THE COURIER
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AROUND THE WORLD.
WHEN Jules Verno wrote. "Around tho World in Eighty
Days,' tho feat of his hero was deemed remarkable, as it
was certainly unprecedented. Not many years later,
however, two young American women beat Phincas Fogg's imagin
ary record by almost ten days, and tho play founded ujnm Verne's
romance now calls itself "Around the World in Sixty Days." As a
matter of fact, nobody has yet made the journey in so short a time,
but Griffiths, tho English traveler, has done it in about G5 days, and
tho prospect-is that before tho close of the century tho trip may bo
made by ordinary means of transportation in less than forty days.
The journey round tho world eastward from London is now mado
easily in from CG to G7J days. This means that in tho ordinary
course of travel a man may leave London on the 1st of July, and
journeying eastward eat his dinner at London about tho 4th or nth
of September. From London to Colombo, Ceylon, is eighteen days;
from Colombo to Hong Kong is fourteen days; thence, with a prob
able delay of ono day, to Victoria, B. C, is twenty-one days; across
tho continent to Now York is seven days, and across the Atlantic,
with a possible half day's delay, by tho swiftest ships, is six days.
This foots up G7J; days, and, if tho possible ono and one-half days'
delay bo eliminated, sixty -six days. There is always tho ios8ibiIity
of somo gain in crossing tho Pacific, as tho ships aro of tener early
than late, so that an ordinarily lucky voyage might bo mado as low
as G5 days. All this presupposes that tho traveler takes ordinary
means of transportation and asks no special favors. Should steam
ship companies anil governments co-operato to forward him ho might
accomplish tho journey in two or three days less. The best known
tourist company sends travelers round tho world in from sixty-tivo
to seventy days at an expense of about $900. This means exactly
SGGG for tho round tho world ticket, 825 extra for sleeping car berths
and $3 per day for food and trifling extras. Tho trip is thus mado
luxuriously. It might bo cheapened by an economical travclor.
When tho Transsiberian railway shall have been completed to
Vladivostok, there will bo an all rail route across Eurapo and Asia.
In connection with this will be run swift steamships to tho western
coast of tho American continent. The greater part of tho journey
around tho world can then be mado by rail instead of by water, and
tho time may easily bo reduced to less than forty days. Tho journoy
from London to St. Petersburg is now mado in sixty hours. Tho
journey by rail across the Russian empire to Vladivostok can bo
made in not moro than 14 days, and the sea trip from Vladivostok to
the shores of America ought to bo made in eight or ten days, while
the trip across tho American continent and tho Atlantic need not
consume more than 13 or 14 days. This foots up almost 40' days,
and taking tho shorter alternatives in two instances, 37 days.
Special co-operation of governments and transportation companies
could probably reduce it as low as 35 days.
All this presupposes no improvement in the speed of steamships
and locomotive engines between this and tho close of tho century,
but should tho speed of each bo bettered by somo fraction of a mile
per hour tho traveler of six years hence may girdle tho globe in less
than a calandor month. With the Trans-Siberian railway in first rato
running order and its attendant lino of steamships doing good
servico, it is safe to say that somo adventurous traveler will under
take to (lino in London on tho first day of any mouth between May
and November, girdle tho globe and dino again in London on the
last day of tho same month.
The journey around tho world is still perhaps a serious under
taking, but it is no longer an uncommon one. All sorts or persons
are making it, and many have gone round the world three or four
times. Englishmen employed in China and Japan frequently make
their visits home to England by way of tho United States and
return eastward from England to their posts. Americans aro
gradually becoming tho great travelers or tho world, and it frequent
ly happens that an American's first trip abroad is a tour of tho
world. In making such a journey at leisuro tho traveler encounters
fewer sudden and violent changes of climate than ono might suppose.
American travelers seem to prefer tho westward journoy round tho
world. Leaving homo in early autumn, they pass through Japan
before tho cold weather sots in, see India in December and January,
Egypt in February, southern Europe in tho early Bpring, nnd Eng
land or France in tho lato spiiug and early summer, Tho traveler
eastward from London ordinarily starts in late autumn, passes tho
winter in tho tropics of Africa and Asia. reaches Japan in the. spring,
crosses the American continent beforo tho heats, of midsummer have
come and reaches Loudon in tho midst of the season.
William C. Dkkwkot.
NOT YET.
The young fellow was extremely ditlident, and very much in love
with tho girl.
He had mado half a dozen attempts to oiler her his heart and
hand, but on each occasion ho had fallen short.
To add to tho seriousness of the situation, tho. girl was ready to
accept him as soon as the proposal was in definite shape.
Evon the mother was willing, but latterly she had grown tired of
the dilatory tactics and Fabian policy of the suitor, and had kicked
on his coming so often and staying so lato.
Ono night, after three hours of struggle on his part, and much
delicate encouragement on tho part of tho girl, ho had seized her
hand convulsively, dropped on his knees impetuously, and was about
one-fifth through an impassioned appeal to her to behis'n, when tho
mother's voice sounded clear in tho night from tho head of tho
stairs.
Tho youth stopped short, but held on.
"Mary,"' camo tho maternal voice querulously, "is that young mau
there yet?"
"Not yet, mother," replied Mary smiling sweetly dowc on tho face
of her Romeo; "but he's getting there."
And two weeks later the cards were out.
RUDGE & MORRIS CO.,
VHWTiR STOMAS M(to HWKRE
We are receiving new goods all the time. And the new goods are the
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iuro:E & MORRIS CO
ixis aro H2212 k saMWEEar.