The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-11-12
GERMANS ON THE OCEAN
THE LUXURY OF THEIR FLOATING
HOTELS QUANTITY POINTED OUT.
German Steamships Exist for Conven-
fence of Passengers-On English
Boats Ii IL the Reverse.
London Mail.

country, Immediately discover all sorts of
good points In II. II IL hateful trait which
travel on an extensive scale seems to de-
velop in the characters of some men. The
engineer Is a very great traveller, indeed
and with him this trait has developed to
such an extent that / and others of his
friends. while we have the greatest regard
for him personally. cannot help showing
our contempt for his judgment. The knowl-
edge OF foreign countries and their people
should enable an intelligent and really patri-
Otto Englishman to despise all foreigners
and everything foreign. to see the naked
ness of the lands and the silly faults of the
populations. But It seems TO be just the
other way with the engineer. He has been
dozens of times 10 America, and the oftener
he goes the louder he is in praise of the
greatness Of the country. and the strength
and virtues OF the Yankees.
At last, irritated beyond endurance, and.
of course, being unable to contradict his
assertions Of personal observation in coun-
tries which ! had never visited, / had TO
insult him.
l asked him, since he liked these other
places so well. why 1t was that he did not
take out naturalization papers and stay
there.
He wasn't nearly angry as 1 had in
tended to make him. He just laughed and
said. quietly, "Well. IL I did come home
this time, came by the German liner. in
stead OF the English boat.
That made Us all really mad. We could
make allowances for an easy-going man
who was inclined to take lenient view OF
the shortcomings Of people among whom ne
happened TO be thrown. But when IL came
TO an Englishman of wealth and culture per-
hitting himself 10 sail the seas under any
other flag than the union jack - that was
almost past belief. .
Foreign competition is all very we'll In its
way. Even foreigners must live, and In
small wares, such as cheap wooden toys
and special local products, their manufac-
turing energies may properly be employed.
are Infringing our own patent.
We could not find words 10 express our
disgust, and there was silence FOR a mo-
~ BRITISH CoNcEIT.
Then the engineer looked at us steadily.
and said: You stay-at-home idiots seem
to think there aren't any steamers but the
English ones. Let me tell you you've got
70 learn better than that, and you're going
to learn IL quick. You talk about foreign
competition as II 1t were something you
had a right TO complain Of. You seem to
think you hold the sole concession for the
use of steam power in any form. You've
been singing Britannia rules the waves
waves won't allow anything that isn't Brit
ish to float on them. But let me tell you
man line, and that a lot of other English
and Americans were on board and that a
lot more are crossing that way every year.
TO find the Germans cutting into the pas
Aenger lists Of our big steamship lines just
as deeply as they are cutting into every
Come now" we said, "you try and be
sensible for once. You don't mean to say
that you could compare an English pas
SeQger steamer with 2ny Otner3"
NO" said he. 81 don't say that would;
there's the difference that the presence of
2 big difference. When you're sailing under
the union jack you lay yourself down in
peace to sleep because you know that If you
run into something in the night, or some
thing runs into you, the old man will be on
the bridge and the crew will all be at their
posts and yor Won't have to ngh mt. for your
thing win be done that pluck and steadi-
ness can do, that there won't be any panic,
and that the entire energies OF the crew will
be devoted to getting you ashore somehow.
oh. yes, there's always John Bull on the
bridge, and that's good deal to the credit
of the English ship. But the trouble Is that
there's not only John Bull on the bridge,
where the John Bull qualities work out all
right; there's another John Bull In the
and John Bull deck steward. and a John
Bull smoking-room steward, and in these
positions John Bull isn't aways everything
You are given clearly TO understand as
soon as you set foot on board that you are
only a passenger, and so don't count. They'll
save your life II possible, sure enough, If the
ship goes down, but they won't do thing
nor give a thought to make you comfortable
aWeii, you idiot we said, don't you
want the best chance of having your life
saved II the ship goes DOWN.
WANTS MORE THAN SAFETY.
"Of course I do" said he; ''but when
you've been around the world as much as 1
A,- ha al wit
your life saved-you'n want It made COM
Portable Now, I'll tell you: there's this
difference between the English and the Ger
man liners: On the English lines the pas
senger exists for the convenience Of the
ship: on the German line the ship exists
for the convenience OF the passengers. You
pay o sI bIr EngIish comnagv and the ,r s
thing you learn when you get aboard is that
you are only a mere passenger, and there
all. All the officers OF the ship look down
on you, and the contempt OF the under off,
cs Is u pc5 s roy exaes s9e
sonage ever TO come near you, and his ex-
cellency the second steward not only ap-
Ind, but gives you clearly to understand
that as you are only passenger you ought
to be grateful for not being put in the hold
You go up on deck to interview the deck
steward with view TO getting a chair TO
sit upon during the voyage. His honor the
excellency the second steward, but IL you
are humble 10 him and follow him about a
bit he finally consents TO let you have deck
chair on condition that you pay for the
privilege of sitting in Ii almost much as
IL originally cost 10 buy. You go into the
smoking room In the evening and his wor-
ship the smoking room steward regards you
as IL he were magistrate and you were a
conscientious Director"
Il know just how you feel" said: you
think that when you arrive the ships off,
GERS ought TO be drawn up in double line,
with the captain and purser at the head to
receive you, that you ought to be given the
and that the engines ought 10 stop running
whenever you felt ike going to Sleep
NO" said he, but I'll tell you what I
DO think. that i ought TO be treated as
customer out OF whom the ship is making a
profit; and that Is how / am treated on
ants OF the ship not merely ciyility, but
just considerable and attentive treatment
as get from the servants In my own house.
The stewards are more than polite. Every
one Is attentive Even the captain himself
does not feel IL beneath mis- dignity 10 con-
Germ himself with my comfort. / get
very much better room than / do on the
It."
COMFORT FOR PASSENGERS
"oh, WE'LL said. II dare say the Eng
lish liners will still go on running even IL
you do transfer your distinguished custom
10 your loved foreigners. mo doubt"
he said. but. all the same. they can't af-
ford 10 lose even my poor custom. Every
passenger by the German boat takes some
thing out OF the profits OF the English
V0l aF 6nxr n-ns