Amador ledger., 1900-06-22
Correspondent Writes From
Mid-0cean.
INTERESTING REFLECTIONS OF THE VOYAGE
Cost of Travelling. Scenes on the
Steamers Deck Seasick
Passengers.
From Our Regular CorrespondentJ


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 distance the
water and the expense CT it, it is safe
to say there will be three times as
many Americans at the Paris Exposi-
ton as there were Europeans and Asi.
atics together at the Chicago EXposi-
tion. Next to the English, we Ameri-
cans 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-pacers of the world, the language
spreads and spreads. 1t is far more
spoken and printed and read than any
other two languages. 1t is no longer
necessary to know French, German,
Spanish or Italian in order to travel in
those countries, though it is of course
more convenient to do so and will add
greatly to the pleasure and education
of travel. Our language is spoken in
all the leading hotels and shops of
Europe. Even the French, so imper.
vious to anything that has not origi-
mated in Paris, have begun in the last
ten years to learn English and are now
able to cajole and cheat us in our ver-
nacular.
These reflections came to rne at sea
on my fourth trip to Europe and my
second trip to Paris Worlds Fair
In 1878, twenty-five years ago in this
month of May, sailed on steamer,
The Swevia, of this same Hamburg
American line. The Swevia was boat
of about 5000 tons. This boat is II,
600 tons. 1t took US then twelve days
to cross; we expect now to make the
passage in less than seven days. These
improvements are suggestive of recent
progress in ship and engine building.
Ihave crossed in four ships of this line.
Ihave a preference for these German
manned boats. Their martinez disci-
pline which is seen in the crew and in
their attendants, whether on deck, in
cabin or in the dining saloon, affords a
sense of security and protection that
one does not feel with the lax, go-as-
you please management of some other
lines. 1t may be that if we collide with
something and our boat should start in
a vertical bee-line for the nearest land
at the bottom, these machine-like Ger
mans would initiate the French sailors
in the recent wreck of the Bourgogne,
jump in the boats themselves and beat
on the irst-class passengers with the
oars. But men and sailors have been
known in deadly peril to think of others
before themselves and 1 believe there
is something of this Berkinhead spirit
in the seaman who man the Hamburg
boats. The danger of sinking has
been reduced until it is no longer posi-
BILE except from collision or fire, and
the dangers from these sources have
been mini6ed almost out of sight by the
selection OF safe ocean routes and BY
fire-proof construction.
The three distinct achievements OF
the twin-screw system are increased
speed, regularity in the arrival of YES
sells, and, most important of all. high
degree of safety at sea. By this system
the vessel is divided into two parts en-
tirely separated from each other by a
strong steel wall or bulk head, running
the whole length of the ship. Two
nOn-communicating parts having thus
been established each one is equipped
with an engine shaft and screw, work.
ing independently of and wholly un-
affected by the movement of the other.
The advantage gained by this principle
Is obvious, for arrangement of the
engine on one side in no way affects the
other which will continue it's work with
but little loss of speed. Each half of
the ship is further divided by trans
verse bulkheads into numerous water
tight compartments and a double bot
tom insures from injury from below.
&
is the control held over the direction of
the ship. In case OF accident to the
rudder the vessel can be accurately
steered by driving one screw ahead and
reversing the other. We are half way
over to-day and there is no lack of sea
air. The ocean fronts everywhere.
No land breeze, and no mosquitoes.
These conditions cannot be had every
day at Atlantic City. These boats
have become so luxurious that many
people sail merely for rest and recrea-
tion. But the cost is about 800 per
day. My ticket was $125, war revenue
tax s5, tips IS, total $135. Mr.. Armour
the Chicago multi-millionaire, is aboard
and his single passage costs him $500,
but he has physician and valet and
the valet has his wife and two children
probably 81, 600 Or 81, 200 out of hi:
pocket. He can stand it. He wat
heard to say that he was living better
and more comfortably than at home,
In spite of placid sea, about one
third of the passengers are sea-sick in
their cabins, or with saffron skins are
1olling on deck chairs or on each other.
a number of mothers on deck with
babies wrapped in blankets manage tc
live and even to sleep. Astonishing vi.
tslity has our race of ''sickest beasts
alive"