and only anxious 10 make the best
L.. La. hnd nlv Lnrnnslr clnsen.