Most Shanghai residents must know by sight the big salvage tugs owned by the Shanghai Tug & Light-
During the submarine campaign in the Great War a number of vessels which were torpedoed did not sink, while others took a long time in go-Ing under: if a powerful and thoroughly seaworthy tug had been available for immediate action many more of these crippled steamers could have been brought into port and their cargoes, as well as the ships themselves, saved.
To meet the emergency the "Saint" lass of tug was designed by the British Admiralty, a few were] launched just before the Armistice, the majority, however, at a Inter date: it is probable that none were completed in actual time for War As tugs, they are the very last werd in their class, and as. sea worthy craft there is nothing to bent them: they are fully capable of riding out any weather (although we have heard that in a short sea their movements have been known to upset a hardened old sailor): they have large bunker capacity and without a tow can keep at sea for 15 or 16 days with a steaming radius of over 4,000 males.
They originally carried a 12- pounder on the foredeck—the gun mountings, as well as the magazine and ammunition hoist are still there, and they are exceptionally strongly built forward for the purpose ut ramming submarines.
Forty-six "Saints" have been launched, six having been built fat Hongkong including the St, Dominic and St. Sampson now stationed here, and the St. Breock recently sent here by the British Naval authorities: the St. Aubin, the third of the Tug liter Company's "Saints," was built by Messrs. Harland & Wolff Glasgow and was probably the first ship of this class to be completed.
The majority of the Saints have passed out of naval hands and have been acquired by salvage, towing and mercantile companies, which renders it impossible to record their doings as a "Saint" fleet; however, there is tone instance of a long tow being effected by the St. Kitts and by another "Saint" of a very large steamer from Rio to the British Isles, The Hongkong built boats are Slightly larger and more powerful than the Home-built ones—none were built outside the British Isles except at Hongkong—and arg 450 tons gross and 800 tons displacement, their engines being 213 N.H.P. and about 1,500 1LH.P, The St. Dominic arrived here in the autumn of 1919 and, in spite of considerable adverse criticism prosed on ber arrival and rents of "too big for the river," "white elephant," ete., she has evinced the acumen' of her owners. In fact, after the salving of the Pakling, Glaucus and Cordillere and many smaller undertakings, and 0 her general adaptability to local requirements, it was decided to bring up her her cousin from Bombay.
During the St. Dom voyage from Hongkong she encoun: ered a northerly gale and, to test her power and ability, she was slogged through it, a slithering mass of foam and spray: in spite of the heavy sea running she maintained a steady 12 knots.
Now that such large steamers as the "Empresses"" Presidents' are regularly coming up to town, the port would be severely handicapped were it not for the "Saints" that are here to render them assistance when required.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.