The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-06-19

lead, while another classical writer says
that before the introduction of metal
anchors Jumps of stone with hole
through the middle for the attachment OF
the cable were used. The form of anchors
used by the Greeks and Romans is web
known from representations on Traian's
column and in the catacombs at Rome
as an early Christian symbol This form
does not seem to have changed materially
for quite a thousand years, as is shows
by the Bayeux tapestry.
Some very primitive kinds of anchors
are in use at the present day in different
parts of the world, and a study of their
construction may throw some light On
the evolution of the modern anchor
An anchor which came from Japan con.
eists OF a natural forked branch of a tree,
slightly improved artifcially so as 10
make a hook. Two round bars are fixed
at right angles to the shank, and 10 these
two %Ainary beach pebbles are tied The
length Of the anchor is 2 feet inches;
the width across the hook 8 inches and
across the transverse bars, l foot
inches. The stones are from to
inches In diameter and inches thick.
Another anchor was In use quite recent
~ in the Arau Islands, off the west coast
OF Galway It is constructed of a sloping
bar at each side and three crossbars, form
ing figure not unlike the isosceles trian-
OF the three crOssbars is of square section,
and as fixed by iron spikes at each side 10
the Sioplng pieces SO as to prevent them
spreading outward. The stone, which
acts as a weight is clipped by means of
the two side pieces, being held tightly by
two spiced rings of rope passing under
the upper crossbars. These crOssbars are
of round section and project at each side,
thus keeping the rope rings from slipping
upward. The cable is fixed to the middle
Of the lowest transverse bar, and Is car
ried up on one side of the stone, then be-
tween the two sloping boards, and finally
through loop fixed to a hole at the top
of the anchor The boards at each side
are 1 foot to 10A inches long, and the stone
l foot inches long.
1t may seem strange that such primitive
looking contriVanCes should continue to be
used by fishermen who have full knOwi-
edge Of every modern appliance connected
with navigation and vessels. Yet there are
good reasons why they should have surviY-
ed. Where the sea or river bed is rocky
anchors are easily lost This is a serious
matter when the anchor is of iron and OIL
some value but if IT is constructed ike
those described, there Is not much diff
Guilty or expense in replacing it, A beach
stone and a few bits of wood are always
OH hand and the skilled workmanship re-
CURED to fashion them into a very service
able anchor is but small. Thus il Is thas
under certain conditions primitive APP
planes must always hold their own
against modern inventions. When, as Oh
ten happens, a newly introduced contrV-
ance gets out of order, it generally H.
wolves much greater loss of time and mo,e
expense to replace it than If II were maus
of simpler construction and capable oil Dc.
ing made by an ordinary workman out o-
materials easily procurable on the spot
Highly civilized man has much to earn
from his prehistoric ancestors, and from
uncultured races still existing, as to no"
he should act In an emergency when us'
prived of his usual appliances.