270 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE 



thousand nine hundred tons capacity. The width of her 

 upper deck is fifty feet; her length, two hundred and 

 sixty feet or twenty feet more than the height of the 

 tower of the " castle" at Konigsberg. What would the 

 good citizens of Konigsberg say, if one fine morning there 

 should enter the river Pregel such a monster vessel as 

 the " Samuel S. Lewis," with the "Winged Racer" in 

 tow? 



.Though San Francisco is an entirely new city, steam 

 navigation has already been developed to such a degree, 

 as our slowly-progressing merchants at home would 

 hardly consider possible. Not only are we connected by 

 steamers with all places in the interior where a connec- 

 tion by water is possible and advisable, but steamers run 

 to the North and South from here along the whole coast, 

 even to the smallest ports. The largest, the fastest and 

 the finest steamers however, are those connecting us with 

 Panama and with San Juan del Sur, the crossings of the 

 Isthmus. Three, four or five of them are dispatched on 

 the first and on the fifteenth day of every month by the 

 different companies. No less than five of these magnifi- 

 cent steam-ships are advertised to sail from here on the 

 fifteenth instant for the two ports named. These steam- 

 ers are: The "Winfield Scott," carrying two thousand 

 one hundred tons; the "Samuel S. Lewis," two thousand 

 nine hundred; the "New Orleans," sixteen hundred; the 

 "Independence," fifteen hundred; lastly, the "Golden 

 Gate," two thousand five hundred tons and one thousand 

 horse-power; and the latter steamer, according to the 

 unanimous opinion of all the newspapers— the finest ves- 

 sel afloat at the present time. What do you say about 

 such a, traffic at a place, where four years ago there stood 

 but a few tents and hovels? Is it not a miracle almost 

 as great as any mentioned in history? "Help yourself 

 and God will help you," comes true here as well as else- 

 where. 



But, methinks, I have really dwelt long enough in and 

 about the harbor, but you all know my hobby and will 

 pardon my weakness. 



