New-York tribune., 1879-12-07
F4Ts .DRINKING ABROAD.

Frou Letter 10 tn. london Times
There is only one rule which can be relied on to
insure safety. and. difficult compliance with il
may at first sight appear, IL is certainly not so IN
practice having been Invauaoiy followed by my
self in all parts of Europe during the long autumns
have been III the habit of spending abroad, now
for many years. II is simply this-never to drink
single drop Of the cold water ordinarily supplied as
drink in any place or in any circumstances what
ever.
1t is quite true that pure wafer NAV be obtained
in some cities as in Rome, Vienna, Mlrseilles. and
other places; still il Is impossible to assert that any
specimen served at table is free from admixtnre
with water from an impure source.
What, then, is the traveller to drink. where hot
tea and coffee are not admissIblef 7 In all large
towns and cities IN Europe. on popular routes,
wholesome table mineral water can b. obtained.
and II should, il possible, be the product OF the
country itself. In France nothing Is better or more
easily procurable than st. GalmIer IN all parts Of
Germany settlers Is 10 be had on reasonable terms
in Austria Bohemia, and Hungary, Giesbtbel IS
cheap and accessible, and l. excellent. In Russia,
Sellers may be had the chief cities and excellent
tea abundantly everywhere, at every roadside sta
ton In Italy, at all large and good hotels, either
a French or German water may be found; it is,
however, desirable although rarely necessary, to
make early inquiry for n, TO insure Its appear
ance at mealtime, and to show that its freshness
and quality are not matters OF indifference. few
years ago / found this quite necessary, but the de-
mand nas greatly increased OF late, aud now there
is rarely any difficulty in obtaining n good sup3ly.
The price is OF course. higher than north of tue
Alps owing the cost of iransport-viz., from 2t.
10 81 per BOTTLE price, by the way often paid Tor
wretched wine and far less than that constantly
given for 'clarct" by travellers VINO LhOughteSslY
demand in all places their accustomed wine, instead
Of consuming a better and much cheaper I'm da
pays, wherever they may be.
Further, IL il often forgotten that the "siphon,'
30 common abroad Is by no means necessarily pref
cradle to ordinary water. Made, as 1t Is. at almost
any pharmacy the bottles flled at the nearest
source. and there Is guarantee that the water is
not impure. On the other hand. the great soda
water makers this country select their water at
irreproachable sources. Their products NAV be re-
garled as pure and wholesome. | was very glad TO
meet with English sodawater the other day IN Con-
stantinople at frame the bottle.
Lastly. no addition Of wine or spirits TO contami
mated water counteracts the poison in the slightest
degree, all popular theories 70 the contrary not
wlthstandlng.
But the traveller may find himself IN small towns,
or In remote places off the common route, where
mineral water out of the question. Here he must
insure the boiling of his water before drinking il
and the best way OF dong tins, as l have found IN
small Italian towns and IN almost all parts OF Spain,
Is 10 order tea of winch the traveller may with adj
vantage carry a small canister for Use very out
lanOlsh spots If he Intends TO visit such The prac-
tcal way of doing this is 10 arrange with the man
ager to supply cold tea in wine bottle for dinner,
and at midday dfjeGar If desired, ut frame head.
Stipulate that 1t should be very weak. that
the water must boil, and therefore It
made occasionally at your breakfast table, If
you please. | have never found any landlord
who was not dehg hghted with my proposal, since
nothing pays him better, especially II he has my
canister from. which have then invariably
found treated with the greatest care and respect.
If cold tea Is dsliked, the object may be at
tanned on the same terms in relation TO toast and
water or barley water. with infusion of
lemon; although the making of tea is probably
more likely than the Others To insure boiling water,
from the universally recognized need of high tem-
persture TO make it.