The San Francisco call., 1904-03-25
TrdnS-Siberidn TYd0eI.

The passenger over the trans-Sibe-
rian route may travel either by the
Russian Government express or by
the train of the International Sleep
ing Car Company. The latter is a pri-
vate corporation maintaining a SER
vice on the Continent and across ST.
IBERIA and Manchuria, with terminals
at Dalny, Vladivostok and even Pc
king, which, in its general excellence.
can be compared only with the best
American trains. The traveller in Eu-
rope finds that the first-class service
on most trains means a small car on
four or six wheels, with compartments
resembling very closely the stage
coach of our grandfathers. To be
confined in such close quarters for
long distance would be almost unbear-
able. The ordinary type of the Amer
lean Pullman would likewise become
wearisome after some days. One tires
of continued packing and unpacking,
of undressing in sitting posture on
ones bed, or standing in the aisle
wrapped about with the curtain, in a
space not much more commodious
than that afforded by a straitjacket.
The service at present consists Of
six classes of trains. We may men
ton first the train de luxe Siberien.' -
which will run once a week between
Warsaw and Dalny, via Moscow, and
will connect with the northern ex-
press now running between London,
Paris. Berlin land Warsaw. This train
will offer the quickest service between
all European points and the Far East.
Passengers from London will be met
at Ostend, on the Belgium side of the
English channel, by a representative
of the international Sleeping Car
Company familiar with all the prin-
cipal languages, who will escort them
aboard a special car of the train de
luxe service, which will convey them
to Warsaw, where change to the
through train will be made without
loss of time. Passengers from Paris
will be likewise cared for by a through
car to Warsaw. No change of cars
Will be necessary until Lake Baikal is
reached. At this point passengers will
change to a train the exact counter
part of the one they have just vacat-
ed and will occupy the same coupes
( in the new train. Porters supplied
by the company will make the change
of baggage, including hand baggage,
at no inconvenience, as it will necessi-
tate merely the crossing of a platform.
4 Until the completion of the railway
around Lake Baikal, passengers will
cross this very picturesque body of
j water by steamer. Dalny, the South
Manchurian terminal, will be reached
without further change Of cars, and
( the entire journey from London or
Paris will require about fourteen and
half days, and to PelHing only a few
hours more.
The train de luxe will consist of
I first-class cars only, and will be made
up of a baggage car, two sleeping
cars, dining car and a drawing room
car. The latter will contain two or
three large cabins de luxe" contain
( ing each a brass bedstead and a toilet
room, and will have in addition a
large general drawing-room, contain
( ing piano, library, writing desk, with,
at the rear, an open end for observa-
4 ton purposes. There will also be in
! the train a bathroom, which will con-
. tain gymnasium paraphernalia. In
summer the cars will be cooled by
+ electric fans and in winter heated by
steam, and the lighting will be by
electricity. An extra charge is made
for this train, but it is calculated that
the fare from Paris to Dalny or Pc
I king will not exceed $3.50, including
the cost of sleeper, food and incidental
expenses. 1t was the intention to put
this train in service during the COM
ing summer.-The Century for April.