Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1873-08-02
OUR RIVER SCH00NERS.
The American sohooners Built in Della
ware, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

lFrom tue Philadelphia Ledger,
The announcement Of the sale of the
estate of the late Francis Edwards, on
August 9Th, which has appeared in the
Philadelphia newspapers for several days
past, Invites observation as TO a species
Of property Of considerable value and I'm
portanee, but which Is, nevertheless, but
little understood. Mr.. Edwards was the
Treasurer of the ''Vessel Owners and
Captains Association" and a leading
mau, in what may be denomlnated "the
Schooner trade" The schedule of his
property of this description embraces in
terests In thirty-three vessels. In exam
lining the list II Is curious TO note how the |
ownership 10 these vessels Is divided. In |
SEINE he has one eighth In others one |
sixteenth, and in others one thiriy-second |
interest, whilst In capacity the vessels
range all the way from one hundred tons
to four hundred tons of registered tom
mage. These vessels were all built at
Philadelphia or Camden, or at towns In
the rivers of New Jersey and Delaware,
where extensive ship building for the
cOastlng trade Is carried on, and their
trade extends all along the Atlantic sea-
board and to the West Indies.
A view on the Delaware river always
embraces, among the shipping, a multi
tude of schoOners, Tho schooner-rig Is
to day the favorite one 10 American
wooden shipbuilding, aud schooners at
the present time are frequently Of heavier
tonnage than the largest ships were forty
years ago. The increase of their carry.
ing capacity has induced an increase of
their spars for carrying additional sail,
and now the three-masled schooner Of
eight hundred TO thousand tons, has
became a familiar object. Originally,
vessels Of this class were small, and they
did not enter into the distant trade but
now they go every where, even Ground
the Horn" and the Cape Of Good Hope.
They make up the great mass Of vessels
on the American registry, and the rig has
been adopted on account Of Its advantages
and convenience for nearly all kinds Of
navigation. These vessels are but rarely
owned by single person, the interests
being usually divided, the object being to
spread the risk and thus to secure a sort
of insurance. A schooner of 500 tons
capacity, which 10 build at this time
would cost, according to the method Of
construction, from $4,000 to $4,000,
will probably have dozen or twenty
owners. The favorite interest or "piece,
rs II Is called, is one-slxteenth, and thil
would cost Its owner from 1880 Il
Nlooos IN bill NANSlll-uudl Ihntn 10 W.T.
vessel insured, the system Of division o
risk being, in practice, a species o
mutual insurance. Each schooner has
sailing master or captain and a man
aging owner Familiarity called tn
"ship's husband" who looks after thu
owner interests and settles the accounts
" This schooner trade embrace
frelghts of all descriptions, coal, iron
lumber, grain, cotton, naval stores, an
everything that offers, and, under gu
shipping laws, the vessels on the U. s
registry have the monopoly of the coast
ing trade. The headquarters of thi
large shipping Interest is in Philadelphia
through the location here of the assoeia
ton Of Vessel Owners and Captain
which regulates bills of lading and Otht
matters for the entire Atlantic seabOard
and hss a half dozen subordinate assOcii
lions in other parts. The schooners al
sailed on the cooperative plan, aud
this way the advantage of all cOncernt
in them is enhanced. After deductin
the expenses Of the voyage, the net ear
ings are divided the captain getting on
half, one third, or One-tuurth, accOrdin
10 the size of the vessel aud the bargai
made. The owners ont of their snai
keep the vessel, It's sails aud rigging
repair, whilst the captain from his pay
and feeds the crew. The captain Of
100 or 5OO-tun schooner, who receives
One-halt share, as most Of the experienc
captains 10, is among The best paid ma
ners ah1at. He can earn more mOu
than the \ 'miralui the CunaId or lnms
steamer heDt
The hasiY,Ss, however, l. one OF gie
risk, and those engaged IN II usually tuI
althe risk themselves. It IS d trade