THE NARROWING FIELD FOR SAILING SHIPS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XVI, Issue 199, 22 August 1881, Page 2

THE NARROWING FIELD FOR SAILING SHIPS.

[New York Shipping List ] The United States is not the only country whose shipping is suffering from the rapid encroachment of British iron steamships upon branches of the ocean crrrying trade in which sailing ships have figured exclusively down to a recent period. Complaints are heard of ppor business from the shipowners of Germany, Italy, Austria, and the Scandinavian countries, similar to those uttered by American shipowners. Our neighbours of the British North x\merican Maritime Provinces have built and own an extensive fleet of wooden ships, most of which have been largely and profitably employed iu carrying grain, petroleum, cotton, and other commodities from the United States to other countries. But these Canadian ships are now suffering, in common with those of the United States and other nations, from the unrelenting competition of the steam fleet, and our northern neighbours are begining to manifest no little alarm over the situation. The St. John (N.8.) " Telegraph " says the opinion is fast gaining ground among the shipowners of that province that it is only a question of time when the whole North Atlantic trade between the principal ports, even in the carriage of deals, will be done by steamships, so rapidly are they now encroaching on freighting business over which sailing vessels had once exclusive control. The same tendency is shown in other routes cf freighting fo prefer steamships to sailing vessels. The China tea trade ia monopolised by steamers; a large part of the freighting to and from India is done by steamers via the Suez Canal. Under these circumstances it would seem as if the field for wooden vessels was likely to bs constantly narrowed until it reachedthe vanishing point, and the demand for wooden ships entirely cease. This superficial view of the case would, however, hardly he accurate. Between great ports, where there sre large quantities cf freight to be shipped, and where the facilities for loading and unloading and quick despatch are good, steamers will in the end win the day. Shippers are willing to pay steamers better rates of freight owing to their greater speed and certainty in ocean Toyages; and as the tendency is constantly in the direction of greater economy in running such freighters, it 13 only a question of time when competition by sailing vessels against . cbeaply-run freight steamers will be do longer possible between great ocean ports on the North Atlantic But between smaller ports, and on certain long voyages, such as those of the North and South Pacific, the wooden sailiner ship will have the advantage for an indefinite period, or nntil a sbip canal nniting the Atlantic and Pacific shall be cut It will be a long time before steamships can carry grain from Oregon and California, or Ruano from Pern ; and yet it cannot be denied that the field for sailing ships is steadily being parrowed. The rapidity of transit ha3 increased so much and so steadily with the improvements ia ocean steamers that it would be folly to speak of any projected scheme for still higher rates of speed as impracticable. Still it must be understood that this high Bpeed is subject always to variations on account of stormy weather or dense fogs. The general tendency appears to be in the direction of very large steamers built of iron or steel, with duplicate shells, numerous watertight compartments, and compound engines But the larger these vessels become the more limitf a will be the nnmber of ports id and from whioh they can sail."