THE ART, LITERATURE, ADVENTURE, LORE & LEARNING 0
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Adams Washed-Cotton Cap Co lors clockwise from top left: Stone, Khaki , Black, Navy, Forest, Red, White. #LPlOl $20.00 + $6.95 s/h
T he Greater the Honor by William H. White Hardcover: BK-39 $24.95 + $2.00 s/h. Shipped USPS. Signed by the author. Tie, Men 's. #G-01 $20.00 + $4.50s/h
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Hanes Youth Hoodie Sweatshirt Colors: Red, Ash, Navy, Lt Pink, Lt Steel , Royal. Sizes: XS-L. #P473 $28.00 + $6.95 s/h Tugboats of New York: An Illustrated History by George Matteson Hardcover: #BK-38 $35.00 + $3.50 s/h. Shipped USPS. Signed by the author.
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The Peking Battles Cape Horn by Irving John son Softcover: #BK-05a $10.00 + $2.50 s/h Hardcover: #BK-05b $15.00 + $2.50 s/h Shipped USPS.
Order by calling 1-800-221-NMHS (6647), ext.O or mail in your order to NMHS, PO Box 68, Peekskill, NY 10566 and enclose your check made out to "NMHS." Allow 2 to 3 weeks for delivery.
NMHS Calendar for 2007 Based on popular demand, the 2007 calendar includes not only biographies of the artists featured, but also information about the ships compiled by NMHS President Emeritus Peter Stanford. Calendar sales benefit the Society. Calendar is wall hanging, full color, 11 " x 14". $13.95 (or $11.50 for Sea History readers) + $4.00 s/h
NEW! National Maritime Historical Sociery's Commemorative Clock Collection from Weems & Plath
Porthole Desk Set Dimensions: 10 l/4"Wx2"H x5 l/4"D. Price: $89.99 + $9.00 s/h.
Nautical Tambour Clock Dimensions: 5"H x 8"W x 3"D. Price: $69.99 + $9.00 s/h. Can have "National Maritime Historical Society" or engraving of yo ur choice added for $7. 50.
Celebrate our maritime heritage this holiday season with NMHS greeting cards Created by distinguished marine a1i ist William G. Muller, these three greeting cards captme the romance of a bygone era- and help suppo1i the work ofNMHS . Greeting on CD1-CD2 reads "With every good wish for peace and good will for the Holidays and throughout the coming year." CD3 reads "Meny Christmas and best wishes for the coming New Year." Also available as blank note cards. Box of 10: $ 14.95, or $13.46 for NMHS members. Add $4 s/h for one box and $2 for each additional box. Please indicate your choice of card and specify holiday greeting or blank cards.
NEW for 2006: CD I - The 142' Ka/em steam wgboar works through squall-roughened seas off Momauk Point in 1948.
C D2-0 n rhc Rondour Creek on a winter night in 1923, che shificr rugboar Robchuffi; out with a canal barge of Chrisnnas trees.
on a wi mer's day in the 1890s.
Order by calling 1-800-221-NMHS (6647), ext.O or mail in your order to NMHS, PO Box 68, Peekskill, NY 10566 and enclose your check made out to "NMHS." Allow 2 to 3 weeks for delivery.
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SEA HISTORY
116
AUTUMN 2006
CONTENTS FEATURED IN THIS ISSUE 10 Heroes of the Sailing Navy: Stephen Decatur Jr. , by W illiam H . White In his final installment in our series, "H eroes ofthe Sailing Navy, "William H. White shows us why Stephen D ecatur J r. remains one the foremost heroes in the history ofthe US Navy.
16 "Black Hands, Blue Seas:" Sailmaker James Forten by D eird re O 'Regan James Porten (I 766-J 842j , a free African American maritime artisan, built a hugely successful business and p roved a savvy businessman, while pushing hard fo r social reform. Sea History j oins with Mystic Seaport Museum to present some of the stories of our notable African A mericans in maritime history.
10
18 Maritime History on the Internet: Discussion Lists, by Peter McC racken 20 America's Cup Racing-The Oldest Competition in Sport, by Halsey C. H erreshoff Mr. H erreshoff, a naval architect and form er A merica's Cup sailor, takes us through the milestones and history of this fo rmidable competition.
24 Maritime History and Nautical Archaeology: 25 Years of Excellence at
20
East Carolina University, by Dr. William Still Jr. East Carolina University celebrates its M aritim e Studies Program, which has been p roducing some of the country's most influential and p roductive maritime historians and nautical archaeologists for 25 years.
26 MARINE ART: Gordon Grant, by Louis Arthur Norton This prolific artist captured the personalities of the m en who worked in the age ofsail, and his sketches and paintings bring to life the details of work onboard the great sailing ships of the nineteenth century.
36 Historic Ships on a Lee Shore: New York Central No. 16, by Thomas Flagg Cover: The Yacht America W inning the Interna tional Race, 1851 by Fitz H ugh Lane. In 1851, the schooneryachtAmerica sailed to England to participate in a race against an English fleet of yachts. The crew stunned their competitors with a decisive win, setting the stage fo r the Longest running international competition in sports-the America's Cup. Image courtesy ofthe Peabody Essex M useum. (see pages 20-23 fo r a history ofthe Cup)
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DEPARTMENTS 4
DECK Lo e & LETTERS
8 NMHS: A C AUSE I N MOTION 32 Sea Histo ry FOR Kms 30 M ARINE ART N EWS
37 45
SHI P NOTES, SEAPORT & M USEUM NEWS CA LEN DAR
46 R.Evrnws 52
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NATIONAL MARITIME HISTORICAL SOCIETY
DECK LOG Paying Tribute to Maritime Heritage We are thrilled and encouraged to see how many people, all across the country, are actively participating in maritime heritage events- tall ship gatherings, festivals, launchings and christenings, conferences and lectures, and sail training programs. Kudos to the many dedicated individuals who work, often behind the scenes, to educate and involve a growing public. We were delighted that Walter Cronkite christened the Scarano Boats' new l 920s-style 80-foot luxury yacht Manhattan on May 17th at Chelsea Piers in New York. NMHS's Chairman Walter Brown, What a great treat to see the meOverseer Walter Cronkite, and Treasurer ticulously restored watercraft at the Ron Oswald at Chelsea Piers in NYC Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum's Antique & Classic Boat Show. We welcome 79 new members who signed aboard at the NMHS booth there, among them Eric Schwalm, whose daughter Erica Goodwin bought him a membership to celebrate Father's Day from trustees Ron Oswald and Phil Webster. NMHS is delighted to partner again with the North American Society for Oceanic History in holding a joint 2007 annual meeting at the US Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point on Long Island, New York. Be sure to save the dates-17-20 May 2007-for this important confer- Erica Goodwin buys a worthwhile and meaningul Father's Day gift, membership in NMHS, ence. In addition to the scholarly from trustees Ron Oswald and Phil Webster. presentations focusing on the merchant marine, attendees will visit the American Merchant Marine Museum, the Maritime Industry Museum in old Fort Schuyler, India House, Seamen's Church Institute, the New York Yacht Club, and take a ferryboat tour of New York Harbor, emphasizing the port's contribution to the war effort in World War II. Finally, NMHS, a Society founded as a result of efforts to save an historic ship, is deeply grateful to Charles Schneider of Massachusetts. As this issue of Sea H istory goes to press, he is working feverishly and unselfishly to save New York Central tug No. 16 (see article on page 36), pulling together a coalition of people who genuinely care about preserving our history for younger generations-the City of Bayonne, NJ, McAllister Towing, Gladsky Marine of New York, Mystic Seaport, the Maritime Industry Museum at the State University of New York Maritime College, Massachusetts Maritime Academy, the Port of Portland, Maine, and so many others. At last report, CVS Pharmacy, which is buying the property where the boat is displayed, issued a statement that they would let the boat be pirated of a few of its parts before they demolish it, trying to convince us that we should appreciate that solution. We hope that Schneider's coalition is successful. This vessel's fate is symbolic of that of so many others. We need to impress upon our culture how preserving our maritime heritage is meaningful to all, not just the individual groups with a particular interest in a given vessel or topic. -BuRCHENAL GREEN,
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Executive Vice President
•
NATIONAL MARITIME HISTORICAL SOCIETY
PUBLISHER'S CIRCLE: Wi lliam H . White
Peter
Aron,
OFFICERS & TRUSTEES: Chairman, Walter R. Brown; Vice Chairman, Richardo R. Lopes; Executive Vice President, Burchenal Green; Treasurer, Ronald L. Oswald; Secretary, Thomas F. Daly; Trustees, Paul F. Balser, Donald M. Birney, David S. Fowler, Virginia Steele Grubb, Rodn ey N. Houghton, Steven W Jon es, Richard M. Larrabee, Warren Leback, Guy E. C. Maitland, Karen Markoe, John R. McDonald Jr., Michael McKay, James ]. McNamara, Howard Slotnick, Bradford D. Smith, H . C. Bowen Smith, Phil ip J. Webster, W illiam H. White; Trustee Elect, Robert Kamm; Chairmen Emeriti, Alan G. Choate, Guy E. C. Maitland, Craig A. C. Reynolds, Howard Slornick; President Emeritus, Peter Stanford FOUNDER: Karl Korrum (1917-1996) OVERSEERS: Chairman, RADM David C. Brown; Walter Cro nkite, Clive Cussler, Alan D. Hutchison, Jakob Isbrandtsen, John Lehman, Warren Marr, II, Brian A. McAlliste r, John Stobart, Wi lli am G. Winterer NMHS ADVISORS: Co-Chairmen, Frank 0. Braynard, Melbourne Smith; D. K. Abbass, George F. Bass, Fran cis E. Bowker, Oswald L. Brett, RADM Joseph F. Callo, Francis J. Duffy, John W Ewald, Timothy Foote, William Gilkerson, Thomas Gillmer, Walter ]. Handelman, Steven A. Hyman, Hajo Knuttel, Gunnar Lundeberg, Joseph A. Maggio, Conrad Milster, William G. Mu ller, David E. Perkins, Nancy Hughes Richardso n, Shannon J. Wall SEA HISTORY E DITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD: Chairman, Timothy J. Runyan; Norman ]. Brouwer, Robert Browning, William S. Dudley, Daniel Finamore, Kevin Foster, John 0. Jensen, Joseph F. Meany, Lisa Norling, Carla Rahn Phillips, Walter Rybka, Quentin Snediker, Wi lliam H. Wh ite
NMHS STAFF: Executive Director, Burchenal Green; Membersht> Director. Nancy Schnaars; Director of Mare ting, Steve Lovass-Nagy; Marketing & Exeaive Assistant, Julia Church; Accounting, Jill Rmeo; Membership Assistant, Jane Maurice SEA HISTORY: Hitor, D eirdre E. O 'Regan; Advertising Represntative, Wendy Paggiotta; Editor-at-Large, Peer Stanford; "Sea History for Kds" is edited by Deirdre E. O 'Regan; layour m d design by Ariel Janzen.
SEA HIST01Y 116, AUTUMN 2006
LETTERS Historic Ship Crawls OFF a Lee Shore Thanks to Sea H istory fo r its coverage of the N ew York C ity oyster barge in "Historic Ships On a Lee Sho re" in 2004 (Sea History 107, Spring/Summer 2004). In that iss ue, historian John Kochiss and I co-autho red an article pleading to save the last surviving specimen of the once-commonplace oys ter barges along the New York C ity waterfront. The power of print triumphed when a copy of that issue finally reached N ancy Ralph of the NYC Food Museum in 2005. She was moved by the article and contacted me about how they could lend their support.
The last surviving New York City oyster barge as she looked this summer in Connecticut. turn her into a floating museum where New Yorkers can learn about the history of the rich oyster business that was once such a familiar sight in Manhattan, while they slurp down on e of the bivalves on th e banks of the Hudso n. Some say Am ericans are too wo rried abo ut the present and the future to care much about its pas t. N o t this American! Thanks Sea History.
Oyster barges once lined the New York City waterfront. Public awa reness of the barge's pligh t continued to expand last June, when Dr. Michael C hi arappa and I co-authored a paper on the barges for the Vernacular Architecture Fo rum's (VAF) annual conference at Columbia University. The D ean of NYC Preservatio n, Andrew D olkart, was there and pledged his support. VAF editor Louis N elson has agreed to publish our article in 2007 o n the importance of the barge's architecture and history to furth er expose this story to the publi c. Pete Forrest, filmmaker, made a short fundraising film; Cleary Larkin, a graduate student at Columbia, volunteered to take th e lines off the barge digitally and produce plans; Lacey Tauger of The G reenwich Village Preservation Society jumped onboard; M ark Porecca, a Vermont barn restoration specialist, surveyed the barge's structure and fo und her tight as a drum; renowned authors Philip Lopate and M ark Kurlansky have lent their hands to th e effort as well! Other important contacts have been established, and we have high hopes that fundin g fo r the p roject will find fair winds soon. When all is said and done, we wi ll
SEA HISTORY 116, AUTUMN 2006
] AMES
KIRK
No rthfield, N ew Jersey
US Naval Academy," which states that "the yo ung artist John Noble apprenticed himself to the aging Patterson to help him complete" the series. While I cannot dispute the relationship between Mr. N oble and Mr. Patterson, I also want to mention here that, upon Mr. Patterson's death in 1958, my father, H oward B. French, was commissioned to complete the series that is now in Bancroft Hall and Memorial Hall at the US N aval Academy. My fa ther was a great admirer of Patterson's, and it was a great honor to be given that commission. The plaque in the hall where the paintings are displayed gives credit to both Charles Robert Patterson and H oward Barclay French. Mr. Patterson had completed the largest paintings in the hall and had finished some of the smaller ones nearly enough to have them hw1g as he left them. Some had been fairly far along, and my father completed those. Others had not been begw1, and those works are entirely my fa ther's. Perhaps there is another series of paintings at the U S Naval Academy to which my father djd not contribute? SERENA FRENCH PELISSIER
Which Painter Helped the "Sailor-Painter" I find myself a bit confused by a reference made in the book review by Peter Stanford (Sea History 11 5, SLunmer 2006) of Sailor-
Painter, the Uncommon Life of Charles Robert Patterson by Robert Lloyd Webb. Stanford refers to "an epic series of paintings now at the
Carbondale, Illinois
From Sailor-Pai nter author, Robert L. Webb: During Charles Robert Patterson's long association with the US Navy, he accepted three commissions to make mural-paintings (not murals, which are painted directly on walls) for the
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116
----------------------~Z IP _____~ Rerurn co: National Mariti me H isro rical Sociery, PO Box 68, Peekskill NY 10566
5
We Welcome Your Letters! Write to: Edi to r, Sea H istory, 7 Timberknoll Road, Pocasset, MA 02559; e-mai l: edi rorial@seahistory.org. Naval Academy at Annapolis. The two largest Destroyer Escort Historical Museum, who wrote trustee and s upporte 1~ Captain Warren G. works, installed at opposite ends of Memorial the article on USS Slater, responded that he was, Leback, fo rmer Group Vice-President-MaHall were dedicated in 1332and 1336, respec- in fact, referring to those marines aboard the rine, Sea-Land Service, Inc. WILLIAM B. HAMILTON JR. tively. Late in his life, in the mid-1350s, he was APDs. His organiz;ation seeks to include those Ponte Vedra, Florida commissioned to create six additional paint- veterans in this important history, thus their ing; for smaller lunette spaces along What Wms a Battle the long walls. These works were While I was being kept waiting for underway when Patterson died in a doctor's appoinrment recently, I November 1358. The first ofthe six, came across the summer issue of featuring the frigatelschoolship ConSea History. W hat a pleasant surstellation was virtually done; and the prise to have something intelligent second, depicting the Battle of Lake to read, even tho ugh I didn't catch Erie, was somewhat more than half up on the latest with "Brangelina'' finished. Mr. French completed the as a result. I was absorbed enough Lake Erie painting, correcting what COURT ES Y HI STOR IC NAVAL S HIPS ASSOCIATIO N tllat the wai ting didn't bother me, Academy officers deemed a few "deUSS Stewart (DE-238), an Edsall-class Destroyer Escort is and I asked the receptionist if I ficiencies, " and then made the four located on land in Seawo/f Park on Galveston Island, Texas. could take it home to finish readremaining paintings 'from scratch, " hewing closely to Patterson's artistic concepts so inclusion in his article. Regarding the state- ing and rem rn it. She glared at me wiili that as to create a relatively seamless transition from ment about USS Slater being the only such vessel "whatever" look, so I took that to mean that still afloat, the details are in the fine print. USS iliar would be okay. one artist to the other. I moughr it ironic that the article on Noble was only a teenager during the Stewart is indeed being maintained in Galves1330s, so if he assisted Patterson at all and ton, but it is not AFLOAT It is a landlocked John Paul Jones starts our by suggesting that it is likely that he did, it would have been in static display. See photo above. Thank you for his story has been neglected in getting its fai r the "Sailor-Painter's" New York studio in the the opportunity to clarifj both points. share of study and recognition in American history classes. Thar's quite a claim , consider1350s, when the six smaller paintings were beTruck Drivers and "Ship D rivers" ing prepared. Noble does not seem to have had ing mat he is one of our most well-known H aving enjoyed the earlier article on Mal- heroes of tl1e American Revolution. H ow any connection with M r. French. Clarifications on Destroyer Escorts I enjoyed the article on USS Slater DE-766 in the summer issue of Sea History (#11 5). I have to ask, however, what ever happened to the USS Stewart D E-238, which as far as I know is still being maintained as a museum ship at Seawolf Park in Galveston, Texas? If so, this contradicts M r. Rizzuto's opening statement that USS Slater is the "only destroyer escort afloat in this country." Also, having served aboard fo ur destroyer escorts (USS Kyne DE-744, USS Snyder D E-745, USS Rizzi DE-537, and USS Currier DE700), I never knew of any American destroyer escort that numbered any marines amo ng her crew, which also contradicts a statement in the article. Perhaps the author is referring to marines who were transported aboard converted vessels, which were redesignared as APDs (high-speed transports). LT. DANIELE. KEOUGH, USN R (RET.) Oakland, New Jersey
From the editor: Lt. Keough is correct regarding the marines aboard (or not aboard) destroyer escorts. Tim Rizzuto, Executive Director of the
6
colm McLean and Containerization and the letters in the following issue, I believe NM H S members and Sea History readers may wish to note a relevant connect.ion with our Societ.y and Sea-Land. As a senior executive and Board member of SeaLand and also senio r executive of its parent company, McLean Industries, Inc., I had the career good fortune to participate in the emergence of Sea-Land in to its position ofleadershi p in the contain er shipping indusuy along with several others. Most of these "others," as I did, came our of the trucking indusny, and, indeed, all of the executives on the "gold carpet"-tl1e executive suite carpet color-were all "ex-truckers."
