Sea History 128 - Autumn 2009 by National Maritime Historical Society & Sea History Magazine

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

SEPTEMBER 13

' ·-;..;,1;::...;.:.:·:t:.:"

. ;;. ~2=

~ ;~:!~~:~

··~ -;:,-;:..-=:."-..:.~~ ~~+

~=~~:::~::~_;:~:;,,. •. _,,,_.,.,_. --.- ............,,_ .• ..._...... .__ ...... ...._,;-: .. ..... ,,.

..;r~

Jf"!~.;..,-,.•,.,,.,.,

......;;;:.,

"::l~

. ·;{~~~:: •.

SEE NEW YORK CITY S BIRTH CERTIFICATE

_~.

.._._..~.._

6.,./;._•.~

........~

.•

:'i;·!J.:.~''J:~':'.,"'·--~ ..,,..""'.,.,_,._..,... ;.;. ,.r...n;,,,.- ...... ·--~~.~.,, \..... x ... .,,..

/>,.,,;.r.,_11,~

s4~·"

SMOOTH

WATERS

SOUTHERNC HISTORIC ANTEBELLUM SOUTH

.ar.

SOUTH

7-Night Cruise Charleston, SC to Amelia Island, FL

CAROLINA

Hilton Head Island

American Cruise Lines provides passengers a unique style of cruising along the magnificent east coast of the

GEORGIA

Unites States. With no more than 100

guests, you'll be able to enjoy each

ATLANTIC

OCEAN

FLORIDA

port of call, up close and personal, all while enjoying the camaraderie of fellow passengers, sumptuous cuisine and the exemplary, personal attention that is the hallmark of American Cruise Lines. Come and discover small ship cruising done perfectly.

SEA HISTORY

No. 128

AUTUMN 2009

CONTENTS 10 Remembering Walter Cronkite: NMHS Overseer and Education Initiative Chairman 12 David Stodder: Shipwright in Postrevolutionary Baltimore, by Ronald Pilling In 1797, shipbuilder David Stodder launched what is probably the most famous ship ever built in Baltimore, but no one seems to know much about him. H istory books and contemporary reports confuse the identification of USS Constellation's builder, but Marylander Ron Piffing has teased out details ofStodder's career from primary documents and sets the record straight. 16 Of Whales and Teeth, by Louis Arthur Norton After whalers removed aLL the parts from the sperm whale with any commercial value, the men extracted dozens ofteeth from its jaw and distributed them amongst the crew for scrimshandering. Maritime historian and retired professor ofdentistry Dr. Louis Norton takes a detailed Look at the anatomy ofthe tooth itself a common artifact in maritime museums for the art rendered upon its surface but rarely studied as a raw material.

22 MAruNE ART: 1934, A New Deal for Artists, Late in 1933, the Roosevelt administration hired thousands ofartists to create works ofart depicting the "American Scene" as part ofthe New Deaf. Many artists found their inspiration on America's docks, shipyards and waterfronts. On the 15th anniversary ofthe Public Works of Art Project, the Smithsonian American Art Museum is exhibiting a selection ofthese works. Sea H istory is pleased to share a selection ofthe maritime scenes as this issue's Marine Art feature. 28 NMHS Annual Awards Dinner In October, NMH S wiff honor world-renowned yachtsman, media innovator, and entrepreneur-Ted Turner; and the "Heroes ofthe H udson, "the ferryboat captains who rescued the passengers and crew of US Airways Flight 1549. 1he honorees wi!L join NMHS at the world-famous New York Yacht Club for our annual awards gala.

32 Man and Oceans, by Captain Arie Bleicher 1he ocean is a big place, but ever since humans put to sea, we've recognized the need for rules to maintain order, fairness, and rights for those whose work is on the water. Capt. Bleicher takes a Look back at the origins and evolution of man's relationship with the sea and with one another.

