SAILING SHIP DAYS.

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 149, 27 June 1925, Page 24

SAILING SHIP DAYS.

tThe signing of the Armistice signed

also the death-warrant of wind-propelled

craft. Since then, large sailing ships have practically vanished , from • the seas. Because of this, probably, there runs a note of Baldness through "Before tho Mast—and After," by Sir Walter Kunciman, Bart., says "Pearson's Weekly." The author ran away, to sea when only twelve years old, got a, job as cabin boy, and rose in time to command vessels of liis own, and to^found" a famous line of. cargo steamships. It was hard training for a lad in those far-off days. "I knew what it was," says Sir Walter, "to suffer hunger at sea. In common with other youths of my period, I had also to take two hours' turn in the main chains, heaving the lead on icy winter nights when huge seas.swept over vs." Discipline in those days was enforced ruthlessly; and it was customary to give the name of "bully" this or that to those captains who were cruel in. their piefchods of enforcing order, and who carried sail hard. And some 'of them did carry saii, especially those m the Australian trade. In order to make .1 quick passage some of (hem used ; to put, padlocks on the halyards so 'that their -officers could uot take sail in while [it. was their watch, on deck, no'matter how ■hard it might' come on to blow. There was'some''excuse foi- tins recklessness, though, for, owing to tile meanness j of many of the owners, frequently only sufficient provisions and .water, were taken on board to last out the.voyage. Consequently, any unusual delay meant short rations for the crew. Naturally, the author met with many surprising adventures, and had minie'rons narrow escapes during his years:of seafaring life. Sir Walter's narrowest escape from death occurred in December, 1878. Four stout ships, the Prometheus, of Suride'ylaad, the Joseph ITereiiSj- of Newcastle, the Marlborongh, of Hull, and the Coanwood, of Newcastle, all sailed from the Tyne for Genoa at the same time. . Captain. Eunciman was in command of | the Coanwood, and she : was the bnly ) vessel of the four to reach her destination. The other three foundered with all hands in the Bay of Biscay during a fearful hurricane. The Coanwood just managed to keep afloat,'and that was all. .She reached, port—nine-i'iys overdue^with her bulwarks . stove-. in and charthouse' and bridge gone, not a boat,'-a- binnacle, a, deck compass or-a sidelight left, and the hatches smashed in.- ■•■■'■ ■.■'.{■'-' - -..-•■.•■..