While we truckers brought a significant capabilit.y to containerization, we were not able to transfer our experience with truck drivers to "ship drivers." We, therefore, depended on experienced mariners to keep ilie ships sailing on rigorous schedules. The National Maritime H istorical Societ.y links to tl1is success of Sea-Land through the executive who directed and managed ilie operation and rapid expansion of tl1e SeaLand Aeet. Thi s man is NMHS's dedicated
could Mr. Callo think, even fo r a moment, mar students haven't been taught about "I have not yet begun to fight." That's right up mere with Nathan Hale's "I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country." The article did teach me plent.y of derails I hadn't known about, but I was disappointed with M r. Callo's conclusion mat John Paul Jones was victorious simply because he was fighting fo r me cause of freedom, as if his opponents didn't care about what they were fighting for. H istorians are supposed to take us beyond that business of divine intervention and give us real conclusions based on analyses from solid research and rested hypomeses. Ir seems fro m Callo's own words that Bonhomme Richard was victorious because one of her lucky crewmen succeeded in d ropping a grenade down Serapis's harch, exploding the gunpowder below. The very next article in mat issue told me the story of a more subtle American hero, Paul C uffe. Now mere's a sto ry that our kids need to know. Thanks fo r the good read and making a long wait not so long. ROBERT HARR.rs Vero Beach, Florida
SEA HISTORY 116, AUT UMN 2006
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NMHS: A CAUSE IN MOTION NMHS Pays Tribute to the America's Cup
'
At this year's Annual Awards Dinner at the New York Yacht Club on 25 October, we pay tribute to the history of the America's Cup. Halsey C. H erreshoff, president of the H erreshoffMarine Museum and the America's C up Hall of Fame and the 1999 N MHS awardee, will present Olin J. Stephens II with the NMH S Distinguished Service Award. Olin Stephens is America's pre-em inent yacht designer, having designed more than 2,000 boats, including six America's Cup winning boats. When h e was just 21 , he joined Drake Sparkman to found Sparkman & Stephens, now celebrating its 75th anniversary (Sparkman & Stephens original partners included five men: Drake and his brother James, O lin and his brother Rod, and James Murray). In 1930 Mr. Stephens designed Dorade, which won both the transAtlantic and Fastnet Races of 193 1. In 1936 and 1937 he coll aborated with Starling Burgess on the hugely successful ]-boat Ranger, the las t }boat to defend the America's Cup. H e went on to design five more America's C up winners, the 12-metre yachts: Columbia, Constellation, Intrepid, Courageous and Freedom . Mr. Stephens is the author of All This and Sailing, Too, an autob iography published in 1999, and, most recently, of Lines: a H alf-Century oJYacht Designs, 1930-1980, by Sparkman & Stephens. Another America's Cup champion and sailor, Gary Jobson, will be presented with the N MHS Distinguished Service Award by the 2004 awardee, Richard du M oulin. Mr. Jobson will give the keynote presentation. Gary Jobson is a wo rld-class sailor, television commentator, and author. Mr. Jobso n covered the 2003 America's C up in Auckland, New Zealand, for ESPN and Sailing World and the 2004 Sailing Olympics in Athens fo r N BC. He has won multiple championships in one-design classes, the 1977 America's C up with Ted Turner, the Fastnet Race, and many of the wo rld's ocean races. In 1999 he received the Nathaniel G. H erreshoffTrophy, given annually to an individual wh o has made an outstanding contribution to the sport of sailing in the US, and in 2003 he was inducted into the America's C up H all of Fame. H e serves on many administrative boards and is the N ational Regatta Chairman of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's sailing program . His talents reach well beyond boat handling-he won an Emmy fo r his television coverage of yachting at the 1988 O lympic Games in South Korea, plus he has wri tten 14 sailing books and produced numerous documentaries about sailing and yach t raci ng. An active cruising sailor, he has led ambitious expeditions to the Arctic, Antarctica, and Cape H orn . Clay Maitland will be presented with the Society's David A. O 'Neil Sheet Anchor Award in recognition of his extraordinary leadership in building the strength and outreach of the Society. Clay M aitland, Clay Maitland N MHS chairman emeritus, developed NMH S's strategic plans that included a stro ng fiscal fo undation. H e has an intense interest in and great knowledge of maritime history. Mr. Maitland has wo rked in the shipping industry since graduating from law school in 1968 . He is managing partner of International Registries, Inc. that administers the Marshall Islands Ship Registry, approximately the fifth largest registry in the wo rld. An active member of the maritime community, he serves on the administrative boards of the Mari tim e Industry M useum at Fort Schuyler, the American Merchant Marine Museum at Kings Point, Seamen's Church Institute, the Institute's Center for Seafarers' Rights, and the executive committee of the Coast G uard Fo undation. H e plays a vital role with the United Nations maritime sector. Among his professional affili ations he is a fo rmer chair of the Admiralty Committee of the New York C ity Bar Association and the Committee on Intergovernmental O rganizations of the Maritime Law Association of the United States . Mr. Maitland has been the recipient of numero us awards for his work within the maritime community. - Burchenal Green , Executive Vice President
Save the Date! National Maritime Historical Society Annual Awards Dinner at the New York Yacht Club, 25 October 2006 $350 per person; $6,500 Sponsor Table fo r ten plus Dinner Journal page; $ 1,000 Dinner Journal page Call 800-22 1-6647-ext. 229 for derails.
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Dinner Chairmen D avid Fowler and John McDonald Jr. are working diligently to make this yea r's Awards Dinner the Society's most successful ever. In addition to paying homage to those individuals who have worked hard to promote the best of America's maritime heritage, the event is the Society's largest fundraiser. For this year's auction, the chairmen are particularly grateful to presidential yacht USS Sequoia for donating a 4-hour cruise on the Potomac for 38 guests, to Star Clipper-the luxury 4-mas ted barquentine, for donating a week's sail for two, and to Seacraft C lassics for donating a model of BMW Oracle Racing, a contender for the 32nd America's Cup race in 2007 . Ch ristie's Auction House is donating the services of an auctioneer for the event. SEA HISTORY 116, AUTUMN 2006
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We sail from New York for the beautiful islands of St. Thomas , St. Kitts and Tortola , with four full days at sea , returning to New York on Wednesday , 18 April. With its sparkling beach resorts and bustling duty-free treasure shops , Charlotte Amalie , St. Thomas , is a picture-perfect paradise . For quieter pleasures , take the ferry to the neighboring island of St. John.
Special events we have planned for NMHS members i nclude a presentation on "Tall Ships into the Twenty-First Century" by Burchenal Green , Executive Vice President of NMHS , and a showing and discussion of "Ghosts of Cape Horn ," a film Walter Cronkite calls " ... the true wine from man 's greatest sea adventure , the endeavor to get round Cape Horn under sail. "
Above all you can enjoy the special magic of the Caribbean , the ports of St. Thomas , St. Kitts and Tortola . You can join us as we explore our maritime heritage tog ether, or rela x in the splendor of th is great sh ip. You can do it all or do nothing . Don't miss the boat. Reserve early to receive the accommodation of your choice.
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1feroes ofthe by W illiam H. White
This is the fourth and final article of a series for Sea History in which we have been examining the lives of some of the celebrated, as well as a few of the lesser known, men of the US Navy during the Age of Fighting Sail. These men defined the American Navy by setting the bar for generations of officers to follow. Still revered and studied by the current iteration of naval officers, many learned their trade the hard way-they simply went to sea, often under hard commanders, and learned what was effective and what was not. There was no Naval Academy (that would not come until 1845) and midshipmen were often at sea for more than six years before winning a commission as lieutenant. Some never did, and remained passed midshipmen until they went ashore. In this issue, we look at Stephen Decatur Jr., a brilliant strategist, known for his fair treatment of his crews who, in turn, were devoted to him. Above all, Decatur was a man whose personal code of honor influenced everything he did, making him, without reservation, a true hero of the American Navy and the nation.
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ecatur set the stage for hi s seagoing career with his daring exploits off the Barbary Coast in 1803-4. His raid on an American fri gate-previously captured by the co rsairs and then anchored under the guns of the Bashaw's fort on Tripoli Harbor-became the benchmark for heroism and brave ry in the sailing Navy.
Decatur's leadership in the raid to recapture or destroy the frigate Philadelphia in Tripoli Harbor in 1804 brought him fame and early advancement in his naval career. Captain William Bainbridge had earlier surrendered his grounded ship on 3 1 October 1803 (see Sea H istory 11 2, Autumn 2005); the corsairs ofTripoli refloared Philadelphia, a 36-gun frigate and sister ship to USS Chesapeake and USS Constellation, rowed her into the harbor, 10
put on a crew, and made preparations to use the ship as a unit of their corsair Navy. Co mmodore Preble (in command of the United States Squadron in the Mediterranean) and his officers and men found the th o ught of their enemy using an American warship against them abhorrent. He asked for volunteers to either cut her out (sn eak aboard and sail or row her out of the harbor) or burn her. Before any could respond , Decatur stepped forward to accept the challenge. With a crew of 70- all volunteers, including midshipmen, officers, sailors, and Marines-he sailed a cap tured trading ship, Intrepid, into the harbor under cover of darkness and m ade fast alongside the frigate. His crew swarmed aboard, overpowered the Tripolitan crew, and set charges to blow up the ship. W ith the resultant fires, the loaded 24-pounder long g uns aboard cooked off and, in a final act of retaliation , fired several rounds into the Bashaw's cas tle! D ecatur and company m ade their escape with no casualties, all in under 30 minutes! Ir has been written by many, beginning with Alexander Slidell Mackenzie's biography of Decatur in 1844, that Lord Horatio Nelson called the raid the "most bold and daring act of the age," but no documentation has ever been discovered supporting the claim. No netheless, surely it was indeed o ne of the boldest strokes of the war. Subsequent to that event, using borrowed Italian gunboats, Decatur led an o ther attack on the Tripoli ran fleet, capturing several prizes. W hil e rowi ng a prize back to Constitution, he learned of the death of his beloved broth er, James, at the hands of a co rsair captai n and turned his own boat back to the fray. H e
The fight between Stephen D ecatur and his brother's killer has been depicted in several paintings and shows the American and Tripolitan captains grappling on the deck of the xebec, while one of the corsairs is about to execute Decatur with a cutlass. As testimony to the devotion his crew felt for him, one of the sailors threw himself between his captain and the descending weapon, taking the wound and saving Decatur's life. Interestingly, the sailor was misidentified as Reuben James; subsequent investigation has proved the heroic seaman (who survived the incident) was a man named Daniel Frazier, not the Lauded Seaman James. successfully avenged his brother's death by boarding the pirate vessel and killin g the corsair personally. For his role in the Philadelphia raid , C ongress promo ted D ecatur two grades, from lieutenant to captain , m aki ng him the yo ungest (at just 25 years of age) to ever hold the rank.
SEA HISTORY 116, AUTUMN 2006
Captain Decatur was born on Mary- legend holds that, at her launch, Decatur land's Eastern Shore in January, 1779, bu t stood proudly on her deck. Scarcely could his family moved to Philadelphia shortly he have dream ed that, some fifteen years thereafter. His father, the son of French later, he would command United States in emigres, was also a mariner who had com- her most famous engagem ent against the manded the merchant vessel Peggy before British frigate, HMS Macedonian . the American Revolution. When that war started, the senior Decatur commanded a number of American privateers, a natural outlet for his hereditary dislike of the English. 1 When his father returned to the merchant service at the war's end, Stephen sailed with him to Europe at the tender age of eight, a worthy tonic for a severe attack of whooping cough. The voyage cemented in the yo ungster's mind his ambition to become a ship captain like his father and grandfather before him. His natural flair for leadership manifested itself throughout his formative years, as did his sense of fair play; he often found himself defending yo unger lads whom he thought the victims of bullying older playmates. In one recorded event, a fourteen-year-old Stephen gave a severe beating to a yo ung ruffian , several years his senior, who had In 1798, with the "quasi-war" with spoken ill of his mother. School at Philadelphia's Protestant France about to begin , yo ung Stephen reEpiscopal Academy held little interest for ceived his warrant to midshipman through him, but out of respect for his parents, he the efforts of Captain John Barry, a close completed his course of study and was ac- fri end of the Decaturs and a hero of the cepted to the University of Pennsylvania. American Revolution. He was assigned After only one year there, the classical as a midshipman aboard United States, studies requisite for his ultimate ordina- commanded by none other than Captain tion as an Episcopal clergyman (his moth- Barry. Serving under such a brilliant comer's dream for him) had become bother- mander was, perhaps, inspirational to Desome, and his parents accepted that their catur, who learned well and fo llowed his so n's heart was instead with the sea and mentor's lead throughout his naval career. Two of his former classmates, Charles ships. They allowed him to withdraw and take a job in the counting house of Gur- Stewart and Richard Somers, were also asney & Smith, the merchant firm for w hich signed in United States, as was one who wo uld fatally cross tacks with Decatur two his father sailed. He applied himself to his job, studied decades later: James Barron. Decatur and his messm ates thrived mathematics on his own, and watched for an opportunity to get back to sea. With in the environment, learned their trade, war clouds building, Gurney and Smith and distinguished themselves as leadwon the contract to build one of the six ers aboard their ship. Stephen's superiors frigates approved by Congress and Presi- noted that the yo ung man was, at age dent Washington in 1794. During con- nineteen, " ... well informed, chivalrous in struction, Decatur could often be found temper, courteous in his deportment, and prowling about the ship, studying her [shows] grace of manner to an attractive derails and perhaps dreaming of sailing person." By May of 1799, Decatur had in this glorious heavy frigate, USS United been promoted to lieutenant, but at the States, a sister ship to Constitution, which same time his ship, beaten by gales during was then being built at Boston. A popular her short and undistinguished two-year
SEA HISTORY 116, AUTUMN 2006
career, was deemed unseaworthy and taken into the Navy yard for extensive repairs. Decatur, dismayed at the looming inactivity, m anaged to secure a berth in the brig Norfolk, commanded by Thomas Calvert. The brig had little better luck in find ing suitable prey than had United States. When the war ended in 1800, Norfolk had taken no prizes of consequence. Within a year, however, the situation in the Mediterranean had become dangerous for American imerests. The corsairs of the Barbary Coast were demanding tribute to their rulers in exchange for trading rights in the Mediterranean. Other countries, including France, England, Spain, and Italy, having learned that fighting the corsairs was costly in both money and ships, willingly paid the tribute. America, financially strapped from her lengthy war with England and then France, could ill afford their demands. While some attempts were made to appease the rulers of the four Barbary states with both money and materiel (including a Boston-built frigate) , the Barbary pirates continued co capture American trading ships, vital to the re-growth of the American exchequer, and hold their crews for ransom. The Jefferson administration chose to answer their threats and depredations with military force and, over the subsequem years, sent several fleets into the Mediterranean with instructions to protect our trad ers however they might. In 1803, fo llowing a previous tour in the Mediterranean as first lieuten ant in Essex, Lieutenant Decatur was given command of the newly built brig Argus with orders to join Commodore Preble's squadron. They arrived at Gibraltar just weeks before the fateful loss of Philadelphia. There, he and Isaac Hull exchanged commands (a seniority issue) , putting Decatur in charge of the schooner Enterprize. Most of his officers from Argus transferred with him, by their own choice. Commodore Preble established a base of operations in Sici ly, and, a few months and a few successful cruises later, with his crew of volunteers Lieutenant Decatur led the attack in Tripoli Harbor for which he wo uld forever be known. In command of the Navy Yard at Norfolk, Virginia, in 1807, Decatur again 11
crossed tacks with Commodore James Barron. Barron had been in the frigate Chesap eake on his way to rake command of the Mediterranean Squadron in June of that year when the ship was attacked by HMS Leopard (5 0) just beyond the Virginia Capes. Barron ordered Captain Gordon to surrender the ship and brought the wo unded frigate back into Norfolk. In January of 1808, following a Court oflnquiry, he was court-martialed by direction of the Secretary of the Navy. Decatur sat on the court martial board along with Commodore William Bainbridge, commander in the late Philadelphia fri gate; Master Commandant D avid Porter, first lieutenant in the same ill-fa red ship; Captain John Rodgers; Lieutenant James Lawrence, who had been first lieutenant in Enterprize under D ecatur's command, and a variety of junior officers. Decatur had made clear to the Secretary his personal disdain for Barron as well as his pre-determination that the man was guil ty of surrendering his ship prematurely. Ir was to no avail; according to the Secretaiy of the Navy, too fe w captains were available to sit on the board and, regardless of Decatur's mindset, he wo uld not be excused. The court martial board found Barron guilty and sentenced him to a five-year suspension from the Navy. Refusing to remain the focus of American disdain, Barron left the country and rook up residence in Europe for the term of his suspension. When he applied to the Navy for reinstatem ent five years later, Decatur vo ted against it, in spite of the country's great need for seasoned senior officers. Barron never forgave him, and a lengthy and increasingly vitriolic correspondence began , which wo uld continue into 1820. For the present, Stephen Decatur had other matters on his mind. War clouds were building once again, this time with England; Jefferson had enacted highly resrncnve embargoes (which seemed more damaging to the United States than England) , and Chesapeake, now restored to seaworthy condition, needed a commander. The Navy assigned D ecatur to the job, thinking him the right man to break the "curse of bad luck" that seemed a part of the ship's history. His former m en and officers vied for positions in his crew and,
12
until 181 3, the ship experienced good fortune-or, at leas t, nothing of the past ill luck that had plagued her up through June of 1807. Captain Decatur was assigned in 1809 to re-commissio n the frigate United States, lying in ordinary in Philadelphia. For Decatur, it must have been like a homecoming, again assigned in United States but this time in command. Further, he wo uld be stationed in Philadelphia, his family's hometown, during the time it took to get the ship ready. Once her hull and rig were restored, Decatur sailed to Norfolk to complete the refit, take on crew, and make ready fo r extended sea service. This task took a full year to accomplish, and it would no t be until 1811 that now Commodore Decatur took United States to sea to join his squadron , consisting of the frigate Essex and the brigs Ho rnet and Argus. Their commission involved the enforcement of the administration's trade policies . D ecatur treated his own crew and officers with the fairness for which he had becom e known, and he insisted that the captains in his squadron do the sam e. An incident in Norfolk surely bears repeating here and fairly drips with irony. After James Madison became president, he repealed most of the embargo laws in an effort to reconstitute the American merchant trade, which had suffered grievous losses in the previous several years. It was, therefore, not uncommon to see British and French ships lying to their anchors in US h arbors, including Norfolk. When HMS Macedonian dropped anchor there early in 18 12, Decatur and some of his officers were invited aboard by the British captain, John S. Carden. D ecatur reciprocated wi th a reception at his home, hosted by his wife Susan. Reportedly, Carden and D ecatur, after a lengthy dinner and a quantity of ardent spirits, got into a discussion concerning the relative merits of their commands. Based on his ship's record (against France), her more easily m anaged 18-pounder guns, and his own skill as a commander, Carden confidently suggested to his host that, should Macedonian and United States ever meet in battle, the British vessel would emerge victorio us. Clearly, Captain Decatur held a different view, suggesting to his English counterpart
that should a meeting take place, it would surely be a "sharp" engagement and, while he could no t predict the outcome, never again would "the flag of my nation be lowered as long as there is a hull for it to wave from! " Decatur's continuing disdain for the actions of James Barron some five years before remained in the forefront of his mind-men of honor simply did not surrender unless faced with overwhelming force or the loss of their ships. Less than six months later, England and the US were once again at war. Decatur's orders rook his squadron north to join up with John Rodgers's squadron based in New York. Of course, they did not cruise en masse; it was more efficient to break up into smaller units and hunt the enemy over a greater expanse of water than could be covered by the single squadron. In August, Isaac Hull, commanding USS Constitution, found and destroyed HMS Guerriere in single-ship combat. Rodgers, in the heavy frigate President, had several small successes, but Decatur, in United States, had so far been unsuccessful in meeting the enemy. H e chafed at his friend Isaac Hull's brilliant success and sought ways of besting it. In early October of 1812, Decatur sailed from Boston in company with A rgus and h eaded out into the Atlantic. On D ecatur's order, they separated shortly after losing sight of land. Either he was hoping each would be successful independently or, barring that, he would at least find success and retain the glory for United States. On 25 O ctober, his lookouts spotted a strange sail, and Decatur immediately maneuvered to close. As the gap between the vessels narrowed, the target was recognized as HMS Macedonian. Immediately, D ecatur cleared his ship for action . With his heavier and longer-range guns (24pounders vs . the British 18s), he fired at a significantly greater distance than could his old friend and rival, John Carden. Under the guidance and training of his first lieutenant William Henry Allen, United Stat1S's gunnery was superior and her men higHy skilled and motivated. The British Admiralty, at the time, inmucted their captains to close with an enemy quickly, so as to use their carronades more effectively. U nfortunately for SEA HISTORY 116, AUTUMN 2006
"USS United States defeats HMS Macedonian, 25October1812" by Patrick O'Brien; www.patrickobrienstudio.com Captain Carden, his enemy had a longer reach and so was able to fire at the British frigate well before the carronades, or even the British 18-pounders, became useful. The heavier American weight of metal, longer guns, and considerable skill in firing them quite negated the tactic, and Carden determined to stand off rather than close. It was this decision, according to Carden's subsequent court martial, that determined the outcome of the battle. Having been on the receiving end of American shot for over an hour, Macedonian was "a perfect wreck, an unmanageable log," but Decatur's command was fully maneuverable. He positioned his ship where he could rake the British frigate but, seeing the desperate condition of Macedonian, refrained. Misinterpreting his action, the British crew cheered; with their huzzahs still ringing in the clear air, Decatur withdrew from the fray for a brief period to issue more powder and make some minor repairs. The British seemed to think he had quit the fight and their cheering increased. He had not, however, quit. By the time he returned, ready to continue, Macedonian's mizzen had "gone over the side"
SEA HISTORY 116, AUTUMN 2006
as had both her fore and main topmasts, main yard, and much of her standing rigging. Adding insult to injury, nearly all of Macedonian's carronades were out of action, as were many of her long guns. The British frigate had suffered hugely from the punishment from the American 24pounders. Carden had little choice bur to surrender to Decatur, an action he would never have dreamed of some eight months previous! H ere was Decatur's chance to best Hull's heroic achievement in Constitution; he determined not to sink Macedonian bur rake her as a prize. Decatur assigned First Lieutenant William Henry Allen to command the prize and effect repairs-enough to make her seaworthy. Allen then sailed in company with United States to Newport, Rhode Island, a journey of some 2,200 miles! Decatur maintained the British officers in United States, giving them, effectively, run of the ship, feeding them in the wardroom, and, occasionally, in his own cabin along with Captain Carden-another example of his remarkable fairness and even-handedness, displayed even against prisoners of war.
