The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-08-20
Across tho Ocean.

Tho calculations and comparisons that
always follow great achievement by an
Atlantic steamship, had scarcely been COM
pleted in the case Of the Majestic for record
breaking and record making two weeks ago,
when we are called to figure upon similar
but far more sensational performance
by her elder sister. the Tcutonic. With
steamships. as with horses, records in the
higher speeds arc exceeded with ever-in-
creasing rarity and by almost invariably
lesser differences. Within the last eight
years the standard for trottlng horses has
been clipped of by the half or the quarter
second only Mt time. Tho City OF Paris
carried her distinction OF being tho fastest
OF the Atlantic fleet for upward OF
two years. not to mention other ind longer
periods Of staGnation. Seeing by the past
that one summer scarcely unmakes rec
ord, when two weeks ago tho Majestic set
the mark an hour and ten minutes lower,
we might we'll have expected long wait for
her superior; but, as fortune has 1t, the
Teutonic has taken off nearly an hour and
thrcc-Quarters more. and has passed the
line of five days and threc-Quartcrs
for the ocean passage by m hour and
hnlf. After this trip. also. a single point OF
supremacy still remaining to the City OF
Paris, the greatest exhibition OF speed from
ono noon till the next now belongs TO tho
Teutonic, which. therefore. wears every
honor that ocean going can confer. She has
done tho fastest trip. the fastest average for
the entire course. and the greatest travel
ling from noon to noon-5I7 miles. Her
grand average is now 2O.35 knots, and her
average for nearly twenty-five hours is 2o.97.
In the light OF mechanical and CONNER
cal progress, public comfort and con-
venicnce, the universal love of record
breaking, and common sense, what mag
nificent performance it was!
With n spirit of the kindliest consideration
we will assume that there is not single
one Of those pal@ozoc reasoners who pro-
fess to condemn the constant increase in
transatlantic speed, and argue for tho
greater merits Of the ways of the canal boat,
who wasn't thrilled at this triumph OF the
shipbuider. From broad and rough sur
vey OF the past it exceeds no just rule for
bestowing credit to say that after the man
who first placed n steamboat on tho water
tho next honor OF its kind is due to whom
soever is responsible for putting tho leu.
tonic in her train.
The history OF this Ship however, Is still
suggestive Ct other interesting possible
ties within our immediate reach. She
came to her speed very slowly. She has
flashed into the first place after her rcpu-
tation had appeared practically set for
splendid steadiness rather than for cxtraor-
binary power II such surprises as her sud-
den and unexpected development into the
swiftest OF all are possible one cannot help
feeling that some such fortune is in store
for the hitherto moro brilliant but unfor-
tunate boat. the City of Paris. and that some
fine week on tho Atlantic, before the ma
FERTILIZATION Of yet grander vessels than VIC
have now, she will steam again to mark
Still nearer the rapidly approaching ideal of
five days from Roche's Point to Sandy Hook