DECK LOG
LETTERS
Paper prices have shot up this year, and these added costs, in unholy alliance with increased postage costs, have driven quite a few magazines out of business. Not, I am glad to say, Sea History. This magazine will go on doing the work it does, as the journal of a cause in motion, just so long as the devoted membership of the National Maritime Historical Society believe in Sea History's mission and look to Sea History for news and informed viewpoints on the challenging seafaring heritage which lies at the heart of our national story and, indeed, the development of mankind. In the words of our founder Karl Kortum, "Sea History is how we all stay in touch." We, like everyone else, have to accommodate ourselves to economic reality, and therefore this issue of Sea History is smaller than usual. And as of September, we are increasing NMHS dues from $30 to $35. We are offering present members the opportunity to renew at the lower rate, as described on the wrapper of this copy of the magazine. And while we don't advertise it widely-for reasons that should be clear if you think about it!-we accept memberships from people who are students, retired or on limited income for any other reason, at half the regular rate$15 up to now, $17.50 in the future. The only place we publish this offer is on renewal forms going to enrolled members of NMHS. To Be a Friend At the other end of the spectrum of our economics, you should know that we have some 565 members-or nearly 4% of our total enrollment of 15,470-who are Friends of the Society. Friends contribute $100 or more each year to support the work your Society does for the heritage. This work ranges from matters like getting the Congress to act on sending a Liberty ship to Normandy on the 50th anniversary ofDDay in 1994, to building the membership to provide a firmer foundation for all we do. We'd be happy to tell you more about our Friends program! Just write or give us a call at 800221-NMHS. -PETER STANFORD
Building Our Membership On behalf of the California Maritime Academy, and most especially its student body, I want to extend sincere thanks to the members of the Sir Francis Roundtable of the National Maritime Historical Society. The presentations of gift memberships to our senior class were an important first event of this type on our campus. I have heard from a number of students who received Sea History . Its high quality and items of interest have impressed our entire community. The Academy looks forward to a continuing relationship with the Society as, together, we provide important support for our country ' s maritime interests. MARYE. LYONS, PhD, President The California Maritime Academy Vallejo, California See NMHS News (p. 4)for more on our campaign to enroll young people as active members of the Society.-ED.
NMHS needs Mac computers! Your gift of a Powerbook or Power PC will help us get to windward, and it entitles you to a tax deduction. Call Justine at
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800-221-NMHS
Those Magnificent Clippers The caption under the illustration of the clipper ship Young America (SH77, p. 7) is technically correct but very misleading since it implies that the clipper ship was responsible for America's greatness in the sea trades. It was not the clipper ship but the packet ship, starting with the Black Ball Line of 1818, that ushered in the heyday of the American sailing merchant marine. Our merchant marine was already on the decline when the clippers appeared. The clipper ships were mostly built for the Gold Rush trade, 1849-1854, when the demand was for speed at all costs. After this time, they were generally not good money-makers. That is why ship design turned to vessels that carried a better payload. The magnificent clippers had great appeal to the American people for their beauty, for the many speed records they broke and the hope that they might meet the challenge of steam that was taking away the best of the business from American sailing ships. H. HOBART HOLLY Braintree, Massachusetts Remembering Senator Muskie The National Maritime Historical Society lost a loyal friend and supporter when Senator Edmund Muskie died. In 1963, when the Committee for the Preservation of the Kaiulani received word that the Government of the Philippines
was donating the "last American squarerigged merchant vessel" as a symbol of the friendship between the peoples of the US and of the Philippines, the Committee moved fast to incorporate as the National Maritime Historical Society and, since the Kaiulani was built in Bath, Maine, in 1899, they sought advice and assistance from Senator Ed Muskie of Maine. Senator Muskie was immediately taken with the idea of restoring the old bark and berthing her on the Washington DC waterfront. He was genuinely involved and deeply interested. Throughout the long and difficult trials of the Kaiulani, Senator Muskie was a true and loyal friend of the ship and of the Society. He was a gentleman and it was always a privilege and a pleasure to work with him. Ed Muskie will be missed, not only by the old friends of the Kaiulani, but by the nation. ALAND. HUTCHISON Reno, Nevada Mr. Hutchison served as president of NMHS, 1963-1970.-ED.
Smuggling in the Lowlands Walter Rybka is to be thanked for his attempt to explain the contradictions to be found in all versions of the song, "The Golden Vanity." There can be little quarrel with his deduction as to the practicalities of the holing of the enemy vessel, but his explanation of the presence of "Turks" in the Lowlands must be open to argument. I feel sure it could not have been common parlance to describe Spanish vessels as Turkish, or there would be numerous examples in the literature. He also does not differentiate between galleys and galleasses. The Mediterranean oared warship that was most used in northern waters was the galleass, which was more seaworthy than the galley. These rarely if ever used Turkish slaves to man the oars, which were more likely to be manned by the sailing crew, since there was not space for both sailors and oarsmen on a long voyage. I have little doubt that the song has its origins in some historical occurrence, but doubt whether it took place as described. Perhaps it is an allegory . A smuggling story might be the origin of the song. Those familiar with the history and mythology of British smuggling will recognize the resemblance of the ruthless captain to one of the "gentlemen." Indeed, his getting rid of the perSEA HISTORY 78, SUMMER 1996