This specific act of kindness would pay dividends in January 1815 when, commanding the American frigate President out of New York, Decatur was forced to surrender his ship to overwhelming British might just off Sandy Hook, New Jersey. USS President had m et up with fo ur Royal Navy warships and, during the course of the ensuing sharp con8ict, brought HMS Endymion to ruin. To save his crew from complete annihilation, however, he ultimately lowered his own colors. Ironically, the Treaty of Ghent had already been signed a few weeks before, but the news had not yet made it across the Atlantic; none of the participants would know the war was over for several months. Decatur, his officers, and crew were taken prisoner when the ship was captured, of course. As a direct result of Decatur's fair treatment of the Macedonian officers and captain-his insistence that the wounded British tars and American sailors be treated by the American doctor based on the seriousness of their wounds rather than their nationality, and by his having put the British purser aboard a passing neutral vessel bound for Europe so the men would 13
(left) Surveying his dismasted and heavily damaged ship, Royal Navy Captain john Carden had little choice but to surrender his ship to Decatur. D ecatur's First Lieutenant, William Henry Allen, managed to jury-rig the wounded British ship and successfully sail the prize 2,200 miles back to Newport, RI.
co nrinue rheir pay-he and his men were given rheir parole and released off New York. Caprain Carden had included rhese examples in his report to his superiors on rhe loss of Macedonian over rwo years previously. Decarur held several mo re commands afrer rhe War of 18 12, including a rerurn rrip to rhe Medirerranean in command of a squadron senr to quier a disrurbance from rhe Dey of Algiers . His flagship for rhar cruise was none orher rhan USS Macedonian! H e subsequently became one of rhe Navy Commissioners, along wirh John Rodgers and David Porrer, and used his experience and zeal to build up rhe Republic's fledging Navy. As memioned earlier, James Barron, rerurning to America following rhe war, wro re a succession of increasingly challenging lerrers to D ecarur, referencing commems of a libelous narure ostensibly urrered by D ecarur. Mosr of all, Barron conrinued to smart ar D ecarur's "nay" vore on his rerurn to dury following rhe five year suspension. Ulrimarely, in March of 1820, D ecarur had lirrle choice bur to accede to Barron's demand for a meering on rhe field of honor. O n 22 March, rhey mer in Bladensburg, Maryland, along wirh rheir seconds, Commodore W illiam Bainbridge for Decarur and Caprain Jesse Ellior sranding second for Barron. A second's responsibiliry, among orhers, involves any and all arremprs ro reconcile rhe combarams before rhe duel; Bainbridge reporredly heard
14
rhe exchange berween Barron and D ecarur wherein Barron urrered rhe words, "I hope when we meer in rhe nexr world, we mighr be berrer friends ." Decarur, wirhin earshor of Bainbridge, responded, "I have never been yo ur enemy, sir."
Borh of the principals we re wo unded, Decarur fatally. H e died rhe nexr day and was buried wirh enormous fanfare in Washington, DC. All members of Congress, rhe Supreme Courr Jusrices, rhe President, fore ign digniraries, and hundreds of rhe men who had served with him arrended rhe hero's funeral; ir was rruly a melancholy day for borh rhe Navy and rhe counrry. Srephen Decarur Jr. was rruly a hero of rhe American Navy during the Age of Fighting Sail. A comemporary called him "a man of an age, an officer of uncommon characrer and rare promise, one nor equaled in a million." His narural leadership abilities, his brilliance ar naval racrics, his well-developed sense of honor, and his even-handed rreatment of all whom he encountered-enlisred , officer, friend, or foe-combined to make him one of rhe oursranding characrers in the developmem of our Navy and our coumry. !. 1 Coincidentally, Stephen D ecarur Sr. was captain of a vessel on whi ch a young James Porten served-see pages 16-17 of this issue to learn about this hero of a different so rt.
James Barron
Following rhe duel, Barron said repearedly rhar he had spoken the words in reconciliation, bur rhar borh Bainbridge and Ellior ignored his atrempt and ordered the combarants to rake rheir posirions.
William H White is a maritime historian specializing in American naval events during the Age ofFighting Sail. H e has written four novels of naval fiction and is a trustee ofNMH S, USS Constitution Museum, and a consultant to the 1812 reproduction privateer Lynx. Further information on the author and his books may be found at: www.seafiction.net.
Further Reading: with rhis final insrallment in rhe series, "Heroes of rhe Sailing Navy," complere, should yo u wish to learn more abour rhe Chesapeake/Leopard inciden r and Srephen Decarur's brilliant victory over H MS Macedo nian, yo u can find fac rual and accurare accounrs of each in Mr. Whire's forthcoming book, In Pursuit of Glory, due our in Seprember. Furrher derails on Decarur's acrions off rhe Barbary Coasr can be fo und in W hire's The Greater the Ho nor, available rhrough www.amazo n. com or rhrough NMHS-Call 1-8 00-221-NMHS. SEA HISTORY l l 6, AUTUMN 2006
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15
BLACK HANDS, BLUE SEAS
by Deirdre O 'Regan
"Sailmaker James Porten" is the second article in a series in Sea History where we join with Mystic Seaport Museum to examine the lives of some of the African Americans who made significant and valuable contributions to maritime history and, thus, to American history. Mystic Seaport opened the exhibit, "Black Hands, Blue Seas," last year, featuring art, artifacts and documents relating to the many famous black figures in maritime history. This installment examines the life ofJames Porten (1766-1842), a Philadelphia sailmaker whose contributions to maritime industry were just part of his important legacy. 1
Philadelphia in 1768. James Porten was born here in 1766 when it was America's largest city and a thriving port.
J
ames Forren was born on 2 September 1766, just a few blocks from the Philadelphia waterfront. Philadelphia was, at the time, the largest city in America (Boston was second and New York third) and a thriving port. Of its 19 ,000 citizens, approximately 1,400 were of African descent, and, of those, only about 100 were free citizens. While Fonen's father, a gai nfully employed sailmaker, was born free, his mother had been born into slavery. Evidence suggests that the couple worked together to purchase her freedom before marrying. By waiting to bear children until she was free, she gave her children the gift of freedom. Pennsylvania law then stipulated that children inherited the legal status of their mothers, not their fathers . Thomas Forren worked in the sail loft owned by Robert Bridges across from Willing's Wharf on the Delaware River. He sent his son James to a Quaker-run "African" school for two years, where he was taught to read and write by teachers who rejected the contemporary popular ass umptions about African-Americans' limited abilities, which no doubt reinforced yo ung James's self-confidence and perhaps inspired him to fight against the predominant culture that thought otherwise. As a yo ung boy, James Forren would spend hours at the sail loft where his father worked, helping with simple tasks. In time, he could deftly stitch with needle and palm. In 1773, Thomas died and a young James had to leave school and work at whatever jobs he could find. Just a boy, he was too young to begin any sort of apprenticeship at the Bridges sail loft. It was also just before the start of the American Revolution, and Philadelphia was brimming with activity that led to the Declaration of Independence and war. Britain had promised freedom for American slaves of rebel masters if they could make their way to British-controlled territory. While the Declaration oflndependence spoke ofliberty and equality, it did not extend those concepts to African Americans-slave or free. Free blacks must have had difficulty choosing their allegiances. After the war began, Philadelphia became a base for privateering. In 1781 , James Porten, then a you ng teenager, signed
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onboard the 450-ton Royal Louis, commanded by Stephen Decamr Sr. Though it was Forten's first seagoing journey, he was already experienced with basic sailmaking, and this skill would have made him valuable to the ship. Crewing on a privateer was always dangerous, and generally a financial gamble, but Decatur had a good reputation for taking prizes, so a berth on one of his vessels was a good opportunity. Forten's first cruise proved successful and he signed on for a second. On that cruise, a British squadron captured Royal Louis, and Porten and his shipmates were taken prisoner and sent to HMS jersey, the infamous prison ship moored in New York Harbor. The prospect of being sent to the prison ship was actually the lesser of two terrible fates the young black sailor feared. Word had passed through the American fleet that black prisoners were being sent to a life of slavery in Jamaica or Barbados. Forren survived seven months onboard the prison hulk before being sent ashore in 1782 to make his way back to Philadelphia on his own. Severely malnourished, he walked barefoot Prison ship HMS Jersey most of the way. Now a yo ung man, Forren sailed again in 1784 aboard a merchantman to England. He was discharged there and spent the next year in England, presumably as a journeyman sailmaker. By 1785, Forren was back in Philadelphia and working for his father's fo rmer employer, sailmaker Robert Bridges. Within a year, Bridges made the twenty-year-old Porten foreman of the loft, despite the grumblings from his co-workers. The sail loft had prospered in the lively seaport, and Robert Bridges's sons rose in
SEA HISTORY 116, AUTUMN 2006
society, becoming merchants and the like. They chose not to take on the loft with their father's retirement; instead Bridges sold the business to his foreman. Forren proved quite savvy in business in addition to being socially responsible as an employer. He had had problems with his white co-workers when he was promoted over them, and now he was their boss. Their concerns regarding the African American loft owner's ability to hold on to Bridges's customers and bring in new work were reasonable. Nonetheless, records show that Forren held on to his white employees without too much difficulty and was able to bring on new personnel and apprentices. Many newcomers to the sail loft were his relatives, but Forren is documented as having supported several apprentices and indentured servants of African and mixed-race descent in his career. Reco rds show that Forten's sail loft, once established, employed nearly forty men, half of them people of color. As one of Philadelphia's most sought-after sail lofts, its work force remained integrated throughout Forten's career as the loft owner. Forren bought his first property, a house on Shippen Street, in 1792, the first of many pieces of real estate in which he invested quite profirably. In 1805 he married Charlotte Vandine, a yo ung woman of mixed descent, and they had five children together. All of his children ultimately became activists and fought for the women's suffrage and anti-slavery movements. Between Forten's success with the sail loft, his real estate investments, and in financial transactions, he built a large fortune-not just large for an African American of that period, but significant wealth for anyone. At the time of his death in 1842, he was worth $100,000. As Forten's business and investments gained momentum and value, he began to get involved with organized efforts to fight social injustices-slavery, intemperance, and restrictions on women's rights in particular. In correspondence with abolitionist and good friend William Lloyd Garrison, he explained the need, and the responsibility of professionals, to educate and train black men in skilled trades. While Forren opposed Garrison's and Paul Cuffe's efforts to create a colony for free blacks in Sierra Leone, he did co-found and support the Convention of Color in 181 7, which sought to create a settlement for escaped slaves in Canada. Forren believed that the exodus of free blacks in the United Stares to Africa would hurt efforts to free slaves in the South. President and founder of the American Moral Reform Society, Forren was also very active in the American Anti-Slavery Society. He helped to fund and also wrote for Garrison's The Liberator. He allowed his home on Lombard Street to become a depot in the Underground Railroad. Despite his active participation in social reform, he thought of himself more as a businessman than as an activist. His loft was housed in space rented from Thomas Willing, one of Philadelphia's largest slave owners. Its location across from Willing's Wharf and in the neighborhood of two large and successful mercantile shipping firms provided his loft with much of its work. One can ass ume that avoiding affiliation with slave owners would have cur Forren off from valuable clients. Although he was reasonable in his collection of debts, he did not hesitate to hire lawyers and go to court if earlier attempts to collect them had failed.
