The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-01-20
CLIPPERS ON THE OCEAN.
Though Slower Than Steamships
They Would Be Agreeable

A lover of the sea has been prompted
to write to the daily press, suggesting
in all seriousness that it would be
profitable and popular move on the
part of our leading steamship COM
panies If they were to add to their fleet
one or two passenger sailing ships,
with a view to affOrding those pas
sengers who take the transatlantic
trip surely for health and pleasure an
opportunity to spend more days upon
the ocean than they can enjoy in trip
between America and Europe on fast,
modern steamship.
AT the first blush the suggestion that
We should return to the leisurely speed
Of the clipper sailing ship seems almost
preposterous, and yet on second
thought when we bear in mind the
wonderful growth of the yachting
spirit, as shown by the vast fleet of
sailing yachts and steam yachts that
covers our waters in the summer sea-
son, the idea is by no means visionary,
and. indeed if put into effect to a linn
tied extent it would probably prove to
be very successful venture. To a
large and ever-g growing percentage of
European travellers the sea voyage is
one Of the greatest inducements to
make the trip. With all our vaunted
advance in speed and comfort. there is
a question whether we have not sacri
feed many of those very features of a
sea voyage which tend to give rest to
mind and body. The great demand for
space for engines, boilers and coal
bunkerS has made it necessary to cut
down the state room accommodation to
absurdly narrow limits-so narrow that
not the most elaborate furnishings and
finish can disguise the fact that the
average staterOOm is not much more
than a stuffy little box in which one is
vertically 'cribbed, cabined and con-
9:ned.'
The compensation for many travellers
is to be found in the short duration of
the passage, and for those to whom
time is an object, either for business
engagements or to escape the newt
able miseries of seasickness. the
cramped quarters are regarded as part
of the price which must be paid for
high speed. If a clipper sailing ship,
however, were designed especially for
transatlantic summer travel it would
be possible in the absence of any pro-
vision for steam power or cargo to give
up practically the whole ship to pas
Senger accommodation, and individual
staterooms could easily be made double
the size of those usually found on the
modern lines. There would be a COM
plete absence of vibration, and of
smoke and cinderS, and a general stead
mess OF motion which only those who
san the seas under canvas can properly
appreciate If the ship were built with
modern speed lines it should be able
under favorable circumstances to make
the eastward passage in from IL to Is
days.
The westward passage would of
course, take longer; but as the travel
ers on such a vessel would be taking
the trip largely for the sake of the sea
voyage, a three or four weeks Journey
would be looked upon rather with ia
vor than with regret. Such a vessel
would be fitted with every luxury that
is to be found on the modern liner
and the absence of engine room sky
lights and snolzestacks openings would
render it possible to provide magnif-
icent pronenades extending the full
length of the vessel and almost en-
tirely free from obstruction. The eX-
pertinent is surely worth a trial on the
part of one of the more wealthy COM
panies, for it would be somewhat in
line with that most successful venture
in the German companies, in building
steam yachts of slow speed exclusively
for yachting cruises of many weeks or
months duration.-Scientific American.