New-York tribune., 1901-02-25
THE JOURNEY ROUND THE WORLD.

Some remarks made few weeks ago by the
German Emperor regarding the use OF cleo
trcity for running railway trains have excited
fresh discussion by the European press of
the time required 10 make the journey round
the world. The London Standard for in
stance estimates thai when one can travel all
The way from St Petersburg to the Pacific
Coast by rail the circuit of the globe can he
effected in fifty days Except TO win bet or
for some equally impractical purpose. 1t is
doubtful if anybody will ever want to make
the complete journey at top speed. Neverthe-
less those who have occasion TO travel over
any considerable portion OF this clrcum-mun-
dane route. either for business or pleasure, feel
lively interest in present and future facilities
for such undertakings.
The figures presented by our London contcm-
porary are certainly reasonable Indeed if one
could be absolutely sure of making close CON
nectons at all points the time might be re-
duced trihe. Starting from New-York, two
or three years hence, one may reasonably hope
TO reach Paris in six days; make the trip
thence 10 Tcheliabinsk, in Western Siberia, in
six more: spend not over fifteen days in get
ting to the Pacific Coast nj either Nladivostock
or Port Arthur; arrive in Yokohama two or
three days later: cross the ocean to Vancouver
in twelve or thirteen and make the home run
all. At two or three places, however, there
would he a chance Of at least a days delay,
while at Yokohama there might be a much
longer one. If the Vancouver steamer were
missed. the next best thing 10 do would be
10 take the line 10 San Francisco. by way Of
Honolulu This would involve spending five
days more AT sea- 10 say nothing of waiting for
the ship to sail. Still, If one made the entire
journey inside of ifty-fivc days he would ac-
cOmplish the feat in about two-thirds the time
required by Jules Verne's hypothetical tourist.
Looking ahead fifteen twenty years
saving of one day may be expected on the At
lantic and three or four on the Pacific. Should
the experiment about TO be tried on the Clyde
with a passenger steamer equipped with steam
turbines result satisfactorily. 1t is likely that
the new motor will be applied To transatlantic
navigation within the next decade. Architect
ural improvements may vet further enhance
the speed Of ocean steamships, too But thirty
knots an hour for that kind of service Is prob
ably a long way off. SO far as the marine
part of the journey IS concerned then the great
est gain to he anticipated during the next few
years will doubtless come from running on
the Pacific steamships that are as fast ms the
best ones now plying between America and
Europe.
Fortunately. about three -fourthS Of the total
distance around the world can be covered by
rail. and more conspicuous improvements in
speed can be counted by land than ut sea
These will probably he due not TO tho subSti-
tuition Of electricity for steam hut to the con
structiOn of better roads. The highest speed
yet made in Siberia is about seventeen or
eighteen miles an hour BUT the rails there
exceedingly light, and the roadhed new.
The line is TO be entirely rebuilt after il is
once onpned. When this regeneration is Of
fected. and thirty or thirty-ive miles an hour
Is possible. nearly n week can be saved in
that part of the world. BY that time doubt
less n day or two can also be gained in Europe,
another in crossing the American Continent
one more on the Atlantic. and AT least three
on the Pacific. Before the first quarter Of the
present century has elapsed then. a man who
has good luck in making connections can prob
ably go round the world inside of five weeks