SEA HISTORY 116, AUTUMN 2006
H e both loaned and borrowed money and actively sought to gain new contracts in the new lucrative China trade. The flourishing maritime commerce of Philadelphia provided Forren with a means of employment and business opportunities that allowed him to work and acquire wealth during a time in history when most African Americans were trapped in slavery. In the late 18th century and throughout the 19th century, maritime trades provided some of our most notable African Americans in history with employment and opportunity. The individuals we know most about, Frederick Douglass, Paul Cuffe, and James Forren, for example, never turned their back on their brethren. They used their good fortune to help support their brothers and sisters behind them. James Forren died in 1842. In his lifetime, he acquired significant wealth that funded a very comfortable lifestyle for his family and his causes. His funeral was attended by hundreds of people who gathered to pay respects to this remarkable man. The crowd represented people from all walks of life-the business community, the abolitionist movement, and the many people and organizations he helped along the way. 1
M uch of the information for this article was based on Julie Winch's fine book, A Gentleman of Color: The Life offames Porten, published in 2002 by the Oxford University Press. Visit Mystic Seaport Museum's exhibition "Black Hands, Blue Seas" on display through March 2007 to learn more about the many other notable African Americans whose contributions to maritime history had a significant impact on the history of our country as a whole. (POB 6000, 75 Greenmanville Ave., Mystic, CT 06355; Ph. 860 572-5315; www.mysticseaport.org)
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MARITIME HISTORY ON THE INTERNET
Discussion Lists-Yet Another Way of Connecting People Around the World s rhis column has m entio ned in rhe pas r, one of rhe besr pans of using rhe interner for research is the abiliry to rap into a rruly remarkable communiry of individualsbroughr togerher, nor by geography, bur by knowledge of and inreresr in a particular subjecr. One of rhe oldesr pans of rhe online communiry is the discussion list, which allows easy distriburion of m essages among a collection of interested individuals. Discussion lists certainly predare web pages, since lists are complerely rexr and e-mail based. Their use does require some care and arrention, however. Afrer joining a discussion lisr, remember rhar wharever e-mails yo u send will go to everyone on rhe lisr, which can easily number in rhe hundreds or even rho usands of individuals. I always recommend wai ring ar leasr a week, if nor more, before posrin g to a new list: ir's important to undersrand rhe culrure of a lisr before m akin g a fool of yo urself in from of so many people whose opinions yo u value. Luckily, in many cases, ir's possible to search rhe archives oflisrs wirhour borhering anyone, and rhese archives often conrain untold riches . Be sure to read and follow rhe rules/direcrions of a given lisr to be a good lisr member. Make sure yo u read how to unsubscribe too. Discussion lists have several basic srrucrnres. There's a machine rhar manages rhe lisr, and one or more people who m anage rhe machine. When yo u "subscribe" to a lisr, yo ur name is added to rhe rosrer of all individu als who receive each message. When yo u posr a quesrion, response, or commenr to rhe lisr, rhe m essage is sent to every e-m ail address on rhe rosrer. You can receive each message individually or receive a single "digesr" message containing everyrhing posred rhar day. The largesr and oldesr maririme discussion lisr is MARHSTL, which began in 1994, sponsored by rhe M arine Museum of rhe Grear Lakes ar Kingston . Subscriprion informarion can be found ar http://www.marmuseum.ca/marhst.html. This discussion lisr is prerry busy-expecr ar leasr rwo dozen e-m ails per day. Thar said, rhe lisr comains an impressive group of experts-names yo u
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probably will recognize from your m aririme library's mosr norable works-and searching rhe las r decade of m essages will yield all kinds of grear informarion . The Gunroom is a list loosely devored to rhe works of Parrick O 'Brian, bur includes much general m aririme contenr. Ir can be accessed at http://www.hmssurprise.org/, and addirional archives are available at http://mat.gsia.cmu.edu/PO Bl. Google Groups (http://groups.google.com) allows yo u to search through thousands of discussion lists hosted by Google, plus the Usenet 'bulletin board' archives . Usenet was a precursor to discussion lists and was acquired by Google in 2001. There are some one billion searchable messages here. One of the newest relevanr discussion lists is H-Maritime, begun at the end of2005 , at http://www.h-net.org/~maritime/. H-Maritime is a member of the H-Net nerwork, a collection of about 175 discussion lists in the humanities and social sciences hosted by Michigan State Universiry. Most of these lists are by and for scholars and faculry m embers, and ar rimes may limit m embership to those groups. They often include valuable book reviews, announcem enrs of relevant co nferences, and academic job postings. The H-Maririme archives are searchable through rhe URL above. Discussion lists can be hit-and-miss for research. You may find mentions of resources you'd never known of before, or you may join a communiry where yo u can post questions and answers that imerest yo u. Conversely, yo u may find yo ur inbox fi lled to overflowing with poorly written, irrelevant, or incendiary m essages. Like much of the rest of the net, yo u just won't know unril yo u start exploring. Suggestions for other sites worth mentioning are welcom e at shipindex@yahoo.com. See http://www.shipindex.org for a compilation of over 100,000 ship names from indexes to dozens of books and jo urnals. - Peter McCracken
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America's Cup Racing-The Oldest Competition in Sport by Halsey C. H erreshoff h e America's Cup is the ultimate consideratio ns. In 1851 the British orga- dispute also began , when it was co ntended prize of yacht raci ng, but its his- nized an Industrial Wo rld's Fair in Lon- that America did no r ro und all the m arks to ry is much more. The evolu- don to promote develo pment by offering of the co urse. The Race Co mmittee tion of the C up involves huge advances the "civilized" countries o pportunities to sportingly ruled that the instructions we re in design, race strategy, seamanship, man- exh ibit their best products. One of the vague and America's captain had not been agement of personalities and fortunes, se- organizers was a naval architect, and it properly info rmed . Wilton presented the crets, sportsmanship, and national pride. fo llowed that ships and boats wo uld be Hundred G uineas C up to Stevens, who accepted it on behalf of the In competition fo r a period New York Yacht C lub. of 15 5 years, it is the oldest and most distinguished troFirst defenses: 1870-1887 phy in all sport, outdating Stevens and the other the Wo rld C up, Davis Cup, America syndicate m embers Stanley C up, Walker Cup, deeded the Cup to the New and all others of significance. U ntil the recent excesses of York Yacht Club in 1857 as a "Perpetual Challenge C up big-time m odern profesfo r friendly competition besional sports, more talent, tween foreign countri es " (aceffort, and money have been devo ted to the America's tually between yacht clubs). The mag nan im ous and C up than to any other sportstraightforward deed of gift ing competitions. From the and its subsequent revisions standpoint of naval architecture, America's C up intensity The schooner America that started it all. H er design was inspired by the have been the foundation fo r shing schoonersfor their st>eed andfine lines. H er cotton, "flat" sails were h fi h 1 t e nest yac t-racing event has inspired countless design fi just as high-tech at the time as modern A merica's Cup boat sails are today. . h Id breakthroughs, fallo ut from m t e wor , but have a1so which benefit all yach ts today to an ex- incl uded. Lo rd W ilto n, Commodore of led to bitter dispute, som e of which has tent generally unrealized by chose who sail the Royal Yach t Squadro n, invited Ameri- been sacrilege to the deed's lofty intent. cans to send a yacht over to race. The New No r until 1870 was there another them . As with any boar, the ultimate goal York Yach t Club's commodore, John Cox race fo r the Cup . Again it was a fleet race: that led to the vessel's creation in the first Stevens, and a fo unding m ember, Geo rge the English Cambria against rhe New place is what drives the design . America's L. Schuyler, were intrigued by the sugges- Yo rk Yacht Club fleet, predominantly C up boats are built solely fo r speed, m a- tion . N aval architect George Steers mod- schooners. The American schooner Magic neuverability, and reliability to best a eled a handsome, refin ed version of the proved victo rious. This was the last time single m arch race rival around a closed fishing schooners of the time, known for America's C up boats competed in a fleer course. Size, weight, wetted surface, hull their speed and agility. America was con- race. Since then, early contenders compete for the chance to m eet the defender in a fo rm, light but strong co nstruction, effi- srru cted a t the New Yo rk ship ya rd o f match race. cient rigs with good sails, sea kindliness William H . Brown. Modern shipbuilding entrepreneurs Distinctly different vessel types and maneuverability are requirements that must be fulfilled in the overall design. will be interested in the contract. The de- evolved on the opposite sides of th e AtBold innovation has been rewarded , bur, signer and builder we re to be paid the sum !antic. D riven by rhe Thames Tonnage nearly always, extremes have failed. In a of $30,000 fo r the 100-ft-long schooner Rules rhat taxed commercial vessels using series of yacht races in a variety of wind if the vessel co uld beat all competitors in a fo rmula based on their beam , the Engand sea conditions, an overall good boat a series of trials; otherwise they wo uld get lish sailed narrow, deep craft. As a result, nothing-certainly the extreme of any English yachts of the rime tended to race wins nearly every time. For 132 years (185 1 to 1983), the naval archi tectural contract! (As it turned poorly- too deep and narrow to carry US enjoyed the longest winning streak in o ut, there was insufficient time fo r the sail well. The American boats, in contrast, all international sports history. To under- trial races, so Steers and Brown serried for were wide and shallow-we had the better stand America's Cup history, it is best to $20,000 .) of the extrem es. Nor until 1887 did EngThe race starred from ancho r and land adopt an improved m easurement rule examine seven chronological divisions. fo llowed a course aro und the Isle of that abandoned the excessive penalty fo r W ight- some 53 miles. By no means beam . America: 1851 In the 1870s, Edward (Ned) BurThere was no real yachting as we know it ahead all the way, America finally took in the middle of the nineteenth century. charge and handsomely beat her English gess of Boston evolved as the designer The first event of what came to be known rivals (eight cutters and six schoo ners). of the America's C up defend ers. In the as the America's Cup stemmed from other That day, the America's Cup tradition of years 1885 , 1886, and 1887, he designed
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SEA HISTORY 11 6, AUTUMN 2006
Puritan, Mayflower, and Volunteer, respectively, all successful large sloops. Despite great secrecy surrounding both boats, the 1887 challenger and defender were remarkably similar. Both Thistle and Volunteer were clipper-bowed sloops with large low sail plans. Even their hull lines were strikingly similar, although Volunteer had a larger beam/ draft ratio in keeping with the aforementioned national practices. Volunteer was fitted with a centerboard, and this factor greatly enhanced her pointing ability to windward. She decisively won the 1887 C up Races. This march could be said to complete an evolutionary phase of the Cup involving great variety in size and type of boat. Afterward, except for the abs urd match of 1988, challengers and defenders were more closely matched in size and general character of design.
The Great 90-Footers: 1893-1903 At ninety feet at the waterline, these were the largest and most impressive of all the America's Cup yachts. All the defenders in this era were designed by Captain Nathanael Greene Herreshoff and built at the Herreshoff Manufacturing Company in Bristol, Rhode Island. Following the untimely death of his friend Ned Burgess, Herreshoff was the natural heir to the privilege of designing America's defenders. This followed from his demonstrable success with the sloop Shadow and the breakthrough designs of two 46-ft-class yachts, Gloriana and Wasp, that revolutionized the conventions of yacht design during the seasons of 1891and1892. M.I.T. trained and the first to apply real engineering methods to yacht design, Nat Herreshoff and his brother John, a highly ambitious businessman, made a remarkable partnership-one ran the business and the other did all the designing, engineering, and construction supervision. Vigilant (1893), Defender (1895), and Columbia (1899 and 1901) were each Herreshoff creations. Reliance fo llowed on the heels of their success, a classic example of winning boars getting progressively bigger, heavier, and more powerful. Reliance was a powerful giant of a yacht with innumerable innovations of considerable interest. She completely outclassed all comers and won the Cup handily. Reliance
SEA HISTORY 116, AUTUMN 2006
was a magnificent climax to that outstanding era of 90-footers, but she also exemplified the trend to ever more extreme, costly, and even dangerous yachts developed under the pressure to exploit the rating rule to the limit. A more modest and saner type of boat followed, based on the "Universal Rule," which was developed by Herreshoff.
Universal Rule &J boats: 1920-1937 Following the intense activity in Cup racing from 1893 through 1903, a long hiatus followed. Even before the splendid triumph of Reliance, the leadership of the New York Yach t Club and others felt that the huge extreme scow-type yachts were getting too expensive and potentially dangerous. They turned to Nat Herreshoff to devise a new rule that wo uld allow competitive racing with reasonable freedom of design but with more "normal" boats. He developed the "Universal Rule," based on a simple formu la involving length and sail area in the numerator (speed-giving elements) factored against displacement in
Nathanael Greene Herreshoff, the "Wizard ofBristol, "designed and built America's Cup winning boats from 1893-1920, including Reliance (shown below) .
the denominator (retarding quantity). The Universal Rule was indeed abo ut universally accepted. But for the change of the overall coefficient and addition of detailed controls, this rule was used for the rest of the big boat era of America's Cup racing. Sir Thomas Lipton, who had financed challenge after challenge with no success, first proposed the change to
Reliance outsized, outclassed, and outraced her competitors. She also tested the limits of safety and expense. After her, Herreshojf developed the "Universal Rufe" to put America's Cup racing back in more ''normal" boats. Look for the image of Reliance on the back ofyour Rhode Island state quarter.
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racing in smaller yachts built to the Unive rsal Rule. In 19 12 he fo rmalized the proposal for 75-foo t waterline boats rather than the 90-foo ters of the previous era. Wo rld War I delayed the next contest until 1920, and a number of interesting designs were devised for the new class. William Gardner's Vanitie and D efiance by Professor Geo rge Owen were fin e boats. Captain Na t H erreshoff produced Resolute of moderate p roportio ns with his characteristic elegance of line and fin esse of detail. In the fin al trials of 1920, Resolute won seven races to Vanitie's fo ur. The J-boat era of the 1930s co uld be called the Vanderbilt era. H arold S. Vanderbilt was skipper in 1930, 1934 and 1937. H e was also the principal backer of the magnificent Js, Enterprise, Rainbow, and Ranger, fin ancing the latter entirely h imself. Rainbow wo n in a very tight contest in 1934. Ranger was the first America's C up yacht developed through model testing in a towing tank. Co-designer O lin Stephens II had developed great co nfidence in the procedures developed by Kenneth D avidson of the Stevens Institute of Technology in H oboken, New Jersey. Alternative designs were evaluated in tan k tests, and the results gave Stephens and Starling Burgess the confidence ro depart sharply from conventional J-boat practice. Ranger to tally dominated the trials and Cup Races of 1937. She was longer, mo re powerful,
Olin Stephens at the helm onboard R anger.
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Ranger, designed by Olin]. Stephens JI and Starling Burgess, was the first America's Cup yacht whose design was developed through model testing in a towing tank. had a bigger rig, was sailed better and was mo re refin ed in nearly every res pect. H er afterguard under the seasoned and canny Vanderbil t benefited hugely from the presence of O lin Stephens and his bro ther Rod, probably the fin est racing seamen who ever crewed o n a yacht.
The 12-Metre Era: 1958-1987 Following Wo rld War II, conventional wisdom ass umed that the America's Cup was do ne. The world was rebuilding, and there seem ed li ttle prospect of funding further J boats, given their great expense. The Cup itself remained the pride of the New York Yach t Club, cominually on display in the trophy room of the 44th Street Club H ouse. Most expected it wo uld stay there fo r a long time, perhaps never to be raced fo r again . En ter Commodores H enry Sears and H enry Mo rgan . By petitio ning the Suprem e Court of New York, they m odified the D eed of G ifr to allow smaller yachts, witho ut the previous demand that challengers must cross the ocean o n their own bottoms. Ir was agreed to compete in the International 12-Metre C lass, which had provided excellem racing for several years before the war. D esigned to the rather tight specifications of the In te rnational Rule, these boats did not really fit the grand traditions of the C up but, nevertheless, provided nearly three decades of some of the fin est match racing ever. The Imernational Rule is an inelegam arbitrary fo rmula that co ntrols and restricts the design of these boats within narrow limits. There is a minimum length, maximum drafr, maximum rig heights, and a set relation between length and displacement. Scanrlings-first in wood and
later in aluminum-are tightly contro lled by specifics of the rule. Nevertheless, the boars imp roved co minuo usly wi th inn ovatio ns in design, particularly by O li n Stephens. C uriously, som e of the fin est racing of all was in the fin als of the first selection trials between Columbia, sailed by Briggs C unningham and designed by Sparkman & Stephens, against Stephens's 12-Metre Vim. As had happened a few times before, in 1962 a weak boat won by the brilliance of her skipper-Weatherly, skippered by Bus Mosbacher. That was the first year of an Australian challenger, Gretel. O lin Steph ens's Intrepid of 1967 was a breakthro ugh yacht. H er we tted surface was drastically reduced with a shorter keel and separate rudder, and the boat h ad numero us refinemem s. Wi th o utstanding managemem and the skill of Mosbacher again as skipper, Intrepid was unbeatable. The quest fo r fu rther breakth ro ughs led to some peculiar and unsuccessful des igns over the next two seaso ns. In 1974, O lin Stephens des igned another ve ry fi ne boat, Courageous. Built of aluminum under new scanding rules, Courageous was powerful and superior in a breeze bm did not easily defeat Intrepid, striving fo r a thi rd defense. The selection trials cam e down to a m emorable suddendeath race in a 30-knot northeast breeze with Courageous winning through superior speed an d better sailing. W ith D ennis Co nner as skipper, Freedom won th e C up in 1980. Freedom had lower freeboard, which provided a lower center of gravity and less hull wi ndage. Conner's brilliant program in the development of sails, gear, and crew alte red Am erica's C up procedures from then on.
