New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-03-16
TIE NORTH ATLANTIC THOROC HARE.

TIE NORTH ATLANTIC 1HOROCGHfhfE'
The annual exodus TO Europe has begun
and within a few weeks the whole great North
Atlantic feet will be in commission. To thou
sands of travellers and to the much larger num-
Der of friends who will bid them goodby, the
conditions under which the voyage may or
must be made are of engrosSing interest, and
not to these alone 1.-The beauty and mystery
of the ships and the magic OF the sea are
perpetual and universally potent, and an
enumeration of the persons who take no account
of ocean voyages, of arrivals and departures.
would occupy very small space in the Eleventh
Census.
Will the coming season see the record pro-
ken? That is the question which Is certain
to be asked first and last and at frequent inter-
walls wherever the main tOplc-whlch happens 10
be the topic of the main-is under discussion.
As Mr. Smalcy saws in his notes of a recent
voyage, the pace is the thing to multitude OF
travellers. For Anglo-SaXonS. at least, speed
has wonderful fascination. whether 1t he the
speed of a horse. a ship or a railway train There
are probably few individuals who would not
confess to a sense of eNhlaration at the mere
image of an object in rapid motion, and when
one shares the fight and is Il part OF the ma
chncry by which time Is sAnihated the ex-
element is immeasurably intensified We do
not think that anybody need apologize for a
feeling Of. pleasure and importance at the
thought that he was aboard the City OF Paris
when she made new record on the North
Atlantic IacecOurse.
But when man sits down calmly 10 con-
slider by what agency it is, on the whole best
for him 10 be carried across the ocean it might
be supposed that safety and comfort would enter
quite as largely into his calculations as speed.
To be sure fashion has good deal to do with
the final decision. Jones may not he able 70
escape the bias of knowing that Smith, or pos
siby Mrs smith is booked for the Magnificent.
Then again il is quite possible that Robinson
takes il for granted never having been instruct
ed 10 the contrary that the fastest ship is the
most desirable ship. 50 that il is not altogether
safe 70 assume that it j. by a deliberate prefer
cnce of velocity to every other attribute that
the record breakers are sold out in April for the
whole summer.
1t is probably as near the truth as most gen.
Civilizations come to say that Of two ocean
steamships between which a comparison in other
respects may fairly be made the more crowded
the more ncOmiOrlanlc. but wren IT ''Hl'>
to a calculation of safety many elements must
be rcckoncd with. There are captains who
maintain that. other things being equal, the
ship that goes fastest goes most securely. The
problem is certainly not without complications.
fog for instance. is the most dreaded foe OF
navigation. How then is il possible to contra
dict the argument that the sooner a vessel
escapes from the blanket that i tucked around
he Newfoundland banks the lc'tcr?" WOuldn
Won rather be ten days in iOg than twenty
OF course. II follows. therefore, that five are
better than ten. two than five. twelve hours
than thirteen Hence the proposition \
con>oling theory. 10 doubt. 10 those who are
aboard Il racing machine and can't see the bow
from the stern. but not 80 conclusive rs il seems
when all the factors in the case have had a
hearing. The problem, as We have said is
complicated, and nobody has yet succeeded in
finding Just where and how the line Of least
danger is drawn-of striking balance. 50 "a
speak. between pcrilS and securities.
There are many shrewd Observers who say
that it is not worth while 10 predict the future
of steamship construction and navigation th.
il will ultimately be determined ~ pretty much
| everything else is, by pecuniary considerations
and that in the meantime the man who pay
his money is fairly entitled to take his choice