Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-10-28
THE HERALD'S LETTER BAG.

demand.
THE HERALD'S LETTER BAG.
An Ocean Race and AN ocean Racer
Graphically Described.
EDITORS HERALD-At noon on the 18th
of September last the three largest and
fastest steamships afloat backed out of
their slips at the foot of Christopher street,
New York, and commenced race across
the Atlantic to Liverpool. These were
the City Of New York, of the German
line, on which the reporter was passen-
ger, the new Teutonic, of the White
Star line, and the City Of Rome, of the
Anchor line. The City of Rome, al
though very fast, was practically out of
the race, and the interest conferred be-
tween the White Star and the German
liners. The Teutonic had the advan-
tage over her rival, the City of New
York, in being twenty-five feet longer
and six feet narrower, and drawing
much less water. The Teutonic was
built under the SUPPLEMENTARY of the
British Admiralty, and can in forty
eight hours be converted into an armed
cruiser carrying twelve 36,pound guns.
Her length is 582 feet, width 81 feet, and
depth 40 feet. Her tonnage is 10 500.
The City of New York is $50 feet long,
IS feet wide, and from the top of her up
per cabins to her keel is SO feet. Her
| tonnage is the same as that of the leu
tonic.
The Teutonic had followed the City of
New York across the ocean three times
in vain endeavor to outstrip her, and
on this occasion it was reported in New
York that the former had purposely
taken in but little cargo, 80 as to put her
in the best possible trim for the race.
The City Of New York, on the contrary,
had heavy freight, and was very deep
in tho water. Owing to these circum-
stances the betting in New York was in
favor of the White Star boat. Out to the
bar at Sandy Hook the vessels steamed
side by side, but here the light draft of
the Teutonic told in her favor, az she was
able to go straight out, while the deeply
laden City of New York had to follow the
tortuous windings of the passage, and
when she was clear of the bar and fairly
out to sea the White Star liner was fully
ten miles ahead. Our boat was stopped /;
the pilot. and two stowaways wko had
trisd to steal 3 passage, were dropped
into the pilot boat; then the bells rang
'full speed ahead" and the great race
had fairly commenced. When darkness
settled down and shut the Teutonic from
our sight, We knew that We had gained
slightly upon her. Each of the great
lines running from New York to Liver
pool takes a separate and definite course
across the Atlantic. This is done to
lessen as fsr as possible the chances of
collision. The White Star line takes q
course further south than the course
taken by the Inman line, and when
morning again dawned upon US we were
not surprised to find that we could no
longer see our rival.
Il The next day was rainy, with but little
sea, and was spent by the passengers in
roaming through the City of New York
and admiring the beautiful rooms and
fittings Of the Finest ship afoat." She
is simply sea-going palace. There is a
: magnificent drawing-room, and adjoining
lit splendid and we'll filed library.
Both are upholstered in the finest style.
The dining saloon has seating capacity
for $50 passengers. There are suites of
rooms on the promenade deck and on
the saloon deck, with sitting-room, bed
room, bathroom and closet, where the
passenger who is ill, or wishes seclusion,
can live in a little home by himself.
The second cabin accommodations are
, quite as good as the frst-class of few
Years ago, and the steerage is very COM
Portable. To navigate the ship and look
after the comfort of the passengers a
crew OF $50 persons is carried. The City
of New York is divided into fifteen water
!; tight compartments by solid iron bulk
beads, reaching from the keel to the
saloon deck, thus providing for the safety
of the ship in the event of collision.
i The second night out from New York
brought us on the banks of New Found
land, and as it was stormy and foggy we
had to "slow down." From here to the
Irish coast we had head winds and
heavy seas, and consequently could not
make fast time. The best days run was
499 nautical miles, equal to $40 land
miles, or nearly twenty-four miles an
hour. This is faster time than is made
by the Southern Pacific express train be-
tween Los Angeles and San Francisco.
We reached the south coast of Ireland
on Tuesday evening, and off Browhead
signaled our arrival to the telegraph
Office on shore. We were not due at
Queenstown until midnight, but so great
was the anxiety among the passengers
to know whether or not the Teutonic was
ahead Of US that but few went to bed The
first words that greeted the Captain of
the tender at Queenstown were SIS the
Teutonic in ?" and the answer, emo, she
has not yet been reported from Brow
head" was greeted with a round of
cheers. The great race was over, and
we had won, with several hours to spare.
The City of New York is commanded
by Captain Lewis, who for many years
was in command of the City of Chicago.
Captin Lewis is one of the ablest navi-
gators and bravest seamen afoat. A
lady passenger told your reporter that
she "would go anywhere with Captain
Lewis" and as the gallant Captain is o
very handsome man, and the lady was
single, she no doubt spoke the truth.
Both the City of New York and the
City Of Paris of the same line are fitted
with what are called Trolling chambers"
containing about 200 tons of water each,
These chambers are 30 shaped that this
great weight of water is continually
checking the roll of the ship, thus work.
ing her very steady. The great length
of these steamships, and the speed at
which they run, reduce the pitching to q
minimum, and it is hardly felt, even in
| q heavy sea, ALI these improvements