The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1905-01-29
.JuNks IN FRISCO BAY.
Chinese Craft That Fly the waters
of the Golden Gate.


or all the craft that plow the Writer'S
of Sun Francisco bay none are more
curious or more picturesque than the
Chinese junks.> Probably few people
are aware OF the existence WITHIN tue
po;tals Of TIE 8;oldcn Gate of fleet
of these strange little boats. built Oh
almost precisely the same lines that
Monaghan marine architects made
fashionable many long centuries ago. 4
They frequent the byways rather than
the highways of the hnrbor. flight,
visit the busy water front section every
day Tor a month and moi be rewarded i
with the sight of junk
TIE grcntcr part of this erientnl fleet
In occidental waters Is employed In the
shrimp fishing industry, branch of
human activity which In this city IL
almost exclusively in the hands of the
Chinese. A few, indeed. journey among
the townships located around the bay
and collect old horseshoes, kelp and
broken glass, the latter utilized In the
manufacture of sandpaper. Others are
used as fishing smacks. Many Of them,
it Is said. are available when there IL /
chance to smuggle little opium. From
vessels arriving from the east parcels
Of the drowsy drug, with floats attach
ed. have been dropped overheard. and
a keen eyed junk captain has general
~ been near enough to secure the val
liable contraband But the vigilance
of the customs authorities has pretty
well put an end to this practice, and
the junks are now perfQrce engaged In
legitimate business. The other Is too
risky.
The Chinese junk is In Itself an illus
tration of the characteristic Celestial &
imperviousness to all change 1t IL
built along lines that have remained
unchanged for hundreds Of
years. Yet. though apparently a relic
of past ages, this craft IL not to be
despised as "A useful boat for bay pur-
poses. 1t Is very fast sailer, Is capa-
bic of resisting squally weather and III
easily handled
The laws Of Uncle Sam take no more
cognizance of the average Chinese Junk
nathis harbor than Of floating log Of
wood. The vessel Is, as rule, 40 feet
long by 10 feet on the beam. It car
ries one mast thirty feet high. The
crew of Il shrimp boat comprises ak
men. -
The unmistakable, distinctive ear
mark Of the junk is It's sail. 1t is
typically s'hinese - huge, nearly
square thing, measuring perhaps 25
feet by 30 feet. Nothing liz more odd
about this sail than the fact that 1t In
stayed or Slated with cane STICKS at
regular intervals. three or four feet
apart. over It's whole length The effect
8 something on the lines of Venetian
blind. stiff instead Of limp. like tho ev- D
'ryday European and American sail.
This is another very old idea carried
Town to these modern times by Chi I
lese conservatism. The purpose Of the
lats Is not clear. Probably they are
meant TO obvlate the necessity Of care
ully furling and folding the sail whes
Is down. The junk sail is run ups +.
md down by pulley Instead Of by 81
means Of ring. When lowered 1t re-
mains where 1t falls. does not become
angled and may he hoisted ugain In
family and without trouble.
junk is built on the beach by Chi
lese shipbuilders. During last sum
ner new one was constructed ut
hunters Point. 1t took three months
0 put 1t together The builder charged
$50 for II. inclusive of labor and ma
erial.-San Francisco Chronicle.