A good story is told of the late Captain R. B. Forbes, who was interested in some seventy sail of fine
vessels2, and who built many clippers for the India and China trade before the general application of steam. It seems that while testing the sailing qualities of a clipper-
schooner3, she was struck by a squall in Boston Harbor, fell on her side, filled with water, and went down. Fortunately she had a boat in tow, which saved all hands. He would not start a sheet nor luff her into the wind to prevent her being capsized; he was
determined4 to know what she could do in a squall, even at the risk of his life and the lives of a select party of
nautical5 friends he had with him; and although this experiment may have been of intense interest to Captain Forbes, it is doubtful whether his invited guests
relished6 their position. Later she was raised without much trouble and had her spars reduced. For years afterwards she was famous along the coast of China for her speed.
Captain Forbes's brother, Hon. John M. Forbes, now in the eighty-fourth year of his age, has an original steel clipper of the following dimensions: Length on the water-line, 125 feet, 154 feet 6 inches over all; has 27 feet 6 inches extreme breadth of beam; is 12 feet 6 inches deep; has engines of 400-horse power; is
fully7 rigged as a two-masted schooner, and has a steel centreboard 21 feet long by 6 and 7? feet wide; is a complete sailing-clipper as well as a steamer, and is the only
vessel1 of the kind in the world. She is also unsinkable; if full of water she will still float, having air-tight
compartments8 along her sides like a life-boat.
Under sail, with a working breeze, she will stay within nine points in three minutes; by the wind, sail eight knots; and going free, twelve knots. She is named the Wild Duck, has been in service about two years, and has been quite successful under steam and sails.
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1
vessel
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| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 |
参考例句： |
- The vessel is fully loaded with cargo for Shanghai.这艘船满载货物驶往上海。
- You should put the water into a vessel.你应该把水装入容器中。
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2
vessels
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| n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人 |
参考例句： |
- The river is navigable by vessels of up to 90 tons. 90 吨以下的船只可以从这条河通过。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- All modern vessels of any size are fitted with radar installations. 所有现代化船只都有雷达装置。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
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3
schooner
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| n.纵帆船 |
参考例句： |
- The schooner was driven ashore.那条帆船被冲上了岸。
- The current was bearing coracle and schooner southward at an equal rate.急流正以同样的速度将小筏子和帆船一起冲向南方。
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4
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 |
参考例句： |
- I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
- He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。
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5
nautical
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| adj.海上的，航海的，船员的 |
参考例句： |
- A nautical mile is 1,852 meters.一海里等于1852米。
- It is 206 nautical miles from our present location.距离我们现在的位置有206海里。
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6
relished
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| v.欣赏( relish的过去式和过去分词 )；从…获得乐趣；渴望 |
参考例句： |
- The chaplain relished the privacy and isolation of his verdant surroundings. 牧师十分欣赏他那苍翠的环境所具有的幽雅恬静，与世隔绝的气氛。 来自辞典例句
- Dalleson relished the first portion of the work before him. 达尔生对眼前这工作的前半部分满有兴趣。 来自辞典例句
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7
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 |
参考例句： |
- The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
- They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。
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compartments
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| n.间隔( compartment的名词复数 )；（列车车厢的）隔间；（家具或设备等的）分隔间；隔层 |
参考例句： |
- Your pencil box has several compartments. 你的铅笔盒有好几个格。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- The first-class compartments are in front. 头等车室在前头。 来自《简明英汉词典》
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