The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1895-07-24
BIGGEST SHIP AFLOAT.
This Monster Sailing Vessel Has just
Been Launched.

This Monster Sailing Vessel Has just
Been Launched.
The growth in the size of ships is one
OF the remarkable features of maritime
history during the present century. Not
only have steamers of 10000 tons become
quite common, but sailing vessels of
enormous bulk have likewise appeared,
and the small craft, such as those in
which all the daring navigators of the
eighteenth century performed their voy-
ages, have become scarce and are now
rarely seen.
a stroll along tho wharves OF New
York will show that nearly all of the
ocean-gOing sailing vessels are larger
than were the ships OF fifty years ago.
Such vessels as those in which Magellan.
Drake and trobisher sailed would now
be regarded as insignificant, and the cara
vols OF Columbus sent out to the Worlds
Fair showed in striking manner the
relative size of the vessels in use four
hundred years ago.
This growth In the size Of ships has
taken place mainly during the past fifty
years. The Maine shIppuilders were
among the first to lead of in this move
ment, and their example has been fol-
lowed i'll other parts Of the world. It
was thought when the Shenandoah and
the Rappahannock were launched in
Maine that the building of monster ships
could 60 no further.
These were enormous fOur-masters
designed for trading round the Horn.
They were fitted with steam steering
gear and had many other modern inn
provements, and they carried large crews
of men. The Governor Ames was an
other large ship built not long ago. She
had five masts, but was rigged as q
schooner. Eour-masted ships are now
frequently 10 be seen IN New York har-
Dor. and many of them are of steel.
al in
this line have been broken by the con-
struction of n vessel which has just
been launched at Geestemuende, in Ger
many. She was built for Z. Laeisz of
Ham burg, who has called her the Potosi.
The Potosi, while much like a prede-
ceasor called the Maria Rickmers, is
larger.
The Maria Rickmers was built in Scot
| land for a Bremen company and was
launched in 1892. Her fate is shroudefa
in mystery, and in the minds OF many
paople Is such as TO discourage the
building Of these monster vessels. Tbs
Maria Rickmers was lost in the Indian
Ocean with all hands on board upon her
| first voyage, and not plank OF the greas
vessel was ever recovered.
The PotOsi, which has now taken the
water, is designed for carrying grain
around Cape Horn. She has been desig-
mated as five-mast bark and she -
| built entirely of steel. IIer dimensions
are as follows: Length, 400 feet beam,
| 30 feet: draught, 70 feet. She has 1900
| tons displacement and spreads an enor-
nous area of canvas.
Being a new departure in shipbuilding,
some difficulty was encountered when 1t
came to distinguish between the i've
niasts. 1t was finally decided TO call tho
one in the bow the foremast, and then,
following aft, they were called the great
mast, the middlemast, the crossmast and
the besanmast. Similar German names
were invented for other parts Of the rig.
If the Potosi turns out 70 be profitable
she will probably be followed by others
OF her kind.-New York World.