< 5

Cover: Before the Storm (c. 1933- 1934), by James Floyd Clymer oil on canvas, 25-318 x 34-318 inches. 1his depiction ofa maritime scene from 1934 is part ofthe Smithsonian American Art Museum Coffection but was not from the PWAP For more scenes of 1934 maritime America created by artists in the New Deaf's PWAP, see pages 22-25.

g ~

51: 16

DEPARTMENTS

MARI NE ART NEWS

43 44 51 52

Sea History

56 PATRONS

D ECK LOG

5 8 26 38

LETTERS NMH S: A CAUSE IN M OTION FOR

Krns

MARITIME HISTO RY ON THE INTERNET SHIP NOTES, SEAPORT

MUSEUM NEWS

CALENDAR REVIEWS

Sea History and th e National Maritime Historical Society Sea H istory e- mail: editorial@seahisrory.org; NMHS e-m ail : nmhs@seahisrory. org; Web site: www.seahisrory.org. Ph : 9 14 737-7878; 800 22 1-NMHS MEM BERS HI P is inv ited . Afterguard $10,000; Benefacto r $5,000; Plan kowner $2,500; Sponso r $ 1,000; Do nor $5 00; Parro n $250; Fri end $100; Co ntribu to r $75; Family $50; Regul ar $35.

All members outs ide the USA please add $ 10 fo r pos tage. Sea History is senr ro all members. Indi vidual co pies cost $3 .75 .

32 SEA HISTO RY (iss n 01 46-93 12) is published quarterly by rhe Nati onal Mari time Histo ri cal Society, 5 John Walsh Blvd ., POB 68, Peekskill NY 10566. Peri odi cals pos tage paid ar Peekskill NY 10566 and add'] mailing offices. COPYRIG H TÂŠ 2009 by rhe Na tional M aririme Histo rical Society. Tel: 9 14-737-7878. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Sea History, PO Box 68, Peekskill NY 10566.

NATIONAL MARITIME HISTORICAL SOCIETY

DECK LOG New York Celebrates 400th Anniversary of Maritime Discovery

1609

was a big year in the N ew World: H enry Hudson sailed up the river that would ultimately bear his name in the Half Moon, and Samuel de Champlain explored the 110-mile lake named for him that separates New York from Vermont and, to the north, crosses into Q uebec. Celebrations of all kinds have been planned as the Empire State commemorates the 400th anniversary of these events and also pays tribute to Robert Fulton's steamboat N orth River, which first ran in the North River on 17 August 1807. (Okay, history buffi: why is New Yo rk the "Emp ire State," and if the Hudson River is the "North River," what is the South River? Answers on page 47). Of the many tributes planned through 2009, NMHS members won't want to miss: COURT ESY ARDEN

scorr

Sculpture by Arden Scott: In June, M s. Scott installed a 40-foot-long steel and bronze sculpture, Passage, on the Cornwall-on-Hudson waterfront (Donahue Memorial Park), commissioned by the town to commemorate the 400rh anniversary of Hudson's trip up the river. (Arden Sco tt was the featured artist in Sea H istory 122). Twenty historic Dutch flatboats will visit New York in September and travel up the Hudson River, making a visit to Peekskill (where NMHS is headquartered) on 15 September. In early September, a fl eet of Durch traditional leeboard vessels of all sorts: low slug skursjes, fishing boars (Botters, Lemmeraken and H oogaarsen) and barges (Tjalken en Ponen)-the direct descendants of the vessels rhar sailed the Dutch coast and around M anhattan in the 17th century-will sail into New York H arbor. Most are original watercraft, more than 100 years old . The boats, brought across the Atlantic aboard a D utch fre ighter, will remain in New York fo r three weeks, raking part in a regatta around the Statue of Liberty, making daily sails on the city's waterways, and on the 13th of September the entire fleet will take part in a Parade of Sail, where they will salute Dutch Crown Prince Willem Alexander and his wife, Maxima, who will be aboard the visiting Durch frigate Hr.Ms. Tromp . Afterwards, they will sail up river to Albany. Upon the fleet's arrival in Peekskill, they will be fered by the City of Peekskill, the Peekskill Yacht Club, and NMHS. Join in on the festivities! Details will be posted on the NMHS web site as they become available. Please visit www. sprs.nl for information and a complete schedule on the Dutch flatboats and www. seahistory.org for more details on visiting the boats in Peekskill. Please consult page 47 of this issue's "Ship Notes" for a listing of so me New York Hudson-Fulton-Champlain Quadricentennial Events you won't want to miss. We salute the many, many dedicated individuals who have wo rked so hard and with such talent to bring alive this important chapter in our maritime history. -Burchenal Green, President 4

