R.M.S. Berengaria

The R.M.S. Berengaria was originally built for the Hamburg-Amerika Line as the Imperator. At the end of World War I, she was seized by the America Navy and given to the British as reparation for sinking of the Lusitania. The ship was then sold to the Cunard line.

The Hall Genealogy website has lots of information on the ship along with many photos of the interior.

Tram Tuesday - Marseille, France

Back in 2011 I posted a colorful scene of streetcars on La Canebière in Marseille. Here are some more cards showing scenes of Marseille that include streetcars. The earliest trams in Marseille began service in 1876 and were pulled by horses.  As in most other places, the system slowly transitioned to electric power.  This first card, circa 1900,  appears to show horse-drawn and electric trams operating side by side.

Here's a close-up.

The tram system in Marseille has operated continuously, although the cars today are very sleek and modern in comparison to the ones shown here.

More Cats in Advertisiing

Here are some more cats working hard to promote totally unrelated products on circa 1880 trade cards. The first one is especially clever, suggesting that if you don't buy a shoe with a black reinforced tip, it won't even make a safe nest for birds.

If you're near Salina Street in Syracuse, new York, you can head over to G.W. Ingalls & Co. and buy yourself a pair.

Then you can head down the street and buys some fruit vinegar from John Ferguson, Grocer.