The Republican journal., 1901-10-31
ACROSS THE "HERRING POND"

Three wise men of Gotham went to
sea in bowl, according to that vera
eiouS chronicler Mother Goose: but five
wise people of Belfast elected to go to
sea in the good steamship Vancouver
Of the Dominion line, which sailed
from Portland at 9 A. NJ. Sept. 7th for
Liverpool. The outward voyage, as
we'll as the return on the Cambroman
ot the same line, demonstrated the wis
dom of their choice. a large majority
Of the travelling public is all at sea as
to ocean travel. The increasing size of
The transatlantic steamships has led to
The belief that the larger the boat the
greater the safety, to say nothing of
The supposed immunity from seasick-
ness. These are mistaken notions. OF
course small steamship is an uncom-
Portable craft in a heavy sea; but they
are not in the trade now. A 5,000-tOn
steamship is just as safe, and often
more comfortable, than one of 10000 or
1000 tons, particularly if the latter is
an ocean greyhound with a record to
keep up, which means going into a
head sea at full speed with the screws
racing now and then, causing the ship
TO quiver from stern to stem. Then
ihe modern propeller is quite different
from the early vessels of that type. |
lad had some experience in them and
was agreeably surprised at the steadi-
ness of the Vancouver. The old-time
propeller would roll in dead calm
and smooth sea. They never stopped
rolling save when fast to dock They
would roll down until nearly on their
beam ends, wriggle, rise slowly, and roll
down on the other side. The Vancouver
has a single screw and is without the
bilge keels now in general use She
was built II or Is years ago, but on a
recent trip westward broke the record,
for Portland, arriving early Saturday
morning although not due until Sun
day. The state rooms on these boats
are larger than those on the big liners,
and whereas at some seasons you can
hope to have room to yourself, on the
more fashionable boats you are liable
TO have three or four in a room and to
he packed like sardines in box These
are ten day boats. On an S-day boat
YOU pay fifty per cent more for passage,
and on the six day boats one hundred
per cent. more, and upwards, with the
customary tips in like ratio. The
sable on the Dominion line ought to
satisfy every one, both as to quantity
and quality. Breakfast is served at
80 A. NJ, lunch at l and dinner at
II = P. NJ. At II A. NJ. beef tea and bis
cuit are served to all who wish, or you
may have fruit; at ) P. NJ. tea is served.
In both cases you are served wherever
you happen to be, in your stateroom,
on deck or in the smoking room; and
those who do not feel equal to going to
the table are handed a menu and can
order what they choose served on deck
OF elsewhere.
| had looked forward to the ocean
voyage as likely to be the pleasantest
part of my vacation trip not only as
atfording a perfect rest, but as taking
one out of the heat which had become
well nigh unbearable. But at first it
was like change from the frying pan
to the fire. AS advised we went on
board the steamer the night before she
sailed and going down into her depths,
two decks below the promenade deck,
we found our staterooms like ovens,
and as the steamer was in dock we were
not allowed to have the ports opened.
All night long the steam winches ratified
and tackle creaked as the work of load
ing with Canadian cheese, hay etc.,
went on, and morning found the Van
couver full to the matches. We We're
three days out before there was an ap-
preciable lowering of the temperature,
and then we had rainy weather which
precluded exercise on deck and confined
us to the smoking room. The par
ty that assembled there was the most
curious mixture | ever encountered.
There were no two of kind, and
they could not have differed more had
each one represented distinct ma
tionality. There was a Catholic priest,
an educated, travelled and liberal mind
ed man; an American business man,
resident in Paris, one of whose hob
bies was large daily consumption
of hot water; retired business man
of Chelsea, Mass, whose presence
brought sunshine and joy to the Ell
well party; young man well equipped
with both brain and Drawn, the son of
parents born in Ireland, on his way to
England in the interest of map pub
fishing company; grocery man, retir-
ed builder, graduate of Bowdoin, and
country editor from down in Maine;
young architect from New York, 60
inr oh for h ~nn Won ~, cA,rI~v n,,I 4,