The Lesser Steamers 185 



The powerful bows of the icebreaker 

 are shaped in such a way that, when driven 

 forward, the hull mounts the ice, and the 

 great weight of the ship causes it to 

 weaken when it does not actually give way. 



Once a start has been made, a way is 

 forced right through to the open sea. 



Of all the little ships, perhaps the tug 

 is the most popular. She goes boldly out 

 to the help of her much larger sisters ; she 

 helps them into and out of port ; she takes 

 them in tow when they are disabled; in- 

 deed, there is nothing that a tug will not 

 tackle. 



Naturally enough, the tug is practically 

 all engine, and, more than anything, she 

 would depend upon her engines for her 

 own safety in a heavy sea. With hatches 

 battened down, and the powerful engines 

 doing their best, the tug goes through the 

 worst gale. 



Twice recently three tugs have done 

 wonders in towing. On the first occasion 

 they took a big floating dock, surely the 