SEA HISTORY 11 6,AUTUMN 2006
Ir was 1983 when rhe unrhinkable overcome in des ign and so me excmng bad because a good caramaran was sure ro happened. Australia II bear Liberty in rhe sailing, on the whole, this year was a dis- bear a monohull every rime. sudden-dearh sevenrh race of rhar march . grace ro rhe noble rradirion of rhe Cup. Australia II was rhe besr 12-Merre yachr ro The march was between a large sloop and a The International America's Cup Class sail in rhe 25-year hisrory of competition sophisricared large caramaran . The Ameri- W irh rhar unfo rrunate experience behind ar Newport, Rhode Island. H er extraordi- cans developed the larter over an amazingly rhem, America's C up organizers creared a nary and co ntroversial winged keel was, of short time period. The perperraro r of the ro tally new rule afrer 1988. Th is new rule course, her mosr conspicuous fearure. The mismarch was M ichael Fay of New Zea- has produced fo ur fine marches in 1992, ballyhoo abour her keel masked the sig- land. While openly discussing a conven- 1995, 2000 and 2003. Boats of the IACC nificanr fac rs rhar Australia II was rhe firsr rional 12-Merre challenge, Fay had secredy class are larger rhan 12-Metre yachrs with boar ro go ro minimum 12-Merre lengrh commissioned rhe des ign and srarted con- much fi ner and lighrer hulls of co mposire and displacemenr and rhar she had signifi- struction of a large sloop. Afrer he had an constructi on. Their ballas t ro displacemenr rario is remarkably high candy less we rred surface COURTESY BMW ORACLE wirh a deep lead bulb of rhan any ocher Twelve. Team Alinghi wrestThis laner facror won rhe abour 44,000 pounds suped the Cup from its ported by a slim sreel fin . C up! Less we rred surface New Zealand defendNew classes requi re sevfollowed narurally from ers in 2003 and, far eral cycles fo r an oprimum a smaller boar bur also the first time, brought the from a keel of radically boar rype ro emerge. In rhe Cup to Europe. It wiff be small planform. Where case of the IACC, rhe profought far once again in June cess moved rapidly, princirhat had failed rhirreen 2007 at Valencia, Spain. pal ly because of rh e brillianr years earlier in Valiant In this photo from 2003, wirh a convenrional keel, and aggressive R&D prothe American team, gram devised by American ir succeeded in spades on BMW Oracle USA Bill Koch for his America3 A ustralia II because rhe 76 (right), races syndi care. America3 wo n the winged keel provided team Alinghi 1992 America's Cup march sufficienr hydrodynamic SUI 64. in decisive sryle againsr Italy. lifr (side force) wirhour New Zealand's Black Magic rhe conve ntional large syndicare superbly execured area. Because Twelves rhe next two marches . Borh have drafr limired by a ar San Diego in 1995 and funcrion of lengrh, rhey rhen ar Auckland in 2000, crave more drafr or rhe equivalenr effecr. The lifr-enhancing ac- insurmounrable rime lead on rhe defender, rhe New Zealanders showed admirable rion of rh e "end plare" wings provided Fay issued a challenge specifying his rype fin esse in co ncept, organizarion, derails, of boar and a rime period roo shorr fo r the and sailing skill. thar very effecrively. Mosr recently, rh e Swiss rearn Alinghi America's Cup racing at Newport defender ro reaso nably develop a boar of wresred rhe Cup from rhe Kiwis in 2003, ended in 1983 wirh Australia !J's vicrory. the same rype. Lawyers fo r rhe compering yachr bringing ir back ro Euro pe fo r rhe 32nd D ennis Co nner rook charge again and in 1987 won back rhe C up, sailing in the clubs ensnared rhe comperirion in a mis- comperirion in rhis long series . Perhaps, warers of wes rern Ausrralia aboard Stars erable, expensive dispure. In fairness, wirh rhis sweeping overview of where rhe & Stripes. She was a one-wearher boar, big rhe American response was nor wholly comperirion cam e fro m and how ir has and powerful fo r rhe consisrenr "Docror" admirable eirh er. America wo n rhro ugh evolved , yo u roo will be inspired ro be rhe (srrong winds) of Freeman de. Orhers did rechnology and rhe clever develop- America's C up newesr fan. Expecr some nor have rhe srrengrh of their convicrions menr of a new caramaran, also named exciring racing ar Valencia in June 2007 and in furure years as rhe Am erica's C up Stars & Stripes. ro go wirh such a big and powerful boar. The challenger, New Zealand, was rradirion conrinues. The Mismatch - 1988 rh e largesr racing sloop builr since rhe In 1988, for rhe firsr rime in hisrory, rhe ] -boars and a peculi ar boar. We have no Halsey H erreshojf is a naval architect and challenger and defender clubs could nor sure way ro judge her prowess, as she was an experienced sailor having served as naviagree on a murually sarisfacrory boar size, rhe only such boar on rhe warer. Lighr gator in 5 America's Cup competitions. H e rype, and raring rule. Thus, ir was neces- of weighr wirh an exrreme keel and wide is the grandson of Nathanael Greene H ersary ro sail under an, as yer, un rried provi- "wings" fo r crew hiking, she was, ar leasr, reshojfand President of the H erreshojfMasion of rhe Deed of G ifr fram ed fo r jusr inreresring. O f course, ir made no differ- rine Museum and the America's Cup Haff such a conrin gency. D espire rhe challenges ence wherher New Zealand was good or ofFame in Bristol, RI. SEA HISTORY 116, AUTUMN 2006
23
Maritime History and Nautical Archaeology by Dr. W illiam Still Jr. This fall, the Program in Maritime Studies at East Carolina University will begin its 25th year of instruction with a new class of graduate students. Over the years, faculty and students have pursued many premier projects around the world, including investigations of USS Monito r, CSS Alabama, USS Tecumseh, USS Arizona, Maple Leaf the Beaufort Inlet wreck (thought to be Blackbeard's Queen Annes Revenge, though this is highly debated), 16th-century sites in Bermuda and Florida, and the Yorktown Shipwreck Archaeological Project. Founded in 1981 by historian Dr. William Still Jr. and Gordon Watts, then the head of the Underwater Archaeological Unit of the NC Division of Cultural Resources, the Program in Maritime History and Nautical Archaeology has produced some of this country's leading maritime historians and archaeologists. In this article, Dr. Still describes the beginnings of the program that has since gained an international reputation in the field of maritime heritage, both in history and archaeology. " That is a sexy idea," the Vice Chancellor said to me when I proposed the creation of a graduate program in maritime history and archaeology. He approved the proposal and later carried it to the un iversity system administration for ap proval. This was early in 1981. The idea for such an academic program had its germination in underwater archaeological field schools, sponsored jointly by East Caro lin a University and the Underwater Archaeological Unit of the North Carolina Division of Cultural Resources. I had been contacted by Gordon Wa tts to see if East Carolina University (ECU) wo uld be interested in developing a cooperative program with NC Archives and History in sponsoring a summer field school to give students a chance to learn something abo ut underwater archaeology. We realized the potential for a graduate program that could give students formal study in research in maritime history, as well as underwater archaeological research. The new program was, and still is, a specialized program within the Department of History. The first class started in the fal l of 1981 with seven students enrolled, nearly al l recruited from the summer field schools. The university persuaded Gordo n to resign his position with the state and accept a position with ECU as co-director of the program. We put together a course of study with a traditional thirty-credit-hour
Graduate student Matthew DeFelice mapping a section of the early Great Lakes bulk carrier Monohanset. Built in 1872 by Linn and Craig Shipbuilders of Gilbralter, Michigan, the 165-foot long vessel caught fire and burned near Alpena, Michigan, in 1907. plus thesis curriculum, which included courses in maritime history and underwater archaeology. An inter-disciplinary program from the outset, in addition to the core courses in archaeology and history, a student could select courses in geology, anthropology, geography, and marine biology. As it turned out, students rarely elected to take classes outside the history department because of the pre-requisites in those fields. Gordon Watts rightly insisted that the curriculum should include fieldwork. With this requirement tacked on to those required by the D epartment of H istory,
the university agreed to change the degree from thirty to fo rty-five hours plus thesis. The history department also agreed to accept underwater archaeological site reports in place of the standard history thesis if they included an acceptable historical research component for students who rook this track. Today, the program requires thirty-six hours of study including thesis. Faculty and students have pursued many premier projects aro und the world, including the investigations noted above. For many years, fall field semesters were held in conjunction with the Bermuda Maritime Museum. East Carolina archaeology diver training specializes in reducedand sometimes zero-visibility work. The fall term offered a welcome break in the warm, clear waters off Bermuda where students and fac ulty inves tigated dozens of shipw recks from the sixteenth century forward. Today, organized field schools occur wherever a project is underway in conjunction with another organization or where a given student's thesis project may take them. ECU students and alumni have dominated the archaeological investigations in the Great Lakes in the last ten years, and, recently, field schools in Lakes M ichigan and Huron have provided students with experience in cold, deep-water diving and with the spectacularly preserved wrecks of that fres h water environment. Tech-diving has also become a niche for the program with specialty training offered by the university's Diving & Water Safety Office run by Steve Sellers. ECU students, staff, and al umni have participated in archaeological investigations of USS Monitor, which lies at 240 feet below the surface off the North Carolina coast.
(left) CSS Alabama, a 1050-ton screw steam sloop of war, sank off Cherbourg, France, in 1864. Gordon watts, pictured here recovering one of her guns from the sea floor in 1994, served as Principal Investigator.
24
SEA HISTORY 116, AUTUMN 2006
25 Years of Excellence at East Carolina University We were fonun are ro conrracr wirh rhe Narional O ceanic and Armosphere Adminisrrarion (NOAA) ro conduce srudies and fieldwork on rhe remains of rhe C ivil War ship USS Monitor. In 1983, Go rdon Wans led a universiry inves rigarion of rhe Mo nitor sire and recovered rhe ship's anchor. Today, visirors ro rhe M ariners' M useum in Newport News, VA, can see rhe anchor and many recovered artifacrs, including rhe rurrer, which was recovered in 2004 and is currendy undergoing conservarion. The anchor was conserved by srudenrs and sraff ar rhe ECU conservarion lab and was larer rurned over ro NOAA. Alrhough rhe Monitor projecr las red jusr rhree years (198 1-1983), ir gave rhe program narional recognirion and helped in recruiring srudenrs from a larger pool.
ECU alumni, students, and staffprepare to dive to USS Moni ro r, 240 ft. below.
As rhe program evolved and grew, faculry and faciliries also changed . The universiry library offers one of rhe besr maririme hisrory research collecrions in rhe counrry, especially afrer rhe donarion of Admiral Ernesr M . Eller's exrensive perso n a l Ii b ra r y. T h e pro g r a m no w o ffers men raring and srudy under several facul ry members wirh narionally recognized repurarions in maririme and naval hisrory, naurical archaeology, and conservarion science. I rerired as direcror of rhe program in 1993 and was succeeded by D r. T imorhy ]. Runyan, a well-known name in rhe field of maririme hisrory. Under D r. SEA HISTORY 11 6, AUTUMN 2006
MAPLE LEM SlTE EXCAVATION 199'2to 1994
Maple Leaf site plan. In 1992 and 1993, ECU investigated the side-wheel steamer Maple Lea£ which struck a Confederate torpedo in the Saint j ohns River and sank in 1864. The wreck is unsurpassed as a source for Civil W0r material culture. It also provided ECU with the opportunity to conduct archaeological investigations in a zero-visibility environment. ECU rose to the challenge and made a name for the program's ability to work in black water. Runyan, rhe program conrinued ro grow. His dedicarion ro s~ude nrs, and some long afrer rhey graduared, and his srro ng ries fa r and wide wirhin rhe maririme herirage communiry has helped place graduares in key posirions across rhe counrry. From maririme museum curaro rs and direcrors, underwarer archaeologisrs and sire adminisrrarors, ro universiry professors, researchers, and even a maririme hisrory magazine ediror, Easr Carolina Universiry al umni from rhe maririme program have dominared rhe field. In 1998, ECU opened rhe doo rs of anorher program wirh a PhD offered in Coasral Resources M anagemenr. CRM srudenrs can rake one of fo ur cracks, including a maririme srudies rrack where rh ey srudy rhe role rhar maritime herirage plays in coasral use and developmen r. Srudenrs
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Since 1996, students and staff have sailed during the summer months aboard the US Brig N iagara to broaden their understanding ofshipboard life during the age ofsail.
Recent field schools in the Great Lakes, in conjunction with the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary, have allowed students to develop skills in cold water diving and to witness the extraordinary preservation of shipwrecks in a freshwater environment.
in rhis program work wirh srudenrs and sraff in rhe hisrory departmenr's Program in Maritime Studies. The program is in anorher rransirion since irs second direcror, Dr. Runyan, has moved on ro ano rher posirion wirhi n rhe universiry. Acring direcror, D r. Larry Babirs, now heads rhe program as ir heads inro irs nexr quan er-cenrury of rraining, research, and leadership of rhe nexr generarion of professionals in rhe field of maririme hisrory and naurical archaeology. ,!, Program in Maririme Srudies, Easr Carolina Universiry, Greenville, NC 27858; Ph. 252 328-6097; www.ecu.edu/maririme.
25
CGrCO)1rcdlcrnJnl JHl cm]p)(e; CGr1rccmrnLt by Louis Arthur Norton
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Untitled. Crayon on paper, 11-518 x 16-718 inches Grant conveyed the character ofthe working waterfront clearly. Reproductions of Grant's paintings as lithographs and posters are still popular and easy to find. This lithograph was recently purchased online for just a few dollars.
26
ordon Hope Grant's (1875- 1962) life spanned almost a century, taking him from the final days of working sail through the steamship era and well into the modern age with dieselpowered ships working the waterways of the world. H e focused much of his artwork on the men who labored during the rw ilight days of sail. Although he painted and sketched his share of ships at sea, he focused most of his wo rk on the people at work, up close. Grant was born in San Francisco in 1875. His father worked in a San Francisco bank, but he had been raised in the rough-and-tumble seaside Clyde district in Sco tland. He believed that a child's proper education should include proving oneself against a physical challenge. Therefore, yo ung Gordo n Grant ventured to sea, under the watchful eye of a Scottish sea captain, sailing as a crewman on a square-rigger aro und Cape Horn from California to Great Britain. Sailing in those days on such a long sea voyage often created a great deal
(Gr
SEA HISTORY 116, AUTUMN 2006
In Greasy Luck, Gordon Grant depicted the men and work ofthe whaling ship in such detail that it is almost hard to believe he did not personally witness these scenes. (left) "TJpes" -Grant was interested more in the people involved in maritime activity than the distant view of ships on blue water. (below) Whalemen remove the lower jaw ofa sperm whale from a cutting stage rigged to starboard. G HF.-1\ SY LUC K IM AGES CO URT ESY DOVE R PUBLI CAT IONS, INC.
of leisure time when the weather was fair and the ship in good order. Leisure time for Grant was spent drawing what he observed onboard ship, and, before long, he developed a reputation among his shipmates as a talented artist. A London magazine editor by chance saw some of his work, recognized his talent, and had Grant enroll at London's Lambeth & Heatherley's Art School to develop his skills. After completion of his studies, he returned to the
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United States and found employm ent as a freelance illustrator for a number of New York magazines. Grant secured the position of staff artist for Harper's Weekly and was assigned as their special illustrator covering the Boer War, the South African conflict of 1899. In 1918 Grant boldly left the relative security of magazine illustration to become a full-rime artist. He wo rked in a variety of media, including watercolor, oil, lithograph and etch in g. Now a mature man in his forties, Grant took a second sea voyage on the three-masted square rigger, Star of Alaska, along with his brother Kenneth. (This sh ip is still preserved as part of the San Francisco Maritime National Historic Park under her original name, Balclutha.) The voyage inspired Grant to author six books, most of which illustrated the hard and sometimes whimsical life of a seaman. Two outstanding examples are Greasy Luck, about life onboard a whaler, and Sail-Ho! The detail in the former makes it hard to believe he never shipped aboard a whaler; the latter included sketches from his Star ofAlaska experiences. Other works include Book ofShips, Forty Famous Ships, Ships Under Sail, and Secret Voyages. These collected volumes became very popular and brought him great (left) This 1917 WWI poster was one of many that Grant created for the military.
SEA HISTORY 116,AUTUMN 2006
27
(above) "Hauling the Nets" n.d. drypoint, 7-314 x 9-314 inches; (below left) "The First Mate" c. 1929, etching, 9-718 x 7-718 inches financial gains. Grant became widely known as an expert maritime illustrator, the Norman Rockwell of American marine artists. With this reputation came a prestigious commission from Curtis D. Wilbur, Secretary of the Navy. Grant was asked to make an oil painting of the frigate USS Constitution under sail as she would have looked in the War of 1812. President Calvin Coolidge accepted rhe painting into rhe White House art collection in 1927, and ir is still rhere today. The government printing office reproduced more rhan a million copies of rhis painting to be sold ar fifty cents each, the proceeds of which were to partly fund the restoration of rhe badly deteriorated national naval icon, "Old Ironsides." Grant continued ro paint through World War II, and his arrwork included many naval ships of rhar era; several of these are exhibited ar rhe US Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. Grant described his methodology in the preface of The Gordon Grant Sketchbook. To create a watercolor, he would first visit a sire and make a series of preliminary sketches in pencil. Back ar his studio, he converted rhe sketch to a watercolor, always starring with what he called "a Gordon Grant sky," painting with a broad brush before adding the theme of his subjecL He painted rapidly, completing his work in only a few hours. Gordon Gram died in New York Ciry in 1962 at the age of eighry-seven. His peregrinations include the New England coast with many paintings of rhe coast of Maine, as well as Gloucester and other
28
SEA HISTORY 116, AUTUMN 2006
Massachusetts coastal towns. Grant's works va ried with the medium. His etchings and most of his lithographs capture the diverse picturesque characters of motley sailors depicted as dashing, humorous, and a bit cantankerous. In his sketches and paintings, Gordon G rant demonstrated his skill at capturing both frantic and tranquil moments at sea. His watercolors and oils, although not as heavily derailed as many realist artists of his day, have an unusual warmth and vitality. The "Old Ironsides" wate rcolor and some of his oil paintings are an exception to this rule. For the most part, he produced representative paintings of ships and the sea as metaphors without careful
A fisherman hauls in his trawl using a trawl roller attached to the gunwale of his dory. regard for the historical accuracy done by port painters such as Antonio Jacobsen or Fredrick S. Cozzens, etc. His genre sketches of shell-backs at work is more suggestive of his fellow Harper's Weekly artists Winslow Homer and Milton J. Burns, but Grant's sailors are more rakishly human souls that almost appear as caricatures. This style gives his work a contemporary quality and vitality that make his sketches and paintings timeless. Grant was a member of a number of prestigious artist organizations including: the Salmagundi Club of New York, the National Academy, the American Watercolor Association, the Allied Artist Association, and he was a founder of the North Shore Arts Association of Gloucester. He exhibited in galleries throughout the United States, including the Library of Congress in 1944-46, and won many exhibition prizes including the National Academy of Design (1926), American Watercolor Society (1933) as well as competitions in Chicago and the Paris Exposition of 1937. Today, his works can be found in collections coast to coast, and reproductio ns are easy to find. 1 Gordon Grant's art bridges both the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. His artistic skill, intimate knowledge and respect for m arine subj ects, from seascapes to ships and sailors, reflect the vitality of his time for his audience to remember and enjoy. 1
Too many to list here, visit www.arrcyclopedia.com for a full listing of museums, galleries, and institutions where Gordon G rant's artwork is displayed .
Dr. Louis Arthur Norton, a Gloucester, Massachusetts, native, is a professor emeritus from the University of Connecticut H ealth Center at Farmington. He recently received a master's degree in maritime history at the University of Connecticut at Storrs. His book, Joshua Barney: Hero of the Revolutionary War and 1812, was published in 2000 by the Naval Institute Press.
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(a bove) "Man Overboard" n.d. drypoint, 9-718 x 11-718 inches (right) Grant had a studio in Gloucester where he depicted local scenes and culture. Esteemed artist Thomas Hoyne met him there and credited Grant with inspiring him to paint mariners at work.
SEA HISTORY 116, AUTUMN 2006
29
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The America's Cup The America's Cup-that go-fast modern sailing race where millions of dollars are spent on boats and gear, where the sailing crews are muscular tanned guys (and some women too!), where national pride and rivalries run high, and where most of the rest of us don't know a lot about it. The America's Cup is the oldest trophy in sports. It was originally called the "Hundred Guineas Cup," and it was renamed the ''America's Cup" (named for the winning boat, America, not for the country) after a famous race in 1851 when the New York Yacht Club accepted an invitation by Great Britain's Lord Wilton, the Commodore of the Royal Yacht Squadron, to send over a boat to race against the British yachts. Think about this-1851 was 45 years before the first modern Olympic games were held; the America's Cup precedes soccer's World Cup, tennis's Davis Cup, hockey's Stanley Cup, and golf's Walker Cup. The actual cup, or trophy, itself was one of three solid silver ewers (a fancy, vase-shaped pitcher) made in 1848 by the Royal Jeweller in England. The Royal Yacht Squadron acquired it in 1851 and offered it as a prize for a race around the Isle of Wight. This was no small race. The course around the Isle of Wight was approximately 53 miles; throughout the race, the lead changed hands plenty of times, but at the end, America trounced her competitors-8 cutters and 6 schooners. With her victory came the cup, which was brought home to the New York Yacht Club. Since then, the Cup has been challenged 30 times and will have its 32nd competition in June 2007. The winning boat's home country (actually, its yacht dub) gets to take the trophy home and keeps it until another competitor challenges and wins it from them. The New York Yacht Club held onto the Cup from 1851 to 1983 when the Australians upset the American team
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Today's America's Cup boats are multi-million dollar enterprises and very high-tech,
~ The Swiss team from Alinghi holds up The Cup after their victory in 2003.
