The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-06-19
Ocean Etiquette.

Eighty thousand Americans annually
visit Europe. OF this number 10000 sail
from the port of New York. They spend
upon an average, while abroad So, 500
apiece The greater number are ladies.
Such is the statement made by a Broad
way travelling commission firm to aJourn-
alist The importance OF these annual
pilgrimages. which are increasing year
by year, has developed system of ocean
etiquette that governs the conduct OF
what may be termed the best circles of
maritime society" Nowadays the Cap
tain of crack ocean steamer must not
only be first class sailor, but he must
also be a man of infinite tact and method
with thorough knowledge of what $50
ciety" requires at his hands.
To sit at the right of the Captain at
table at once accords to the occupants of
that distinguished honor the highest place
in the social scale on board ship, and the
position is competed for an amount of
anxiety, that is very amusing. The sen
Tor surgeon and his assistant (when two
are carried) act as dupities, and rank,
socially, next in Importance to the Cap
tain himself How to accommodate the
various claims for this coveted distinction
is a matter of serious moment. The per
sonnet of the passenger list is closely
searched at least forty eight hours before
the vessel sails. Very often the pursuer is
called into consultation, and the difficulty
| finally settled by placing card bearing
| the passenger name upon his or her plate
| 10
1t frequently happens, however, that one
or more persons consider themselves
sighted, and where it is probable that the
| imaginary slight will disturb the social
harmony the Captain escapes by taking
his meals IN his own room. In the first
class ships, as the. Bothnia, the Alaska,
the Britannia, the Arizona, the Baltic and
the Spain, which carry from $50 to 20C
cabin passengers apiece, it is becoming
the rule to dress for dinner-the ladies
in semi evening toilette, the gentlemen in
| frock coats. a good story is told by
Purser Neppens, of the Cunard Line: 1t
is rule, sir" said steward, to a tall
| fair passenger, ITO put on froCk coat at
dinner" This was after the vessel had
been two days at sea. The passenger
persisted in wearing his suit of light
| Tweed, and rhe request was reiterated or
the following day, which happened TO he
a stormy enc The vessel lurchehed hea
Willy, but the passenger appeared in {
frock coat of exquisite fitness. The cor
| tents of plate of soup, however, soor
destroyed its gloss, and the gentleman
retired abruptly in confusion. He sale
nothing, however, until Liverpool wa:
reached, when, placing letter in tht
hands of the purser, he desired him t.
give it to the manager of the line. 1t
contents were as follows
The Incline.
i ITO the Earl of Airlie, DR..
TO spelling one frock,coat to oblig,
the company, e.. Z.
IN. blight tweed is more appro
pirate for grease spots than black clotl
in heavy weather"
The doctor isone of the most busy mer
on shipboard. Between the professional
and social duties his time is fully occu
pied. To his watchful care is generall
consigned the remnants of the unprotect
ed female passenger consignment, H
has also to arrange for the ships musical
1t is he who generally gets up the pre-
gramme for benevolent purposes towar
the END of the voyage. He manages han
moniously the hundred and one little dis
putes that invariably arise. 1t is he VIII
contriyes that the little cliques and sets
with which every ocean traveller is fam
liar, shall not clash. In brief he bal
ances the social equilibrium.