THE WINDJAMMERS OF TODAY

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 114, 10 November 1934, Page 25

THE WINDJAMMERS OF TODAY

The last two windjammers 'of'-the Australian grain fleet have-just arrived both "old ships, writes Pamela Bourne in the "Daily Mail." Miss Bourne sailed as a member of one of the ships. The Lawhill is discharging in London and the Favell in Dublin. It is pro bably the last trip tho Favell will make, for the years ride heavily upon her." So the grain race is over. Now the- fireside ■ sailors' are- getting busy,' passing judgment on the skill oi I captains and tho virtues of sailing ships. Again the old lie about the Cutty Sark having been the fastest clipper ever built is going its punds, And again the seafarers in the ships themselves remain silent. What makes a smart passage? Not hard weather and great gales which send the ship leaping through tho watei at sixteen knots. Steady fresh winds are the speediest in tho end, when the ship perhaps logs nothing above eight knots. Last year when the Parma made a record passage Home from Australian eighty-three' days she did not lose' a sail—almost an unheard of fact on the Horn route. The veteran captain Keuben de Cloux, commanded her and naturally was credited with the smari run. This year young Captain Karis son had her, and made a long passage of 139 days. Captain de Cloux would himself be the first to own that the same bad luck might have attended him. In these days when it is all plain

j sailing a ship has no weapon against' , light airs. No modern sailing ship cari ries enough crew to handle studding ! sails, which kept the speed of the old- . time clippers at a high average. But, l to tell the truth, fast passages are now - of little importance with cargo at go I much tho ton and no bonus for quick i delivery. If one of Eriksson'B windjammers j earns good money for her owner it is '. almost certain that she-cannot make a j good passage home. Good money means > a cargo out, usually' to Africa, and , knocking about in Tropic waters for, . months before reaching .Australia, i None of the ships is dry-docked there, and those that have been on the ; African East Coast aro encrusted with i barnacles, which can reduce their speed • by several knots. s Another drawback is that those ships ! start lato from Australia. Delayed by L tho usual long discharge in some African port, they start sometimes as late i as April from Australia, come in for i winter storms in the South Pacific, and l midsummer calms in the North Atlans tic. They have no chance in the run , home. ' 1 The Herzogin Cecilio has lately twice t' had cargo out to Africa. She is famous for her speed. She is one of the ) few ships who have no limit. The more canvas she carries, and the more f avj ourablo the weather, the faster she :, goes:- In ballast with a gale blowing and no sea she has reached the incredil bio speed of twenty knots.