PHOTO: T M l ERRY MARTINEZ
.A Schooner Yacht America, 1851, Currier & Ives
and took the Cup home to Australia. Since that time, the Cup has been won by New Zealand two times, the US three times, and most recently by a Swiss team. In the early races, the boats were one- or twomasted, made of wood, and sailed to the race location across the oceans. There have been several evolutions of the rules and design of the boats in the last 150 years. Today, the race itself is a "match race" between just two boats, and the boats are very hightech both in design and materials used to construct them. Abo ut 50 years ago, rules were changed so that the new smaller-class boats, the 12-meters, were not required to sail to the race locations across the oceans. Today, competitors' boats are transported across the oceans in larger ships and eve on airplanes. The Cup has een challenged by th/ us, England, Australia, New ealand, Italy, and 1 witzerland. In 2003, the Swiss te m, sailing in Ali i, brought the Cup back to Euro for the first , 1ime since that first race in 1851. Loo , the 32nd America's Cup in June 2007. ¡ (For more derails on the history of the race, see article on pages 20-23 of this issue.)
Above 13o<A.rd
Today we say that someone is "above board" to mean he or she is honest. This phrase comes from the days when ship captains were always worried about running into pirates. Pirates would oftentimes hide most of their large crew below deck or below the wooden bulwarks (the extension of the ship's side upwards past the deck to the railing) when they approached an unsuspecting ship. When the two ships would get close enough that the potential victim wouldn't be able to get away, the crew would spring up, ready to fight the much smaller crew of a typical merchant ship. An honest captain would have his crew stand tall behind the bulwarks so they could be seen easily and show the other vessel that his or her ship was "above board."
lisdess
"Listless" means that someone is dull or lethargic. This word originated in the days of sail. A ship in calm waters rides on an even keel or level with the horizon, without heeling or listing to one side or the other in a strong wind. Therefore, a vessel that has no wind or list is "listless" and slow moving.
Spi( <A.rld Sp<A.rl
When the age of exploration too\ off in the 16th century, the Dutch built many new ships for this purpose. Their word used to describe their brandnew boats was "spiksplinter nieuw," which means new in every spike and splinter (spike meaning the large nails used to fasten the ship together and splinter referring to the wood used to build the ship). The British sailors called them "spike and spanew," and American sailors warped that phrase to "spic-and-span" to mean clean and polished. From Dr. Marrin D avis, Traditions and Tales of the Navy (Missoula, Montana: Pictorial Histories Publishing Co. , Inc., 2000)
H
e lived and died than 200 years before Captain Hook was even dreamed up by J. M. Barrie, who wrote Peter Pan in the early 20th century. Nevertheless, 10-year-old John King was enthralled with pirates even in his time. Just like today's kids who think it'd be fun to be a pirate, John King had no idea what he was getting himself into when the ship he was traveling on with his mother was seized by Captain Samuel Bellamy, the famous Black Sam, and his fellow pirates in 1716 on the ship Whydah. The boy demanded that he be allowed to join the pirate crew, much to the dismay of his mother who tried to warn him that that life was not all fun and games. Reportedly, John
King even threatened to kill himself and then he threatened to kill his mother if she stopped him! Instead of going to a muchdeserved time-out in his cabin, the young boy went off with the pirates, never to see his fam ily again. A few months later, the pirate ship and crew, with John King onboard, were struggling in a storm off Cape Cod, Massach usetts, when they
were dismasted and the ship sank. Only two men survived out of a crew of approximately 145 people. Today, we know about John King from the report left by the ship's captain from which he was sailing with his mother. The shipwreck was discovered in 1984 and many artifacts have been removed from the seabed in the years since. John King's fibula (lower leg bone), shoe, and silk stocking were among the plunder taken from the site. No one paid much attention to the remains of the very small pirate until this past June when archaeologists determined that the bone belonged to a boy and not a small man. With only one boy onboard, it could only be him.
I
f you want to be a barnacle, you've got to turn upsi de down and catch food with yo ur feec.
Born from an egg, yo u float around for a while as plankton, then you need to decide where to spend the rest of your life. You are fragile and squishy, so yo u need to build yourself a shell so you don'c get smushed or eaten. You'll still live in water, at least most of the time, but to keep from drifting all over the place yo u've got to attach to something with a powerful, waterproof glue. If you want to travel, choose a boat bottom, some whale skin, a turtle shell, or even a penguin's foot. Rather stay put? Stick to a rock, a buoy, or a wharf piling. As a cruscacean, yo ur relacives are shrimps and lobsters. When water flows by, you open the ha~ of your shell and catch food wich your skinny, hairy legs, called cirri. There are about 900 barnacle sp - . cies, but the best-known kinds are acorn barnacles
and stalked barnacles. Acorns are the compact ones on rocks that look like tiny volcanoes; stalked are the ones with sofr stems and a shell casing at the tip. Stalked barnacles are more common on floacing objects out at sea. No one is certain of the origins for the word barnacle, but it seems the Barnacle Goose had the name first. The story goes .....__,...,_,at medieval naturalists found logs washed ashore , covered with stalked barnacles. â&#x20AC;˘ lliey thought these creatures looked like larval geese because of their long necks and wing-like ends with feathery cirri poking out. For hundreds of years, naturalists believed that a type of tree existed that grew these birds. In 1599, Richard Hakluyt wrote: "There stand certaine trees vpon the shore of the Irish Sea, bearing fruit like a gourd, which ... doe fall into the water, and become birds called Bernacles." Today, stalked barnacles are also called goosenecks.
If yo u're going to be a barnacle, I'll be honest and tell you most mariners hate your guts (more your shells). You and all your buddies collect in amazingly large numbers on the hulls of ships. This slows a vessel down, adding more time to a voyage. So, the ship needs more supplies, fuel, and expensive paint to keep off more of your friends. Even when you die, yo ur shell stays glued tight to whatever surface it's on. Barnacles can clog the water pipes of engines and do other damage to ships. Fi e. 28. C alton, 1873 .
op~l'l\r-.\b ~\,/\TE'.S (o\'~fl-CV\..Vf'v\)
Sir A.P. Herbert wrote in 1921 :
Thousands of Barnacles, small and great, Stick to the jolly old Ship of State; So we mustn't be cross if she seems to crawlIt's rather a marvel she goes at all. Not everyone dislikes yo u, though. For soups and chowders, chefs like
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tives that can grow almost as long as this sheet of paper or just as wide at their base. Shipwrecked mariners are over-
Scientists like
joyed to find barnacles to eat. The most famous example is after a whale smashed up the whaleship Essex in 1820 in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Some of the starving
umes on barnacles. US Coast Guard biologists can deter-
to
study you. Before C harles Darwin wro te
The Origin ofSpecies, he spent eight years writing four volmine how long a vessel has been at sea, based on the ac-
sailors survived in part by eating stalked barnacles growing
cumulation of barnacles on the hull, and marine ecologists
underneath their small boats. In Edgar Allan Poe's novel
study how ships deliver invasive barnacle species
The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym, shipwrecked sailors
around the world.
to
pons
survive by eating barnacles, and Thor H eyerdahl and his
Still want to be a barnacle? Before yo u decide, wait un-
crew enjoyed the barnacles beneath their raft Kon-Tiki on
til next issue where yo u'll read how men died for the sake of
their voyage across t)i.e Pacific. Japanese farmers have raised
the Sea C ucumber (no relation to the one in your salad).
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Historic Ships on a Lee Shore
NEWYORK CENTRAL NO. 16
by Thom as Flagg
CVS is about to break ground for a new pharmacy in Buzzards Bay, MA, but not before they get rid of, any way they can, the steam-powered rail tug that sits on the edge of the parking lot. As this issue of Sea History goes to press, New York Central No. 16's survival is in serious jeopardy. The attorneys for CVS have issued an ultimatum to a group of individuals who have come forward to save the tug, and they have made remarkable progress in a very short time to accomplish this goal. A number of steps have to be taken to save her, and all but one have been lined up. The mayor of Bayonne, NJ, has accepted stewardship of the tug if someone can get it there. McAllister Towing has offered to transport her (on a barge) to Bayonne. Massachusetts Maritime Academy has offered the use of their dock. The missing link is the move from the parking lot that has been her home for more than 20 years to the Academy dock just over a mile down the street. They either need a company with that kind of equipment to donate the move or the cash to hire one. Will CVS do the right thing and give these people a little time to work it out? By the time you are reading this, we will likely know the answer. Let's hope it was "yes." -Deirdre O'Regan
T
ugboats have always been a favorite kind of boat for many people-small enough that you can picture yourself on deck securing one of those giant hawsers but able to do the big job of hauling huge things around. From the 1860s to the 1960s, a lot of mgboats in New York Harbor and elsewhere did railroad work-that is, they hauled around barges filled with freight from railroad terminals to and from ships and to and from waterfront industries without tracks leading to them. Railroad tugs also moved "carBoats," long barges with track built on deck that could load rail cars, allowing trains at opposite sides of a harbor to interchange cars. After the 1930s, the rail tugs (and locomotives) converted from steam to diesel propulsion. In the 1960s and 70s, when railroads abandoned this type of marine activity, the boars were sold off or abandoned. Many of the diesel mgboars found new owners, bur the surviving steam-powered mgs were generally disposed of at that rime. A few found work with new owners but were so heavily modified that they no longer retain much of their former appearance. One of them, thankfully, did manage to survive with its original appearance intact-New York Central rug No. 16, built in 1924 at Elizabethport, NJ. With the exception of short maintenance periods, No. 16 was at work, three shifts per day, most days of every year from 1924 to 1968! In that year, the New York Central m erged with the Pennsylvania Railroad, and the resulting Penn Central Railroad immediately got rid of all the tugs still powered by steam. After her bottom was removed in 1982, No. 16 was tranported by barge to its current location next to a restaurant parking lot.
Soon the tugs were lying in the mud behind Staten Island, waiting to be scrapped. In 1982, artist and tugboat enthusiast Steve Lang saw No. 16 there and inspired a M assachusetts restaurant owner to rescue her. Arthur Fournier of Penobscot Bay Towing Co. Roared the tug in NY and transported her to his shipyard in East Boston. There, he converted her into a static display by cutting the hull off below the waterline and placing her on display alongside the new owner's restaurant in Buzzards Bay, MA, at the entrance to Cape Cod. By removing her hull below the waterline, on land, the rug has the appearance of being aBoat as one would have seen her on the water. Fournier beautifully restored the exterior, and they even saved her single-cylinder high pressure steam engine after removing it. The tug then served as an adjunct to the restaurant for many years. Thousands and thousands of tourists who visit Cape Cod have come to recognize the boat as a welcome landmark as they approach the bridge over the Cape Cod Canal. The restaurant was sold a few years ago and the new owners were happy to keep the rug on the property, recognizing its value as a local landmark. The property has once again been sold and the newest owners are clearing a path for the wrecking ball to, we guess, gain ten extra parking spaces at the new CVS pharmacy they intend to build on the property. It was a miracle that No. 16 was rescued by good people in 1982 and placed where all could see her. What a shame it would be to see her demolished now, after leaving such a record of hard work and then being given a kind of public retirement that none of her sisters were fortunate enough to have. ~ Thomas Flagg is the author of New York Harbor Railroads in Color.
36
SEA HISTORY 116, AUTUMN 2006
.SHIP NOTES, SEAPORT & MUSEUM NEWS Battleship Texas, the powerful warship that fought in both World Wars and in 1948 became the first battleship memorial museum in the US, is likely to move ashore in the near future. U nder che scewardship of che Texas Parks and W ildlife D epartment, she has been anchored on che Buffalo Bayou and che Houston
USS Texqs in 1937
ship channel as part of che San Jacinto Banleground Scace Historic Sire. For 20 years, che ship and her scewards have been battling the corrosion on her hull and the water seems to be winning this battle. In 1988 when USS Texas was towed to a Galveston shipyard for repairs, costs ran in the neighborhood of $15 million. That sum only covered about half the repairs that were needed at the time. C rews had barely kept the ship afloat during the transit to the shipyard. That shipyard has since closed and the closest facility that could handle the ship is across the G ulf of Mexico in Alabama. Fears chat the ship might sink in transit rule ouc that option. Today, USS Texas needs new steel placing on her hull and blister tank, a new wooden deck, and an electrical overhaul-estimaced cost: $25 million . In a dry berth location, officials could work on repairing the ship without wo rrying about her sinking while they continue to collect monies fo r the wo rk. The proposed dry berth will cost approximately $20 million. Federal grants will cover about 3/4 of this sum and Battleship Texas Foundation will raise the balance. They hope to start conscruction in 2009 and have the projecc completed by July 2011 in time fo r the centennial of the ship's original launch in 19 12. (Battleship SEA HISTORY 116,AUTUMN2006
Texas State H istoric Site, 3523 Hwy 134, LaPorte, TX 77571; Ph. 28 1 479-243 1; www. cpwd. state. tx. us/ spd es t/ fi ndades t/ parks/battleship_ texas/. Also: Battleship Texas Fdn., 10575 Katy Fwy., Ste. 393, Houston, T X 77024; Ph. 713 827-9620; e-m ail: bward8377@h o usto n .rr. co m; www.banleshiptexas .org) ... Sometimes, logistics play as much of a role in museum management as does fundin g and politics. The Russian Sub Museum in Collier Point Park, Providence, RI, had to shut its doors during weekdays this summer because of road constructi on on the highway near its entrance. The sub IS open weekends and holidays. Gro ups can work with scaff to accommodace alternate openings as needed. The sub, j uliett 484, is a 300-foo t lo n g, diesel powered Cold Wa r veteran and the only
Russian cruise missile submarine on display in North America. The sub is owned by the USS Saratoga Museum Foundation, which has plans to move Saratoga, an aircraft carrier, to a proposed "Air, Land & Sea H eritage and Technology Park" located at the former Quonset Point Naval Air Station, N orth Kingstown, RI . USS Saratoga (CV-60) was decommissioned in 1994, but it is still currently property of the US Navy. (Russian Sub M useum, Ph. 401 52 1-3600; www. juliett484.org. Also, USS Saratoga Museum Fdn ., POB 2858 1, Providence, RI 02908; Ph. 401 83 1-8696; e-mail: saratogamuseum@aol.com ; www. saratogamuseum.org) The Lake Champlain Maritime Museum took advantage of some "down time" when one of their vessels needed scheduled maintenance by turning the work into ongoing demonstrations of 18th-century shipwrighting. Through O ctober, visitors
' ~.,,,-\< ' ,.;;.~f
... ¡l oisMcClure and 1t--~- Philadelphia II
/ .
can observe shipwrights using traditional skills as they copper the botto m, re place the standing rigging, and clean and oil the timbers of che replica 1776 gunboac Philadelphia II. In other LCM M news, plans are being discussed there regarding a 2007 Erie Canal tour of the canal schooner Lois McClure and a 2008 tour of Canada, including Q uebec C ity, Montreal, and Otcawa, to lead into the 2009 events commemorating the arrival of Samuel de Champlain to che region in 1609. (LCMM, 4472 Basin H arbor Rd., Vergennes, VT 0549 1; Ph. 802 475-2022; www. lcmm. org) .. . Looking fo r a waterfront vacation home? The Barns Ness Lighthouse in Dunbar, Scotland, is up for sale by its owners, the Northern Lighthouse Board. The historic light is
12 1 fee t call and was builc by ligh thouse engineer D avid A. Stevenson in 190 1. It was deactivated las t O ctober. . . . Hollywood has, occasionally, contributed to the financial sustainability of some historic and replica ships, providing a onetime income for use of a ship in a movie. The 1883 barquem ine Gaze/a Primeiro enjoyed the bank check and atcention after her pan in Anne Rice's Interview with a Vampire in 1993; 'HMS" Rose finally fo und a buyer when Patrick O 'Brian's
(continuted on page 39)
37
NASOH2006 Great Lakes M aritime History dominated talks at the annual conference of the North American Society for Oceanic History (NAS OH), held at the Wisconsin Maritime M useum in M anitowoc, WI, last June. Even getting to the conference provided a stepback in time for those who traveled th ere aboard the carferry SS Badger, the 4 10-ft., coal-fired, steam-powered ferry that has
SS Badger
been servicing Lake Michigan since 1953. New scholarship on Great Lakes maritime history, from macro-inves tigations to more specific histories, was presented to an international audience. H eld jointly with the Canadian N autical Research Society (also with the N orth American members of the Society for Nautical Research), papers reflected both countries' involvement on the lakes and with each other. The meeting of the two organizations also held an opportunity for discussion regarding NASOH 's desire to provide a scholarly journal in maritime history to fill the void left by the termination of The A merican Neptune. M embers of both organizations have voted in favor of NASOH becoming partners with CNRS in the production of their quarterly peer-reviewed journal, The No rthern M ariner, and providing it to NASOH members and a US readership. Look for news and information of this important development on the NASOH web site, www. nasoh. org. In addition to presentations and local tours, each group announced their annual awards and scholarships, presented to authors, researchers, and members for valuable scholarship in and service to the field of maritime history. For a list of awardees, visit their web sites (www. nasoh .org and www.cnrs-scrn.org). In 2007, N MHS and NASOH will hold their annual m eetings and conference jointly at the US M erchant M arine Academy, 17-2 1 May. For details, contact NMH S: POB 68, Peekskill, NY 10566; Ph. 800 22 1-NMHS; e-mail: nmhs@seahistory.org; www.seahistory.org)
38
Mass Sail n June, Ocean Classroom Foundation (OCF), the sail training organization that owns and operates the schooners Spirit ofMassachusetts, Harvey Gamage, and Westward, and the Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies (PCCS) celebrated the first anniversary ofMassSail at an event at Fan Pier in Boston. MassSail is a collaborative program between the two organizations that takes Massachusetts school children aboard ship to expose, educate, and involve them in the science and history of their shoreline and coastal waters. MassSail operates as a series of educational programs aboard the schooner Spirit .------------,-...,..... of Massachusetts from May to September. All curricula options are aligned with the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks for History and/or Social Sciences or Science and Technology and Engineering. Students participate fully in the operation of the ship, working with the professional sailing crew to learn the skills and arts of '------''--~"---=----------'~---'"-"--'--"---~ traditional seafaring. Teaching science and history aboard ship provides a powerful context for education; lessons learned, achievements made, insights gained are internalized and retained because students are invested in the process. In 2005 and 2006, MassSail operated along the full length of the Massachusetts coastline and included Boston-area middle schools, Cape Cod schools, and a 3-day sail with teachers exploring Nantucket Sound. Last year, nearly 75% of d1e Boston-area school groups were fully funded thro ugh scholarships. This year, a start-up grant hopes to take that percentage closer to 100%; OCF and PCCS are hoping that the business community in Massachusetts will take notice and provide ongoing financial support to make the program available to ALL students, regardless of their family's ability to pay. Taking kids to their local waterfront and beyond and teaching them that it belongs to everyone-not just the businesses and private homes that can afford a waterfront location-can be a profound experience. The goal is to engage the next generation of citizens and business leaders with the desire to take care of their local waters and recognize the rich history that maritime communities and seafaring have had on their hometowns. If the maritime heritage community wants to build society's appreciation for its maritime past, it has to get people to the water, get them to want to take care of their waters today while learning about the long histo ry of what those waters have meant to the development of their towns and cities and the nation. (OCF, 23 Bay St.,Watch Hill, RI 02891; Ph. 800 724-SAIL; www.oceanclassroom.org. MassSail info also available through PCCS: 115 Bradford St. Provincetown, MA 02657; Ph. 508 487-3622; e-mail: masssail@coastalstudies. org; www.coastalstudies.org)
I
(left) Peter Borrelli, Executive Director ofPCCS, gave an inspiring talk about empowering youth to learn about and care for their local waters.