â&#x20AC;˘

NATIONAL MARITIME HISTORICAL SOCIETY

PU BLISH ER'S C IRC LE: Perer Aro n, W illiam H . W hire OFFICERS & TRU STEES: Chairman, Ronald L. O swald; Vice Chairman , Richardo R. Lopes; President, Burchenal G ree n; Vice Presidents, D eird re O 'Rega n, Nancy Schnaars; Treasurer, H. C. Bowe n Sm ith; Secretary, 1l1o mas F. Daly; Trustees, C harles B. And erso n, Walter R. Brow n, Jam es Ca rter, D avid S. Fowler, V irginia Sreele G rub b, Karen H el merso n, Steve n W. Jones, Roberr Kamm, Ri chard M. Larrabee, G uy E. C. Ma id and, John R. M cD o nald Jr., Jam es J. McNa mara, Ri chard Sca rano, Phi lip J. Shapiro, Peter H . Sharp, H owa rd Slo rni ck, Brad fo rd D . Sm ith , C esa re So ri o, Phi lip J . Webster, D aniel W. W halen, Wi ll iam H. W hi te; Chairmen Emeriti, Walter R. Brown , Alan G. C hoa te, G uy E. C. Ma itland, C raig A. C. Rey nolds, H oward Slo tni ck; President Emeritus, Peter Sranfo rd FOUN D ER: Karl Ko rrum (19 17- 1996) OVERSEERS: Chairman, RADM D avid C. Brown; C live C ussler, Richard du Mo uli n, Alan D . Hurchison , Jakob Isbrandrsen, Gary Jobson, Sir Robi n Knox-Johnsron, John Lehman, Warren M arr II, Brian A. McAl lisrer, John Sro bart, W ill iam G . W inrerer NMH S ADVISO RS: Chairman, Melbourne Sm ith; D . K. Abbass, George Bass, O swald L. Brett, RADM Joseph F. Call o, Francis J. D uffy, John W Ewald, Timothy Foote, W illiam G il ke rso n, 1l1omas Gillmer, Steven A. H yman, J. Russell Jin ishi an, H ajo Kn uttel, G unnar Lundeberg, Joseph A. Maggio, C o nrad M ilster, W illiam G. M uller, Smarr Parn es, Lo ri D illard Rech, Nancy Hughes Richardso n, Ben Rogers, Joyce H uber Smith

SEA HISTORY EDITORIAL ADVIS ORY BOARD: Chairman, T imo thy J. Runyan; N o rm a n J . Bro u wer, R o b ert Brow nin g , W illiam S. D udley, D an iel Finamo re, Kevin Fosrer, John Odin Jensen, Joseph F. M eany, Lisa No rling, Carla Rahn Phillips, Walter Rybka, Q uentin Snedi ker, W illiam H . W hite NM H S STAFF: E xecu t ive D irec to r, Burchenal Green; M embership D irector, Nancy Schnaars; M arketing Director, Steve Lovass-Nagy; Communications D irector, Julia C hurch; Accounting, Jill Rom eo; Store Safes & Vo lunteer Coordinator, Jane Mauri ce

SEA HIS TORY: Editor, D eirdre O ' Rega n ; A d vertis i ng D irecto r, W e n d y Pagg io rr a ; Editor-at-Large, Peter Sra nfo rd

SEA HISTORY 128, AUTUMN 2009

LETTERS USAT Edmund B. Alexander and the rest of the story The USAT Edmund B. Alexander and I became acquainted on a summer day in 1946. My mother, sister, and I boarded her fro m a pier on Staten Island on our way to Germany to join my fa ther in Berlin. This trip was one of the very early trips for military dependents going to Germany. For reasons I never understood, it was decided that all young males wo uld be quartered in one large compartment. Ir was very crowded and very hot, and it was against the rules to open any portholes. We were told that there might still be some U -boats that had not surrendered lurki ng nearby. Our compartment was supervised by a very large Irishman , a retired New York police officer, who demanded we call him Sergeant-at-Arms and showed no signs of having a sense of humo r. H e frequently threatened to put us head first into o ne of the 32-gallo n garbage cans placed in the compartment to receive meals we chose not to keep. Our passage th ro ugh the English C hannel provided our first signs of wartime destruction. During our daylight passage, we passed several places where ships' masts marked their resting place. About halfway through the channel, a crewmem ber spo tted a mine that had broken free from its m ooring. The Alexander stopped and m aintained position until a British warship arrived . O nce we were clear, the British ship destroyed the mine by gunfire. The rest of the trip was uneventful. My first of fo ur crossings on Army transports ended and we were safely in Berlin. O nly a few days later, rhe Stars and Stripes newspaper reported that the Alexander had struck a mine on its return trip and was returning to Brem erhaven fo r repairs. Yo ur article helped me to learn the rest of the sto ry. COL. ] AMES w BRADIN, ARMY (RET.) Beaufo rt, South Carolina

