Evening star., 1900-06-30
DEAR OLD LONDON
It is the Mecca for Thousands of
Americans This Year.
ENOUGH TO MAKE 4 Big CITY
All Homecoming Vessels Will Be
Crowded Next Fall.
HOUSEKEEPING MADE EASY

Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.

Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star.
LONDON, June 16. 1900.
Dear old London is one of the big
American cities this summer, and ought
to have a high rank in the United States
census district. The resident American
population of London is estimated at 90
900. But in July, this year. the city will
contain somewhere between 10000 and 50.-
O0O Americans. Some 5000 will be here
primarily to attend the worlds convention
of the Young Peoples Society for Christian
Erdeavor, about 1900 more will be the
regular army of summer tourists and bus
mess trippers, and the rest will be sojourn-
ers here their way to or from the
worlds fair in Paris.
So far as America Is concerned London
is going to profit more than Paris by the
Paris fair. Nineteen out of every twenty
visitors to Paris are coming by way of
Southampton and Liverpool. and the
twentieth will be quite as likely to come
by Glasgow, Plymouth or Hull by
Havre. Furthermore, the stay in Paris is
going to be shorter in most cases than was
originally intended. unless the Paris pen
sions' come away down in price and the
Paris shopkeepers return to their senses
before it is too late. Two friends of the
pension, boarding house. in January.
paid u francs 80 a day. When they re-
turned to the same place last week after
a tour on the continent they were inform
ed that the price was 20 francs, and the
place was not crowded either.
But steady-going old London is sticking
to the original prices. not from any par
ticular far-sightedness or spirit of generos-
ity to the American cousin, but simply be-
cause London always does what London
always did. So the tourist agencies re-
port that their patrons going to get
back to England from Paris as soon as
possible One feature of the season, so
am told, Is to be the unprecedented inva-
sion Of Ireland. That is partly because the
Irish railways and resorts, hitherto pre-
ternaturally Indifferent to the advantage
descended to make themselves heard. but
chiefly because of the aged queens visit to
Ireland, and the advertising Erin got in
consequence. and the stimulus that seems
to have been given to everything and
everybody there, especially in Dublin.
1t is believed that more Americans will
be in England this year than in the record
breaking year of the queens jubilee. They
began early, and judging by the steamship
bookings, the rush will begin week or two
after tbs letter Is published. and will in
crease steadily till the middle of July. Then
the stream will pour the other way.
Trouble Getting Home.
There 10 going to be trouble about get
CluH DdCh 10 lLo Culleu Oldl6S LOT those
who have not bought return tickets AL
ready the principal steamers from London
to New York are nearly full for August and
September. In the jubilee year many who
would have gone back first-class were glad
to go in the steerage, and many others ran
short Of funds while waiting for chance
to get home in any fashion whatever. This
year it would be worse even If the crowd
were to be no greater, for the British gov
ernment has Commandment number of
the largest passenger vessels in the trans
atlantic service, and even II the war is
over in July they will be needed for bring
ing home the great army now in South
Africa.
Therefore, If any of the readers of this
article are coming to Europe this summer
without buying return tickets let US para
phrase the advice of Punch to those about
to get married and say. DON'T"
stranded American this fall that the Amer
ican Society in London 10 now busy organ
izing 4 bsnevolencs fund. The societys
members are chiefly folk whom business
has exiled in London, and who are making
SO much money here that they can't afford
to go home. They have been pestered indi-
vidually for years by fellow-citizens who
have come to grief over here. Sad to say,
rather large proportion OF these fellow
citizens were not deserving Of the help
they got, and after a time Brother Earle,
who Is president Of the American Society,
and Brother Vansichlan. the secretary. and
Morgan Richards and the rest of them, be-
came somewhat tired on finding. when they
got together to compare notes, that each
had been giving five or ten dollars to the
same person on the same plea SO they
started fund, to which most of the mem
bers of the society have contributed, and
have established mild inquisition.
Consequently, If you go broke in London
this fall and apply for aid to any prom1-
nent American here you will be referred to
an official, and must not be annoyed II ne
asks q good many questions. and perhaps
looks up your antecedents a bit. This new
move will afford much relief at the dfngy,
the best that the United States chooses to
afford his excellency the American ambas-
sador. It used to be that scarcely day
passed without some American coming in
the ambassadors business to pay board
bills and buy steamship tickets for unlucky
fellow-citizens. and, II 1t were not for this
new departure of the American Society,
Mr.. Choate would not thank me for OBJ
serving that a good many of the appeals
made to him were quietly granted by him
or by his personal friends. But the Amert-
can Society will look after all that sort OF
thing this fall.
The American Girl in London.
Weeks ago Regent street began to bear
strong resemblance to 23d street between
9th avenue and Broadway in New York.
The visiting American girl stands out from
the throng of shoppers as distinctly as If
she were dressed in the stars and stripes.
The American women are as well dressed
today as the women of Paris. and far. far
ahead of the women Of London In this re-
spect Their clothes At better. as rule.
and there Is a general smartness and breez-
mess about the American girl that the
brightest Of London girls lack 1t is here
sy. know, but I am compelled to observe,
on the strength of the testimony of many
experienced American women, that the
American girl who is counting on having
her dresses made in London and Paris this
summer would do better in ht, in quality.
in style and In price ii she were to have
the work done at home-unless, OF course.
she In an heiress-
1t il far easier to find an American in
London when you don't know his address
than In it IL any large American city. The
chances are three in five that you will en-
counter him In the afternoon on the east
side of Regent street, somewhere between
| nvPord c{rous and PiecadiIlv circuS Half