Windjammers Wane in Australian Wheat Race

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 83, 24 April 1937, Page 16

Windjammers Wane in Australian Wheat Race

ADELAIDE— The fieet of wheatearrying windjammers is steadily declining, and only li barques wiU take part in this season's run to Europe. In 1921, there were 36 sailing ships in the romantic race with the grain from Australia to Europe. In that year, the flags of six or seven countries were hoisted, but this seasoxx, all but two — the Sweddish training ships, Abraham Eydberg and C. B. Pedersen — are owned by Capt. Gustav Eriksen of Mariehomm, in the Aland Islands, and fly the Finnish flag. Eor the current season's harvest, 74 vessels have been chartered already to take wheat from Australian ports. They include the 14 barques sailing Syutb Australia with moro than 50,000 tons of grain. The lirst of the group, the Abraham Eydberg, has already left. It is expected that by the end- of March the whole fieet will have sailed. From one port in South Australia, 750,000 bags will be loaded. Owing to the high price of wheat, farmers are showing an inclination to. hold supplies. A Jew was asked why he called his house s'The Cloisters." "Yell," he replied, "we're cloister the trams, cloister the trains, aiid cloister tixe synagogue."