The evening times., 1901-11-04

the Commerce of the World.
BOSTON. Nov. 4-Months before ne
dreamed OF being a candidate for the Vice
Presidency on the Democratic ticket. the
late Arthur SewaU. Of Maine told a news
paper reporter that ''as long as the winds
blow and the trees grow there would be
business for the sailing ship. since with
bulk freight Of an imperishable character,
in which time Of delivery was not an i'm
portant factor. the steamship could never
compete with II. He further stated-aud
thus submitted himself to the criticism
Of his brethren in the Democratic party
that unless a free ship bin should Kill
the industry. Our steel and iron have
become so cheap in cost and SO good in
quality that il leaves the British only
the advantage Of lower cost Of labor, but
as our labor is superior and our system Of
building better, II we are allowed Co build
tonnage five years longer we viii build as
Cheapiy as on the Clyde" Mr.. Sewal
said then that his experience in building
The Dirigo, the first steel full-rEged ship
const. Icted in this country, had shown
him tEat the American steel mills could
produ,- the plates and angles cheaper
than their English competitors.
Already from his yard iu Bath have
as the Astral the Arthur SewaII. and the
William L. Frye, and today his son is
building the Atlas. But il is not only IN
Bath that steel ships are building. New
steel building yards have sprung mp along
the Delaware, in the waters Of New York
Harbor and IN two cases on the New
England coast. The first Of these latter
Is James J. HiIIs yard near New London.
where the big freighJers are being built
for the Great Northern Railroad, while
at Fore River, in Boston Harbor, a new
battleship yard has sprung into being
within little more than calendar year
At the Fore River yard q vessel con-
Etructed entirely Of steel is now being
built, which Is a striking confirmation OF
Hr. SewalIs prophecy-the FIRST seven
masted schooner, TO be the largest fore
and after and. indeed. the largest sail
ing ship adoat. In the face OF that auui-
hilation Of sailing craft that was so free
~ predicted a short time ago. the fact
that one Of the first products Of our new
est and one Of our most modern yards is
20 be a sailing vessel has great siEuiG-
eance, and the interest which naturally
attaches 90 her size il not diminished
when 0ne learns that IN many ways she
represents an entirely new type, deyeI-
Opmeut on American lines of one Of the
oldest and most original American mod
els.
As Mr. Scwau said. the fight for a prof
liable existence among freight carriers
has introduced a larger type OF vessel, for
the fixed expenses Of such craft do not
Increase in the same ratio as the size. and
so are relatively less than those Of
smaller vessel. SO that she is able 10
make a profit on "a lower rate Of freight
than would be possible were less tonnage
carried. Experience with the only two
siN-masters in the wOrld-th, two big
wooden schOOners built in 1900. the George
W. Wells IN Camden, Ne. a-d the Flea
nor A. Percy, at Bath-was such that il
was recognized that a limit had been
reached in the length Of wooden vessels.
30 that if schooners were 10 grow IL
was necessary 60 begin In steel. Hence
the genesis Of the new seven master.
which will De 400 feet long over all, and