In the mid-nineteenth century the futtock band was introduced, being a metal collar fitted to the mast below the top, to which the lower point of the futtock shrouds is attached. Before this the futtock shrouds were attached to the lower shrouds that rose directly to the top. In this arrangement lower shrouds must support a greater load, requiring the use of catharpins to provide bracing between port and starboard shrouds.
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“What passes for identity in America is a series of myths about ones heroic ancestors. Its astounding to me, for example, that so many people really seem to believe that the country was founded by a band of heroes who wanted to be free. That happens not to be true. What happened was that some people left Europe because they couldnt stay there any longer and had to go someplace else to make it. They were hungry, they were poor, they were convicts.”
—James Baldwin (19241987)