Milford chronicle., 1907-03-15
ATLANTIC LINERS.
why one Does Not Leave Port Every
Day In the Week.

why one Does Not Leave Port Every
Day In the Week.
Why shouldn't New York man be
able to sail for Europe any day in the
week? was the suggestion contained in
a letter to a metropolitan paper recent
". With this in mind, an Evening
World reporter visited three of the
leading steamship offices on lower
Broadway to suggest that the various
companies should cooperate and ar
range for a sailing daily. The sugges-
ton met with a chilly reception. The
steamship men didn't seem to see 1t
that way.
They all agreed that conditions
would have to remain as they are with
innumerable sailings on Tuesdays,
Wednesdays, Thursdays and Satur-
days. very few on Fridays and none on
Sundays and Mondays. The state
ments Of the general agents Of the
North German Lloyd, White Star and
Hamburg g-American lines follow:
General Agent Schwab of the North
German Lloyd said: "As far as the con-
venience of the general public is con-
cerned such a schedule would undoubt-
edly be good thing. But the plan is
not possible. You cannot start a ship
for Europe on a Monday People don't
travel on Mondays. Your bank is closed
on Sunday and you can't get your let
ter of credit. You therefore put on
your sailing until you can conveniently
make the necessary preparations, ana
you sail on Tuesday Monday is out
Of the question then, and the only other
day on which you may have difficulty
getting away is Friday. This is ac-
counted for by the popular superstition
against sailing on a Friday, although
In spite of this some White Star boats
do sail on that day. But Saturday is
the big sailing day, always has been
and always will be. And on Tuesday,
Wednesday and Thursday you can find
several ships sailing weekly. The pro-
posed plan is not feasible"
General Agent Lee Of the White Star
line said: "The suggestion is absurd.
The man doesn't know what he is talk
ing about. If the ships of all the COM
panies were all of the same speed there
might be some sense to it. But what
would be the use in starting a slow
ship on Tuesday and then letting her
be beaten out by a fast Thursday ship?
1t would be ridiculous. And, of course,
Monday is an impossible day. Monday
might suit those who write their letters
on Sundays, but we can't run our line
for the mails only. We must keep the
travellers in mind as well. As to the
superstition about sailing on Friday, l
don't take much stock in it. The pub
lie is gradually forgetting that foolish
idea. In fact we regularly sail an ex-
ira boat on every other Friday. Mon
day is the only week day without sail
lngs, but that will always remain the
case. The plan of cooperation has
been tried before, but it failed"
Emil L. Boas, general agent Of the
Hamburg American line, thought the
same. He said: There's nothing to
it. You certainly can't sail on Sunday
nor can you sail on Monday. A ship
has to leave according to the tide and
this would mean that half the Monday
ships would be sailing actually on Sun
day, necessitating tho payment OF
double wages on Sundays. We sail
regularly on Tuesday, Wednesday
Thursday and Saturday, and on Fri
day the White Star line sails, which
amounts to a sailing every day in
the week except Monday and Sun
day, when the people don't want to sail
anyway, owing to the suspension OF
business and to the difficulty of trave
on Sunday. The scheme is imprae
ticable. le."-New York World.