Sails Of The Maritimes: The Story Of The Three-And Four-Masted Cargo Schooners Of Atlantic Canada 1859-1929 John P. Parker

Sails of the Maritimes: The Story of the Three-and Four-Masted Cargo Schooners of Atlantic Canada 1859-1929; John P. Parker, M.B.E., Master Mariner; The Maritime Museum of Canada, Halifax, 1960. First publication. From the blurb – The subject of this book is the story of the development of the large cargo schooners which were built in Atlantic Canada during the eighty-odd years of their existence. They descended directly from the small two-masted schooners which had been popular from early times on this continent. There was a limit to the size of a two-masted schooner, however, the limitations being imposed by the size of the mainsail and the difficulty of handling this sail with a small crew. By adding a third mast the sails were kept to a smaller size. As the vessels increased in tonnage a fourth mast was added. The evolution ended with a huge seven-masted schooner which was not successful. These vessels were built until the early 1920’s and the last of them disappeared just after World War II. The schooners were a familiar sight in the ports of the North and South Atlantic during the period of their existence until ending their days as marine casualties in the open sea or slowly disintegrating on a deserted shore. They will remain in the minds of the people who knew them as white graceful ships of the days that are gone. This book, 226 pages is in very-good condition in a very-good dust jacket that is now enclosed in a protective mylar wrap. There is some spotting on the page edges but not in the text. The book is very well illustrated with black & white photographs and there are two multi-page foldouts of schooner designs.