Billiards for Ocean Steamers

The comfort and pleasures of the travelling public by sea
have certainly been well considered by our large steamship
lines. Amusements and games of almost every description
have been provided. There is, however, one amusement
that has been found impracticable up to the present—the
game of billiards as played on the ordinary table. Experiments
have been tried in this direction, but with little success.

The attempt to meet this requirement has now been
undertaken by the enterprising C.P.R. Company, who have
set apart a room in their Canadian liner Empress of Ireland,
in which a billiard table has been put. The result of
the experiment is not as yet known, as the Empress of
Ireland was only due to arrive in Canada on March 4. It
will be readily understood that there are many difficulties
to be overcome before a billiard table on board ship can be
kept sufficiently level to play on. It is, however, claimed
that the trouble has been surmounted by the aid of weights,
air cushions, and other arrangements, which will enable the
table to be kept in an upright and level position at all times.

One of the head officials of the C.P.R. Company informed
a “Journal of Commerce” representative that he had carefully
noted the balls on the table during the time the ship
was loading and moving in the river before sailing, and also
by the aid of a spirit level, and that the table had retained
its level throughout. Should the experiment on the Empress
of Ireland prove successful, there is reason to believe that
few passenger ships in the future will be unprovided with
the great universal game of billiards.—Liverpool Journal of
Commerce.