The Cutty Sark

A real shame, however caused. I imagine it was a pretty combustible mixture. Perhaps a modern sprinkler system would have been too obtrusive??

I hope nobody has been hurt.

Anyone intrested in these things would do well to read 'The Last Grain Race' by Eric Newby for a taste of the last days of sail.

Bruce

Great work opportunity for conservationists and reconstruction specialists just as it was with Uppark and Windsor Castle.

So not all bad news.

It was undergoing restoration anyway, so 50% of the the structure is elsewhere, including the masts. Early reports from the restoration people suggest it isn't going to be a huge problem, and some parts of the ship are untouched. They say it's all repairable.
I'm not going to suggest that it's an insurance job.

It's only an old boat after all...in London...not even in the water...

I guess familiarity breeds contempt. I'm so used to just seeing it sitting there, but never considered it as particularly important until faced with the prospect of it disappearing today.

I think the Telegraph got the significance of this about right. Not a mention on the front page, but a good photo later on, on page three, "stop sniggerring at the back. The conservators had already removed the almost naked witch "mascott.""

The story is sad, but not worth more than a hurt person, and many of those go unreported every day. Generally emotion counts for more than significance in reprting nowadays. The craziest example was the fuss over Dianna Spencer, who ever she was...

ATB from Fredrik

The Cutty Sark is part of British heritage. It symbolizes a moment in history and it is a significant factor in the tourism industry for Southampton.

This crime (if that's what it was) is not just vandalism.

quote:

Originally posted by Frank Abela:
The Cutty Sark is part of British heritage...it is a significant factor in the tourism industry for Southampton.

It's in London?

Yes but maybe what Frank is referring to is that it was probably built in Southampton. A colleague of mine where I used to work was from Southampton and he used to go on about the fact that the Titanic was built there.

Go figure..

The Titanic was built in Belfast at Harland and Wolff; the Cutty Sark was built in Dumbarton....

The Titanic was built in Belfast, not Southampton.

Beano

Well there you are then, just goes to show what an ignoramus I am!

EDIT: Hang on though, didn't the Titanic launch from Southampton? That must have been what he was going on about, anyway he definitely seemed to claim a connection between the stricken liner and his home town, and knowing naff-all about ships as I obviously do, who was I to argue?

My mistake, brain thought Greenwich, fingers wrote Southampton. Duh...

The maiden voyage was from Southampton, but it was launced in Belfast - most ships are launched where they are built for obvious reasons...

quote:

Originally posted by JonR:
Well there you are then, just goes to show what an ignoramus I am!

EDIT: Hang on though, didn't the Titanic launch from Southampton? That must have been what he was going on about, anyway he definitely seemed to claim a connection between the stricken liner and his home town, and knowing naff-all about ships as I obviously do, who was I to argue?

She was a slipway launch in Belfast and her maiden voyage was from Southampton; tons of tallow, oil and soft soap are used to lubricate the slipway, then massive chains are used to slow the vessel down when entering the water.

I've seen dozens of launches and The British Admiral 'petroleum tanker' was the best.

Beano

*

quote:

Originally posted by Fredrik_Fiske:
The conservators had already removed the almost naked witch "mascott.""

Being a Scottish ship,the figurehead is, of course, "Cutty Sark", or "Short Nightie" if you prefer the English translation.
You can find details of her exploits in Rabbie Burns' "Tam 'o Shanter".

I have the reference, because it was in the newspaper report mentioned above! Hence I knew more about the Mascot than before this week!

I hope the old ship gets rebuilt, but £10 Million pounds extra damage is a huge burden. £35 Million total in that case if the early damage estimate is right. At that money one has to ask if there are not more important things to consider...

Kindest regards from Fredrik

quote:

Originally posted by Fredrik_Fiske:
I have the reference, because it was in the newspaper report mentioned above! Hence I knew more about the Mascot than before this week!

I hope the old ship gets rebuilt, but £10 Million pounds extra damage is a huge burden. £35 Million total in that case if the early damage estimate is right. At that money one has to ask if there are not more important things to consider...

Kindest regards from Fredrik

Exactly Fredrik,
But how much has the Millennium dome cost the tax payer?
ATB
Chris N

Dear Chris,

My answer to the cost of the Dome is far too much. The Olympics look to be heading the same way too.

If the Lottery is raided to finance that [more than already] then consider how many sport facilities could have been put into schools and public recreation areas, for the benefit of the ordinary person in the street getting the habit of proper excercise from a young age, rather than for athletes who would persue their careers whether the Olympics were held in London or not.

I hate to see waste [the War is another example] when there is suffering. If all the money wasted was spent effectively, think how much better th World would be. Politicians have these ideas, and we all pay.

Kindest regards from Fredrik

£10 Million is now considered the cost of the extra fire damage. [Today's Telegraph].

I am sure it will be done, but it is one heck of a lot of money in my view, when there are many things not really being done adequately in UK these days. Anyone for the post code lottery in drug prescription in the NHD for example?

ATB from Fredrik

Insurance would have been a good idea in tis case. I have neither seen nor heard about this. Perhaps they are looking for "double indemnitiy!"

ATB from Fredrik

I reckon a "new one" would be a good idea! Sail it about, and generally make the museum a living exhibit. Old ships, out of water, are very sad things, and you get no idea of their real grace from a static display. Now something like that would have been much better than the Dome! Perhaps a flotilla of great ships like the Henri Grace a Dieu, Marie Rose, Victory, Cutty Sark, SS Great Britain, or Great Eastern etc, and keep them some of the time in the Docks in East London, where they would ahve been a permanent tourist draw, and sail them about at the appropriate times.

ATB from Fredrik

The Americans can do it...


Tall Ships

quote:

The Americans can do it..

There're probably new as they haven't been around long enough to have history!