Our readers may possibly be aware that ti the three cycling commissioners, Mr. Edward Lunn, Mr. John Foster Fraser, ai ud Mr. F. H. Lowe, commenced on Friday the 17th of July, their circuit round ti he world on Rover" eyel At the very outset of their journey they have had the conspicuous honour conferred upon them of ff an invitation from the King of the Belgians to visit him at his pal the Chateau de Laeken, near Brussels.
It may be advisable to say a few words about each of the cyclists. Mr. Edward Lunn, brother of Dr. Lunn, the editor of Traret and President of the Grindelwald Conference, has done as much travelling in the last twelve months as would last many a man for the whole course of his lifetime. He has three times, and has three times circle issited Moscow and St. Petersburg the Mediterranean, besides numberless of ther journeys in various parts of the Contin ment, all of which may be regarded as a not unsuitable pre ition for the arduous task which he has taken in hand.
Mr. John Foster Fraser is also an expe-nonced traveller.
Last autumn, as readers of the English Ilnstrated, the Idler, Cassell's Magazine, and other leading magazines will remember, he went with a companion round the Mediterranean, and interviewed everybody from Sir Philip Currie to the Sphinx, visited out-of-the-way corners of Bible-land: mingled with the citizens of the "no mea ci ity" of Tarsus; in short, came, ud converted into copy men and manners from Cairo to Constantinople, and from Gibraltar to Jafia Mr. F. H. Lowe, the youngest of the trio, has the advantage of being a Briton born in Italy, and is equally at home in French, Italian, and his mother tongue. He has also had considerable experience of travelling in various parts of the Continent.
The machines are specially built "Rovers," with tandem tires, that is, tires of double strength.
They will be painted black from stem to stern in order to. protect them from thievish curiosity, ich would certainly be attracted by the shining silvery surface of the ordinary bike. The tires are Dunlop.
And that is all that need be said of the machines.
Each man takes a score of spare spokes with him, which will certainly be wanted, and of course extra rubber, and the proper tools and articles for repairing.
By this time bikes are everywhere—Asia, Africa, Europe, and America—so that in case of dire need a new machine could possibly be procured. But sweet sentiment clings even toa mere bike, as to a favourite bat, or rod, or gun; and not readily would the poor thing be' deserted, though a glorious fate might await it—to be worshipped as a new god in some savage clime, perhaps, a precious new idol in a temple of mud.
As to clothes, each man takes two of everything. The clothing is wool through out—woollen shirt, woollen coat, with shirt sleeves buttoning tight at the wrists in order to defend the against mos-quitees and soon; a kummerbund round the waist next the skin; and light brown shoes, squarish at the toes and very light.
'Thus it will be soon that the' baggage will be of the very lightest. That portion of it which is wanted for immediate personal use will be carried through Europe, with cameras and a few odds and ana Medicine chest, compressed meats, medical comforts, spare tires, chemicals, paper, books, and so on, will be forwarded to Odessa where the difficult part begins.
And now for the route.
Harwich, a distance of seventy miles, The first ie Be work takes the three to Thence they take boat to Antwerp, cycle to Brussels, where a great meeting of cyclists will do them honour, and where his Majesty the King of the Belgians has graciously promised to receive them. Then, after these revels, away to Cologne, Vienna, Buda-Pesth, and Odessa, which they expect, 2 reach in six weeks from the date of ip to this point the work will be easy enough. The roads are good; the people will fete them; the hotels will, no doubt, welepme them Wwarmly—as good advertise. ments; the maps are minute.
But' then begin the responsibilities, Having rested, seen the sights, hobnobbed with the swells of that great Russian city, overhauled their machines, they will pick up their belongings with the greatest ease, and away—having got their wind, so to speak, Thence they follow the great high road over the Caucasus, drop down into Tiflis, wheel onwards to Teheran and Ispahan. Many books of travel have, of course, been read by the expedition, but so far they can discover little useful information. Perhaps some kind Russian will put them on their way, but there is certainly no Baedeker to guide them through Southern Persia, At all events, if good luck is theirs, they will make for the coast of the Persian Gulf and thence to India, where they hope to arrive in January next. How they will live, sleep, eat, and drink during the journey they know not at this moment; from village to village they will grope their way blindfold as it were. As the Persian Gulf and its neighbourhood are said to be the hottest. pisces on the face of the earth, most internal regions, it is likely enough that the heat will constitute the chief danger and difficulty. It may leave them tire-less. But they hope for the best.
Having once reached India the rest will be comparatively easy. It is calculated that the journey across Northern India to Calcutta, including stoppages for lecturing, will occupy three months.
It is possible, if local opinion is favourable, that from Calcutta they may cycle down Burma, and thence take ship from Rangoon to Hongkong. If not, they will set sail direct from Calcutta.
From Hongkong they will pursue their adventurous way to Canton and Peking, being furnished, they hope, with a sort of safe-conduct by' the Chinese officials—a paper flag, which they will carry as a banner. For their united accomplishments do not include a knowledge of Chinese.
Then away to Nagasaki, and through delightful Japan, which is as easy and comfortable to travel in as Great Britain.
Having polished off Japan the expedition goes to Brisbane, and cycles round the coast to Sydney ard Melbourne. Thence eastwards once more to San Francisco (vid
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.