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Simei toe eins ae ee: #, aoe 4 ; i fa ; ‘ i i : Kstelle Phinney, built in 1891 at New London, Conn. This craft is an excellent model of the 4-mast schooner used in the lumber trade a quarter of a century ago AKE-BUILT steamships today ie supply the bulk of the coal for New England’s manufactories ‘and homes. The picturesque schoon- ers designed especially for the trade have nearly disappeared from coast- wise waters, although a few occasion- ally put in an appearance from over- seas. As a result of the war, .the famous fleets owned by the Winslows and the Coastwise Transportation Co. are shattered. Steamers built at Great Lakes ports now take the place of 5 and 6-masters. Shipping interests remark on _ the rapidity with which the big schooners disappeared during the past year. Submarines accounted for many while storms destroyed others. Several foundered when in France. In one week, four fine schooners were stricken from the list through disaster. There were colli- sions that resulted disastrously when vessels were running without lights in the war zone. Records show that more than one stately fore-’n’-after, crammed to the hatches with supplies nearing destination: Schooner Gives Way to Steam Collier By George S. Hudson for the allies, was lost without leav- ing a trace. With the view of building up the depleted fleet, a number of yards have turned out 4-masters of about 3000 tons deadweight; but there ap- pears to be no inclination to return to the huge craft with five or six masts that formerly moved the bulk of the fuel from Norfolk, Newport News and Baltimore to ports like Boston and Portland, Me. These schooners were good carriers but maintenance costs in these days of high wages and expensive gear might prove pro- hibitive, even with coastwise charters at the highest figure ever known. It would appear, then, that the day of the sail collier with more than four ‘masts has ended. The new 4-masters were designed more for capacity than for a turn of speed which was a factor 15 years ago, or before steam began to take ‘the wind out of the coaster’s sails. Shoal draft is an item considered in the models with a view to giving the modern schooner a wider range of William B. Herrick, built in 1874, at Newbury- port; Mass. This vessel is a typical, 3-mast, 500-ton, fine-lined schooner, used in the coal trade some 40 years ago harbors for distributing points. Hatch arrangement is such that the new vessels fit the more important terminals and, at the same time, the deck plan provides about all that can be desired in handling mis- cellaneous cargo. The demand for coal from South America opens a remunerative field for new schooners which load at Nor- folk, Va., for ports in Brazil and Argentina at a rate of about $20 to. $30 per ton. Returning, these economical windjammers bring wool, hides, pelts and other products which have piled up alarmingly on account of the scarcity of tonnage. The West Indian trade, too, is receiving schoon- ers that, in normal times, would en- gage in coastwise carrying. With high rates, as at present, vessels should pay for themselves in a few voyages. There appears to be no difficulty in interesting investors in sail tonnage and the fleet would multiply more rapidly if the yards could find a way to increase output which, already, is surprisingly large, ‘MODERN LUMBER SCHOONERS AT A BOSTON DOCK—SPEED HAS BEEN SACRIFICED ‘TO PRESENT-DAY COMPETITION 145 CARRYING CAPACITY AS A MEASURE OF MEETING bie ico acted OF ORI a pT hh ee SE ey 2 RL et TRS TR Te poe sO ts ee ve i Te oie Oe OER RN Ee as ME NEO thee Re ALT soli rat MS ck Baia eee