The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-08-02
THE HoUSEBOAT.
Remarkable English Invention IL
Which to Seek Strange Adventures.

Remarkanie English Invention In
Which to Seek Strange Adventures.
This remarkable vessel, invented by
the EnRlish, TO whom we are indebted
Tor so many delightful outdoor amuse-
ments--for the British Islander has q
positive genius for the open air-this
vessel. the houseboat, IS, as fts name sug-
gests. clever com pination of a house
and a boar, retaining many of the most
desirable features of both, although per-
force emitting some of their usual
characteristics.
safety, enjoy the water views exempt
from seasickness, aud travel, if slowly,
at least surely, and with every opp0rtun-
ity to be comfortable as well as gay.
AS William Black says, In his charm
idR novel. Strange Adventures of a
Houseboat," There Is all the freedom
aid remoteness and landscape surround
ings OF q picnic. but then you have COM
Portable seats to ait on, and the unmis-
taxable convenience OF table,"
The houseboatis comparatively re-
cent invention, its multiplication aud inn
provements 60 on yearly. until now some
OF them are veritable floating palaces.
and prince might envy the London syb-
ariLes who live in this style '.upon the
river" during the season.
Lovers OF fast yacht sailing will, per-
haps, fail to see much TO admire or desire
in the cennmodious and ow-proceeding
houseboat, but the seeker for genuine Gu
joyment and luxury will find more COM
fort ito the square inch" aboard one
than on the swifest speeding aud most
perfectly appointed yacht.
An average Thames houseboat may be
twenty, thirty or forty feet long "over
all, as yachtsmen say. and is drawn like
canal boat by horses plodding along q
towpath by the river. SmalI-sized houst-
boats are drawn py hand, which requires
some skill on the Bart of the substitute for
equine labor, and also ale propelled by
polling.
The boat itself is sort Of barge, a
large nat boat upon which is constructed
the house." cabin of several apart
ments. comprising, according to the
dimensions OF the houseboat, one or two
sleeping rooms. dining saloon and sit
ting room, kitchen. bath and necessary
offices, and y rooted veranda. trout and
back. A flight of steps leads from the
forward deck up on to the fat top or
root OF this one storied house, and
here, as on an upper deck, sheltered by
gay, multicolored awning, the passengers
sit and ainuse themselves variously,
reading. chatting, sewing, sketching.
singing, as pleaseS individual fancy.
Some OF these Thames houssboats cost
pretty penny" and are fitted up with
every elegancs and luxury that a fas-
tidtous aud extrRvaRant tRst can require
and modern ART aud ingenuity supply;
yet "houseboatlDg" Is not necessarily an
expensive luxury.
A renovated old canal boat, or barge,
with the hold plauked over, Is sometimes
made TO do duty as q houseboat Upon
the body of the boat long room, some
fifteen or twenty by seven or eight feet,
is built, allowing passaReways of about
two feet aE each side. 80 that
the coxswaln may pass safely from
bow 10 stern of the boat. Lock
ers, which also serysI as seats, are built
around the inside. In the centre the
dining table, with folding leaves, is
secured 10 the flooring, and at either end
of the cabin or saloon are contrived state
rooms OF moderute size, with hinged
berths, wire frames for washstands, and
square. cushioned seats which are lockers
IN dlsguise, When the house is built aud
the roof timed the whole boat ls painted
glossy white or some attractive light
color. her name, lettsred in bright colors
across tho stern. and the national colors
run up tue tow pole, which rises about
i've feet above the roof.
Such Is the construction and appear
ancs OF an ordinary houssboat, anu con
siderinK it's simplicity OF manufacture
and the fun to be had out of Ii, it Is almost
aMonder That 1t 10 not TO be seen GU the
waters of our lakes and canals as well
as upon tine Thames. .-Leila SOuthdrd
Frost, n, Frank Leslie's Popular Monthly
or AUul6St