SHIP NOTES Move to Save New York's Last Liberty By Francis James Duffy Member Maritime Trades Educational Advisory Commission Schools hip S/ S John W. Brown NOTE: The last of them are going now, the last of these 7, 170-ton workhorses built by a nation at war to maintain its lifelines across the sea. Fewer than ten of the 3, 000 that were built are said to exist, in American hands. Their long and useful life is ending. Ralph L. Show, Director of the Bath Marine Museum, has urged that at least one of the Liberty ships be preserved on each coast. Jn tackling this major challenge he urges that several considerations be carefully explored: "First: She be kept at a location easily accessible to drydocking facilities for periodic inspection and overhaul of her underbody. Two : She be kept as a 'live' ship with a crew, an experienced bosun, etc., to insure ongoing maintenance. Three: that every effort be bent to find a multiple use for the vessel as her size and upkeep indicates that a museum use (i.e. static display) is not a generator of sufficient income alone to sustain her. " Harry Dring, Director of the State Marine Park ships in San Francisco, has let it be known that he thinks he can use a Liberty as baseship for the operations attendant on keeping up his fleet-the largest tonnage of wooden ships afloat in the world. And now a major effort is underway to preserve the schoolship John W. Brown, a well known, well kept, well loved Liberty in New York.-ED. While the National Society travels to the far corners of the world seeking out ships to preserve, there is berthed here in New York City a ship that is destined for extinction and yet represents a great chapter in our maritime and national history. The schoolship John W. Brown, berthed at the Morton Street Pier in Manhattan's Greenwich Village, is one of the last Liberty ships still surviving. At present the Brown is part of the New York City school system, an annex to the Food and Maritime High School, training boys and girls in maritime skills . Although a stationary ship, she is very much alive a live ship, with an operating engine room that is still used for power and light and cargo booms, and winches that function. Unlike many stationary schoolships she has not been
drastically altered from her original role as a wartime cargo and troop carrier. One factor that makes the Brown such an excellent candidate for preservation to represent the Liberty's wartime role is that she still carries gun tubs and special protective armament, unlike others of the class that were converted to peacetime service. There is a good possibility too that various Liberty ship parts and equipment are still available to fill any gaps or make repairs . Ralph Snow , in National Fisherman, and Ed Moran in SEA HISTORY have written of the need to save a Liberty ship lately; many others over the years have talked of this . There is also a great living body of alumni who served in Liberty ships, many now reaching an age when they begin to appreciate what the old "ugly ducklings" represented. The school has operated on the ship since 1947 and has hundreds of graduates that would help support the project. I have heard from members of the maritime unions, World Ship Society, South Street Seaport Museum , Steamship Historical Society and the staff and alumni of the maritime colleges, all expressing interest. The National Society could not be true to its ideals if it failed to respond to that interest.
A Battle of the North Atlantic Museum has now been formed for the purpose of taking on this admittedly large but vital project. The fiscal problems of the city have delayed retiring the John W. Brown from service, but a replacement is now tied up to her starboard side. The National Society must start now to gather the interested parties, gain the monetary support, both governmental and private, and perhaps most important, plan for a suitable site to open the ship to the general public. How many ships have sailed into oblivion because the historic value was discovered too late! See also page 30. -ED. A Brig is Conceived In Sonoma Creek, in the San Francisco Bay region, a group of sailors who have worked on square-rigged movie ships and museum ships have decided to build their own, a replica of the 127foot brig Lady Katherine. They plan to use volunteers and make the building of the vessel itself an educational act. They're organized as the Heritage Navigation Association, at Box 2337, 51 Harbor Street, San Rafael, CA 94901.
SEASCAPES '77 Exhibition and Sale January 11through28, 1977 Preview January 10, 5: 30 to 7: 30
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If you love the sea, you won't want to miss this event. From the master of sea painting-Frederick J. Waugh-to 20 of America's most gifted working artists, this show brings you the best of the marine painters from a gallery with a tradition Gordon Grant (shown of great art. Waugh, in illus.), Montague Dawson, Robert Sticker and Bennett Bradbury will be part of this to the galleries January memorable sale. Come 11 to 28 and experience the majesty of the sea. 43rd and Madison Ave . (Biltmore Hotel) New York 867-3344
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