Across the Atlantic by J. N. Loughborough

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · Jan 30, 1879

Across the Atlantic.

By J. N. Loughborough

IN my last article for the Review, I stated that I expected soon to sail for Liverpool in the steamer "Minnesota," of the Warren Line. On Dec. 13 I went to Boston, expecting to sail Wednesday, Dec. 18, at four P. M. Having made my arrangements, I returned to South Lancaster. Near the close of the Sabbath I received a telegram from Mr. O'Hara, the Boston agent of the Warren Line, stating that the Minnesota would take no passengers this trip, but the company would dispatch the Homer on Monday, Dec. 16, with excellent accommodations; and that if we would consent, they would transfer us to the Homer and give us a rebate of $10 on our fare. I replied that evening, accepting the transfer.

On Monday, Dec. 16, we went to Boston to set sail. Mr. O'Hara met us at the boat, and stated that the captain of the Homer had now refused to take any passengers this trip. Said he, "The only chance for you now is for us to transfer you to the Williams and Guion Line, New York. They dispatch the steamer Nevada, Tuesday, Dec. 17, at eleven o'clock. If you say so, we will transfer you to that boat, and meet all the expense of the transfer ourselves." After a few moments of prayerful thought, we decided to go. They did as they agreed, although to do so was an expense to them of over $20, as they paid the whole $110 I had paid to them for our tickets on the Nevada. We reached New York at 8:30 A. M., and at 10:30 we were on board the steamer Nevada, which set sail at 11:30 A. M.

The steamer Nevada is one of nine ships of the Williams and Guion Line, U. S. mail ships, sailing weekly from New York to Liverpool. The Nevada is a strong-built, iron-bound propeller, 450 feet in length and 50 feet in width. It has berths for 72 first cabin, and cabins for 1071 second-class, passengers. The price of first-class rooms was $75 each person; but after our ship set sail, the steward transferred us to the very nicest room on the ship.

In the providence of God, we found ourselves sailing for our English mission from a point about forty yards from the pier from which I sailed June 24, 1868, to enter upon the California mission. For the first hour our course was the same as that on which we started for California. Our prayer went up to God that success might attend this mission in even greater measure than it had attended the California mission.

There is but little travel on the Atlantic at this season of the year. On our ship there was but one first class passenger besides ourselves. He was a Mr. Ward from Miraflores, Mexico, on his way to his home near Liverpool, England. Our trip to Liverpool took a little over twelve days. It required more time than usual, not that we met severe storms, but some days the sea was very rough as the result of heavy storms which had passed over a few hours before us. We felt sometimes the force of the hymn,

"Let the high-heaving billow and mountainous wave Fearfully overhead break,"

as great waves would strike the bow of the ship, going as high as the smoke-stacks and sending their waters to the stern of the ship. Although for the first five days our course was not more than one hundred miles from land, yet we were out of sight of land ten days, and it was a joy to all when we first saw the south coast of Ireland Sabbath morning, Dec. 28. We found our roughest seas in mid-ocean, where the water is supposed to be from two to four miles in depth, and as we entered St. George's Channel the sea became more calm.

At three P. M., Sabbath, we touched at Queenstown, Ireland, and at two P. M. Sunday, we landed safely at Liverpool. We passed without trouble and without customs through the custom-house, and arrived at Eustin Station, London, at ten P. M. On Monday, Dec. 30, at nine A. M., we crossed the river Thames to Waterloo station, and at 1:30 P. M., we arrived at Southampton. We soon found our way to the house of Bro. Henry Cavill, Freemantal, Southampton. This godly family were greatly rejoiced to see us, and were ready to receive us to their home with open arms. In a few minutes Bro. Ings came in from his missionary work. Bro. Ings arrived from Switzerland four days before we came.

We have felt the presence of God with us at every step, and we realized that thousands of prayers were daily offered with ours at the throne of grace. The providence of God has been with us at every turn, and is still opening the way before us. Praise his name.

We have been here now only about twenty-four hours, yet we have succeeded in securing a house, and expect to be settled in house-keeping before next Sabbath, and to take hold of our work as rapidly as possible. J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH.