Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-08-08
Geographic News
Bulletins by the
National Geographic Society
ENGLISH TRAINS DIFFERENT

when Sir Auckland Geddes, Brit
ish ambassador to the United StatAs,
In a recent after-dinner speech be-
fore the Pilgrims Society in London,
urged Britishers to travel more ex-
tensively in America. he pointed out
that Americans have travelled in
England for years. Despite the fire.
puency of travel in the British Isles,
Americans still find that our English
cousins do many things which strike
US as quaint or peculiar" according
to a communication to the National
Geographic Society by Ralph A..
Caves.
II, for example, the American is
travelling first class corresponding
to our Pullmans and our chair cars)
he finds that each compartment, as
a rule. accommodates six travellers
three on each side, with arms al
lotting the proper space for each
traveller. The third class compart-
ments accommodate eight persons,
and in the majority of cases on the
trunk lines all the spaces are taken.
There is seldom difficulty in obtain
Ing a first class seat, and this is the
chief advantage, for which from 80
TO 40 per cent higher rate fare is
paid.
Whistle Means "All Aboard
THE traveller usually delegates TO
the porter with his luggage the task
OF finding a seat. A bag or coat
may be placed on a seat to claim
1t for the traveller who may defer
boarding the car until a shrill warn
ing whistle blows.
IF the traveller is going on q
crowded train he would do we'll to
obtain from the head attendant of
the dining a a first sitting card
before the train starts. After the
train is under way an assistant at
tendant comes through the cor-i-
doris announcing that breakfast is
ready for those holding first sitting
cards.
English Dining Cars Differ
Most of the English dining cars
differ considerably from American
diners. The passengers sit in high
back pews instead of chairs. The
breakfasts are usually of the club
variety. there being little choice for
the treveler. First our assistant at
tendant appears with individual
dishes of porridge CASUALLY rather
tasteless according to American
standards because it has been cook
ed without the suggestion of salt).
This attendant is pursued by a Sec
ond with hot milk, which he pours
on the porridge if the traveller ac-
quiesces. A third attendant follows
with a huge pot of coffee in one hand
and another of equal size filled with
hot milk in the other. He fills your
coffee cup with the coffee and milk
poured simultaneously and in equal
quantities Than onpoaS tha k.aaJ-
basket attendant who allows you
TO take a roll or a hunk of bread
tit is eldom cut in thin slices).
The porridge or oatmeal is eat
en- with milk Cor cream) and sugar
the latter obtained from shakers
with patent caps which seal the
shaker when placed upright on the
table, or in the wooden salt-box rack
screwed on the window sill. The
salt Is poured form a shaker with
a little funnel in the top and strange
to say, W. though the climate of
England Is exceedingly damp, the
salt does flow freely at all times and
never cakes in the shaker.
Ice Water Missing
THE porridge course completed,
our hurrying attendant removes the
plates while a second asks if YOU
will have plaice or kippers. Per-
haps you know what he says per-
haps you don't, but you are being
given your choice of fresh fish or
kippered herring. Meantime, your
cup is reflled with milk and coffee
of which you doubtless drink a good
deal, not because you like English
made coffee. but because~there is
nothing else to drink; the ubiquitous
glass of ice water of the American
dining a is conspicuous for it's alb
sence After fish. the traveller Is
usually given a choice of egg and
Sacon (never broiled crisp, but APP
Parently only broiled) or drilled kid
neys. Then comes the ever-presenr
marmalade or jam and toast-an al
together satisfying meal for three
shillings, sixpence (about rs cents)
at the present rate Of exchange, And
h standard tip, given to the head
attendant is sixpence (something less
than II cents nowadays.
After the meal the traveller may
remain seated in the diner inded-
nitely; the car becomes a sort of
| smoker, women as well as men
enjoying their cigarettes. Or IL do
sired, the traveller may have the
table cleared and he may use II for
writing. For example, this bulletin
has been written in a dining a af-
ter breakfast. while enroute from
London to Chester"