The Republican journal., 1921-06-16
Straight.Out Sailing Ships Best
Me-o-ny,

The Marine journal of May 18th has
the following interesting article by Fields
Pendleton of New York and Islesboro in
defence of the straight-out American
sailing ships:
Doubt that American sailing vessels
equipped with Diesel auxiliary engines
are the best arrangement for competing
with steamships is expressed by Fields
Pendleton, of Pendleton Bros, shipbrok-
ers. Mr.. Pendleton believes that a
schooner equipped with a motor would
bring her under the jurisdiction of the
Steamboat Inspection Service of the
United States, which would compel the
vessel to carry the same crew as a steam
ship.
"a straight out and out sailing vessel
of 1000 to 5000 TONS" said Mr.. Pendle-
ton. "can beat any kind of transportation
in the world, because its propeIling power
the trade winds and the gulf stream
have not advanced in price. OF course
do not believe that the sailing ship will
drive the steamer off the seas, no matter
how high the price of coal may CO. Gem
eral cargo will always be carried by regu-
lar liners, sailing on specified days. Bulk
cargo, such as coal, lumber and other
commodities of low value and insurance
rates. can be carried mbre cheaply on a
sailing ship,
Pioneered Worlds Trade
'The real economic carriers of the flu
ture will be those of moderate speed, with
passenger and freight accommodations,
and which will not require too much fuel
nor large crew. Such ship should
develop a speed of IA to IS knots in order
to make them LOOK attractive to passen-
gers.
''It is now little known what great
work the sailing ship Dip to build up the
worlds trade. She was the pioneer and
builder Of business all oyer the world be-
cause she went to the undeveloped ports
where the facilities for the steamer were
inadequate. When the trade was estab-
lished and large quantities of merchandise
established regular services and drove out
the schooner. The schooner, however,
was not driven out of business until coal
sold for ST. 80 ton"
Mr.. Pendleton believes that seamanship
has become almost lost art with the ad-
vent of the steamer
BEST framing School
1.-THE sailing Ship" he said sis the only
one that makes sailors. The large British
steamship lines, like the Cunard, will not
put first class master on a passenger
steamer unless he has had certain num-
Der of years of sailing ship experience.
And there are good reasons for this pol
icy. A sailing ship master and a steam
ship master are entirely different men.
GIN storm, or in any other emergency,
the former must rely UPON his own ini-
tiative and must think and act quickly.
What does steamship trained Master do
in such situation? Why, all he does is
to stand in glass case ia the pilot house
and ring to the engineer to slow up or
keep up speed. The sailing snip master,
because of his training IN a more tryin q
field, Is therefore better man on board
a steamship, and the British companies
recognize that fact. The men of the
steamship crowd to-day do not know
enough about seamansSip to splice a
rope"
Speaking about the American Merchant
Marine in general, Mr.. sPendeton said
that what is needed nowi to save it from
being driven off the seas by foreign COM
petitors are a decreased personnel, lower
wages and lower insurance rates.
Labor Does the Debating
"what is killing AND rican shipping
today" he said, SIS the fact that labor
has been doing the debating to Congress.
They have compelled American ships to
carry twice as many men than are neces-
sary and to pay wages that are so per
cent. higher than are be- ing paid on any
of the foreign ships.
another factor that is crippling
American shipping is the high cost of
insurance. We need Federal insurance
act such as the British Parliament gave
to Lloyds, which would enable us to get
insurance in this country Jas cheaply and
on the same basis as do English and other
foreign shipping. At present it is well
known that these insurance companies
pay out only 40 per cent. of their premi-
ums in losses They charge 10 per cent
and it only costs them per cent. to carry
a risk.
''The difference between and 10 pei
cent. is made up by expensive overhead
charges and in mammoth salaries. Lloyds
will take risk on the basis of per cent,
which will allow them to- take risk al
5 1-2 to 6 per cent"