Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1907-02-01
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
letter to metropolitan paper recent
ly. 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 sailing daily. The sugges-
ton met with chilly reception. The
steamship men didn't seem TO see ft
that way.
They al! agreed that conditions
would have TO remain as they are with
innumerabie 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 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 schedule would undoubt-
edly be good thing. But the plan Is
not possible. You cannot start n shin
for Europe on n 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 or
your sailing until you can conveniently
make the necessary preparations. and
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 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. Aud 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. IL 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 slow
ship on Tuesday and then letting her
be beaten out by fast Thursday shipi
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 we'll AS TO the
superstition about sailing on Friday, /
don't take much stock in Ii. The pub
lie Is gradually forgetting that foolish
idea. In fact we regularly sail m ex-
ira boat OH every other Friday. Mon
day Is the only week day without sall.
ings. but that will always. remnin. the.
case. The plan OF co-operatson has
been tried before. but it faIieds
Em3 T.. Doas. general agent OF me
Hamburg American line, thouehS the
same. He said: There's -nefhtnG to
II. You certainly can't sail ON Sunday
nor can you sail on Monday ASsaip
has to leave according to the. tide. ana
this would mean that hall. the .Monday
ships would be sailing actually on Sun
day. necessitating the payment OF
double wages on Sundays. we saii
regularly on Tuesday, weduesday,
Thursday and Saturday. and on Fri.
day the White Star line sails, which
amounts to 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 travel
on Sunday. The scheme Is imprac-
ticable"-New York World.