New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-01-25
HERE .iND THEHi

cnt American experiences with such AN evident
readiness to see the best side of everything,
cannot forbcar wondering at the high price,
of Newly orl aud contrasting tine cost of Nv
ing here with the rates that .r,yaii IN che
great capitals of the Old World. He end, the
hotels cXtrayagantly dear aId in lhe m9gl-
2ipc article from which we quoted last sun
day h. expresses the opinion t'rt to q
" thousand ntents and purposes tIc pur"has-
" ing power of the dollar in N"r,-Iorh doe
rot exceed that of the Parisdn franc or the
London shilling. Living in quiet and un-
administrative comfort in Ncw-Iork,' lac
add, INDUCING in 80 excess, either
"in Che direction Of stately apartments
"raIc wines or choice cigars, ana hl-
Ting a carnage only when | absolutely
"nccdcd one, should spend every daN nearly
"twicc as much as | should spend In London
"or Paris, and only about one-third mole
ethan ! should spend III 81. Pctcrsbure.' a
similar complaint, expressed however IN tx
aggeratcd and emphatic terms, Is often made
in the Dickens Letters
SO common is 1t indeed for English Wis
itors to show surprise at New orh cXtrava-
gance that the American tourist when hc goes
abroad expects To live comfortably 10 London
for two or three dollars a day. and 10 travc!
through the English provinces at still
cheaper rate. Almost invariably his oX-
pcuses ovcrrun hi~ estimate. Ecouomzing
rs well H. travelling stranger can,
he nevertheless spends much more than
hc would spend in a tour through his own
country; he cuts short his list OF contompia-
ted purchases, aud ne comes home with empty
pockets At the best London hotels he viii
be expected to take private sittirS-room,
Gn many of these establishments there Is
neither dnine-room nor parlor), ana his bills
will be from 81 to SlO--for which sum he
Will obtain more privacy than an American
house affords, better attendance less comfort
and much worse table. At large houses OF
the second class, Of which the CharIng
Cross Railway Hotel is representative
specimen. the charges Will amount 10 about
So a day, without a private parlor. with
bed-chamber on one of the upper floors, and
a bad dinner in the crowded coffee room. The
usual charge ut hotels of this rank for bed
room and sitting-rOOm il about 50 a day, and
meal, will come to So 80 or So extra. The
following items are copied from the bill of
gentleman and wife at the Laugham Hotel,
lIlt 'ViiNiotihb VI ~ i'hi b'u-
room at the top OF the house. with meals in
the public cOffcc-rOOm and 10 wine or other
extras: Apartment. 8 shIings; Attendance, >
sIlillings (; breakfast, 7 shlllings and sixpcucc;
dinner, - shiinGs; fire, 1 shilling and
sixpence. Luncheon was eaten elsewhere
if 1t had been taken at the hotel,
the charge would have been shillings.
Total for two people, 81 slilings day, or
about 50.
A Ncw-York hotel at 81 n day is in every
respect superior TO the Llngham, and a New
York hotel at 81 30 is superior ~ the Char
ing Cross. Leaving London, moreover, the
traveller will fad the charges IN the provincial
inns almost AZ high as III the metropolis
Bedrooms are little cheaper, meals exactly
tie same in price, but much more limited
in variety The ordinary tourist, who in
dulges in no costly Injuries and dimes in
the cofrre-room, VIII have to pay from
So 30 to ~ day in towns Ike Chester
Warwick and Oxford. A sitting-room it il
true can be had in such places for very
moderate addition to the bill but that Is be-
cause il is not necessary.
Article, of clothing are more expensive with
ia than III France or England; wines are
more expensive; hack-hire is much more cx-
nensivc in New York, but not IN Boston We
do not believe that cabs could he run IN thi,
city at the rates which prevail abroad, becaus.
thr shape Of the metropolis and the habits Of
the people will always prevent the general
use of cabs. New York is the only city in the
world in which the busy part Of the
population rushes down long and
narrow island in The morning and up
again at night For these regular tides Of
travel the railway lines furnish cheap, rapid,
and ample accommodation. A hac,, is needed
only for extraordinary occasions, and ii must
consequently charge a high price. But ii we
lack cabs. our cars and Omn5uSes are much
better than those of London OF Paris, and
thcir routes cover almost inc whole clty. II
Mr.. Sala found that Il dollar would 20 no
further here than.a shilling goes IN London,
his experience was very different from thai OF
most Americans. For small purchases, for
tips" TO servants, ETC., etc, the TWENTY-FIVE
cent piece is almost the exact equivalent of
the frame or the English shilling.
If the case were thoroughly investigated we
dare say it would prove that both Americans
and Englishmcn spend a great deal more than
they need through lack Of aptitude in accom-
modating themselves to the customs of
foreign country. Americans after little while
fall into the habits of any place they happen
70 find themselves in. Englishmen carry their
English ways with them all over the world;
and the attempt to obtain in New-York
hotel the sort of entertainment that one gets