----- Original Message -----

From: Nolan Hinshaw via groups.io

To: main@realstmfc.groups.io

Sent: Friday, August 21, 2020 11:39 AM

Subject: Re: [RealSTMFC] Ship anchors?

On Aug 21, 2020, at 08:16, Edward <edb8381@...> wrote:

[...]

> Anchors for a flatcar load would be more like those used on large naval vessels and ocean going ships since the late 19th century, having two large flukes attached to a shank with an eyelet for attaching the anchor chain. At about 10 tons or so each, four such anchors would make a good flat car load, held in place with wood blocking.  The attached photo will show the scale of these anchors, from a person sitting by it.

[alert: era-dependencies at work]

There were (and in a few cases still are preserved) sailing ships built in the late 19th century and even a few steam axiliaries built in the early 20th which carried the sliding stock anchors. Balclutha, 1886, Connell & Sons, Glagsgow (one of the first 20 or so steel-hulled sailing ships[0]) is currently resident at the only floating national park in the US and its territories[1]. The more modern naval anchor doesn't cat up like the earlier design, so even the early steam auxiliaries with the more traditional hull shape carried the earlier design of anchor.
--
Nolan Hinshaw, docent emeritus, footnote [1]

[0] for non-military use, steam was for high-priority cargoes, like people and mail - vide the Pacific Mail Steamship company. For the lower-priority cargo, sail was still for a long time less expensive to operate than was steam, especially for bulk haulers.

[1] San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park: <https://www.nps.gov/safr/index.htm>