THAMES BARGES.
(To THE EDITOR OP THE "SPECTATOR."] SIR,—As a lover of the Rochester barge and her skilful crew may I tell another tale of pluck and seamanship ? Some years ago a barge was at anchor somewhere north of Orfordness. It came on to blow; the skipper decided to run for Harwich- Whilst weighing, first one and then the other pawl broke. Round flew the windlass with the strain on the cable. The handspike broke itself as it killed the captain and with its stump flung the mate overboard, who was drowned. The cable ran out to a clinch and parted. The Loy, finding himself. alone, set the mainsail, ran for and reached the " Lunnon River "! Concerning your delightful artiele of March 29th, I have always understood that it is the captain who "courses", the ship from the eminence of the haystack, the mate steering_ Also I think the sprit is always now secured with a "snotter'r, (a wire from the lower masthead to the fore ,end of the sprit) and a chain bag. The "socket" principle was abandoned many years ago, as it was found that, if it carried away, the weight drove the sprit through the barge's bottom.—I am,
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