The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-05-15
SEEK OTHER SHORES.
PEOPLE OF LEISURE SET SAIL FOR
EUROPE.

This VIII Tie a Record breaking Season.
s1so.OOo,Ooo VIII He Expended by Amer
lean Travellers Abroad-Evcry Outgoing
Steamship Laden With Passengers.
Tho European exodus Of tourists is
now we'll under way, and all tho out
going transatlantic steamships are
crowded. The piers of the principal
lines are taxed to accommodate the
great numbers of friends and relatives
who oongregate to bid passengers good
by. Travel Europeward for several
weeks 70 come will be very heavy.
II il estimated that fully 500 persons
sailed for Europe on May /, and larger
Dum6ers have sailed Nn succeeding
days Many rich Americans are anx-
ioas 10 get over to London as soon as
Posiese, so as to make arrangements
for good seats to witness the queens
jubilec parade.
II you 60 to the steamship offices in
New York. you will be told that the
tourist travel is disappointing. II you
go to the pier when liner slips into
North river, you will sec her laden to
the gunwale with the beauty and fash
ion of the land.
The transatlantic steamship confer
ence suppresses the figures. The secre-
tary, Lawson Sanford, says they would
be disappointing if they were known.
But the steamship companies in the
conference are none the less doing the
largest business they have ever done and
will find some difficulty in doing more
with their present facilities
Not less than 0,0O0 American tour
lists will leave for Europe this year.
There were, according to tho custom
house figures. $4,000 last year. Trav-
eled persons and their friends, agents
and bankers, say that the queens jubi-
lee will add at least 30 per cent to this
figure, bringing the number up to more
than so, 900.
These 80, 600 tourists will spend not
less than $160, 600, 600, which amounts
to considerable more than the total
value of the annual gold and silver
product of the United States
Not every one Of these so, 900 tourists
pays his pro rata of this $160, 900, 900,
Of course, but most Of them spend more.
Five hundred dollars apiece is none too
high an estimate for preparation, as old
travellers will testify. This item has the
sound advantage Of not being spent
abroad. Much of the passage money is
spent also In this country, but all the
rest-and it amounts to more than
500, 600, 000-goes to enrich shoplyecp-
ers, hotels and railroads operating in
foreign countries.
The steamship companies estimate
the average cost OF passage at $3.50. 1t
runs higher in many cases. The lowest
price made by the American line for
fret cabin passage, for instance, is 5000
and the highest 81, 100. In the case of
$50 first cabin passengers who sailed
recently on the st. Paul the average
price was not much less than s4O0.
Taking tho lowest estimate, for the
sake Of conservatism. we find that the
price of passage for so, 900 tourists, at
$3.50 each, is Sl2, 1000 900.
The lowest intelligent estimate on
the average cost Of the European tour is
sl,250. In this estimate the somewhat
doubtful proposition is conceded that
the tourists sIend little in Europe ex-
cept what is required for actual travel
and living expenses. AS a matter Of
fact, 1t is rare that - woman ever goes
10 Europe for pleasure who does not buy
her gowns in Paris, and scarcely man
comes back until he has lavished CON
siderable money OH things European
that strike his fancy. But the bankers
aid in making up this estimate by say
ing that the drafts and letters Of credit
issued 10 tbs tourists average about
$3.50. For so, 900 Of them that means
sos, 600, 000
Altogether the cost of American tray
el in Europe III 1897 viii be round
$iG0, 900, 600. Exchange.