Preface to the 1910 Travel Guide
THERE are no conditions of travel in which a few general hints as to how to adjust one's self to surroundings can prove so useful as on a sea voyage, and it is with the object of preparing the traveler for his trip by telling him how to go, how much it will cost, how to amuse himself, and what to do on arrival at the coveted shore, that this book has been written.
The writer believes that by giving just that sort of information which he himself and others of his acquaintance have wanted to know on various trans-Atlantic voyages, he cannot fail to meet pretty closely the needs of the average voyager.
The writer also hopes that the information contained in this volume will be augmented in subsequent editions by its readers' voluntary experience. This addition cannot fail to greatly increase the value of the book.
It may interest the reader to know that many hundreds of pamphlets, issued by various transportation companies throughout the world, were thrown into the alembic which produced this slender volume. This fact will give the reader some idea of the difficulties which are entailed in editing a work of' this character.
Within the last two or three years, steamship and railway companies have done much to eradicate space; it is now possible to make a complete circuit of the earth in 38 days, or less than one-half the proverbial 80 days of Jules Verne. The trip has been made from London to San Francisco in something less than ten days.
Flags and Funnels of Steamship Lines. GGA Image ID # 17897db24c
It is possible to leave New York Wednesday morning and reach London Monday night to connect with trains that land passengers in Paris very early on Tuesday morning. All of this represents substantial progress in transportation. All of these matters are referred to in the appropriate sections of this book.
It is too early as yet to prophesy what may be done in aerial transportation of passengers, but from the various schemes proposed and almost carried out, it is possible that the next five years may see important developments along this line.
The Editor disclaims any responsibility for changes in times or rates. These are published in good faith for what they are worth, and the traveler is requested to write freely to the Editor regarding any statements which his experience may have shown to be inaccurate.
The Editor's gratitude is due to Mr. E. Justice, of the North German Lloyd Steamship Company, for much painstaking care and a careful reading of the proof, and to Mr. L. Weickum, of the Hamburg-American Steamship Company, for much help of the same character, and to both gentlemen for the use of superb collections of steamship pictures numbering thousands.
Special photographs have been freely used without reference to whether the names of lines were mentioned or not, the sole effort being to show what a " Safer Sea" we navigate in. The present volume would appear dry without this aid. Mr. David Lindsay, of the International Mercantile Marine Company, has also furnished photographs, valuable tables, traveler's vocabulary, etc.
Beyond this, the steamship companies have been apathetic, showing a lack of appreciation of publicity, which is most extraordinary to the trained newspaperman. One company never even replied to repeated and courteous letters requesting information. Nevertheless, all have been treated impartially.
National Flags and Signal Flags of the International Code. GGA Image ID # 178991f072
The American Express Company, The International Sleeping Car Company, Thomas Cook & Son, have also cooperated, and the Editor can commend their reliable services.
No advertisements of any description are permitted in this edition to avoid any suspicion of influence for editorial mention. Names are only mentioned in the text in the interest of the traveler. The references to specific lines or boats have been rendered as colorless as truth would permit.
To Mr. A. R. Bond of the Editorial Staff of the SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN, the writer is indebted for the valuable article on "Time," also for preparing the article on the " Ocean, Navigation, Etc." Much valuable information along these lines has been abstracted from the Encyclopedia Americana, for which our thanks are due. For revision of sections of the work, thanks are also tendered to three or four score officials who have donated their work under the impersonal company's signature.
The writer is also indebted to Miss Julia E. Elliott for valuable assistance in collating and editing; to Mr. N. L. Stebbins, for views of lightships, lighthouses, etc. References to books are credited in the text, particularly to the valuable book by Howden. For words and music of national anthems, the miter is indebted to Charles H. Ditson & Co. and the Macmillan Co.; for statistical matter, to the New York World and the Brooklyn Eagle Almanac.
In closing, the hope is expressed that this little book will make some of the hours of the trip more interesting and that the information concerning Europe will prove of value, particularly as regards economical travel. The section relating to London is by a trained correspondent of the SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN, who is fully competent to treat his subject. The writer can testify by a recent visit to that city. The notes on Paris and Berlin are the results of recent visits to these capitals, supplemented in Paris's case, by the notes of our Paris correspondent.
