The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-07-17
WHAT CONES IN BALLAST.


OaA NkoNAAANhH AAN" NNS VII hnEuuknE N
Aload OF African sand or Of South American
trap rock seems like q queer cargo for q sailing
vessel seriously intent upon making a living
for it's owners TO bring into the port OF New
York. Yet many a crack schooner and large
brig engaged in the foreign carrying trade goes
out from this port with valuable cargoes Of
merchandise. and returns after many days with
little else than n load Of sand or rock, which,
after being brought half around the world, is
ignominiously dumped out at sea Just before
Sandy Hook is sighted. or sold to som con-
tractors for filling In purposes for ridiculously
small sums. Naturally. such Improbable car
goes are not brought here for their commercial
value. but simply for ballast. When n ship re-
turns home from distant shores. after carrying
q large and valuable cargo out, she finds IL pos
sible to pick up only a very light cargo. md to
stifen the vessel properly the Captain has to
take something for ballast
The ballast question has always been O
serious one for sea Captains making long voy-
ages In sailing vessels. Water ballast Ia used
on the large ocean steamers, 80 they are not
compelled to stop at some unimportant port
before crossing the ocean to load up with sand
and rocks. Many OF the modern sailing craft
have tanks also arranged in their holds so they
can take on ballast direct from the sea. But all
Of the old-time sailing vessels have not watcr
compartments below the floors to stifren the
ship and to sink her properly in the water.
Consequently they have to depend upon what
ballast they can pick up before making the
homeward trip. The solution OF this question
in some cases develops remarkable results and
experiences.
The most popular ballast Is stone or rock.
Every shipmaster knows the relative value OF
certain grades of rock even in q port like New
York. and he can sell a cargo OF stone to con-
tractors in this city which will more than pay
him for the cost OF loading and unloading.
Every time a sailing vessel returns from a dis
tant port she is probably visited by half a dozen
contractors who max a bid for her stone cargo
II she carries one. This stone is used chiefly
for paving and matchmaking streets, but some
Of II Is good enough for building purposes.
The shipmaster has to take particular precau-
ton not to bring In ballast a cargo OF anything
that is dutiable. for that would hardly pay him
In the end unless he was sure Of a purchaser at
prices that would be very remunerative.
When rocks and stone cannot be easily OBJ
tanned sand and common dirt are shipped in
ballast. There is little demand In this country
! for African sand or dirt, and the shipmaster
finds such a cargo very Improbable. In some
cases the unloading OF such a cargo begins
shortly after the vessel has rounded Cape Hat
teras. II. coming from the SOUTH. or when Mon
tauk Point is sighted. II coming. from the east.
the sand and dirt in the ocean. and by the time
the craft reaches New York harbor- she stands
SO sob high CHI in o the water tteerrtt that "a. it ta i q Nv wonder to some 1I,s
ocean in such q condition.
But sand and dirt have some uses. and loads
OF II from South America and Africa are Just as
along the shores. Of Long Island OF, New Jersey.
Har6or are anxious 10 get their hollow places
filled in with good sand or dirt, and they give
sea Captains permission to unload their strange
| CarpOpS at such DlapaS. New dOcka- ninra. and
water front are often built in this way. The
vessels are warped up alongside q the new
the water. In time the shallow places are filled
up. and then bulkheads and piers Of wood are
washing away; Sometimes there is such a de-
mand for good sand and dirt for fllling-in pur-
tor a cargo to defray the cost OF loading and un-
Loading y IS ship and still leave a nice little
Another great article that has been used ex-
ff en- ! ~ by I sSaiin 1dN vessels !; tsI In the past pc I'll Tor r bal:
duty from ali coun ant s. Which admitted Omitted Amer I.
can salt free. The idea Of this reciprocity law
f~acturers could make It Improbable for any i'm.
the home industry. In fac TACT. It was be!
iieyed that we could ship salt to all coun:
fi Il, and w rsap a n sma tx but was sati imlPSfssS p @PSEf
The results, however. have been far otherwise.
s NIP Hsters sa sssif ed upon salt as 2 good article ;SI
the country at a nominal price. Immediately
s sait ,r sRpu9f6E e uE &e q er fndid t%ffs sTtD Sssin e va u
PhiiSsdeiiphia, New Orleans. and ali Of the
SiHdfass1ie ei f,oari snefe R &ost e " tbs hsh iR Rfs 9
salt was used By the packers. who could obtain
i]as sth u in m their 1nsf way ayr 5n eou 1 y 'h In 81 1853 8e oRei
200 s 100000 pounds Of salt were imported # ID int int
s !SiS ePF q S%t tRis Ballast tT With vi P6i iRf IpEfeSE New az,
Orleans, Gloucester, Baltimore. Galveston, and
Shipmasters are quick to seize upon anything
for ballast that can In any way be turned tc
All sorts OF Did rubbish that has sufficient
weight to ansyer the purpose OF ballast finds
its c %ay to f Eem 4 tRe f II the eo S9sTse o. Sf { year Eiio SBs
Old scrapiron and even iron ore are picked III
ct some ports, by sailing vessels and the cargo
master can - sell it.. Rich soil d'' from Africa /,
sometimes sold in the city for making gardens
point on the African coast and sold to the gar
deners and florists as, low as 20 cents a load
similar, soil from Interior places in this coun
try. aud as much OF it is very rich, and fertile
it takes the place of commercial and barn
over in Hoboken there. are little stretches o
Africa Brazil, Chill and Peru and along tn
fetal bulkheads built OF rocks and stones tina
once blietered in the hot sun OF Central America
lands without going, beyond the City limits
More than this, one often sees the tropical vege
tation of these same foreign countries grow
ing around them. In the rich soil tn.
grasses are naturally buried. and unde
the influence Of our hot summer SUI
they terminate and thrive luxuriantly
Around Hoboken there are stretches OF vast
land which reveal treasures to the botanist. !
is like visiting a foreign country to wande
over these stretches OF waste fields where ship
have time and. again unloaded their carRoe
! brought in ballast. The plants and flowers ar
, so different from anything else found GROWN
in the neighborhood that they have been tn
; admiration OF many scientific men for years,
1t was n mystery for some time how tn
strange fora around Hoboken ever got Their,
: School children bringing strange plants TO thel
teachers first attracted the attention OF bot
anists. Then an investigation followed. while
revealed the fact that the seeds and plants weI
brought there in the dirt used for ballast. g
I now field botanists make. annual excursions I
: these nearby shores OF Africa and South Amer
lea In summer to study a vegetation that
} rarely seen in this country. Ferns Of remark
J, able beauty. small palms of u .semi-hardy mt
ture. tall grasses. and flowers Of peculiar struC
I ture and beauty are found. In fact. the who