The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1904-08-06
THE RED SEA PATROL.
Discomforts to Be Endured By
Russia's Volunteer Fleet.
4 HOT PLA0E EOR oRUaNe.

Mercury 90 Degrees F.-Facts About
Alden, suck and Port said.
The BED sea. where the Russian vol
unteer fleet has been assigned Ia patrol
duty In search or conuaband goods, Is
about the hottest place on the face Of
the EARTH says the Washington CORE
spondent Of the New York Post. To
90 through there Is bad enough; to be
assigned to a cruise there must be In
tolerable. The coal stokers, who are
usually Lasears from East India, and
hence hardened to high temperatures.
often give way under the terrible heat.
Such Of our own transports as go to
the Philippines by the Suez route are
compelled to proceed very slowly over
this part Of the journey on account Of
the stokers who must be relieved at
very short intervals.
1t is about an even four days run on
the passenger schedules adopted by tile
great lines which ply between Europe
and the east between Alden and Suez
Tramp steamships take much longer
time How the poor Russians could
stand anything like a permanent patrol
duty within that fiery furnace IS hard
to imagine The only relief would
come in running the ship IN such way
as to meet the breezes peninsular and
Oriental steamers have often turned
back in their course to DO this. to give
their passengers the IMMIGRATION Of a
short period Of fresh breezes. But RUS
sian naval commanders are not likely
to do this Their whole system Is char
acterized by luxurious quarters for
their high officers, while the men in the
ranks are treated little better than cat
tie. Persons who have Travelled on the
Russian line which runs to the far east,
made up Of the vessels Of the volunteer
fleet. have many tales to tell Of the
spacious accommodations, with double
bcdstead standing out In the room,
when they have happened to get the
quarters which in time Of war would
be assigned to an officer Of rank. With
this autocratic theory It is hardly likely
that the course Of the patrolling steam
ers would be greatly modified for the
comfort Of the poor boys from Finland
who were sweltcring below the decks.
The reasons the climate of the Red
sea is SO extreme, aside from its near
ness to the equator. are the cloudless
skies overhead. the aridiy Of the neigh
boring lands, such rs The great
stretches of Sahara and Arabian des-
erts, and the absence Of anything which
would mitigate the force of the sun.
The Red sea water often measures on
the mercury 90 degrees r., and has
been known TO go above 100 degrees.
The air IS usually cooler than the
water especially at night, when ra-
diation becomes very rapid. The evap-
grafton Of the Red sea is naturally
excessive, 50 that the humidity Of the
air is great. The Red sea basin Is cut
off from the general oceanic circulation
by barrier rising TO within 600 feet
of the surface IN channel which Is
comparatively narrow. As no rivers
enter the sea and little rain falls, It
becomes an evaporating pan. The sea
IS naturally much saltier than the out
side ocean, but the whole place would
be bed Of salt Were 1t not for under
currents of salt water passing out to
the ocean
Westbound passengers get q taste Of
what Is before them when they land at
Alden, which is on the Arabian side,
near the strait of Babel Mandeb. II
the ashes from coal burning furnace
We're pounded down under steam
roller, they would not make drier
foundation upon which to build city
The city's water is obtained by dlstill-
ing ocean water with coal brought from
England, although there are in the up
per part Of the town large ancient res-
ervolrs for the storage Of water con-
veyed for d distance from natural
sources The only green things grow
ing in Alden are three box plants In
front Of the government house, which
have a soil Of their own and are con-
stantly moistened with fresh water
Even then these plants are kept alive
with great difficulty
Alden is a great transshipping point
The leading steamship companies main
tain machine shops there to make the
repairs sometimes necessary en- route.
The British navy maintains branch
workshop. 1t IL a great place for the
sale Of ship supplies, since the traffic
OF all nations passes through. The no.
tells are miserable, In spite Of the fact
that not few people have to lie over
there in changing from the regular
through steamers 10 branch lines con-
Meeting with side ports. like those on
the east coast Of Africa The popula-
ton consists Of Arabs, East Indians,
Portuguese and various other groups Of
Europeans. The British flag floats over
the town. Its fortidcations Indicate
that III time Of hostilities the passage
OF these straits by ships at war with
Great Britain would be attended with
some difficulty
The population Of Alden seems 10 live
of the travellers They are an mer-
chants, selling ostrich eggs at 10 cents
each, ostrich feathers at anything they
will bring various woven goods Of the
country about and the like. But their
efforts to get cash out Of the tourists