FROM CRUISER TO MERCHANTMEN.

Taihape Daily Times, 2 October 1918, Page 2

FROM CRUISER TO MERCHANTMEN.

One of the oldest American waxships has escaped the shipbreaker by a very ingenious strategem. The TJ. S.S. Boston, a protected cruiser or 3000 tons, Avas launched in 1884, and had, therefore, completed more than her allotted span. In the yjrdinary run of events she would have been broken up, hut the tremendous demand for tonnage led the Navy Department to sanction her conversion into a freight steamer. She was accordigly dismantled and handed over to a shipyard at Seattle, where the side plating was carred up one deck higher until the freeboard from stem to stern reached the level of the original boat deck. The forward funnel was taken out, and a new bridge, with charthouse ,etc., built before the remaining smokestack. No change was made in the machinery, which was renovated in 1899. In her new rig the Boston looks her peaceful part, save for the aggressive ram how, which has been retained. She is now employed as a frieght carrier in the Alaskan trade, and has probably a long and useful career before her. Her present market value, owing to the high price of new construction, is as great as her original cost. Among the Allied navies there must be many ob* 1 solete ships which possess no real fighting- value, and the conversion of the Boston is a precedent which may be followed elsewhere.