The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-09-13
FOREIGN LETTER.
Great Changes and improvements In
the Steamship service-Down Among
the stokers ON the New Engiand-Ths
Landing at Liverpool.
(Corrsspondenos o. the Press. }

1ahuthS NJ ltverpoof.
Correspondence OF the Press.
LONDON, August go
The New England bore us steadily oven
the great seas and landed us ON the
seventh day In the harbor of Cork. Ocean
traffic is continually changing In many
important points and one who has not
crossed the ocean fur a year or two finds
improvements steadily going ON and tie
conveniences Of travel ever increasing.
Social life on board these great ships has
almost vanished, and, excepting with ref
erence TO the inevitable concert which
occurs ct the end of the voyage, each per-
son occupies himself with interests almost
exclusively his own; for when one oom-
mences , six or seven days voyage with
seasickness Of several days, there is but
little inclination to cultivate friendships
which win emu SO soon and never perhaps
be taken up again.
The games among the men and betting
ON speed each day are pastimes never
missing on any ship; and the secrets OF
the smoking-room only known TO the
male element are sometimes tragical and
SAVIOR of Monts Carlo In cause and effect,
for professional sharpers take these yoy-
ages often for the sake of gain.
This particular voyage OF August SEQ
4 ond was unique in uneventtulness; for
up TO tbs fourth day no one was sick and
there was not motion enough to make the
usual promenade on deck interesting.
The ssrvioe on Sunday, conducted by a
little minister from New Jersey, ushered
In o storm, and with It some cases OF NAL
de mer But the steadines5 of the good
ship only became more apparent here,
since none of that swaying usually felt In
ascending and descending the staircase
was experienced. Not once did the racks
appear on the tableF, and no meals were
avoided; only there was slight Sabbath
stiffness observed calculated to insure
unusual reflection; and people seemed ms
though reckoning their sins of omission,
perhaps better preparing themselves fol
Mondays sins of commission.
The tslkative American was on board,
who astonished the English by his won-
! derful account of our yastness. The
woman, ambitious to cultivate celebrities,
was also in evidence, as was the typical
Englishwoman who brings up IN issue
concerning every question, and makes one
wonder how domestic felicity is main
tanned in the British isles, where the men
are as dogmatio as the women and the
question OF the survival of the fittsst has
not reached the fine point which the
looming woman" In America has long
since settled In her own way.
Ths vanid monotony of ship life was in
terrupted as usual by the passing craft,
one of which We almost submerged; but
one little episode caus I'D mure amusement
than usual and SONS little terror; when,
In mid oceah q schooner was sighted
which signalled to our snip, as many
thought, with signs of distress. 1t
stopped perhaps mile away and two I'M
ksmpt foreigners approached In little
row-boat. Many thought from their
lean aud hungry look that there was a
starved ship-load demanding supplies.
Our nip was stopped, as was afterwards
learned, at loss of ten miles speed aud
az cost of two hundred and fifty dollars
financial damage. A rope was lowered
with sailor suspended, and the only
message received was letter to post II
bore the superscriptton 'Mademoiselle
-" Was 1t love lettere The senti-
msntal passengers thought SO; the more
sedate felt sure that death had visited the
schooner. and that this was mess age to
the surviving friends
The quietness OF those days on tn New
England was finally interrupted. as we
nearsu the land. by "a spirit OF inquiry.
For many years thu s.eerage quarter was
forbidden ground; but the magnificent
crafts of later years are SO proud Of their
accommodation for all CLASSES that this
spirip OF inquiry Is encouraged. The Sec-
ond Glass Is considered by come, SO far as
fare and convenience Is concerned, equal
60 the first, except in its association.
This ship Is no doubt unique In its steer
age accommodations. Hitherto life has
not been made gay for them by songs
and the piano. nor have they had state
rooms or stewards. Who in Portland doas
not remember having seen the stearage pas
sengers land with stew pans and bedding
and personal effects done up in bundles
thrown over their. shoulders? On this ship
there Is well appointed dining-room
with stewards who. il they serve for
lunch boiled potatoes instead of venison,
partridge and grouse, are equally salts
factory.
Altar successful tour OF thes, domains
We had planned to see the great engines
the Following mt rning. and to visit those
dark regions where the mainsprings OF
the ships action are fed by those black
ened and burned fellow creatures who
have excited the sympathies OF all pbilan-
thropisis. And indeed, the impulse for
existence must be strong to men who are
willing thus to spend half Of each twenty
four hours under the level of the sea In
such an occupation. As one desoends
the narrow iron stiircases the heat at
first becomes so intense as to be intolera-
u - ia aCa rd hu i.e shf af ul.
neer that this heat decreased at given
ratio as the descent IL made, we per-
servered and reached he-various landings
formed OF iron network, beside which the
restless engines, four on each side. APP
pointed with intrioatss paraphernalia,
into tina crater Of vesasius whers ths
noise Is like the shackle of thousand
looms, But the engines asked II 1t we're
not all beautiful. Here The vibration Of