The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1890-08-08
VOYAGE ON ICE.
A NOVEL PROPOSITION TO CROSS
THE WATER TO EUROPE.


Mighty Pleasing Picture-This scheme
Would Do Away with All Danger at Sea-
Newton discovered that apples fall to
the ground because they are heavier
than the atmosphere, and Calico was
the first to find out that icebergs float
because they are lighter than water.
Many grand results are attributable to
the first Of these diyinations of one of
these long impenetrable mysteries, and
most astonishing consequences are about
to attend the application Of the second
fact of natural philosophy. 1t is rather
extraordinary, when you come to think
of 1t, that 500 years should have elapsed
between the discovery that ice would
float and the practical determination to
float it. But man has a way of making
his utilitarian purposes answer a crying
necessity, Of doing things only when the
world seems to be able no longer to do
without them. Railroad travel is little
more than a hundred years old, yet We
wonder bow mankind managed to do
without 1t for 5000 or 1000 years.
a NOVEL SCHEME.
IL ID p1OpooCo W Ci3o dNt q 4
towing vessels of maximum power, to
be operated singly, in pairs, in groups,
or all at once, as the circumstances may
determine. These will be constructed
with special reference to their uses and
will be in many ways unique. These
will be sent into the polar regions to
gather lows of the greatest practicable
burden that may be suited to traffic and
transportation. As these vast areas of
ice become detached by force of winds
and currents they have a natural ten
dency toward warmer ATTITUDES, and
move with such readiness that no great
force will be required to give them reg
ular direction along a desired course
Unassisted these monster bergsfrequent-
ly approach to within 40 degs. of the
equator, and by expediting their speed
they could be got to that point with per-
feet security and with little diminution
Of their original bulk.
These lows, ranging in extent from
one to five acres and in height above
water from fifty to three hundred feet.
will be brought into direct competition
With the English, French and German
lines Of steamers plying between New
York and European points during the
summer season. On these floating islands
Of Ice will be every imagined conven-
fence for the comfort and pleasure of
passengers and the rates of passage will
be reduced to the minimum of profit. In
this latter particular the projectors of
the scheme seem to us to have made a
serious mistake. The inducement to
travel by this means will be sufficient
without making any sacrifice of passage
money. It is estimated hat the trip
from Liverpool to New York can be
made within two days of the best run
ming time Of the ocean greyhounds; but
this increase of time will make no diff
ference to the passengers, who will find
the extra pleasure of the voyage more
than a compensation.
LUXURY ON AN ICEBERG.
The appointments will be luxurious,
rugs, cushions, awnings, easy chairs and
sofas, water proof mattfngs, and to secure
privacy a unique arrangement of screens
for those who do not care to patronize
the berths will be hewn in the side ele-
vations Of the berg. One part of the ice
palace will be reserved for skating and
shedding, another part for various games
and sports, while near the center, Sc
Guided from one another, will be two
basins cut into the ice and filed with salt
water for the benefit Of those who may
wish to take plunge baths. All the cook
ing for the passengers will be done on
board the tugs, and will be transferred
to the island" in small boats. The tables
will be simple lodges of ice at short in
tervals, There will be promenades and
.'climbs," and one Of the favorite under
takings with the adventuresome will be
mounting to the unexplored regions of
the masses that tower 800 feet above the
mean level of the island.
There will be no danger of any one
freezing to death, as the supply of rugs,
blankets, etc, will enable each person to
control the temperature to suit himself,
and 1t is estimated that the average tenn
perature will be about so deg. The pom
derosity of the ice mass will greatly di-
minish the rolling motion incident upon
ordinary travel, and will correspondingly
decrease the liability to s~easickness, a
very grave consideration with many who
are deferred from ocean voyaging
through their horror of NAL de mer, and
in case Of storm it can be understood
what great advantages the passengers
would enjoy in comparative freedom
from disturbing commotion.
AS only about the eighth part of the
entire bulk of one of these masses of ice
shows above the water this new style of
ocean sailer would be most substantial,
and it is even believed each island might
be used to tow a cargo back to England.
At any rate the quality of ice brought
into New York harbor each trip would
revolutionize the ice traffic in that city.
The prospect held out by the Chicago
man is delightful to contemplate, and
we can imagine the joy Of 300 persons
sailing the ocean blue on an island
of ice, reclining upon hammocks of
crystal, laughing in the face Of bafled
Sol, and calling down blessings on the
clustering frost king of the frigid north.
All! the ineffable bliss Of freezing and
thawing at pleasure! 1t Is hoped the
iceberg transit company will be organ
ICED in short order. - Chicago Inter
Ocean.
Selecting a Boarding House.
A mar came into my study last week