Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1900-06-14
Saint Nafg's Beacon
En- ROUTE TO THE PARIS EXPOSITION.
From Our Regular Correspondent
Mid Ocean, May 20, 1900.

Viz OOOouJ NAY ~Vy INV
Americans must traverse thou
sand leagues of sea in order to reach
the Paris Exposition, for the Trans
Alaskan Siberian Russian Route is
not open. But in spite of the dis
tance the water and the expanse of
it, it is safe to say there will be
three times as many Americans at
the Paris Exposition as there we're
Europeans and Asiatics together at
the Chicago Exposition. Next to
the English, we Americans are the
greatest travellers in the world and
since we and the English speak the
same language and spend more
money than all the rest of the globe
PAGERS of the world, the language
spreads and spreads. It's far more
spoken and read and printed than
any other two languages, 1t is no
longer necessary to know French,
German, Spanish or Italian in or
der to travel in those countries,
though it is Of course more conven-
lent to do so and will add greatly
to the pleasure aud education of
travel. Our language is spoken in
all the important hotels and shops
of Europe. Even the French, so
impervlous to anything that has not
originated in Paris, have begun in
the last ten years to learn. English
and are able now to cajole and cheat
us in our vernacular.
These reflections came to me at
sea on my fourth trip to Europe
and my second trip to a Paris
Worlds Fair. In 1878, twenty two
years ago in this month of May, !
sailed on a steamer, the Swevia, of
this same Hamburg American line.
The SWevia was a boat Of about
5000 tons. This boat is II, 900
tons. 1t took us then twelve days
to cross we expect now to make
the passage 10 less than seven DAYS.
These improvements are suggestive
Of recent progress in ship and en-
CINE building. have crossed in
four ships Of this line. | have a
preference for these German man
ned boats. Their martinez discip-
line which is seen in the crew and
in the attendants, whether on deck,
in cabin or in the dining saloon,
affords a sense Of security and pro.
lection that one does not feel with
the lax, go as you. please manage
ment OF some other lines. 1t may
be that if we should collide with
something and our boat should
start in vertical Decline for the
nearest land at the bottom, these
machine-like Germans would imi-
tate the French sailors in the re-
cent wreck Of the Bourgogne, jump
in the boats themselves and beat
off the first class passengers with
the oars. But men and sailors
have been known in deadly peril to
think OF others before Themselves
and | believe there is something OF
this Berkinhead spirit in the seamen
who man the Hamburg boats. The
danger of sinking has been reduces
until it is no longer possible except
from collision or fire, and the dan
gers from these sources have been
minified almost out Of sight by the
selection Of safe ocean routes and
by nre-proot construction.
The three distinct achievements
Of the twin-screw system are in
creased speed, regularity in the ar
rival of vessels, and most impor
tant Of all, high degree OF safety
at sea- BY this system the vessel
is divided into two parts entirely
separated from each other by a
strong steel wall or bulkhead, run.
ming the whole length Of the ship.
Two non communicating parts hay
ing thus been established each one
is equipped with an engine shaft
and screw, working independently
of and wholly unaffected by the
movements of the other. The adj
vantage gained by this principle lie
obvious, for arrangement of the
engine on one side in no way affects
the other which will continue its
work with but little loss of speed.