Morning journal and courier., 1890-03-26

production of silk. Lyons is the leading manufacturing city in France. The amount of silk woven exceeds $40, ,000, ,000 annually. l It was begun in the place during the reign of Louis XII by manufacturers from Lucca and | Florence. An inferior quality of silk, though | of strong texture, Is produced expressly for | sale in the United States.
 It was after dark when our train reached | Paris. An incessant ride of 6S4 miles, with | little sleep, and no opportunity for our cus- | tomary ablutions, added to the trials of the | journey: Water closets on European or Asiatie trains are practically unknown. The | traveller watches for an opportunity to leave l the train at some principal station. Even | then, unless posted by the leader of the par- ty, is in constant fear of being left behind. | The station closets are usually in charge of women, who guard the premises and care fully exact about ten centimes, or two cents, from each customer. One of our party, Mir. Andrew J. Hit of Kentucky, who had been ill since entering Palestine, was, at his own urgent request, left in Paris. We hoped to have taken him as far as London, if no further, where he could converse in English: Every courtesy had to secure him 8 compartment on the train to Paris. Here he was left in the care of Dr. Warren, an eminent English speaking physi- clan, with all other needful provisions for his comfort. After farewell stroll around the gay metropolis, including parting view of the wonderful Eiffel tower, with it's wealth of
 brilliant and many colored lights, we pushed on to London, where we arrived in the gray dawn of the following morning. The night passage across the English channel was oheerless and the sea choppy. Since the miserable steamers are so small the motion of the vessel was incessant and many passen- gers were sea sick. Why large and comfort u 4. >l >eI- .ko s, mystery to the American tourist, especially. Unfortunately our closing day in London brought cold drizzling rain. We suffered considerably from this change of weather,
 having so recently loft Egypt with its mild temperature. Old points of interest were re- visited and new ones discovered and appre- ciated, various purchases made and a mid night train taken for Liverpool. Three suc- cessive nights we had spent on railways
 without sleep, not including five days pre- viously consumed in tossing on the wild
 waves of the Mediterranean.
 Nine days more conveyed us across the rest
 less Atlantic and. brought us to New York.
 Opportunities for promenading on the
 deck were, in consequence, much restricted.
 Reading, resting after our interesting but
 wearisome travels, conversation, with i'm
 promptu concerts and recitations, utilized
 much of the spare time, not to mention three
 substantial meals daily. The humdrum of
 the monotonous life at sea was occasionally broken by sighting ships near at hand or re-
 mote on the very horizon. Schools of por-
 poises leaping from the water pursued us ever and anon in pursuit of the garbage thrown overheard from the galleys. A thrilling experience was reserved for us in mid d-ocean. A steamer was on fire and signals of distress were displayed Our ship hove to, and about two hours were spent In exchanging questions and answers offering assistance. The smoke could be distinctly seen pouring out in volumes fore and aft. It
 was the steamer Queensmore, a new vessel, and said to be on her frst trip. Her cargo
 was composed largely of hay and horses. Finally the captain of the unfortunate ship signalled that the fire was under control and assistance would not be needed. Then both steamers sailed away in opposite directions.
 The captain of the Queensmore, however.
 was mistaken, the fire was not extinguished.
 After smouldering for a while it broke out again. It was fought furiously for several ashore on the Irish coast and abandoned,
 where she burned to the waters edge. All the officers and crew succeeded in making their escape. The closing particulars we learned from the public press few days af- ter reaching home.
 or less exasperating. Nowhere is so rigid a scrutiny made as in the United States, not excepting Turkey. America acquires the traveller to make his declaration in writing and under oath. Then to show that he is not believed under oath his baggage Is over
 hauled in the search for smuggled goods.
 Scholars, statesmen, clergymen, coal beavers needless and shameful indignity. Surely some modification of the law is most impera- lively demanded.
 Aside from this criticism, however, its a mere truism to declare, as do. that America possesses unrivalled and wonderful natural, social, commercial, ecclesiastical and politi- cal advantages. Like ancient Jerusalem, it is sthe joy of the whole earth" To proclaim yourself an American while travelling even in the most remote and semi barbarous regions of the earth, elioits greater respect and awe than the talismsnic cry in the palmy days of Rome and Greece: 'T am Roman citizen" Everywhere the term American" Is regarded as symbolical of liberty, with free press and free thought, with boundless possibili- ties for domestic and national advancement.
 To fully appreciate the inestimable and unique advantages of our own land, there- fore, it is not enough, therefore, to merely visit prominent points of interest with which the United States abound. That is impor- tant. But one must witness the squalor and degredation of the Old world-its low wages, caste and thousand and one hoary, hateful and absurd customs, to fully recognize the true dignity and value of American man. hood.
 After wsnderings in Canada, England, Scotland, Ireland, France, Belgium, Ger many, Holland, Switzerland, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Palestine and Egypt, we comprs- bend in loftisr degree than ever before the amazing and pre-eminent advantages of the United States of America. With the familiar lines of Longfellow, therefore, we may it- tingly close this seriesof letters to the JOUR- NAL AND CoURIEE:
 "Thou, too, sail on, O ship of state Sail op, Union, strong and great.
 Humanity with all it's fears,
 With all the hopes of future years
 Is hanging breathless on thy fate!
 We know what master laid thy keel, What workman wrought thy ribs of steel, What anvilS rang what hammers beat, In what forge and what heat
 Were shaped the anchors of thy hope! Fear not each sudden sound and shock, 'Tis of tte wave and not the rock, Iris but the Tapping of the sail
 And not Q rent made by the gale
 In spite of rock and tempest's roar, In spite of false lights on the shore, Sail en- nor fear to breast the seal Our hearts, our hopes, are all with thee, Our hearts, our hopes our prayers, our tears, Are all with thee-are all with thee." NATHAN HUBBELL