The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-08-24

............7l2,l4e 1884, $50

The arrivals at New York constitute
about 80 per cent of the total business on
the Atlantic coast, so that 1t NAV fairly be
assumed that as there were 99.1S9 arrivals
of cabin passengers at New York in 1890,
there must have been an equal number of
departures from that port. Adding 90 per
cent for other ports, and deducting for bust
ness men who 20 abroad, as well as for re-
turning European tourists who had come
here to see the sights, it is estimated that at
least 10000 Americans annually 60 to Europe
to make the grand tour.
This army of pleaSure-seekers pay Sl2,-
0000GO to the steamship companies and
$50, 600 in hotel bills, presents and tins.
tine expenses Of the ordinary traveller aver
aging SIS per day for forty days. Four
million dollars may be safely charged to
presents. 1t will thus be seen that the total
amount expended abroad by American tour
lists is not $1,000 600, as has been wildly
asserted, but less than S50.000.000.
Another item that should be added to this
sum may be found by tracing the exodus of
Englishmen and Italians in the steerage
during the fall months. An instance may
be cited of an Englshman, a frst-class
bricklayer, who arrives here late in April,
and who works at high wages steadily until
the latter part of October. He is paid from
IS to So 80 per day for his work for six
months. At the close of the busy season he
put his savings in his pouch and returns to
England TO hibernate for the winter. This
class Of mechanics who cross the ocean
twice year in the Storage Ia very large.
Nearly 1900 Italians also take advantage
OF the cheap ocean ferry to divide the year
between a prosperous fruit season in this
country and q winter of luxury in sunny
Italy. 1t is estimated that these two classes
OF steerage passengers take out about S20
100000 per annum.
Summing up the total expenditures of
American money in foreign countries by
tourists we find
Fares OF 80, 900 tourists to steamship
Expenses OF travelling abroad ....... $4,000. 900
PRESENTS ....................... 10000
Total. -$4s, 900, 900
There are many other ways of spending
American money abroad, but with such
this computation is not intended to deal.
There is, however, another integer in this
calculation that should not be ignored.
Discarding the cor paratiyely insignificant
sum that is paid out by European
tourists who visit these shores, there
is a greater offset to be found in the
savings of the steerage passengers who
come here 20 establish their homes with
us. Aside from the substantial addition to
the wealth of the nation in the labor of
these immigrants, the total of the money
which they bring here is considerable. An
average Of only 500 per head for $40, 900 i'm
migrants would fully counterbalance the
expenditures OF the army OF $4,000 American
tourists.
The American sight-seer, swarming
through every nook and corner OF Europe
becomes a grand advertisement of the
riches aud glories of the Western CONT
nent. Brass bands in big wagons could no,
more effectively excite the cupidty and the
ambition of the foreign toier than do the
hordes Of travellers who brave the ocean
voyage to indulge in their mild exLrava-
gances. The money that goes out in this
shape returns to us in countless forms.
Better than all, it tends to enlighten our
people ms to the value Of free institutions,
and makes them better Americans. 1t is
not wasted