The Meeker herald., 1895-10-19
AMERICANS ABROAD.
Tho Tremendous Tide of TravoS
Of tho Presout Year.
thirty Million Dollars Paid for Steam
ship Passage .None-Lnyish Outlay OF
short-Trippcrs In London
and rarls.

1t is estimated that in 1889 at leait
10000 Americans came to Europe,
most of them to see the Paris cxposi-
tion. This year the number Will be far
greater. For the last two months the
steamers from the various American
ports have been landing from 1900 to
5000 passengers each week. Since
carly in April the liners have been car
rying up to their capacity. Before that
the travel had been unusually heavy,
considering the season of the year.
Now, at the end of July, writes Lon
don correspondent of the Chicago Rec
ord, the tides of travel balance each
other. The greatest rush from the
states has ended and the ho,pelxas.'
movement has set in strongly. tn&
steamers in each direction are filed,
but for the next two months the arriv-
ing steamers may have bcrths to spare,
while the departing steamers will be
absolutely iammcd. 1t is row prac-
tcalIy impossible to secure place on
any steamer sailing for America be-
tween August Is and October 10.
Estimating that the arrivals will con-
number of Americans visiting Europe
in 1895 will be about 100000. This is
an estimate based on figures given by
Mr.. John Willsie, who ha, charge of
Lows exchange, in London, and who
has kept account of the number of
Americans landing at Liverpool, South
ampton, Glasgow and Queenstown, and
who knows, in Il general way, of the
steamers for uavrc, Antwerp, Ham
burg, Genoa, Naples and other conti-
mental ports. He says that 10000
Americans have already Visited Eng
land this year.
Accepting 200,O as n far estimate,
some handsome gucsscs may be evolved.
If the steamship ticket in either dircc-
ton costs ST5, and that is rather below
the average cost of ticket, then the
travellers Of 1895 viii pay st, 1000, 900 to
the steamship companies alone. As
only one of these companies is an
American concern, this money, al
though paid out wholly or in part in
American cities, is really expended
abroad.
1t would be very difficult to estimate
the average amount expended by an
American in Europe. While it is true
tAat an extended tour in Europe can be
made at small expense, it is more true
That many Americans scorn the virtue
OF econominiuB. Yhvy stop ynuay
hotels, pay all sorts of ovcrcharges and
establish the precedent of large tips to
servants. nls.z.....za-a-a.4zsz .s.z..-.
clcrs are the short-trippers. They have
only month or less to spare, and they
pend it in London and Paris, paying
xorbitunt hotel bills, buying English
.othos and crowding all the sights of
'aris into few expensive nights. ~
rurul traveller for the same amount
spenlCd by one Of these could make
,1ng tour on the continent.
The best sights - galleries, parks,
hurchCs. museums and monuments
cost nothing, and the travellers who de-
vote themselves to what is set down in
The guide books undoubtedly get
rough sometimes for $500 or even
800 each, and have a good time in the
bargain. For each of these there is
woman who patronizcs Worth, or a
nan who has fancy for original pic
sug2S. One traveller viii carry n letter
Jf credit for SlJO The next man to
he window will carry 81. 500. Putting
tuem all together, our assorted conn
.rymen and countrywomen - school
1ia'ams, heiresses, students, professors,
farmers, actors, gildcd youths, New
Workers, Nebrasllans. milliOnalres and
what MOTT is pretty evident that the
average amount expended between
landing and sailing would be more
Jlun $500. AS matter of fact, it would
probably be so much in excess of this
mount that readers would doubt the
,sunate.
So let it be $500. If there are 200, 900
American visitors and each one spends
$500, the total would be az even $780,
1J. 600. Then add the S30,0o0,00O of
,Leamship fare and there would be n
certifying grand total of $l3D,OO0,OjO.
{, is doubtful if any method of calcula-
lion wonld make the amount less. This
huge sum has a possible effect in the
balance of trade, but it never enters
into the official reports.