It's kind of interesting that sail-powered cargo ships remained commercially viable up until the start of WWII (at least for non-time-sensitive cargoes like coal and grain etc.). Eric Newby wrote a book called The Last Grain Race about sailing from Britain to Australia and back on the Moshulu in 1938/1939. Moshulu ended up with an acting role in The Godfather Part II (as the ship that carried young Vito Corleone to the US) and is now of all things a floating restaurant in Philadelphia.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Probably in the interest of wartime expediency and to the need to dodge U-Boats.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago

Well, it's true that most restaurants aren't subject to attack from U-boats.