The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1905-01-19
,uNks IN SAN FRANCISCO BAY.
Many of the Curious Craft Built and Sailed
by Chinese.

Many of the Curious Craft Built and Sailed
by Chinese.
OF all the craft that plough the wa
tiers of San Francisco Bay none are
more curious or more picturesque than
the Chinese junks. Probably few peo-
pie are aware of the existence within
the portals of the Golden Gate of a
fleet of these strange little boats, built
on almost precisely the same lines that
Monaghan marine architects made
fashionable many long centuries ago.
They frequent the byways of the har-
Dor. One might visit the busy water
front section every day for month and
not be rewarded with the sight of a
Junk.
The greater part of this Oriental
fleet in Occidental waters is employed
in the shrimp fishing industry
city is almost exclusively in the hands
of the Chinese A few, indeed, journey
among the townships located around
the bay and collect old horse shoes,
kelp and broken glass-the latter util.
lied in the manufacture of sandpaper.
Others are used as fishing smacks.
Many of them, it is said, are available
when there is chance to smuggle a
little opium. From vessels arriving
from the East parcels of the drowsy
drug, with floats attached, have been
dropped overheard and keen eyed
junk captain has generally been near
enough to secure the valuable contra
band. But the vigilance of the Gus
toms authorities has pretty we'll put an
end to this practice, and the junks are
now perforce engaged in legi innate
business. The other IS too risky.
The Chinese junk is ir itself an illus
tration of the characteristic Celestial
imperviousness to all change. 1t is
built along lines that have remained
practically unaltered for hundreds of
years. Yet, though apparently relic
of past ages, this craft is not to be de-
spised as a useful boat for bay pur-
poses. 1t is a very fast sailer, is capa-
bic of resisting squally weather and is
easily handled
The laws of Uncle Sam take no more
cognizance of the average Chinese junk
i'll this harbor than of a floating log of
wood. The vessel is, as a rule, 40 feet
long by 10 feet on the beam. 1t carries
one mast 30 feet high. The crew of
shrimp boat comprises six men.
The Enthusiastically distinctive ear
mark Of the junk is its sail. 1t is rypi-
caily Chinese-a huge, nearly square
thing, measuring perhaps 25 feet by 80
feet, Nothing is more odd about this
sail than the fact that it is stayed or
Slated with cane sticks at regular in
tervals, three or four feet apart, over
its whole length. The effect is some
thing on the lines of Venetian blind,
stiff instead Of limp, like the everyday
European and American sail This is
another very old idea, carried down to
these modern times by Chinese con-
seryatism. The purpose of the Stats is
not clear. Probably they are meant to
obviate the necessity of carefully fur
ling and folding the sal when it is
down. The junk sail is run up and
down by pulley instead of by means
of ring. When lowered it remains
where it falls, does not become tangled
and may be hoisted again instantly
and without trouble
A junk is built on the beach by Chi
nese shipbuilders During last summer
new one was constructed at Hunters
Point. 1t took three months to put it
together. The builder charged $3.50 for
1t, inclusive of labor and materials.