New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-03-22
THE COPTH ATLANTIC SEASON.


They that 90 down to the sea in ships every
wear. and consequently have large experience
of the advantages of forethought, have engaged
their staterooms already for the opening season.
We are used to the annual announcement that
there never was such demand before, but, UNI
like most stereOtyped remarks, it is probably al
ways truthful. The pressure does increase year
w. and it begins earlier Scores OF INDIVIDUALS
who are or suppose themselves to be entitled 10
have their peregrinations recorded nave s2iIed
for Europe during the last few weeks, and the
rush will come before long. II is an interesting
phenomenon, this migration. Fashion no doubt
has something to do with it, but less, we SuS-
pect, than the National desire to keep in motion
The time was when an ocean voyage conferred
a sort of social distinction. not unlike that WHICH
in England, is still alleged 10 be derived from
dining with duke and which once marked for
life the man who had "been through college,
This pleasuIabe pre-eminence cannot be main
tanned any longer even as n fiction 20 many
thousands Of citizens now spend several months
of every wear in doing the Old World that
foreign travel has come TO be one OF the least
exclusive of all the privileges OF frceborn AmerI-
cans Indeed, the time may come when persons
they should refrain from initiating and, as FAR
as possible cease to resemble the rest OF the
world will agree to voyage only in private
yachts.
But that time is still remote. There Is no
social law against throngng aboard SHIPS under
the most unfavorabe conditions and confront
inc the mScrieS Of SeaSlckncSS at close quarters
Speed and not Seclusion is the main thing. inc
ship whose past performances promise the quick
est passage is the most crowded, in spite OF the
fact that being the most crowded she cannot be
the most comfortable. Il is pace not space that
allures Everybody longs to he passenger
when the record is broken, and for the prospect
Of that exhilaratng experience is willing to ex-
change a certainty of abundant elbow-room'
quiet meals and comparative solitude al those
unhappy moments when more than one Is a
crowd And so. we suppose, the expectation
that few minutes may be won from Neptune
in the course of the coming season gives special
zeSt to the preparations of those who haye al
ready secured their staterOoms. The number OF
these is very large, and grievous disappointment
is in store for late applicants.
But will the record be broken? Several re-
markable passages have been made within a
fortnight, while yet the course is far from being
in its best condition, and it will be strange il the
racers that are warming to their work so early
fail to set a new standard before the first OF
September. There is no present prospect OF
new rivalries. There are several swift steamers
under contract. but we believe that no grey
hounds are to be unleaShed this summer. Ii is
o prevalent opinion. however, that at least two
of the ships that are about entering on their
second season are capable Of putting their own
records 10 the blush; that animatlng pros
poets are not wanting. II was recently reported
that the companies had determined to abandon
their mnute-saying contests on the North At
lantic, bur the rImor has not been confirmed
and is not likely to be. There may be less talk
about racing, and the preparations for dazzling
competition may be less con>picuou,ly made but
so long as there is a record 10 be broken and
a ship ailoat whose owners think that She can
break it, the world will continue to watch for
sngas from Sandy Hook and FaStnet.