A compendium of shipboard needs including recommendations for desirable reading on lengthy ocean voyages.
PREFACE
Second unpaginated page: Mr. A. R. Bond of the Editorial Staff of the Scientific American, the writer is indebted for the valuable article on "Time," also for the preparation of 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 signature of the impersonal company.
p. 112-13:
reading matter
On certain ships there are book stalls where works of fiction, travel, guide books and periodical literature can be obtained. Such stands should be on every vessel. Periodicals are sold on the piers of all lines. Every steamer carries a library for the free use of passengers. Books can be taken to staterooms, but should be returned to the library steward before landing. Remember that he has to pay for all books lost.
The Scientific American will be found in the reading rooms of 150 ocean and coastwise steamers, and
North German Lloyd Co.
Ocean Steamship Co.
Quebec Steamship Co.
Red Star Line.
Southern Pacific Co.
Ward Line.
Cunard Line.
Clyde Line.
White Star Line.
The Scientific American will be found in the weekly edition on the following railroads:
New York Central & Hudson River R. R.
New York, New Haven & Hartford R. R.
Boston & Albany R. R.
Pennsylvania R. R.
Southern Railway.
Atlantic Coast Line.
Seaboard Air Line Railway.
Michigan Central.
Chicago Northwestern.
THE MARINE BOOK STALL
Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul R. R.
Illinois Central R. R.
Chicago & Great Western.
Chicago & Alton R. R.
Northern Pacific Railway.
Cincinnati, Hamilton & ‘Dayton R. R.
Frisco System.
Canadian Pacific Railway.
St. Louis & San Francisco.
Southern Pacific Railway.
Ogden Short Line.
WRITING MATERIALS
Writing materials are furnished free of charge on all steamships and are usually in charge of the library steward, who often sells souvenir postal cards as well. Stationery can also be had at various hotels in Europe and also at cafes, where a moderate charge is made. Travelers should not fail to carry a fountain pen, and at least two fillers carried in different parts of the baggage, as a filler is apt to become broken and is not easily replaced except in the very largest cities. The fillers which come with a bottle of ink in a wooden case are particularly recommended, as there is no chance whatever of the ink spilling no matter what the position of the bottle. Such bottles are heavy, however.
p.132:
OCEAN STOP-OVER
Passengers who wish to disembark at a port of call when the steamer is going to other ports should notify the baggage master, or if there is none on board, the purser, in order that the baggage may be looked up and landed. Stop-over privileges are usually allowed on steamships, and the necessary arrangements can be made with the purser. No general rule can be given.
FOREIGN CUSTOMS
There are a number of articles which must not be imported into some countries. Thus, foreign matches and playing cards must not be imported into France, matches being a national monopoly. In England it is forbidden to bring in reprints of English copy-righted books; they are liable to be confiscated if found. Passengers landing in England are allowed to bring in a pint of drinkable spirits, or a half pound of cigars or tobacco.
p. 167: Printing Office. — The printing office has electrically operated printing presses for printing the bills of fare, programs, and sometimes the daily paper which is issued on many steamers, thanks to the wireless telegraph. Without exaggeration, the modern ocean-going passenger steamer may therefore be said to combine all of the achievements of technical science which are in their final purpose always employed with a view of providing for the safety, well-being and comfort of the traveling public.
p. 198: It is found that three-quarters of the passengers on German liners read English books. English, French, and German books are provided on nearly all of the steamers. The proportion on a German line out of 22,000 volumes is 12,000 German, 7,300 English, 1,800 French,700 Spanish, 200 Portuguese, and 100 Italian. These books are not selected at random, but a special librarian has charge of the supervision of all of the libraries on the line. When books become very shabby by use in the cabin, they are turned over to libraries for the crew. When their usefulness has come to an end the books are sent to the paper mill and the proceeds are given to the seamen’s fund; thus the printed book occupies all positions from the cabin to the steerage.