1900 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



691 



favorable, indeed, that one of the sailors who 

 has been crossing back and forth for the past 

 39 years said that he believed, taking all con- 

 ditions into account, it was the best voyage he 

 has had. We did not encounter any icebergs, 

 rain, or fog ; but we were privileged in sight- 

 ing one or more vessels each day. We passed 

 several schools of whales and many of por- 

 poises. These are fish about five or six feet 

 long with wide-spreading tail, and they leap 

 from the water very often in pairs as though 

 they were racing with each other and with the 

 ship, and were frolicking for our amusement. 

 The salt water of the ocean is a very dark 

 green ; and as it is dashed up into spray at the 

 bow by the force of the vessel it changes to a 

 light sea-green or bottle-green, which is beauti- 

 ful. I noticed the first night a most peculiar 

 phenomenon to which my attention had never 

 been directed. As I looked down into the 

 water by the side of the ship I noticed a great 

 many little lights in the water, varying in size 

 and brilliancy and duration. They reminded 

 me of fireflies, or, as we sometimes call them, 

 "lightning-bugs." They are phosphorescent 

 animal life in the water of the mighty deep, 

 emitting a light all their own, which, however, 

 they doubtless store up from the sun's rays, as 

 the sun is the source of all heat and light and 

 life physical. They were making their light 

 shine just as we who have absorbed the light 

 of life from the Son of Righteousness should 

 make our light to shine amid the darkness of 

 this world of sin. 



We touched the dock at Liverpool on Thurs- 

 day, the 26th, at 5 p. m. The next hour was 

 consumed in removing baggage, and there 

 must have been at least 200 men employed at 

 this on vessel and on shore. At six the pas- 

 sengers began to land, and at seven we had 

 passed our baggage through the customs and 

 were aboard the special train which was to car- 

 ry us to London. The trip required four 

 hours' time, running at the rate of at least 

 fifty miles an hour, and not more than five 

 stops on the way. It was not dark till nine 

 o'clock, so we had a good opportunity to see 

 the country through which we passed. I was 

 struck with the extreme neatness of every 

 thing. The streets and roads were as clean as 

 though they had been swept. The embank- 

 ments were covered with green sod. The 

 buildings were almost universally of brick. I 

 have not yet seen a wooden building. Many, 

 of course, are of stone. Neatly trimmed 

 hedgerows divide the fields and farms, and 

 line the roads and railways. Occasionally a 

 temporary wooden fence was seen alongside a 

 young hedge. The wheat and other crops 

 were still green. The passenger cars on the rail- 

 ways are divided into compartments across 

 the car from one side to the other, having two 

 seats facing one another, and a door on each 

 side. When once you are in and the train 

 starts, there is no intercommunication be- 

 tween compartments in the train. A train 

 can be emptied very quickly, as not more than 

 twelve people can occupy a section having an 

 exit door at the side opening directly on to 

 the platform. No conductor or other official 

 can pass through the train. Tickets are se- 



cured before taking the train at what is called 

 the "booking office," and there are three 

 classes, with little difference in the accommo- 

 dations, except that in the first or second you 

 can be a little more exclusive. There is quite 

 a difference in the fares. Most people travel 

 third class, and the fares are very low. Tick- 

 ets are examined or collected at the station 

 when taking or leaving the train. On long- 

 distance trains requiring several hours to make 

 the run, there is intercommunication between 

 cars and compartments ; but the cars are to- 

 tally different from any we see in America. 

 In this country of short distances and more 

 dense population this system is much better 

 than ours, and yet it would not be at all suit- 

 able in America, except, perhaps, for subur- 

 ban trains in the large cities. 



There are no crossings at grade. All road- 

 ways and even foot paths, as well as other 

 railways, must cross above or below, never 

 on the same level. In the streets of London 

 there are no electric cars, and I have seen no 

 street cars as we have them. The common 

 conveyance is called a bus, with seats on top 

 for fourteen people, and inside for twelve, 

 drawn by two horses. Except in rainy weath- 

 er most people prefer to ride on top, and you 

 must climb the winding stairs at the rear while 

 the bus is in motion. In fact, they come to a 

 dead stop as little as possible, because it is 

 hard on the horses. They can keep it in mo- 

 tion much easier than they can start it. In 

 some places there are what are called tram- 

 cars. These are constructed like the buses, 

 but a little larger, and run on steel rails. A 

 two-wheeled rig having the driver perched up 

 in a box behind is called a hansom, and is very 

 common as a private conveyance for one or 

 two persons. Fares on the buses vary from 

 one cent up, according to the distance. There 

 is being put in, but not yet open for traffic, a 

 system of undert^round electric cars away be- 

 low all sewers and other underground rail- 

 ways, about thirty to forty feet below the sur- 

 face, with lifts (or elevators) at each station, 

 and universal fares of 2 pence (equals 4 cents) 

 between all stations. 



The population of London is over five and 

 a half millions, and the great mass of the peo- 

 ple live in tenement and apartment houses 

 and flats. Even in the suburbs the number 

 of houses standing alone is very small. But a 

 very small number own their own homes as 

 compared with American towns and cities. 



I am particularly struck with the marked 

 civility and gentlemanly bearing of the peo- 

 ple. You may accost any one on the street, 

 and always receive a courteous and civil answer. 

 They appear not to begrudge the time taken 

 to be civil. Indeed, they will often volunteer 

 just the information needed at the opportune 

 time. In the common exchanges of every- 

 day life the deferential "thank you, sir," is 

 heard on every hand, even between servants 

 and porters. I have not yet heard a word of 

 profanity nor any thing approaching it. 



The feeing system is quite universal, and 

 servants expect a fee for every service render- 

 ed. No doubt this has its influence in mold- 

 ing their manners, and yet they are none the 



