Saw a piece on PBS last night about Salem Ma. and the China trade ships 
in the 1700's. Supposedly the crew on those were less than twenty men 
and since a gun crew consisted of 4 men, that was a luxury they couldn't 
afford. So they created replicas out of wood to scare away the bad 
guys.  Any truth to that?


Paul H in Hebron CT where the flea markets are not open.