The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1940-05-23
American Ships Formerly
Supreme for Speed,
Seaworthiness.


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TONG before steamboats,
IL came into use, sailing ships
had already explored the open
waters and inhabited coasts of
practically the whole world.
Profits were enormous, too.
Often on a single voyage to
India for pepper and spice, or
to China for silk and furs,
ship would enrich its owner for
life.
Colonial American shipping
grew so fast that by ITS a
third of all vessels engaged in Brit
ish trade were American built.
There is little doubt that, during the
last century of sail, American mer-
chant ships were the worlds best for
speed and seaworthiness. Probably
lack of money led to elimination of
the ornate and top-heavy forecastles
and cabins that were characteristic
of foreign-built ships. But simple
superstructures made for trimmer
and handler ships, which were fur
ther improved in speed and maneu-
vering by ever developing stream
lines" and by devising better rigs
aloft, with larger sail area.
Ships Had to Be Good.
Many influences obliged America
to build better ships. Our geograph-
ical position forced us to make very
long voyages; lack of naval protec-
ton meant that we must design
ships speedy enough to show their
heels to sea enemies. Many differ
ent rigs were used, but perhaps the
best-known type, until about 1920,
was the trim armed brig of some
200 tons.
More size and speed came with
the transatlantic packet ship, trend
accelerated in 1949 by the discov-
cry of gold in California and Austria
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There followed the enduring glory
of the American clippers, most won-
drous sailing vessels of any age. Un-
heard-of-speeds, faster even than
those of many steamers, were at
tanned by increasing the proportion
of length to beam, by making the
bows concave, and by carrying enor-
nous spreads of canvas even in
heavy weather. Capable captains
and able seamen "drove" their ships
as ships had never been driven be-
fore. Master designer of Yankee
clippers was Donald Mckay, a ma
tive of Nova Scotia, who came to
the United States in 1927. From his
East Boston yard was launched a
succession of history-making ships.
Most talked about and still living
in song and story was the Flying
Cloud. Twice she sailed around the
Horn from New York to San Fran
cisco in the record for that time OF
SO days. During four days of heavy,
favorable gales, she averaged more
than Is miles per hour.
Mississippi Had Paddle Wheel.
The Mississippi was one of the
earliest naval steamships, at that
period invariably equipped with aux
iliary sail power. She had paddle
wheels instead of screw propeller
In 1863 she met her end on the riv'
er for which she was named; Con.
federate batteries sank her as she
was following Admiral Farragut ir
the Hartford. In the decade before
| the American Civil war there was 6
| slow transition from sail to steam
for the motive power of ships, ano
| from wood to iron for their conStruc.
ton.
England set the pace. In 1859 she
completed the 19,000-ton liner Grea'
Eastern, mammoth for her day
Paddle wheels driven by 5,000-horse
power engines were designed to give
her Is knots speed. Forty or fifty
years in advance of her time, she
was unhappily commercial failure
Once the Great .Eastern's ruddel
was disabled during a heavy gale
The ship fell off into the trough ol
great sea and rolled SO violently
as to pitch cow through skyligh'
into the grand saloon, crowded witt
passengers! Later this leviathan lin
er was used in cable-laying. She
put down the second transatlantic
cable in 1865 and laid four more by
1874.
First Armed Engagement.
| Although European navies had al
ready used armored vessels, the
torMerrimack duel at Hamp
ton Roads in March, 1862, was the
first engagement between two such
men-of-war. The Federal Monitor
"a cheese box OF a rift" was ar
entirely new tyr -tec