SEA HISTORY 116, AUTUMN 2006
(continued from page 37)
books made ir to rhe big screen in M aster & Commander. So me ships were builr specifically fo r use in a movie. HMS Bounty, rhe replica of Cap rain Bligh's form er co mmand, was builr in 1960 for MG M 's Mu tiny on the Bounty. Since rhen, ir's fo und wo rk in ocher films, recendy in Disney's Pirates ofthe Caribbean, D ead Man's Chest, bur ir appears as if irs owners were duped in to allowing a new movie, Pirates, to use rhe ship as pan of irs ser. Told char Pirates was a comedy, rhe Tall Ship Bouncy O rganizarion, which owns rhe ship, agreed. Lacer, rhey discovered char Pirates is insread an adul r film (i.e. porn movie) . Even if rhe idea makes Bounty owners and admi rers cringe, rhe movie has been a blockbusrer in rhe wo rld of adulr movies, selling more rhan 100,000 copies since ir was released lase fall. ... The US Navy is having trouble controlling costs on some of its recent shipbuilding efforts. The new amphibio us rrans pon San Antonio (LPD-17)
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T'AKE.Jf SIX HOUR -%yage into History"' featuring music of the 40's by a live "Big Band I" See reenactors demonstrating military equipment and vehicles. Watc h an exciting air show with flybys by seve ral WWII aircraft !weath er permitting). Enjoy a conti nenta l breakfast and a great all-you-can-eat buffet lunch. Tou r the whole ship, including the engine room, museums, ca rgo holds, crew's quarters and bridge.
OUR 2006 DAY CRUISES September 2, October 7 All cruises depart from Baltimore, Maryland
Cost for each guest-$125. Inquire about Group Discounts. Restrictions & penalties apply to cancellations. Mail ticket ord ers to P.O. Box 25846, Hig hland Sta tion, Baltimore, MD 21224-0546. (Please include name, address and phone number.)
Phone Orders: (410) 558-0164 â&#x20AC;˘Fax Orders (410) 866-5214
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the visiting p ublic. In more, som ewhat bizarre, news involving M organ, rum ors of a ghost hangin g around down below d eck h ave circulated far and wide. So much so that this summer a group of paranormal inves tigators wrote to the Mystic, CT, maritime museum seeking permission to conduct an investigation aboard the world's las t wooden whaleship. The museum granted permission and The Rhode Island Paranormal Research Gro up (TRIPRG) conducted rwo investigations using digital recording equipment and infrared cameras, among other instruments, to gather its evidence. TRIPRG sought permission from the museum after it received letters fro m three un-related visitors to the Seaport who claimed to have seen a man in 19th-century clothing worki ng in Charles W Morgan
'I"'-::--.-"""'.,.__ underway at the turn of the century.
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the blubber room and smoking a pipe. Mystic Seaport will receive a final report from T RIPRG, according to its publicist M ichael O 'Farrell, who said they are not promoting the Morgan as a 'ghost ship.' The inves tigations have drawn significant med ia interest. Since the fi rst inves tigation in Ap ril, Mys tic Seaport has appeared on Good Morning America, CN N, Fox News Channel, C BS Evening News and more than 50 other TV stations nationwide. The story, O 'Farrell said, has also appeared in more than 150 newspapers worldwide. Though Mystic isn't openly buyi ng into the idea, above average numbers of visitors to the Seaport is always welcome news. (Mystic Seaport M useum, 75 Greenmanville Ave., Mystic, CT 06355; Ph. 860 572-0711; www. mys ticseaport.org) . . .
SEA HISTORY 116, AUTUMN2006
SHIP NOTES, SEAPORT AND MUSEUM NEWS In July, Frenchman Bruno Peyron and his crew smashed Steve Fossett's transAtlantic record aboard the maxi catamaran Orange II, finishing the course from Ambrose Light near New York to Lizard Point off the southwestern tip of Great Britain in just 4 days, 8 hours, 23 minutes and 54
level television cameras and capable of working to depths of20,000 feet. Argo was successfully tested in 1985 at the Titanic site, resulting in the luxury liner's discovery. Testing of the prototype Jason vehicle, a much smaller remotely operated or tethered vehicle named Jason Jr., and development of a fiber optic handling system for use in the deep sea was a major challenge in 1986. Fiber optic cables, al though common today, were not in use in the deep sea
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SEA HISTORY 11 6, AUTUMN 2006
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EXPERIENCED MODEL BUILDER. Ray Guinta, PO Box 74, Leonia, NJ 07605; www.modelshipsbyrayguinta.com. Art Prints. NYC Fireboats 16x20," $ 18 each . Also available for commissioned work. Call Steve White, Phone: 718-3 175025; e-mail: fdarrismy@aol. com.
North to California: The Spanish Voyages of Discovery 1533-1603. History book by Paul A. Myers. Cortes and Ulloa explore Baja, exciting new info on Cabrillo, Alarcon, Vizcaino , Manilla galleons . $22.95 from internet booksellers or Llumina Press, Ph. 866-229-9244. ATOMIC 4 pans, carburetors, Oberdorfer pumps, Featherman Enterprises, www . feather m anen terp rises. com, Ph. 717-432-9203 To place your classified ad at $1.60 per word, mail your complete message along with payment, to Sea History, Advertising Desk, PO Box 68, Peekskill NY 10566. 42
as t Spring, a cadre of NMHS members joined together for an exhilarating week of sailing on Star Clipper, the largest barquentine underway in the world, culminating with two days of sailing in the 19th Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta. It was a sailor's dream come true. Star Clipper is 360 feet long, with a main mast that reaches 226 feet aloft; she carries 36,000 square feet of canvas in her rig. She may be a comforrable, even luxurious, cruise ship, but she can really move under sail. When we were sailing off English H arbour durin g th e races , a squall bore down on us, heeled the ship Hardy volunteers help hoist the sail, stirred over, put the portholes of our on by Star Clipper's chanteyman. 2,298 gross ton ship under water, and sent dishes flying in the dining room. Our hardy volunteer crew sprang to Captain Brunon Borowka's orders, striking sail as fast as we could. Thousands of yardage of canvas and rigging flapped and howled in the rain and wind. It was a thrill, bur we never forgot that in the Age of Sail, neither passengers no r crew reveled in a squall that overwhelmed the sails and strai ned the rig-not to mention the moods of the seamen who were sent aloft to secure them. Star Clipper, the Largest barquentine in the world, The squall passed as suddenly under sail at the Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta as it came, and the cleared horizon revealed the fleet of some 54 classic yachts in the distance-the replica of the J-boat Ranger in the lead with the H erreshoff twin beauties Eleanora, a 136-foot gaff schooner, and Ticonderoga, a 1936 72-foot ketch, nor far aste rn . In between two days of sailing, parrying, and yacht gawking in Antigua, we learned a lot about sailing we didn't know. We were introduced to a dizzying array of rigging, had crash courses in knot tying, and bonded with our shipmates as we pulled together in the wo rk of the ship in the race. We were living the dream of Cap rain Uli Pruesse, a master seaman who passed away in 2004 after helping found the Tall Ships Wo rld Peace C up Competition at the Regatta, which now rakes place annually. "There really is no difference," Uli had said, "between a little classic boar, a grand classic yacht, or a tall ship at the start of a race. We all have rhe same reason fo r being in Antigua-to meet each other, share in the beauty of the classic yach ts and ships, and perform with classic seamanship and good will." ,!,
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OBITUARIES: Off to Fiddler's Green Stephen H. Johnson (1925-2006) In April , Stephen H ardy Johnson , 8 1, died in his home in upstate N ew York. H e grew up in Hadley, M assachusetts, and attended a r------: ,,,:--,.--,,.,.~ one-room schoolhouse until high school. After a year at the University of New H ampshire, he left school to join the Merchant M arine. In WWII he served in both Europe and the South Paci fi c. In 1947 he sailed as fi rst m ate with his uncle, Capt. Irvi ng Johnson, on his 4th wo rld cruise in the brigantine Yankee, a voyage covered by the National Geographic Society in print and film. After 18 mon ths and 40,000 sea miles, Yankee returned to Gloucester, Massachusetts, in M ay 1949. A year later, Johnson m arried M ary Louise Booth of Larchmont, N Y, whom he had met onboard Yankee. In 1955, the Johnsons settled in Rye, NY, where they lived for 47 years. Steve was the founder and owner of H andy Rent All in North White Plains and also a m ember of the American Rental Association. H e was an active m ember of Rye Presbyterian Church, Scout M as ter of Boy Scout Troop 6 in Rye, and a member of the Rye Rotary. H e is survived by his wife of 56 years, M ary B. Johnson, children Edith W., Barbara C., D avid, and Karl; nine grandchildren; and a brother, Charles McClure Johnso n. Steve Johnson continued his family legacy of dedication to preserving the heritage and skills of the mariner. Among their many affiliations, he and his family have , 路 路 路 路 ' been active and strong supporters of NMHS, the Los Angeles M aritime Institute, Sea Educatio n Association, and Mys tic Seaport Museum.
Donald C. McGraw Jr. (1925-2006) D onald C. M cGraw Jr., recipient of the fi rs t NMHS D avid A. O 'Neil Sheet Anchor Award in 2005 , died in Florida in June. H e was 8 1. His wife, D o ro thea M cGraw, and three sons, D onald III, Robert L. W, and D avid W , and th eir fa milies survive him. The David A. O 'N eil Sheet An chor Award is given to recognize extraordinary leadership in building the strength and outreach of the Society. Using his extensive backgro und with m aritime publications, Mr. M cGraw provided Sea History with advice and support essential to its success . There could h ave bee n n o m o re wo rthy fi rst recipi ent. A ft er servin g in the Navy in WWII , M cG raw earned a degree fro m the Carnegie Institute of Technology, where he studied graphic arts and engineering. H e wo rked fo r McGraw- Hill as a group publisher, heading Standard & Poor's and other publicatio ns. H e was found er and publisher of Nautical Quarterly, the first boating m agazine ever to be awarded a National M agazine Award for design , and owner and president of Soundings, the national boating newspaper. M r. McGraw collected marine art and was an experienced yachtsm an . He owned several yachts, both m otor and sail, including D efiant, a 124-foo t motor yacht, and a number of H ood and Hinckley sailboats. M cGraw was Chairman Emeritus of Mystic Seaport Natio nal Council of Advisors. H e was a member of the New York Yacht Club, the C ruising Club of America, the Ocean Reef C lub, the Little C lub, and the D elray Beach Yacht Club, the latter of which he served as commodo re. H e was a great fri end to the Society and a stro ng supporter of the impo rtant role publications play in preserving our maritim e heritage.
John P. Wort (1928-2006) John P. Wort, 77, of Fort Montgomery, New Yo rk, died in May. H e was the re tired General M anage r of Best Foods, having spent m ost of his long career with them overseas . His w ife M argaret Jean Wort, an H o norary Trustee of N MHS, and his rwo daughters Ch ristina Sweeney and Elizabeth Clyde and their famili es, survive him . The Society remembers John as a dedicated and persuasive advocate fo r historic m aritime and land preservation in the Hudson Highlands area of New York State. John was chairman of Hudson Highlands Cruises &Tours from 1982 to 1998. The Society has often beneficed fro m his to urs aboard the histori c 19 17 M /V Commander. During that same period, he also served as treasurer for the New York State Tour Boat Association. H e was a long-time director of Scenic Hudson, serving as treasurer, and after an auto accident in 2003 that left him paralyzed, he was m ade an honorary director. John Wort served as chairman of the Constitution Island Association for fifteen years and then becam e chairman em eritus. H e was a founding member, director, and treasurer of the Town of Highlands Historical Society and the Fort M ontgom ery Barde Site Association and was a member of the Plan Team of the Palisades Interstate Park Commission for the restoratio n of Fort M ontgom ery. A week before John's 2003 accident, he had NMH S members of all ages clamberin g aro und Fort M ontgom ery, teaching them abo ut New York's history. A graduate of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, he earned an MBA fro m H arvard, and was a reti red US N avy Lieutenant, serving in the Ko rean War and rem aining in the reserves fo r fo urreen years.
44
SEA HISTORY 11 6, AUTUMN 2006
•22nd Annual Gloucester Schooner Festival, 1-4 September in Gloucester, MA (www.capeannvacations.com/schooner) •Heartland Classics Boat Show, Grand Lake, OK, 8- 10 September (Ph. 918 7821855; www.heardand-classics.org) -7th Annual Antique & Classic Boat Show, 9-10 September, l 1AM-4PM, presented by Tuckerton Seaport and the Philadelphia Chapter of the Antique & Classic Boat Society. Admission fee. Location: Tuckerton Seaport, 120 West Main St.(Route 9) , Tuckerton, NJ. (Ph. 609 296-8868; www.tuckertonseaport.org) •4th Annual Maryland Lighthouse Challenge, 16-1 7 Sept.. Tour MD lighthouses plus the Chesapeake Lightship. (Ph. 410 437-074 1; e-mail: dkrosage@comcast.net; www.cheslights. org) •Schooner Lois McClure Lake Champlain tour schedule: 18-27 September, St. Albans, VT; 2-5 Oct., Grand Isle, VT; 10-18 Oct., Plattsburgh, NY. Open to the public free of charge, 3-6pm weekdays and 1Oam-6pm weekends. (LCMM, 4472 Basin Harbor Rd., Vergennes, VT 05491 ; Ph. 802 475-2022; www.lcmm.org) •"Q Boats and Nor'Easter IV," Lecture by Ted Graves, 26 September at 7:30rM, International Yacht Restoration School, Newport, RI. (IYRS, 449 Thames St., Newport, RI 02840; Ph. 401 848-5777; www.iyrs.org) •Carolina Maritime Model Society meetings at the North Carolina Maritime Museum, 30 September and 28 October (NCMM, 3 15 Front St., Beaufort, NC 285 16; Ph. 252 728-1638; e-mail: info@NCMM-Friends.org) •The Great Chesapeake Bay Schooner Race, 11-15 October, Baltimore, MD, to Pommouth, VA; entry is open to all schooner-rigged vessels. (Race Office, POB 8 176, Norfolk, VA 23503; Ph. 757 480-4402; www.schoonerrace.org) •USS Saratoga Association 55th Annual Reunion, 12-15 Oct., in Arlington, VA. (Info: Brad Senter, Ph. 877 360-SARA) •11th Annual Great Lakes Lighthouse Festival, 12-15 October in Alpena, MI. (7406 US 23 North, Suire C, Alpena MI 49707; Ph. 989 595-6722; e-mail: mjk36 l @comcast.net; www. lighthouse festival.org)
•Sea Chantey Fest, 17 September at the Maritime Museum of San Diego. (1492 North Harbor Dr., San Diego, CA 9210 1; Ph: 619 234-9153; e-mail: info@sdmaritime.org) CONFERENCES
•4lst Annual Historic Naval Ships Association Conference, 8-12 October 2006, hosted by HMS Belfast, London, UK; the first time the conference has been held outside the US or Canada. Will include papers on the business side of historic ship preservation, education services, and ship
HMS Belfast
preservation plus visits to the Chatham Historic Naval Dockyard and Ponsmouth Historic Dockyard. (Info: Jeff Nilsson of HNSA, POB 401, Smi thfield, VA, 23431; Ph. 757 356-9422; hnsaOl @aol.com; www.hnsa.org) •Wisconsin Underwater Archaeology and Maritime History Conference, 21 Oct. 2006, Milwaukee, WI, at the Four Points Sheraton. (e-mail: wuaa@mailbag. com; www.wuaa.org) •International Conference on Caribbean Studies, 2-5 Nov., an interdisciplinary conference sponsored by the Univ. of Texas-PanAn1erican, Edinburg, TX. (Info: Dr. H ector R. Romero, UTPA, e-mail: hrromero@panam.edu; www.panam.edu/ dept/ modlang/) •American Sail Training Association 34th Annual Conference, 6-7 November in Charleston, SC. (ASTA: 240 Thames St., POB 1459, Newport, RI 02840; Ph. 401 846-1775; e-mail: asta@sailtraining. org; www.sailtraining.org) •Society of Historical ArchaeologyConference on Historical and Underwater Archaeology, 10-1 4 January 2007 in W illiams burg I Jamestown, VA; Theme: "Old World I New World: Culture in Transformation"(www.sha.org) •"America's 400th Anniversary: Voices
From Within the Veil," 22-23 February 2007, Norfolk State University, VA. The conference seeks to foster a multi-disciplinary dialogue among scholars on the issue of African American rights within the context of US history. (www.nsu.edu/ james town2007) •New Researchers in Maritime History Conference, 9-19 March 2007, hosted by the National Maritime Museum, Cornwall, UK. CALL FOR PAPERS deadline: 10 November 2006. (Info: contact Helen Doe, Centre for Maritime Historical Studies, Armory Bldg. , University of Exeter, Exeter, UK EX4 4RJ; e-mail: h.r.doe@exeter.ac. uk) •Joint Conference-North American Society for Oceanic History (NASOH) and the National Maritime Historical Society Annual Meeting, 17-20 May 2007, at the US Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, NY. (NASOH info: Josh Smith, smithj @usmma.edu; also Program chair, Channing Zucker via e-mail at chanz@cox. net; www.nasoh.org. NMHS annual meeting info: POB 68, Peekskill, NY 10566; Ph. 800 22 1-NMHS; WWW. seahistory.org) ExHIBITS
• "Boatloads of Ben: Franklin's 'Strong Inclination for the Sea','' through 24 September at the Independence Seaport Museum (2 11 S. Columbus Blvd. & Walnut St., Philadelphia, PA 19106; Ph. 215 4 138658; www.phillyseaport.org) •Lake Champlain through the Lens, Annual Juried Photo Exhibit, 2 September 14 October 2006, at the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum in VT. (LCMM, 4472 Basin Harbor Rd., Vergennes, VT 05491; Ph. 802 475-2022; www.lcmm.org) •North Light at Willowbank: Discovering the Sea Paintings of john Prentiss Benson, through 9 October 2006 at the Maine Maritime Museum (MMM, 243 Washington St., Bath, ME 04530; Ph. 207 443- 13 16; e-mail: Maritime@BathMaine. com; www.bathmaine.com) •Saving Our Ships: The Sea-Paintings of Charles Robert Patterson, Heri rage Museum and Gardens, Sandwich, MA, through late October 2006; (67 Grove St., Sandwich, MA 02563; Ph. 508 888-3300;
Reviews Benedict Arnold's