SS United States from all angles There is no doubt in my mind that the United States re presents the culmination of several centuries of effo rt by many nations to provide express service across the Atlantic. Technically, she was/is superb, and beautiful, altho ugh I have always considered her funnels too fa t, like those

SEA HISTORY 128 , AUTUMN 2009

in the No rmandy. But, we all realize that she was too little, too late, and the fact that she still exists indicates that she has a special place in the nation's maritime history. My answer to the question about "saving" her is, W hat for? What do yo u do with a large ship when she can no longer earn her keep? Preserved ships are expensive item s! Kiss her goodbye, the way the wo rld did when ships like the original M auritania and Olymp ic or newer France/No rway, or A merica, reached the ends of their useful lives. Just don't show pictures of her on som e breaker's beach in Turkey or Pakis tan! ARTHU R

B. H ARRIS

Troy, M ichigan I have enj oyed five rransAtlantic crossings in the great liners, the last in 1970 aboard SS France. O f course, she becam e the Norway and cruised fo r a number of years before being scrapped . I have crossed the pond by plane mo re times than I care to co unt, but air travel canno t compare with the pleasure of voyaging on a great shipor a small one, fo r that m atter. Yo ur article on SS United States prompted a telephone call to my yo unger brother, Brian Hills, in England. Brian , now retired, was in the service of the Shaw Savill Line fo r much of his career. In the midl 970s he commanded their M /V Ocean Monarch and was the company's senior captain . No r m entioned in yo ur article was that during 1973-7 4 , the United States was tentatively on the marker fo r lease. Savill's

parent, Furness W ithy, devised a business plan and made an acceptable bid, however, in the end the plan becam e unworkable because of the "troop-ship" stipulation inserted in the contract by the Pentagon (we believe). Ir was a disappointment for my brother, who wo uld h ave commanded her on the Southampton to Australia/New Zealand run, via Cape of Good H ope. Subsequently, while captain of M /V Tavara, Brian went aboard the United States when she lay in Norfolk. "I was asto unded," he wrote, "to find the captain's acco mmodation was smaller than any I had as m as ter of a Shaw Savill ship. However, I wo uld have been very happy to command SS United States." A suggestion for any prospective purchaser: return the great ship to the transAtlantic run. Being fast, she should keep well within the traditional five day crossing. Alternatively, adopt Sh aw Savill's plan : steam at 25 instead of 35 knots. This allows boiler and engine m aintenance to be carried out at sea. Today, most business executives wo rk where they are, so the ship would need appropriate, inexpensive communication links. Accommodations could be like a modern motel, bur more compact, with pay-as-you-go dining by cafeteria and restaurant. I wo uld be much more inclined to visit my native country if I could go by sea both ways. D o ubtless there are m any who feel the sam e way. I VAN HILLS

Rockland, M aine

Join Us for a Voyage into History Our seafaring heritage comes alive in the pages of Sea History, from the ancient mariners of Greece to Portuguese navigators opening up the ocean world to the heroic efforts of sailors in modern-day conflicts. Each issue brings new insights and discoveries. If you love the sea, rivers,

lakes, and bays-if you appreciate the legacy of those who sail in deep water and their workaday craft, then you belong with us.

Join Today! Mail in the form below, phone 1 800 221-NMHS (6647), or visit us at: www.seahistory.org (e-mail: nmhs@seahistory.org)

Yes, I want to join the Society and receive Sea History quarterly. My contribution is enclosed. ($ 17.50 is fo r Sea History; any amount above th at is tax deducti ble.) Sign me up as: 0 $35 Regular Member 0 $50 Fam ily Member 0 $100 Fri end 0 $2 50 Patron O $500 Do nor

128

M r./Ms. - - - - -- - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - -- - - --

-----------------------~ÂˇZI P _ _ _ _ __ Return ro: National Maritime Historical Society, PO Box 68, Peekskill NY I 0566

