New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-02-19
orEER Why's or ARRANGING SAILS
SOME OF THE PECULIAR PIGS WHICH HAVb
BEEN CONTEIYED FOR THE WINDS TO
BLOW AT IN AMERICAN WATERS.
ING FORGED CHECKS.


The evolution of the cruiser New-York from the
hollow log Of the savage Is a triumph OF NINA
over matter. From the hollow log has grown the
great warship and the palatial ocean Sreyhouhd OF
to-day, and during the period OF transition many
changes have been made in the method OF propulsion
as well as the models OF floating craft. From the
paddle to the screw propeller. and from the strip
Of coarse cloth woven from the brous bark OF trees
10 the clouds OF snowy canvas which tower above
the big East Indaman, the change has been grad
ual but constant
one OF the most simple Of rigs for sailing vessels.
that OF the schooner, or fore and after, Is or
comparatively modern date. but the square rig
or that in which sails are suspended from yards
across the masts is oil TIE first attempt
t. propel vessels by wind power With increase Of
knowledge relative 70 ships has come a marked
incieas. in size. What WAS a fair size Tor iu:.-
r.g,cl ship hundred years ago Is now hardiy
NJ 10 the average OF cOastwise schooners' "hie
ec::e Of the four or fye-mastel coasters OF to-
day would have been considered dangerous to 90
10 sea In years ago By reason OF their large sail
area and Improbable on account of the large car
goes required 10 H.. them
The ful-rigged brig a vessel with two masts,
both sguare-rigsel. for many years d faVorHe
with the navigator. but latter-day sailors cannot
understand why, for they clumsy in appeal
ance and unwIeldy 70 handle. They expensive,
too one OF 80 tons would require AT least six men
before the mast" while a schooner Of the same
tonnage will require only three men, sail closer
t. the wind. and outfoot the brig whether sail
ing "cose-hau!ed' or running free. The Old
brig f. not often seen In these waters but It's pace
it taken by the nermaphrodite brig. a compromise
between the brig and schooner. in which the force
mas; ia risgel square and the ma!nmast mas the
fore and AIT sail. with big gan -topsal
\ number OK years ago an ingenious boston man
invented rs which was successfully used Tor
Bone time. i Was o double gaff-opsail. The main
tfta -f1a Of Gin rip-rp afel
came the lower gaff-;orsan. and then the upper,
h1!s,ed on hoops the topmast, and SO rugged that
,vncn 4 blow came Il ciewed down snug TO the
inllamast mead, while the lower one could be car
risd until Il would be necessary to take Teef III
common mainsaU.
Many people who should know better confOund an
hermaphrodite brig with brIganne. The differ
once Is that a Drleantne carries square sail on
her mainmast. while an hermaphrolite brig has
In the Glys Of the clipper ship. captains would
boast Of the amount OF san jhey could successfully
their masts. and above the royal, winch Is usu-
AMI 'stargSzer@ while strange tales are told OF
ambitious shippers who piled on above these moon
rakers." heaven disturbers' and God above ais
but there are no records OF such ships ever having
Tae oh china ,ea clippers and later the Rio
kettles we're notorious g, The free use Of wna are
a woman-the wife OF an Fast India captain She
had been washing some CONES ana spread 60, an
it n..el and held the wind suggested the Idea OF the
sail to her. In this rig, booms are passed out
through irons on the end OF the main yard. and
the sail is holscd To the end or the upper tuIsdH
yard ana "shee,al home 10 the end 81 the Doom,
while the tack hauis straight down on deck
RIG which has caused much argument among
sailors regarding the sails spread Is that known
the '.iackass bark" This peculiar rig includes
square sails on the topmasts and AL above. while
lower mnsts are rugged in fore-and-aft fashion,
IKE schooner. except that ne s4.is are not 50
high. The topsal schooner Is another rig rapidly
gong ont Of date, although II Is stu 10 be seen
on the Spanish Main and In parts OF the Caribbean
Morgan the buccaneer the topsail schooner was the
pet rig OF the fr-ebooters who cruiseI among the
bahamas and along the Florida coast. This craft
carried a boom and san foresa, with square fore
topsln. ard sometimes topgaliant sail and royal
some Of the queerest rigs which come into port.
however. are occasloned By storms at sea. II Is
a skipper will see his sticks break off close to
left. one two or all three may so and carry all
their spars. sails and tackle with them. II Is in
comes cut and If. with the few odds and ends OF
wreckage he can save, and possibly spare spar
the fact that what sailed away AS ful-rigged
ship comes back topsail schooner or possibly
70 yet up a Jury rig' and ind his way home
one OF the most recent instances or this jury rig
is the ship San Joaquin which. down In the South,
ern seas. smashed head first into an Iceberg, and
was sailed over 5000 miles to New-York by Cap
tain I.arrabee. her master. without ibboom or
standing The san Joaquin. which was wel!-known
California trader. was 70 be taken over TO Brook
lyn dock for repairs after dscharging her cargo
but that idea was abandoned. and the rest OF her
time anoat will be occupied in fulfilling the humble
We. useful duties OF a coal barge. The latest prod
net OF Yankee shlpbuldlng skill. the big iron ship
Drlga. which was recently launched by Arthur
Sowal a. Co; at Bath, Me-, and carries skysan
will illustrate the latest developments in the art OF
utilizing the power OF the wind for the sailing Of