New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-12-08

pe charged IN their account each day
as insurance premium: In return for
which the hotel undertakes to indem-
Nifty the traveller for loss by fire or
theft not exceeding 800 francs [S3O01
for each. Any traveller who desires to
be exempt from this charge must give
notice at the bureau Of the hotel"
i quote from memory, but this is the
substance and meaning Of the notice
l stayed at two different hotels during
my recant visits TO Venice, and the no.
| tice was the same in both. In one OF
! them a friend had been robbed OF 800
francs. He notified the manager at
once. and was told the matter would
be inquired into. He then laid before
the manager full statement He had
drawn from Venice bank fifteen
banknotes Of 80 francs each. Four Of
the fifteen had been paid to the cashier
OF the hotel; Nth had been spent
elsewhere the remaining ten had been
stolen from his bedroom. II his state
ment were not true he had given the
manager the means OF proving ii un-
true I'm essential particulars. The man
ager does not appear to have ques-
pay. He simplj did not pay. The in
cident occurred last September. My
friend is a man whose word would be-
taken for any amount; a man well
/ -. Avfhn "A
After some weeks delay he put the
matter in the hands Of the British Con-
sui. The hotel then offered TO pay half.
This was declined, and there the mat
ter rested when last heard OF IT, My
friend was still 800 out Of pocket, and
waiting
Ny case was OF less Importance, in
that the amount was less Three or
four little things were stolen which I
valued modestly at 80 francs, and asked
for the payment Of that sum by letter
from Paris. The manager replied in
tone of civility, expressing his regret
that the things could not be found, and
| his conviction that | had mislaid them
| somewhere and his hope they would
turn up: but altogether ignoring the re-
quest for payment. To a second letter.
now ten days old. pointing out that l
| had made sure Of the facts before writ
| ing. and that those objects could not
! have been lost between Venice and
Paris. no answer has been received.
There may yet be an answer and the
sum due may be paid, but, on the
whole. it seems doubtful whether tho
! trusting traveller who invests his
money IN what is practically a compul
sorry insurance will be likely to profit
/ by II in case of loss.
Nor is II only hotel servants who
pilfer | sent a fully paid letter. the
weight Of which i knew, to a large
postohice. My messenger. who could
be trusted brought back word that
the postoffice clerk had required him 10
pay ten cents extra postage. He paid
| il. and the clerk put the ten cents In
his pocket. I gave a sovereign $50 10
the waiter In a Wagon-lit restaurant,
asking him for French money I'm ex-
change. He brought me an interesting
variety Of coins Dutch, Swiss, Ger
man and Italian, some Of them counter
| felt and few OF them current, and
thought himself il-used when | in
sisted on good French money. Nor is
| il only in Italy that exactions occur. |
changed a IS Bank Of England note at
the Credit Lyonnais in Paris into SOW
ereigns For the first time in forty years
I found that a Bank Of England note
would not pass at its face value. ! was
required 10 pay the sum OF 3 cents
for the gold.
For a long through journey on
the Continent YOU are at the mercy OF
the Compagnie International des
Wagons-lits They have on many OF the
great routes monopoly. They use II
as a monopoly. Their charges are very
high: their profits enormous. From
Calais to Venice the charge for a berth
is So. For this sum was entitled TO one
undivided half of a compartment none
100 large lOI OIie pei Soli' put o"Pb'oNN
TO hold two. II the train IL crowded
II does hold two. There are no single
COMPARTMENTS BY the great lines from
London to Scotland you may have
single compartment better furnished
and more comfortable than the double
rooms Of the Continental services. The
distance from London to Venice via
Paris and the Simplon is 940 miles;
from London TO Inverness 567, or near
~ two-thirds Of the distance to Venice.
TO Venice you pay SO for half COM
partment. To Inverness for q whole
compartment you pay " %. AS the
English service is certainly not run at
a loss you can judge what the pronts
of the Wagons-lits Company must be.
They get a further large profit from
their restaurant cars. where again the
prices are higher than the English.
The travel who knows his way
, about may often manage to have
Wagon-lit compartment TO himself, II
not in the full season. To secure II
from the company he must pa couble
railway fare and double WagCn-lt fare
for the whole distance.
But you may engage a over berth
in an unoccupied compartment and ask
the clerk not 10 sell the upper berth
,,.,u i,o ia ohIiQed tO The clerks and