V10 N2 Spring 1983 U.S. Lighthouse Tender 'Shubrick' (1857-1886)

Page 1

REVIEW SPRING 1983

VOL. 10

1792 MARINE DRIVE, ASTORIA, OREGON 97103

NO. 2

THOUSE TENDER SHUBRICK (1857-1886) '' . .. a fleet of vessels whose duty it is to go where no other vessels are allowed to go, and who, through storm, darkness and sunshine, do their work for humanity . .. ," thus, one cabinet member described the tenders of the U.S. Lighthouse Service (consolidated with the Coast Guard in 1939). Their work was to supply the lighthouse stations and to place and maintain buoys or other aids to navigation. The first lighthouse tender in the Pacific and the Service's first steamer was the side-wheeler Shubrick, launched in 1857. At that time, steam power was still considered to be a luxury reserved for emergency use and the vessel, at first, ordinarily operated under sail with her topsail schooner rig. The Shubrick was strongly built of oak, left over from construction of a frigate, at the Philadelphia Navy Yard. She was 140 feet long overall, 22.9 feet broad, and drew a maximum of 10 feet of water. Her single, steeple-type engine had a cylinder 50½

inches in diameter with a stroke of 48 inches, developing up to 284 horsepower for a top speed of 8 knots. After commissioning on November 25, 1857, the Shubrick sailed for San Francisco on December 23rd under the command of Captain T.A. Harris with a crew of 10 officers and 26 petty officers and seamen. The first inspector of the Twelth Lighthouse District, Captain John De Camp, U.S.N., was also aboard. It was a harrowing voyage. Eight men came down with yellow fever, after calling at Rio de Janeiro for fuel, and one died. Entering the Pacific through the Strait of Magellan, the Shubrick was delayed by stormy headwinds and ran out of coal. Despite a landing at Valdivia Bay to cut wood, the boiler had to be fueled with furniture and cabin panelling in order to reach Valparaiso, Chile. She finally arrived at San Francisco on May 28, 1858. (continued on page 2}


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