Navy by James mo ment, often recog111zmg long before L.Nelson (McGraw Hill, New York, 2006, others where the next battle would be 386 pp, illus, maps, notes, biblio, index, fou ght and what it wo uld rake to fight it. We see the fa therly respect and trust ofISBN 0-07- 146806-4; $24.95hc) H ad Benedict Arnold been killed fered by Washington bur also rhe jealous while leading the courageous assault that backstabbing and political intrigue char broke rhe British lines at the battle of blunted m any of Arnold's successes and eventually led to his ulriSaratoga (as he nearly was), he would now be BENEDICT mare betrayal of his county, his troops, and brother rem embered as one of the greatest heroes of the ARNOLD'S officers. Was he a traitor? Of American Revolution . Of NAVY course in rhe end he was, a course, that's not the way llie Ragtag Fl«t majo r o ne. Should he also chis epic story played our. thal l..oJt the Baule of be remembered as one of Jam es N elson's phenomLA~e Champlain bu1Won 1he rhe greates t heroes of rhe enally researched book American Revolution? Aflets us follow Arnold ter reading James N elson's through the first several book, it's hard to think years of the Revolution, otherwise. It's a complex years in which he played American story worth several pivo tal roles, from JAMES NELSON 11 reading and a chapter in the capture of Fort Ti·J ..••·s;.~·~:::. ·h·(~;~~~~. : . ~:;~·;',::~,;:;~:~·:~:~::······ our history char begs clear conderoga, to the torturous m arch through Maine, the Canadian understanding, no r the storybook version. Filled with m aps, illustrations, and campaign , the naval battle on Lake Cham plain, and Saratoga-the battle that truly pho tographs char help bring the story to life, chis book must be on the shelf of began to turn the tide of war. In school we learned that Benedict anyo ne who is interested in our struggle Arnold was a glory seeker who sold our for independence, a war we should no r to the British and becam e America's mos t have wo n against rhe strongest natio n infamous traitor. Yet through the pages on earth, bur did . D espite rhe way rhe of chis fast-paced book, we learn the real story ended, we achieved chis in a large story behind chis complex man who, along m easure due to an imperfect hero nam ed with General Montgomery, cam e within a Benedict Arnold. cannon shot and a few ho urs' fighting of J ERRY R OBERTS New York City capturing Quebec and securing Canada on the last day of 1775. When the massively reinforced British began their counter in- Hemingway's Hurricane: The Great vasion to divide and co nquer rh e colo nies, Florida Keys Storm of1935 by Phil Scott it was Arnold who commanded a make- (International Marine/McGraw-Hill, New shift navy on Lake Champlain. This effort York, 2006 , 246pp, m aps, illustrations, successfully delayed the superior enemy sources, ISBN 0-07-1 4533 2-6, $24.95hc) If the threat of man-eating sharks forces long enough to allow winter to end makes great beach reading, then what rhe British advance fo r char season and set rhe stage for General Burgoyne's stunning could be better during a hurricane season than rhe well-told tale of a real life, winddefeat the following year. From rhe fi rs t-hand acco unts of sol- blown human drama? Buyer beware: half diers who served with him, officers who the ride-the writer-icon Ernest H emingeither loved or jealously hared him, along way-m akes bur a cameo in rhe storm . with Arnold's own acco unting of events, H emingway's H urricane is an engaging N elson paints a derailed po rtrait of the weather history with analysis of its social man who did as much as anyo ne to save fallo ut. W ith a more developed sidebar the Revolution in its early years. We see on how rhe characteristically apolitical auhow Arnold always stepped up to the thor came to write in a communist m agaplace and roo k the initiative ar the right zine a gritty comm entary accusing the 46
go ve rnm e nt of callousness and "manslaughter, " this book could have been much stronger. Scott, a science writer and journalist, does a fin e job establishing rhe l 930s milieu: the US berween wo rld wars, trying to negotiate a social and political maelstrom caused by economic depression . It was a time when World War I vets fo rmed a "Bonus Army," marched on Washington , set up shan ty "H oovervilles," and attempted to fo rce Congress to m ake good on 1924 legislation creating payments for their military service. It was in those circumstances that government created public projects to put people back to work. The Federal Emergency Relief Administratio n (FERA; not to be co nfused w ith "FEMA") came up with one such effort that wo uld also defuse the Bonus Army by diffusing it am ongst work camps across the south. H e estimates about "700 of them (veterans) ended up in three wo rk camps in rhe Florida Keys" to provide cheap labo r to build a highway. These men, through managerial and bureaucratic ineprirude and/ or indifference, were left in Aimsy camps to survive or perish a direct hit by a Category 5 hurricane in late August-early September 1935. Among rhe 423 dead discovered when the winds had departed to rhe no rthwes t were 259 work camp veterans. Survivo rs described " . .. sparks in rhe air caused by grains of sand slamming inro one another." Scott does nor spare rhe reader the impact of such violent weather on rhe living or rhe dead; one vet, impaled by a wind-thrust 2" x 4" board, survived rhe srorm bur died shortly after its extraction. N ow to rhe H emingway part of rhe story: Ernest H emingway moved ro Key Wes t in rhe !are 1920s, living and writing there fo r over a decade. H e, hi s family, and his home survived the hurricane, rhe eye of which passed ro rhe north . The author's beloved boar, Pilar, also survived, and H emingway was able to steam north in it and witness rhe death and destruction left in rhe hurricane's wake. H e was repulsed by what he witnessed . The former WWI ambulance driver was moved to write, "Who Murdered SEA HISTORY 116, AUTUMN 2006
the Vets? A First-Hand Report on the Florida Hurricane" and have it published in the US communist magazine "New Masses." He pulled no punches describing the gore and destruction, nor did he relent when pushing for answers to the question in the essay's tide. This 2,800-word essay and narration of a film , "The Spanish Earth," are among ve ry few overtly political pieces in Hemingway's stellar literary career. In his lifetime, he was criticized by some-friends and rivals alike-for not taking political stands. To this he responded, " .. . if a m an is capable of writing 'truly,' he did not have to take sides overtly. The right or wrong of the matter would clearly show up in what he wrote." So why write "Who Murdered th e Vets?" There is no clear answer to the question. Hemingway probably anticipated what Scott documents. Following the disaster, there were immediate individual recriminations and governmental finger pointing and hand washing at every level. Co ngressional hearings in 1936 concluded that the tragedy had been an act of God and no one was to blame. The House passed a bill awarding $2 17 per month to the family of each vetera n who died in the storm. It's an old story oft repeated: governmental incompetence, without accountability, leading co human tragedy. Hemingway asked, "And what's the punishment for manslaughter now?" In 1936, it was $2 17 taxpayer dollars per victim per month. P ETER SORENSEN
Old Mys tic, Co nnecticut
A Wtztery Grave by Joan Druett (St Martin's Minotaur, New York, 2004, 304pp, ISB N 0-3 12-3344 1-9; $23. 95hc) It seems there is no end to the steady flow of new fiction centered around naval warfare in the Age of Sail. Is there no other genre into which a writer may dig to find a ripe setting for maritime historical fi ction ? Of course there is, and we can thank Joan Druett for reminding us that there's a lot of maritime history out there from which to choose. In A Ulatery Grave, Druett combines two subjects she knows a lot about, the Maori culture of her native New Zealand and 19th-century maritime history, and weaves a fiction al mystery around the true
SEA HISTORY 116, AUTUMN 2006
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NO TOMBSTONES IN THE SEA "Th e story is ficti on, the historical setting Korea 1952-53 ; a Fletcher cl ass destroyer just out of mothball s and pl enty of action and romance. The author, a mustang who earned the Navy-Marine Corps Combat Acti on Ribbon in Korea knows hi s l 950's fac ts, knows hi s destroyers and certainl y operations in side a destroyer's radar shack. 'No Tombstones in the Sea' is recommended rea ding ... a solid effort." James Healy, Book Reviewer T in Ca n Sai lors Assoc ia tion " In 'No Tombstones in the Sea' author Dan Keough has the U.S . Navy down pat especially the day-to-day operati ons of a Korean War destroyer. He covers well th e co ntroversial ca ll -up of reservists from th e in acti ve reserve an d the adventures ashore of her officers and enli sted. Interwoven throu ghout are the movies and popular songs of the early l 95 0's. I hi gh ly reco mm end this book espec iall y to veterans and relatives of military personnel. " Mo r to n Ru shfie ld, Ed itor Korean War Vetera ns of New Jersey (Taejon Chapter) "' No Tombstones in the Sea ' is one of the best sea stori es 1 have read in many a year. Written with an experti se ga ined from a 54-year association with the avy and the Nava l Reserve, the author tell s a fascinating story with a style th at's easy to enjoy. Whil e it's a Jong book, (550 pages) , it 's a real page-turner th at 1 fou nd diffi cult to put down. It reminded me of the ' The Ca ine Mutiny'. I recommend thi s fin e book with out reservation ... a class ic sea ad venture ." Jack Sa uter, Editor U.S.S. Lake Champ lai n Association Quarterly The author, Dan Keough , is well known throughout the New York maritime and air transport communities where fo r 15 years he was Editor of the Port Authority 's monthly internati onal commerce magazine.
" No Tombstones in the Sea" can be ordered by phone at 1-800-834-1803, on the Web at www.rosedogbookstore.com or by personal check sent to Rosedog Books , 701 Smithfield Street (3'" floor) , Pittsburgh , PA 15222-3906. Price $41 .00 plus $5.75 shipping . T~x\pflies to PA resident only.
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A Discovery Channel Book Club selection 48
story of the US Exploring Expedi tion of 1838-1842. In this tale, a half-Maori half-New Englander, Wiki Coffin, is abo ut to em bark on the ambitious "Ex.-Ex." as a translator when he is falsely accused of mu rder. Shordy convinced of his innocence, the authorities set Coffin back aboard ship with a secret mission to investigate their next suspect, the expedition's as tronomer. That's the set up, and Druett sends us on a journey where we learn much more than the plot of a gripping mystery. We learn abo ut the real expeditio n's difficulties under its commander, Lt. Charles Wilkes, and abo ut life aboard a long sea voyage on a sailing ship. We learn abo ut the discrimination Coffin experiences and about scientific research and discovery in that time period and in that environment. I must co nfess, I originally set out to review Shark Island, only to discover it is the second book in this series. Unable to do that book justice without reading the first, I dug into A Wtitery Grave, though it was published nearly two years ago. Druett, well known for her books on whaling and other aspects of maritime history, has made an easy transition to fiction writing. I look forward to tucking into Shark Island for my late summer reading. DEIRDRE O'REGAN Cape Cod, Massachusetts
The End ofthe Barbary Terror: America's 1815 "War Against the Pirates of North Africa by Frederick C. Leiner (Oxford U niversity Press, New York, 2006, 239pp, illus., sources, biblio, index, isbn 13 : 9780-19-51994-0, $28hc) The End ofthe Barbary Terror is a short scholarly text fo cused on a noteworthy, but largely neglecred, event in American maritime histo ry-the second phase of the Barbary Pirates War. Algeria employed a system of income based on the capture of C hristian slaves for ransom or extortio n by way of annual "protection." Leiner recounts Stephen Decatur's conquest of Algeria in detail. Decatur crossed the Atlantic, seized the Algerine navy's Aagship, directed the capture of ano ther warship by his squadron, negotiated a peace treaty with the Dey in a mere two days, freed the enslaved Americans, liberated other
SEA HISTORY 116, AUTUMN 2006
European captives, demanded and collected damages for losses from the other Barbary states of Tunis and Tripoli, and then returned to the United States in triumphall in 187 days . William Bainbridge perceived Decatur's stunning victory as an insult and a subplot developed involving this more senior naval hero. This book rewards its readers with a treas ure- trove of trivia. For example, the las t sailing frigate captured by the US Navy was Algerian. This Barbary state was a British ally used against the US during the War of 1812. American naval forces first contemplated using a weapon of mass des truction (poisonous sulfurous gas) aga inst this enemy. Mordecai Noah , the first Jewish-American appointed US Consul, was specifically selected to negotiate treaties with the Arabic nations. C uriously, Noah was later recalled because of his religious affiliation. Jerome Bonaparte, brother of Napoleon, courted Susan Wheeler, who would go on to beco me Mrs. Stephen D ecatur, befo re marrying Eli zabeth Patterson of Baltimore. The US Congress first allowed American naval vessels to participate in a multinational force during this conflict. These events were significant beca use the campaigns against the Barbary pirates es tablished that the United States wo uld go to war to protect its citizens and com merce. Leiner's book is well written, but does contain some repetition in the ea rlier chapters. Importantly, The End of the Barbary Terror offers insights into the m o ral history of the ea rly American republic. Lours ARTHU R NORTON West Simsbury, CT
Spain's Legacy in the Paci.fie edited by M ark Allen and Raymond Starr, (Maritime Museum of San Diego, San Diego, CA, 2006) 104 pp, illus, notes, ISBN 0944-58016-5; $ 12.95 pb) The Maritime Museum of San Diego has stepped up to fill the need for a scholarly journal of Pacific m aritime history. Mains'! Haul: A journal of Pacific SEA HISTORY 116, AUTUMN 2006
Maritime History has steadily enhanced its reputation as a leadin g so urce for research on the subject. The publication of Spain's Legacy in the Pacific is another step toward th e es tablishment of the museum as the center for contemporary research on Pacific maritime history. 1his attractive and well-i llustrated volume is the product of a conference organized by the museum in 2004. It attracted leading scholars, whose papers form rhe substance of the volume. Ray Ashley's introduction is followed by eleven chapters. Carla Rahn Phillips, University of Minnesota, provided a setting for the volume in her chapter, "Spain in the Pacific: Voyaging into Vastness." From Balboa in the early 16th century onward, Spanish explorers probed the New World. After M agellan's voyage across the Pacific, the p ath was open for Spain to exploit th e resources of a huge portion of the world. Greg Banko ff, University ofAuckland, contributed an environmental dimension to the volume with his cha pter on winds. C ritical to successful voyaging across the Pacific was the knowledge of the eas terly trade winds within 30 degrees north and south of the equator, the prevailing westerli es at 30-60 degrees latitude, and th e easterly polar winds. Bankoff explained how the pattern of Spanish settlem ent con formed to the atmospheric circulatio n. Australian-born Kevin Sheehan, of the Maritime Museum of San Diego, examined the explorers and visionaries of the Pacific, and Paula D e Vos, San Diego State U niversity, explained the significance of spices to the Spanish colonization of the Pacific. James Tueller of Brigham Young University-Hawai'i, examined the observations and the extraordinary career of Manuel Quimper, a Spanish naval officer and the first Spaniard to visit Hawai'i. Veronica Dado, Chief C urator of the National Historical Institute in Manila, connected ''Asian Goods and California Presidios." Dame Anne Salmond, Professor of M ao ri Studies at the University of Auckland, focused on the first Spanish visits to Tahiti (1 772-76) and th e effo rts, and failures, to co mmunicate across cultures. Another examination of cultural conflict was addressed by anthropologist Wallace Olson (University of Alaska Southeast) .
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REVIEWS New& Noted H e studied rhe reasons rhar rhe encounrer between Spaniards and nari ve peoples in Alaska did nor end in the customary destrucrion of rhe narives. Ausrralian researcher Robert King (Narional Library, Canberra) examined rhe expedirion led by Alexandro Malaspina to New Zealand and New Sourh Wales in 1793. There is a marked conrras t between the scientific voyage of d iscovery to New Zealand, which included graviry experimenrs, and rhe geopoliti cal focus of rh e "discoveries" in Ausrralia. Dr. Francisco Xavier Balmi s led a global medical mission, ordered by King C harles IV, in 1803 to vaccinare native peoples and others in Larin America and Asia againsr smallpox. The vaccine (cowpox) discovered by English doctor Edwa rd Jenner could nor be preserved on long voyages, so Balmis used orphan boys as human carriers. Thomas Colvin (cultural histo rian living in the Philippines and
Mexico), focused his chaprer on rhe expedirion to rhe Phi lippin es. San Diego Srate Universiry historian Stephen Colsto n wrore the concluding chapter on rhe bibliographer H enry R. Wagner. Wagner was an exrrao rdinary collector and importanr aurhor. His masrerpiece, 1he Cartography of the Northwest Coast ofAmerica to 1800 (2 vols.; 1937). A founder of rhe California Historical Sociery in 1922, he became inrrigued with the question of Sir Francis Drake and rhe early discovery of Californ ia. His legacy to carrographic scholarship includes the H enry R. Wagner Coll ection ar rhe C laremont Colleges. Ray Ashley srares rhar ro undersrand the modern wo rld, one needs an understanding of maririme history. Readers of Spain's Legacy in the Pacific will find opportun iries ro explore rhat assertion. TIMOTHY
J. R UNYAN
G reenville, North Carolina
A Berth to Bermuda: 100 Years of the World's Classic Ocean Race by John Rousmaniere (Mys tic Seaporr and the C ruising Club of America, 208pp, ISB N : 0-9395 11 -17-7; $50hc) Cuba, America and the Sea: 1he Story of the Immigrant Boat Analuisa and 5 00 Years ofHistory Between Cuba and America by Eric Roorda (Mystic Seaport, l 73 pp, ISBN: 0-9395 10-98-7; $34.95 N o Tombstones in the Sea: A Voyage Back to Hell by Dan Keo ugh (Rosedog Books, Pirrsburgh, PA, 2005, 54lpp, ISBN 0-8 059-9827-6; $4 1pb) Simple Courage: A True Story of Peril on the Sea by Frank Delaney (Random H ouse, New York, 2006, 300pp, ISBN: 1-4000-6524-0; $24.95 hc) Cradle of Violence: How Boston's waterfront M obs Ignited the American Revolution by Russell Bourne (John Wiley & Sons, 272pp, ISBN: 0-47 167551-2; $24.95 hc)
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