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Traffiques & Discoveries The First Non-Military Ship Save? Thanks to Norman Brouwer, NMHS Adv isor and ship historian of South Street Seaport Museum , we learn from the Nautical Gazerre for 1873 (page 389) of what may be the earliest attempt to save a merchant ship for history.
How Many Full-sized Battleships Have Been Built on the Great Lakes? It may surpri se readers to know that the a nswer is one ! An arti cle by David D. Swayze in Inland Seas (Great Lakes Hi storica l Society) describes thi s unlikely phenomenon :
In 189 1, each of the US Armed Services was asked to set up a display of American military might for the World Co lum bian Exposition, "The Grear World's Fair" in Chicago . As the prestige branch of the military in those days of "g unboat diplomacy ," the Navy wanted to show off one of the new and revolutionary Indiana-class coastal battleships that it was then building . Of course, it was impossible to bring such a huge vessel up the Welland Canal or the Mississippi to fresh water. In stead, it was decided to build a fu ll-scale replica on the Chicago ware1fronr . A strange aspect of the project was the construction material selected-the hull and superstru cture were to be fabricated of bricks' Mounted upon pilings, the bottom of her "hull" would just touch the swjace of Lake Michigan. The Navy spared no expense in making the vessel, dubbed the USS Illinoi s. Th e budget for the hull alone was more than $100,000 , and her dimensions were authentic: 348 feet at the waterline, 69 feet 3 inches beam . Actual flttings-<Irmament (including four 13- inch guns), deck gear, anchors and such-were shipped to Chicago from Philadelphia. Certainly she was the most heavily-armed "building" at the fair. From the time thefair opened in May of 1893, the vessel was manned by an actual Navy and Marine crew who demonstrated gun , combat and lifeboat drills. The faux "dreadnought" turned our to be one of the most popular attractions. She was also the only "battleship" ever built on the inland seas. 1 Th e faux dreadnought Illinois
The oldest steamer in the world has been presented by her owners to the Glasgow Chamber of Commerce. The vessel is named the Industry, is sixty-four tons register, and was laun ched from the building yard of Messrs. John & William Fyfe , of Fairlie, on the Clyde, in 18 14. She was the seventh steamer built on that river. Latterly she has lain sunk in the East India harbor at Greenock, but a few weeks ago she was floated and beached to be caulked thereafter, to proceed to Glasgow , where she will be preserved as a memento of the early days of steam navigation. A ll that now remains of the Industry is he r e ngine -not her orig ina l eng ine of 18 14, but her replacement engi ne of 1828 (shown at top)-whi c h is on display at the G lasgow Museum of Tran sport. 1
"As you obtained your land from the sea, so should you leave it to the sea" North of the old Potter's Field above Washington Square Park, in Manhattan , Robert Randall's father, a privateer, had left him a farm .... In 180 1, Robert Randall, while writing his will, decided nor to leave the farm to his ti:vo relatives so he turn ed to his attorney, Alexander Hamilton,for advice on its disposition . Hamilton, being quite the character, quijJped "as you obtained your land from the sea, so should you leave it to the sea." The will stipulated that none of the land was ever to be Reji.1ge at Sailors Sn ug Harbor sold, and a home was to be built for retired sailors, a sailor's Snug Harbor. After a lengthy court battle, the Supreme Court , in 1830, decided the will would stand. Twenty-one acres would stand empty. This land was worth a fortun e even in 1830 and was considered roo valuable to house retired sailors. So they came ro a compromise. Sailors' Snug Harbor was built on Staten Island instead, and rental income of the 21 acres which was the farm made it the wealthiest charity in 19th -century America. Eventually ( 1974) Sailors' Snug Harbor moved to North Carolina and sold its 1â&#x20AC;˘illage leases. This pi ece of New York City tri via was provided by B. Trau ss of Ossining, New York , who has publi shed a compi lation of e nterta ining vignettes abo ut famous New York people (from pirates to politicians) and places. Little-Kn own New York is avai lable from the South Street Seaport Museum Shop. 1
SEA HISTORY 73, SPR ING 1995
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