New-York tribune., 1906-04-21
Literary Neses and Criticism,

lively made s the pps d op: Of his mouth and rensc
s1Sg scar thing for the Iopmast beautiful
P~i' anu then resumed yarn about his wife.
Inc three-masted lug rig with local varia-
nohs' distinguishes the sailing boats of France
and the square cut lugsails Of the North nerpe
py degrees into the higher peaked short luff
iussalis OF the South. and so into the long
saroed iateen of the Mediterranean wherever
'he sailors OF Arabia penetrated either east or
eSt' IN the indian Ocean the Mediterranean
1he iateen followed them and remained" For
surNlvals of Egyptian or classical practices we
must turn TO the inland waters of India to
burnah. TO Siam or even to China places where
me Mussulman wave did not break or where
'he Arab seaman failed to secure footing The
present Characteristic vessels of Egypt are the
e@iasSa-an Arab product, with lateen sails and
an enormous rudder-and the magyar, which
carries single balance lug with a boom along
me loot which is so set to top the leach of
| the sail up in the air like that of some of the
facihc island canoes. The method of descend
ing The cataracts OF the Nile in these craft is
certainly ingenious.
In descending cataract or rapid the Nile boat
man profits by the upstream wind head his ship
utrver. and sets sufficient sail keep way against
me une current Thus, while the vessel keeps steerage
Tag, way and is we'll under command. he steers her
npomsy Sd0Miy stern first down the rapid The enor-
explained.
The happy go-lucky" character of Arab sea-
/ manship in the Indian Ocean is we'll illustrated
| py the weird method of changing tack followed
IN the dhows and their various notifications. AS
the vessel wears around the sheet is cast loose
ana the sail flies out round the yard and over
the mast AS the craft round to the
wind the sheet. as it whips about is caught by
the crew and hauled in. Nothing more cum
| brous could be imagined" says the author yet
| the boat spins round rapidly. owing to its
lohg grab bow, that little time is lost.
Ihe ene Bombay boats carry this turning power to
.iin r ar, and there is story of an old English
| at me speed with which his strange prize few
3S; bl at last he got over his surprise and
I sle4uled her on her proper course.
| The ''pulwaI'' of Bengal almost exactly repro
| duces the model of an ancient Egyptian boat
| found in the tomb of Mahiti. Prince of Siyut.
| Similar vessels found in Siam and on the
| Lao River, and In Burmah the classical scholar
may study almost the identical method in which
| the Greeks and Romans used to sling their
| blade rudders on the quarter following the
| Egyptian example. There is much entertaining
| information in regard 10 Malay marine archi-
| lecture, based on the dugout type and the au-
thor is familiar with and discursive on the boats
! Of Siam, where he lived for five years One pc
| culiarity of these craft is worth noting "Their
| rounded. shallow form of hull makes them sail
| well over the wide mud eXpanses exposed along
| some portions OF the gulf at low water Coming
| in with fair wind, each boat takes its we'll
| worn track leading to the long fishing stages
| built out from the land, and with man or two
| out over the stern on their broad wooden mud
skates TO steer they sail gayly in TO their
| ing, half mile or more. as may be necessary
| OF the Chinese junk Mr.. Smyth AYERS that las
| an engine for carrying and his commerce
| upon the high and stormy seas it is doubtful if
| any class of vessel is suited or better
adapted to its purpose" They are strong roomy
and seaworthy, and their sails we'll setting
/ and fat. Until the America visited this coun-
| try" writes this English author when modern
| fiat sail setting first asserted its superiority
| the Chinese were undoubtedly far ahead of all
other nations in their comprehension of the prin-
| ciples Of scientific fore-and-aft sailing" Like
| loyal Britisher. he is quite ready 10 overlook
| the country from which the America hailed!
| The sails of mating, stiffened with battens
| and of a graceful, balance-lug pattern. This mat
sail provides automatic relief to the boat in
fresh wind by allowing a large proportion of
its strength to pass through it. while in light
winds it seems TO hold all the air. OF the shape
Of the Chinese vessels. Mr. Smyth writes
The observer must not be carried away by the
peculiarities Of the superstructures usual in the
larger junks They are embellishments which add
in no way affect the under water lines the ship
cially in the south is generally very sweet and
by no means far removed from that of a corvette
Of eighty years ago.
If some readers may not altogether agree with
the author in his estimate of the junk none can
fail to appreciate the excellent illustrations
found on almost every page of the volume.