THE WESTFIELD

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 79, 30 September 1933, Page 26

THE WESTFIELD

ANOTHER STRANGE RIG

The unusual rigs of several vessels have been dealt with in these columns in recent weeks. Another, and equally as interesting rig, has come to light in the Westfield, an illustration of which is given. Mr. I. M. Barr, of AVellington, who was second mate on this vessel between May 19, 1902, and September 19, 1903, has supplied some details concerning her. The Westfield was a four-masted barquentine of 1017 tons, owned by W. Nicholls, of Dundee. She was squarerigged on the foremast, and carried fore and aft sails, With gaffs and gaff-top- i sails on the main, mizzen, and jigger masts. In addition, and here is where the unusual nature of the rig is apparent, sho carried a cro'jack on the miz- : zen. This sail was 46ft deep and above . it was a square topsail. The Westfield : had also four head sails and two main staysails. On the 's trips from Hull to i Australia and back to Middlesbrough, ] which occupied seventeen months, the. 1 two square sails on the miz/.en were in i constant use. The ports visited during t the period Mr. Barr acted as second l mate were Penarth (Wales), East Lon- j don, Albany, Newcastle, Valparaiso. Coquinto, Falmouth (for orders), and s Middlesburgh (for discharge). 1 . The Westfield carried 500 tons of 1 water ballast in a 14ft deep tank placed S between the main and mizzen masts. 1 Her crew consisted of eight A.B. 's and c two ordinary seamen. They were di- ' vided into one watch of whites and one l watch of the black members of the 1 crew, No record runs were put up by the' vessel, her best speed being 12 cl knots in a strong breeze on the quarter, f