New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-05-15


There appear to be two ideas which have led
M to the invention OF the modern anchor 81
the idea OF attaching the vessei Dy means VI "
rope or chain to a weight sufficiently heaN! 20
keep the vessel from moving when the weight
has sunk to the bottom OF the sea; ana ~, the
idea OF using hook instead OF tor In hnuia, Ion
to) the weight. so az 10 catch In the bott"in' me
English word anchor is practically inc same
as the Latin ancora and the Greek ahsHurh'
meaning that which has an ansle. rom 'nc
700, ank bent The earliest anchors mad" on
the hook principle probably only had one HUN"
instead OF two. In the Sussex Arch'l. '"''.
there is an illustration OF what mas De'' sur
missed 10 be an anchor made out ot the nhturai
forked branch OF n tree. II was round WIN an
ancient British canoe NJ Burpham' SurS'N
There is in the British Museum an Interesting
ieaden anchor with two nukcs hearing u creek
inscription. Its date is about ~ IL {, ana IL
was found or the coast OF CyTcne IN. lnH'h
lion OF the anchor with two hukes ~ attributed
bv Pausanius to Midas. by Pliny 10 Eupa ainas'
md nv Strabo 10 Anacharsis Diodorus Siculus
et ates that the first anchors were wooden tunes
filed with lead. while another ciassic". wiz,
says that before the Introduction OF I'v'n,
anchors Jumps OF stone with n h"l" thr"ush
the middle for the attachment OF the cable "'''
used The form Of the anchors used by IN"
Greeks and Romans is wei known if"i' 'tP.e
sertations on Trajans Column and In the cata-
combs at Rome as carly Christian syihpoi'
This form does not seem to have chansen ma
,crially for quite thousand years. as Is SHOWN
By the BaycuX tapestry: - 49, t.,
use AZ the present day In different parts OF inc
world and n study OF their constructor may
throw some light on the evolution OF the i''oa-
ern anchor. ,. ,
An anchor which came from Japan CONSISTS OF
a natural forked branch OF tree. signify I'M
proved artfcially. 80 as 10 make NOON, 10
shank and to these two ordinary bcach pcpnicsS
are tied The length Of the anchor Is iect !,
inches; the width across the nook ih,heS a., NM
across the transverse bars. ] foot Inches Inc
stones are from : To Il inches in diameter ana =
Inches thick Another anchor was IN use qu''e
recently in the Aran lslands. on the "est COAST
Of Galway. 1t is constructed or siophs par
a, each eide and three crOssbars. forming a ilg-
ure not unlike the isoscclcs triangle IN Euchd
mons asinorum The lowest Of the three cross
bars Ia OF square section. ana ~ nXeh ny on
.nikes at each side to the slopng pieces so as 10
nreyent them spreading outward Inc stohc,
which acts "A a weight. is clipped py means VI
the two side pieces being heid ush'y Wy w"
snliced rings OF rope passing under the upper
crossbars These crossbars are Of round section
and project at each side. thus keeping 'ne noP
rings from slipping upward. The cabic ~ hAca
Co Tho middle Of the lowest transverse bar ana
Co carried I'D on one side OF the stone. then DC
tween the two slopins boards, ana mary
through n loop fixed to hole at the top OF , tn
anchor The boards at each side are loot lVft
inches long and the stone foot D Inches long.
II may seem strange that such primltive-looK
ing contrivances should continue to be used by
0ebernen who have a full knowledge or every
modern appliance connected with navigation ana
wessels Yet there good reasons why they
bould have survived. Where the sea or river
had is rocky anchors are easily lost. TINS ~
sorious matter when the anchor is OF iron ana OF
some value: but II it is constructed IKE those
described there is not much diiiculty or tA,
nnsn In re- pIacing IL. A beach stone and a Few
bi,o ~ wood arc always at hand, and the skilled
,orkmanship required To fashion them INTO a
very serviceable anchor IS but small mus ~ y,
49, under certain conditions. primitive appii
snces must always hold their own against mod
81 tnycntions When. often happens. a
newly introduced contriyance ge,s GU. OF o, ,'
~ more expense to replace it than II IT were OF
anu construction and capable Of being made
nv an ordinary workman out OF materials easily
pr .n~ch 10 learn from his prehistoric anccs-
tnrs and from uncultured races still existing a.
~. how he should act In an emergency wnen 20
S..usI of his usual applianceA