DECK LOG This Sea History comes to you a little late because we were late raising the funds needed to produce it. We have to live with the fact that, at thi s stage of its development, Sea History needs more than operating revenues to stay afloat.The recession contributed to our problems, as did a few key grants not coming through. Added to this were heavy expenses for developing plans and funding for International Maritime Heritage Year 1992. I don 't imagine you 're interested in excuses, and we're not either. We do have to be aware, however, that we are operating in an environment in which several distinguished magazines in our field have ceased publication. It is a contest to stay afloat. We couldn't do it without the help of you, our members. Thanks to you, we are not only afloat, but forging ahead! Earned revenues of Sea Hi story Press (including the Gazette and Museum Guide) rose by 24 percent last year. This year's revenues are gaining on top of those gains. We are closing the gap, bringing nearer the day our publications will be self-sustaining and ultimately revenue producers for the maritime heritage we exist to serve.
Forging Ahead Knowing that we must keep moving forward to survive and to achieve our mission , we are taking our cause to the waterways this summer, through the cruise of the tug Urger reported on pages 7-8. At the same time we are preparing to move into new waterfront headquarters on the Hudson. This move is recognized in a Jetter on this page, and in articles in this issue celebrating the mighty waterway that shaped the history of our comer of the world, before and after the European arrival. What do the Urger cruise and new headquarters do for us? The Urger carries our flag on the water; we view it as precursor to more extensive waterborne operations in 1992. The new headquarters will give us the capacity to manage the 1992 maritime heritage program we are working on, as outlined on page 9. These steps are vital to achieving our objectives forthe heritage in 1992. PS
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As we go to press, we learn that Frank Carr, founder of the World Ship Trust, died on July 9th at the age of 88. A memoir of his long and distinguished service to the cause of hi storic ships will appear in a future Sea History. 4
LETTERS Welcome to Peekskill We, in the city of Peekskill, are honored that the National Maritime Hi storical Society has chosen to locate its offices, museum and library in the City of Peekskill. The City's waterfront is truly one of the most beautiful areas on the East Coast and is rich in American hi story. Henry Hudson anchored in Peekskill Bay while he waited for the tides to carry him north ; the British and Patriots clashed numerou s times, and the Village of Peekskill was twice burned. The waterfront has been utilized for fur trading, shipbui lding, stove and iron works, and exporting produce to New York City. Recently, our waterfront has made a great transformation into one of the largest recreational parks on the Hudson River. The location of your distinguished Society in the City of Peekskill' s waterfront provides us with another asset we can embrace and be proud of. JosEPH J. SEYMOUR City Manager City of Peekskill, New York
Maritime Heritage Program for 1992 McAllister Brothers Towing and Transportation Company, Inc . is pleased to endorse the maritime heritage program scheduled to be celebrated in 1992. McAllister Brothers was founded by my great-grandfather, Captain Jam es McA )lister, who started in the lighterage business in New York Harbor in 1864. Today, in addition to our operations along the US East Coast, the company has business as far away as the Middle East and the Indian Ocean. While there have been many changes in the industry over the years, we have, to a great extent, followed the same principles first established by Captain James, giving us today a rich heritage of which we are proud. McAllister Brothers, therefore, fully supports this worthy endeavor, which focuses on maritime heritage, not only here in the United States but worldwide. We look forward to working with the National Maritime Hi storical Society towards keeping this heritage alive for future generations. BRIAN A. McALLISTER President, McAllister Brothers Towing and Transportation
Even Better, It Was the Nina! It is always a great pleasure when Sea History arrives. I loved the picture of the
MalcolmMilleron the cover of the Spring issue, and I was delighted with the very fine tribute to my late husband , Alan Villiers, in the article by Dick Rath. It was good to have hi s name linked with that of Irving Johnson of happy memory . Unfortunately, a mistake crept into the article: Alan did not sail a replica of the Santa Maria in 1963. I telephoned Adrian Small to see if he remembered the c ircumstances of this voyage, and hi s recollection was the same as mine-that it was the Nina and not the Santa Maria. It was entirely a Spanish venture. NANCIE VILLI ERS Oxford, England
Temples of the Sea It was good to see the gang at the Nation al Maritime Alliance Meeting, June 16- 18, and it was interesti ng to hear their views of what we ought to be doing in the maritime hi story comm unity. Too much of it boiled down to "get more money," but that 's universal these days. Of course to get more money, or more visitors, or more attention in general , you have to figure out what the public wants, a topic of much discussion at the meeting-speculation ranged from ed ucation to entertainment and a lot in between. But all of it was intellectual and academic. The feeling of being at one with the rh ythm s of sea and sky is what drives sailors back to the sea and will drive the public back to the museums-if these institutions allow themselves to become land-based temples of the sea like their floating counterparts. All the sk illful education and artful design will fa il to compel if the in sti tution allows this central principle to elude it. The 18th century sea songster Charles Dibdin may have over-glorified the life of a sailor, but he put hi s finger on what the sea is all about. The conference missed it by a mile. Oh well , at age forty-five I am already becoming an artifact. ... JoHN TOWNLEY White Stone, Virginia Mr. Townley, sea musician par excellence, miscasts himself as a mere artifact; he is a national treasure , like one of those Japanese sumo wrestlers.- ED
Is This Maritime History? As a bibliophile, I usually turn to the " Reviews" section to discover new publications on maritime history . Perusal of the Spring 1991 iss ue raises some quesSEA HISTORY 58, SUMMER 1991