in “look at these terrible people sinking merchant ships from our Allied forces!” sort of propaganda. As such, the location of the Cornwallis was never in doubt. Looking at LORAN-C charts, line 1-2792 runs pretty far south of Monhegan Island, which is as Ms. Gibson noted, but because of how the coast of Maine falls further and further westward (from Monhegan Island) as you head towards Massachusetts, it is also considerably distant from Portland and Cape Elizabeth. If the binnacle Ms. Gibson mentioned had to be from either the Cornwallis or Eagle 56, it was far more likely the latter, given that the current in that area sweeps along the coast and out to sea. Additionally, the attack on Eagle 56 and/or its sinking blew open her bow and stern, which would have potentially exposed the binnacle to the ocean current.
incorporated into that department. Incidentally, Commander Burkhart and I were shipmates aboard the USCGC Casco (WAVP-370) during the early 1960s and served as deck watch officers. Joseph Ponti Andover, Massachusetts
Coast Guard Timeline I read with interest CDR Carl Burkhart’s letter in the summer 2021 issue of Sea His(508) 693-5871 2.25x4.5_HNSA_FleetCOL#1085.pdf 6/5/12 10:47:40 AMthe timeline of the developtory [regarding ment of the United States Coast Guard] WWW.JPUWOODCARVER.COM ★ ★ and would like to offer a more comprehensive picture of the establishment and makeTHE HISTORIC NAVAL up of today’s US Coast Guard. On 9 August SHIPS ASSOCIATION 1789, Congress authorized the creation of the US Lighthouse Service. The following year, on 4 August 1790, the US Revenue Cutter Marine Service was established. The needs of the growing nation were met again 58 years later by Congress when the US Lifesaving Service was established on 14 April 1848, and the US Steamboat Inspection Service was instituted on 25 February 1871. During the Wilson administration the Revenue Cutter Service and the Lifesaving Service were merged into a new service called the US Coast Guard by an act of Congress on 28 January 1915. A Sit in the wardroom of a mighty battleship, touch a powerful torpedo on a further consolidation occurred on 1 July submarine, or walk the deck of an aircraft 1939, when the US Lighthouse Service was carrier and stand where naval aviators merged into the Coast Guard. And finally, have flown off into history. It’s all waiting on 28 February 1942, in a war-time effifor you when you visit one of ciency move, the Bureau of Marine Inspecthe 175 ships of the Historic Naval Ships tion (formerly known as the US Steamboat Association fleet. Inspection Service) was incorporated into For information on all the US Coast Guard that we know today. our ships and museums, Following 9/11, the Department of Homesee the HNSA website or land Security was established on 25 Februwww.HNSA.org visit us on Facebook. ary 2003 and the US Coast Guard was
18 And we being exceedingly tossed with a tempest, the next day they lightened the ship;
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Saint Paul and General Average Many thanks to Michael Rauworth for his excellent and very informative piece on the convoluted subject of General Average (“After the Disaster is Over—MV Ever Given and Law of General Average,” Sea History 175). I thought it worth mentioning that twenty years before the voyage from Carthage to Rome he so vividly describes, another voyage took place as was recounted in the Bible, Acts 27, “Paul in the Storm.” After passing Crete, the ship was struck by a storm, a Levanter, which lasted for weeks.
19 And the third day we cast out with our own hands the tackling of the ship. And weeks later... 38 And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, and cast out the wheat into the sea. But sadly... 41 And falling into a place where two seas met, they ran the ship aground; and the forepart stuck fast, and remained unmovable, but the hinder part was broken with the violence of the waves. There were several deliberate GA acts, and as the York Antwerp Rules provide: There is a General Average act when, and only when, any extraordinary sacrifice or expenditure is intentionally and reasonably made or incurred for the common safety for the purpose of preserving from peril the property involved in a common maritime adventure. But, in this example, the ship was wrecked and all value in the adventure was lost. So, no apportionment—no GA. All aboard the stricken ship made it safely to shore, and Paul, eventually, made it to Rome. Jock Mawson Ojai, California SEA HISTORY 176, AUTUMN 2021