The Claw of Knowledge

In the Coast Guard, we always talk about the EAGLE – the 3-masted sailing ship we stole from the Nazis at the end of World War II. But there’s another ship we talk about less – one even EAGLE aspires to be. That ship is the  Bear . Bear  was built in Scotland in 1874, for a company that hunted seals out of Newfoundland. She was a marvel of her time: a steam-powered proto-icebreaker with six-inch wooden planks on her hull and enough power to smash through solid ice. Her first voyage revolutionized the sealing industry forever, and she quickly earned a reputation as the best sealer on the waves. She could venture further and bring back more pelts than literally a hundred other ships combined. Which is a great reputation to have, unless you like seals.

Despite the fact that it travels all over the world saving lives, stopping smugglers, and improving the safety of the seas, the Coast Guard still operates on less money than the New York City subway and with less manpower than Disney World. Here's a couple charts to put the small size of the Coast Guard in context: (We used to have an adage that the Coast Guard was smaller than the New York City Police Department. This used to be true, but in the mid-2000s, the NYPD went through a round of budget cuts that pushed its uniformed officers down to around 35,000 - well below the CG.) My Kickstarter is over, but you can still help me write my book ! Donate $25 or more and I'll add you to the list of people receiving a copy! Donate $60 or more and you'll also receive a Challenge Coin! Like me on Facebook to see more of what I post < Previous Post  |  Main Page   |  Next Post  >

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