The sun., 1890-01-12

Rsnsthlna Oueht e. he Dsue - save ths
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pig Fsareuastsd sehosasra.
The loss Of the Millie @. Brown, the largest
and handsomest schooner that ever sailed out
OF Boston, the story Of which was told In THH
Bun few days ago. calls attention to the
urgent need OF an improved rig for sailing
ships OF large capacity and light drauRht Per-
haps It had better be said that It emphasizes
the necessity for an improved rig. for the
Brown was not the FIRST Of those ships to get
dismnsted in gale OF wind that wac BY no
means extraordinary In its force.
Here was schooner that registered nearly
1000 tons, and was capable OF carrying as
much cargo as the great Yankee clipper ship
built during the fftles could do. She had four
masts. and what Is called the fore-and-aft rig.
Every one likely to try hand at inventinR o
new rig for these vessels knows what that is.
Each mast was composed Of two tlmbers, O
topmast and q lower mast. These timbers
were 80 long that they lowered up as high rs
the mssts OF a full-rigRed ship OF like capacity.
And yet instead Of the crew Of a full-riRRed
ship-say thirty men-this schooner probably
carried ten or twelve. all told. The schooner
rig ordinarily needs less men to handle 1t than
the square rig OF the ship. steam winch
hoists the hugo sails for the crew. and they are
lowered away Of their own weight. II sheets
must be hauled aft the schooner can be luffed.
hands can manage to take reefs in the big
lower sails one at time.
It is not that the canvas cannot be taken of
o schooner when the gale arises. The trouble
is that the canvas that is left on her is not
placed right to save the vessel.
As the wind increases the topsRils and lighter
jibs are furled. but It must blow living gale
before the Captain will take reefs In the lower
sails. First OF all he Is likely to take In the
spanker. or the extreme after sail. II she
shows q tendency to fall off in the trough Of the
sea he reefs down the foresail Last of all
comes down the main. He will only do this to
save her masts. and he is not sure to save
them even then. Tho trouble is that when
these big sails are reefed the spIead OF canvas
so % near tne deek fnat bh hS Mna a WnSs 70 Bnt
moment later. as she rises on another wave.
the wind comes booming along and strikes
those reefed sails such tremendous blows as to
Should the Wind fail 70 do that. the waves
ginR canvas full Of the solid water and then
the masts are doomed; for the masts are toll.
port port the them % properly. In the case Of the Mile
Brown. the wind broke loose the fastenings Of
her deck load q lumber and sent the boards
But that is not ali. When the vessel sinks down
'ehind q wave, and the wind no longer presses
hn3ded up to the wind, and the sea shoves her
aairlnd until she lies like log in q ditch. and
| 10y ulICu aL tuht lTOm WulCu Suo VIII 10
tossS in no time. only to be dropped sideways
ixor iinIo pother, while the train on the huge
TO eon hich her masts are is something awful
+o The ne imhiter OF the steamer Duchess in let;
nhsepra6 yer 20 r.an6erad some time ago. said he had
~ at at forty years OF age the masters
~ ~ u reeee--nnISted schooners showed hard;
Gsaa tie dSsPS SsDtsn ssG5oa ."
three -mssters affected thus what must be
1nS mester SIsf Wben OF the CAPTAIN OF four
IN squars- Sod chip the maintopsail is
sboye he yss deek I and iead to the gale IT. is high
ehe tries 70 scno. tn nsquare foressil is set. and
az ts soress saIVs the waves while lore
sells bow. ' W
~, II llin some bright @ inve5tS can devise means
stead Of hauling II down o the d eek, he will
pe2 IpS p zig a ~ enMa ut what is really
!. Stt when the other canvas AseIow is fHrled.
pig sSn0pn9ss % eEe mere @ !Uytay in spite Of
y pay Ntter dividends than anytl, S6oat