GLORIES RECALLED

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 198, 24 August 1935, Page 9

GLORIES RECALLED

GREAT DAYS OF SAILING SHIPS. ST. JOHN, N. 8., July 1. The story of the port of St. John, as published iu a booklet by the St. John Board of Harbour Commissioners, has directed attention to the all-but-forgot-ten part this city and the province of New Brunswick played in the gallant world of sailing ships. In the Napoleonic Wars Great Britain needed the square timbers and tall masts New Brunswick could supply in unlimited quantities, and in St. .John they began building ships in which to carry them. Presently St. John ships were sailing about the world, seldom returning to their home port, and it is on record that in 1843, out of a list of 156 ships of 500 tons and upwards sailing out of Liverpool, no less than 136 Lad been built in Canada, mostly in .New Brunswick. Again, in 1858, 100 sailing ships of 1200 tons and upwards left Liverpool with passengers and valuable cargoes for Australia—and 64 of them were built in Eastern Canada, 42 of them in New Brunswick and 33 in St. John. The names of many of St. John’s tall ships were I'.onbeLold words among the mariners of all the. seas. There was, for example, the great M.t-co Polo, blazoned once as fastest ship in the world. Built in 1850, a three-decker, of 1625 tons, she boat all the old records by carrying lOi’.O passengers from England to Australia iu 76 days. In 1854 was launched the White Star, half again ns largo as the Marco Polo, which ' crossed the Atlantic in 14 days on her maiden voyage. The Great Australia came from St. John, ami the Charlotte Gladstone which, in ’’Sil, sail’d frem London to New Zealnu'i in the record breaking time of 87 day? Presently, of <nurse, die day of the sailing sh p passed, an I the industry with it. The modern St. John, with its rich memories, is one of the Atlantic’s great ports, with flip most complete facilties for handling the immense ocean traffic that flows through it.