The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1895-08-03
SAILS MADE OF PAPER.
Something Wanted Lighter and
More Elastic Than Duck.

1t is now quite certain that q
paper pulp composition will be
employed in making sails for light
vessels. The Herreshoffs, builders
of racing boats, have lately expert
mented with the application Of
rubber to balloon and other light
sails, the operations being carried
on at the British Rubber Works.
The value of a big spreading sail
in going before the wind is known
to yatchsmen, which, together with
bullying balloon jib topsail utilities
every ounce of wind in force. The
idea in view in making these sails
of rubber is to obtain an elastic
material which will allow the
sails to increase in area
and consequently in propuls-
i've power in proportion to the
force of the wind. Canvas sails
have heretofore been used exclus-
lively, but as lighter, more elastic
and alright material is desired,
the proposition at present is to
make the sails of gossamer weight
from rubber, rope them strongly
along foot, huff and leach, resulting,
it may be, in superior sails.
Even rubber has its drawbacks.
A sudden increase of wind power
expands the sails too much, and
difficulty is experienced in govern
ing the course of the boat so at
tention has been turned to that I'M
failing source from which so many
things are now made-paper. A
chief reason for the employment of
paper stock for this purpose is
lightness, a matter which counts
for considerable in fast sailing YES
sells; but there are other points of
superiority, one being that the
composition stretches just about
enough to favor both wind power
and vessel, while another is that
paper sails are alright Besides
this, practical tests have shown
that the paper, properly prepared,
is very valuable, and is less liable
to tear in case of high winds.
The sails made on the new plan
are not woven from strands or
threads, but are made up from COM
pressed sheets, these being cement |
ed and riveted together in such a
way as to form smooth and strong
union. The first process of manu-
featuring consists in preparing the |
pulp in the regular way, to ton of !
which is added 1 pound of bichro-
mate of potash, % pounds of glue, |
80 pounds of alum, i pounds of
soluble glass, and 4 pounds Of |
prime tallow, these ingredients
being thoroughly mixed with the
pulp. Next the pulp is made
into sheets by regular paper-mak-
ing machinery, and two sheets are
pressed together with glutinous
compound between, so as to retain |
the pieces firmly, making the
whole practically homogeneous.
The next operation is quite i'm
portant and requires a specially |
built machine of great power,
which is used in COMPRISING the
paper from a thick, sticky sheet to |
a thin tough one. The now solid |
sheet is run through bath of sui
phuric acid, to which 1 per cent. of |
distilled water has been added, from
which it energies to pass between
glass rollers, then through bath
of ammonia, then clear water, and
finally through felt rollers, after
which it is dried and polished |
between the heated metal cylin-
ders. The paper resulting from
this process is in sheets of ordinary
width and thickness of sail stock,
it is elastic, air-tight, durable, light
and possessed of other needed
qualifications to make it available
for sail-making.-Paper Trades