While travelling alone across the ocean, no truly
amiable and gregarious passenger
need suffer from loneliness.
Good morning and good evening
and a slight graceful bow serve
as
sufficient introduction to one's
travelling
companions. At table, on deck,
in the corridors,
library and drawing room it is
permissible to
venture to speak to other passengers.
Harmless common-places of conversation
as comments on the weather and
the ship's run,
and the comforts of the vessel
lead the way naturally into general
talk.
A simple introduction may be
performed in the following fashion:
Mrs. Edwards, let me present
Mr. Vincent.
In some cases, where a person has
requested
an introduction, or a host has
gone out of
his or her way to make such a presentation,
it might be appropriate to say,
It gives me great pleasure to
present
Mr. Brown to you, Miss Jones.
When asking permission of a lady
to bring up and introduce a masculine
stranger,
it is only necessary to say, Miss
Brown,
may I present my friend Mr.
White,
he is very eager to know you,
I hope you have no objections.
Where there is palpable difference
in the ages of women,
the younger is introduced to the
elder.
Among men the distinction
is not so finely drawn,
though a young man would
quite naturally be presented to
a venerable and white haired gentleman,
and a simple citizen to a senator,
governor, or judge.
When receiving an introduction,
it is usually sufficient for a
young
lady to bow politely and repeat
the
name of the person mentioned.
She does not express in words
any marked gratification when a
gentleman is presented to her,
but a man of any age, on being
presented to a woman,
is required to signify his pleasure
by an amiable phrase such as,
I am very happy to meet you,
Miss Brown.
Formal introductions are not
really necessary at sea.
The utter lack of conventionality
in the life renders this ceremony
non-essential, thought not
always is it dispensed with.
On shipboard,
a passenger can introduce himself
or herself to another by saying:
"Mrs. Brown, I saw your name
in the passenger list, and I
am
going to ask you to let me introduce
myself to you on the strength
of my long acquaintance with, and great affection for, your sister,
Mrs. William Barr of Cleveland."
or "Mr. Clark, I feel I already
know
you through our common friend
Mr. Heywood, of New York.
I am Edward Field, of Philadelphia."
In general it is considered more
appropriate for a man to be presented
to a young lady, even on shipboard,
than to introduce himself.
Formal introductions are by no
means
dispensed with on shipboard,
nor are letters of introduction.
In England men do not raise their
hats to other men, and do not uncover
in shops, picture galleries, and
the like,
nor always in cafes and restaurants.
The afternoon (after ca. 3.30 pm)
is
the proper time for formal calls
and
presentation of letters of introduction.
While it is possible, on shipboard,
to speak to the persons seated
near one,
and offer them small courtesies,
it is not permissible to assume
the use of their chair, rugs, pillows,
books, or to move a fellow voyager's
chair in order to make a better
place for one's own. Again it is
hardly
considered polite to read aloud
on the
deck where the sound may annoy
dozing
passengers and readers. Again it
is inconsiderate
to indulge in ship's gossip, criticism
of others,
and to launch complaints at the
accommodations
and service provided in a tone
that rises
above the carefully confidential.
A passenger with grievances
is a distinct nuisance, and a passenger
full of tittle tattle and comments
on the
behavior of this person, or the
vulgarities
of that one, is really a dangerous
and disagreeable member of a ship's
company.
Young ladies travelling with their
chaperons,
or travelling alone,
need not demonstrate their
extreme particularity of behavior
by sternly repressing the friendly
overtures for talks and walks made
by young men on board, but they
should
be careful not to sit out on deck
with them
after bed time hours, singing and
laughing to
the annoyance of quiet folk, and
not to take
part in late, gay and unchaperoned
suppers in the saloon.
On board the English and
American ships there is a
divine service held on Sunday
when weather permits.
To attend this service or
not is a matter that every
passenger is entitled to settle
with his own conscience,
but it is generally expected
that those able to attend will
do so. It is not requisite,
as some good ladies believe,
to attend church on shipboard in
hats,
veils and gloves and even to carry
parasols.
When leaving the ship:
it is only polite to bid adieu
to the Captain and officers if
anything more than the conventional
daily greetings have been exchanged
with them. It is also courteous
to go about,
a little while before the ship
reaches her dock,
and say good-bye to all those fellow
passengers with whom even a passing
friendship has been maintained.