The Detroit times., 1915-06-01

and then three steps down to the
sea level canal. Orderliness Is the
keynote OF the locks. All moves
like clockwork. The big ship slips
into the cement tank: the gates
close behind without a jolt or a jar
the water wells up mysteriously
from beneath, and the happy look
ing Negroes carrying the hawser line
look up and smile. Nobody seems
to be doing anything. EverythinC
happens by magic. OF its own ac.
cord The mother whose husband
is canal employe comes down
with the baby in her arms and
watches the ship through, much as
the country dweller goes TO the sta
tion 10 see the evening accommoda-
ton arrive and depart The baby
waves at the passengers and the
passengers think OF babies at home
and wave back.
The Culebra cut Is still difficult
OF passage. The dredgers and blast
ers were AT work when we went
through and there were FIVE min
utes when the Finland was on the
bottom and passengers wondered
whether Il would get of. The cap
tain's one idea after leaving New
York was TO get past the point OF a
possible block by slides. Any de-
loy must come at the Pacific end o.
the ditch. So at Panama (Balboc
and Ancon) we anchored for night
and a day. and the passengers went
ashore and bought Panama hets,
pongee silk. Palm Beach suits. and
things TO eat. Some stopped at the
government hotel. the Tiyof. and
are willing to give testimonial TO
Uncle Sam as hotel keeper, II was
clean. cool. comfortable, we'll ap-
pointed with good food at reason
able rates
The heat at the canal zone was
actually less than before arriving
and after leaving there Soon after
leaving New York blankets and
wraps are discarded and for many
days the weather is tropical. on
the gulf the ocean water was s6
Fahrenheit and the air much hotter
Before these trips are a complete
success from the point Of view OF
the pleasure-seeker "a majority OF
our passengers were suchl several
things will have to be done. There
must be more stops and more timc
al the stopping places. 4 step at
Jamaica will no doubt be found
be desirable and at least day anH
night in the canal zone, giving time
TO see the interesting city of Pan
anna and the ruins of old Panama
Opportunity TO have laundry done
should be included The journey up
the Pacific coast would we'll be
broken by stop som ewhere. or a;
least It might be made near enough
to land to permit the passengers TO
see shore One OF the earlier boats
did take the shore route and pas.
sengers booked for the Finland were
shown an enthusiastic letter from
one OF the passengers on that ship
telling OF the attractions of the
coast by some coincidence the
same letter was read at the steam.
ship Offices in Boston, New York
and Washington. But the Finland
never got closer than so miles TO
this interesting shore and most OF
the time no land was visible
Shortly before leaving Panama
Saturday afternoon. word came that
the Lusitania had been torpedoed
Whether or not the report was true.
or what was the loss OF life was un-
known until the following Friday
morning when the wireless brought
an answer 10 q IN essage sent 10 the
Port Arthur. Texas. station For
nearly a week while sailing up the
tdNlUC COdSN VI CtuNIdl AlItIlCd
and Mexico the wireless had no
land stations with which to work
The wireless apparatus Is less ef.
fective in the tropics. What Is
called static" settles In the hot
moist air and seems to muffle the
ether waves. A machine which un
der tavoring conditions will send
and receive 1000 miles, can reach
hardly more than so. The high vol.
canic mountains such as those along
the Mexican and Central American
coast also act as barrier against
stations on the other side OF them
SO the operators say.
What the ancients would have re-
garded as a ''portent" was Viewed
BY the passengers OF the Finland,
Sunday evening. May 9. Suddenly
the eastern heavens were lighted
up with o glow as II a rocket. hun
dred times brighter than any hui
man rocket. had burst behind a
thin tropical cloud Then from be-
hind the cloud ribbon OF FIRE
seemed 70 he let down toward the
earth and at the end n glowing ball.