C ^3 ] 



CHAPTEK Xlll— Continued. 



THE HOUSEBOAT. 



III. 



By "Major" J. C. Ashley. 



OWING to the greatly enhanced cost of materials caused by the present position of 

 exchange, the day for building cheap houseboats in Shanghai may veritably be said 



to be past. 



The celebrated Woodcock, a sharp-bowed boat and noted for her speed under both 

 sail and yuloh, of teak planking and hard-wood frame, with mast, yard, boom, shears, 

 lee-board, coolies' house, two yulohs, together with all the iron-work, was built in the year 

 1877 for the modest sum of Tls. 500: and she is to-day one of the best preserved and 

 comfortable houseboats afloat. 



Another well-known boat, the Pearl* (formerly Undine), built of teak, with hard-wood 

 frame and completely fitted, cost when launched in 1879 only Tls. 500. A third craft, the 

 Brema, originally the Eric, built in 1880, rather larger than the afore-mentioned boats, sharp 

 bowed, with angle-iron frame, was delivered over to her owners for the price of Tls. 636. 

 All these boats were from 40 to 44 feet in length, with a 10 to 10 feet 6 inches beam, and 

 have lasted well; and they could only be replaced at the present moment at little less than 

 double their original cost. 



Such prohibitive prices, running into four figures, have naturally enough diverted 

 attention to boats constructed of local materials, of which a boat now nearly completed 

 may be taken as an instance. 



This boat is built of China pine, with the exception of the keel, which is of teak, as 

 are also the upper streak which holds the guard, 2 inches thick, and the boat frames. The 

 frames of the house are angle-iron, 12 in number, and together only weigh 200 lbs. The 

 boat is 43 feet over all, 38 feet on water-line, square bow and stern like a native sampan. 



Her extreme breadth amidship is lO feet 6 inches and she carries her floor well 

 forward and aft. 



This craft, being of such light construction, will not draw more than 10 inches of 

 water when fully equipped for an up-country trip, and will stand in complete, with mast, sail, 

 anchor and chain, two rooms, cook-house, pantry, closet, large accommodation for coolies 

 aft, kennels and hold forward at the sum of Tls. 550. 



*Thi3 boat, though over 30 years old, is one of the staunchest houseboats afloat to-day (1910), and during 

 her long career she has cost but a minimum for maintenance. This much may be said of her owners that she 

 has always been well looked after. 



