The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

18 M A R I N E KR Eo Vy 4 B&B ---- --~ HOISTING SAIL OF SQUARE RIGGED VESSELS Capt. William Williams, a retired sailing master of Oakland, Cal., has invented a device which promises to accomplish a radical change in the handling of all square-rigged vessels. This invention consists practi- cally of a set of winches placed at the foot of each mast where- by a single man by operating a crank can. furl, unfurl, or reef a sheet in one minute. To complete any three of these operations on the main yard, lower topsail yard, upper top- sail yard, and lower and upper topsail yards, would require an active and able-bodied seaman but five minutes at the five winches. These winches are so arranged as to take up their own slack by reversing cogs. The sheets themselves work on sleeves encircling the yard arms,--operating somewhat on the same principle as the com- mon window curtain. By slip- ping a brake, the sheets can be allowed to unfurl themselves by a system of counterbalanc- ing weights. The gearing is so arranged that a pressure of only 55 lbs. on the crank will hoist a weight--sails, etc.--of 2,000 lbs. up in the rigging-- certainly a great gain of power. The operation of the Williams' patent necessarily only extends to square-rigged vessels. This labor-saving appliance possesses another notable fea- ture, which lies in the arrangement of winches on a bridge over the deck in front of each mast. By means of this appli- ance the yards are braced, eased away, or hauled around be- fore the wind by one energetic seaman working three minutes with a crank. The sails may be held very firmly at any de- sired angle to the wind, same as under the present method. All the tackle used in the Williams patent consists of strong steel wire rope. The system of winches before the mast cor- responds to the present interminable tangle of halyards, and besides saving more than half the labor is invaluable in cases where the wind takes the vessel hard aback. Under the old system it was almost impossible to furl under these conditions. Under the new appliances the sails may be furled as easily then as at any time--amidst a howling tempest, or calm. The force or direction of the winds make very little or no differ- ence. All this work is done from the deck, and there is no neces- sity for sending seamen aloft in darkness and storm at the imminent peril of limb and life. In the event of sudden emergencies, the sails may be reefed, or shortened very quick- ly, and danger averted. It is a noteworthy fact that for centuries the method of handling sheets on board sailing craft has undergone no rad- ical changes. The heavy blocks, tackle and tangle of halyards and rigging are about the same as when Columbus crossed the stormy Atlantic on his memorable voyage of discovery. It requires now about twenty-four able-bodied seamen to man a full-rigged ship. By using half that number, as would be nec- essary in adopting the Williams appliances, a saving of twelve men for one year at $18 per month would result in thus sav- ing to the owner of the vessel $2,594 per annum--not counting the cost of provisions. The necessary appliances would cost a considerable sum, but, in the long run, would be a most DEVICE FOR HOISTING SAILS OF SQUARE-RIGGED td ; VESSELS. the commission will confer ---- a economical measure Capt. Williams' invention is attracting much attention and interest now in shipping circles, and the members of the Merchants' Exchange of San Francisco are very favorably impressed with it. FUTURE SHIPPING LEGIS- LATION It is probable that New York shipping interests and _ also those of other important cen- ters will be given a further op- portunity to present their views to the Merchants' Marine Com- mission before the shipping bill is introduced into the new con- gress. Mr. Winthrop L. Mar- vin, secretary of the commis- sion, who was in New York last week, gave his views on the subject of legislation as fol- lows: "In the closing days of the session congress authorized and directed the continuance of the Merchant Marine Commission to enable it to make whatever further inquiry it may desire to undertake throughout the sum- mer and until the assembling of the new congress. As yet no definite plans have been made by Chairman Gallinger or his associates as to this further inquiry; but it is possible that with some of the New York interests that were not heard because of the lack of time when the commission met in this city last May. "The shipping bill framed by the commission was promptly and favorably reported at the recent session of both houses of congress. On three out of four of the main points of the bill--the naval retainers, the new ocean mail lines and the in- creased tonnage taxes--there was substantial agreement be tween the majority and minority senators and representatives. The one point of difference was as to the method of aiding and encouraging general commercial tonnage outside of the mail lines--the majority of senators and representatives favoring the subvention of $5 per gross registered ton and three mem- bers of the minority urging the return of discriminating duties. "On the important point of government action for the up- building of the merchant marine the commission, therefore, was entirely and heartily unanimous; the only difference, and that on one of the four features of the bill, was as to the ex- act method of legislation. "This is a significant fact which seems to be overlooked in some of the comment on the work of the commission, 'both here and abroad. It is rather interesting to note that neither on the commission itself nor on the two committees of congress which have considered the bill of the Merchant Marine Commission did the division run strictly along party lines. The minority report of the senate committee on commerce was signed by only three of the six minority senators and in the house com- mittee by five of the six minority representatives. There is therefore no reason for believing that whatever action may be taken the new congress will strictly follow party lines. And it is well in this connection to remember that the administra- tion majority, which was only about thirty in the last house, reaches the enormous figure of more than one hundred in the new house of representatives. "As the bill framed by the Merchants' Marine Commission