The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-02-17

wooden vessels, which are no longer fit
10 carry valuable cargoes, it presents an
other source of danger. If any consd-
cradle quantity leaks out from the casks.
II fnds its way about the hold, soaking
INTO the ships timbers and loOsening the
iron bolts which hold them together by
eating away the rust on them. Thus the
vessel fairly goes to pieces. or, at least,
springs apart a the seams, until the leaks
are entirely beyond the power of the
pumps to control. Coal is another cargo
which sometimes takes fire spontaneously.
rms usually happens after a long spell
of stormy weather, when the heavy seas
have made it necessary to keep all the
matches battened down The atmosphere
below becomes so close from lack of fresh
air that gases are generated, which after
a time result in combustion. Owing part
~ to this disadvantage, and partly to the
fact that Il is heavy and comparatively
cheap cargo coal is generally carried by
an inferior class of vessels.
Grain, when shipped loose, or lin bulk, -
as the term goes, is always in some dan
ger of shifting and CapsiZing the vessel
To prevent this shifting boards" are ar
ranged in the hold to keep the grain in
place; but these sometimes give way, and
the tremendous slide which follows usu-
ally throws the ship on her beam ends
Another point to be guarded against with
this cargo is its becoming damp II this
occurs the grain will swell and spring the
seams. until the vessel is as full of holes
a sieve.
Light lumber. when il is in a form which
can be made fast, so that IL will not shift,
IS safe cargo. Lumber will keep you
atoat every time; YOU can't go down with
that aboard. said an old captain the
other day. Yellow pine, however, is an
exception to the general rule, being very
much of a dead weight, with an effect
quite the reverse of buoyant upon the ship.
There are two substances shipped from
South American ports which have the
reputation of being bad cargoes, and
which, consequently, are generally car
ried upon a poor class of vessels. These
are phosphate, used here as a fertilizer,
and asphaltum. the demand for which
is constantly increasing as streets are re-
paved. Both are remarkably solid and
heavy and take all the life out of a ships
movements IF rough weather is encoun-
tered she pitches about at the mercy of
the seas, unable to rise to them on ac-
count of her unyielding burden. Salt and
stone are also heavy weights and are US
ually taken along as ballast, when the
main cargo consists of cotton or some
other light material
There is no doubt that steamers are
gradually usurping all the trade which
was formerly confined to sailing vessels,
aud the number of iron and steel ships
is constantly increasing, to replace the
old ones of wood. But in spite of it's
disadvantages, there is nevertheless a
good word to be said for the old-fashioned
wooden craft If il springs a leak it's
chances of life are better than those of
the iron ship, when one or two of its
plates have been ripped away and adj
mitted the water: and in case of ground
ing upon a shoal the wooden ship is much
more easily fioated off than her iron
sister.
The finest merchant vessels trading to-
day are the swift, steel steamers which
ply between here and China, and other
distant ports They carry the most val
liable cargoes, such rs tea and silk, and
are in every respect the queens of their
class. With such splendidly equipped YES
sells as these. laden with goods to which
no especial risks attaches, the perfection
of the merchant marine service is reached,
and the captain who commands such a
ship has reason to be well content with
his position.