Mrs ERJ had a recent conversation about the Spanish Armada and how the Spanish ships were designed with multiple, flying decks to minimize harbor taxes. Locating cannon and firing from elevation makes sense when you are on land. It is a horrible idea at sea.
The sea is unforgiving.
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The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 was a huge boost for steam-ships as there is no room to tack in a canal nor is there much room for keel slippage. At that time, steam accounted for about 20% of British shipping tonnage.
When steam ships able to burn fossil fuels arrived in the early 19th century the result was stunning. Since the 1840s the volume of cargo moved by sea has increased by a factor of 400 (that is to say we transport 400 times as much cargo today as we did then) to 8 billion tonnes in 2009 (see Figure 1 below). Today we transport 1.2 tonnes of cargo each year for every person on the globe iv . For rich countries such as the European Union, imports are closer to 3 tonnes per capita. -Source
As always, thanks for continuing the tradition ERJ.
ReplyDeleteI suspect many people (myself included) completely underestimate the impact of shipping until things like the Francis Scott Key Bridge goes down or the Red Sea becomes effectively "traverse at your own risk". There is no other meaningful way to move bulk cargo internationally without invoking significant expense.
I really enjoy these art posts and I also miss the Woodpile report. I'd love to hear him on todays events!
ReplyDeleteYou asked about mustard greens, and I had nothing to offer because here (NJ) they seem to be decimated by little black flea beetles. But I can recommend collard greens whole heartedly. I'd suggest a non heading type. They hold through the winter here and in the summer even if the cabbage moth caterpillars get on them they are sturdy and thick enough to harvest anyway. I cut them and submerge in the sink in cold water to drown them. Most will float off. Sautee an onion add the stripes of greens and some hot pepper flakes or chili powder cover with lid for a few minutes. No long cooking like I always heard about down south. Best to you and your family, Valerie in NJ
Anyone who read The Woodpile Report can still hear Ol' Remus from beyond the grave!
DeleteCan confirm. Remus is missed.
DeleteThose are wonderful works of art. Really superb.
ReplyDeleteIndeed... The Spanish warship Vasa... 'Got about 300ft from the mooring on her maiden voyage before she rolled over and sank... Topheavy is NOT good... I spent much time in the Bering Sea in the Coast Guard, smacking the superstructure with a baseball bat to knock the ice off of it. 1/8" of ice on a ship's superstructure is enough to turn it turtle...
ReplyDeleteSwedish Warship Vasa, nice display in the Vasa Museum.
DeleteI noticed the value of her salvaged bronze cannons for other warships of that era, then ignored until the 50's, when rediscovered and raised.
Do you have any references on how harbor taxes drove ship design? I've never heard of that concept and it sounds fascinating.
ReplyDelete