I enjoyed yo ur recent article on SS United States and what a m arvel she was in her heyday. In the early 1950s, my father-inlaw and his fami ly were returning to the US from an assignment in Paris, and they traveled across the Atlantic on the United States. I remember the old man telling me that there were only two pieces of wood on the United States, the butcher block in the kitchen and the grand piano in the salon lounge(!) and that she rode as if she was gliding on glass. I was married in June of 1956, and that fall I received my orders directing me to leave Moody AFB, GA, and report to a small base near Manchester, England. Having been given the option of travelling to the UK by air or by surface transportation, we opted for the ocean crossing by ship. Our means of travel was on one of those WWII Victory ships, which had been refurbished with quarters for about forty fami lies and a contingent of about 200 enlisted. Since our departure was scheduled for the weekend after Thanksgiving, there were no troops aboard, but instead Christmas mail and automobiles filled the hold. We met several other newlywed service-

men and their brides; our days were filled a photograph of SS Vestris on page 23. My with amateur bridge, book reviews, and grandfather, Edward Marvin, was a pasgetting acquainted with the other couples. senger and survivor of the disas ter, who We got underway from New York on a Sat- was lost at sea for almost a week befo re he urday. The United States was also docked was rescued. My m other's recollection was in New York, preparing to sail on Monday that most of the women and children were for Cherbourg. On Wednesday evening, lost at sea and that only the lifeboats that while we were all below deck enjoying the were launched later were rescued . Is there evening m eal, the captain got on the horn a web site where I can obtain the passe nto announce that the United States was fast ger manifest and read more about this? approaching on the starboard side. A mad LARRY WIESSMANN scramble ensued as everyone tried to get Johns Island, South Carolina topside to see this marvel. At first, all we could see were her running lights-she From the editor: The Statue of Liberty-Ellis was lit up li ke a Christmas tree-fast ap- Island Foundation, Inc., provides images of proaching, about two or three miles away passenger manifests, easily searchable by pasfrom our rusty tub. We had to look really senger or ship name at www.ellisisland.org. fast, for she passed us like a motorcycle They post passenger manifests for SS Vestris might on the turnpike! My wife and her from the years 1912-1924, but not the one parents have since passed away, but I think from her last voyage in 1928. Readers, any yo ur article would have stirred a lot of suggestions? m emories for all of us. JoHN B. HARVEY, LT. COL. USAF (RET.) Pirates in Context Fort Worth, Texas You deserve credit and thanks for the article on piracy by Daniel Sekulich and for SS Vestris Passenger Manifest the comm ents in Deck Log in Sea History I recently picked up an issue of Sea His- 127 (S ummer 2009). As you point out, altory (# 122) and was very surprised to see tho ugh piracy has lots of history, it is also

Celebrate our maritime heritage this holiday season with NMHS greeting cards Based on paintings by distinguished marine artists Paul Garnett and John Stobart, the se holiday cards capture the romance of a bygone era- and help support the work of NMHS . Greeting reads " Wishing you fair winds for the holid ays and calm seas for the New Year." Also avai lable as blank note cards . NE \ V! C Oi - inspired by Herman Melvil le's Moby D ick. It is a snow covered Christmas Eve in New Bedford wh ere sai lors are spe ndin g th e holid ays w ith th e ir famil ies and loved ones.

Box of 10 : $ 14 .9 5, or $ 13.46 for NMHS members. Add $4 s/h for one box and $2 for each additional box. Please indicate your cho ice of card and specify greeting or blank cards. Additional cards are ava ilab le in limited quant iti es on our web site www.seahistory.org.

C D2- 0n a summ er eve nin g in 188 4, th e ta ll Dow n Eas te r Ecl ipse has ju s t doc ke d in So uth S tr ee t after

To order, call 1-800-221-NMHS (6647), ext. 0, or visit our web site at www.seahistory.org.

e ncounte rin g a ra in s quall o n th e way.

SEA HISTORY 128, AUTUMN 2009

a very current challenge. There has been some reporting by news and other publications, but most of it has been fragmented and with little understanding of th e marine environment. Mr. Sekulich's article had depth and accuracy. HUGH W. SCHWARZ Vineyard H ave n, Massachuserrs

Historic Ships As Artificial Reefs On 27 May, an important hisroric vessel was sunk off Key West, Florida, ro form an artificial reef. The loss of this ship is a ve ry damaging mistake, despite the fact that these "reefs" have been shown tO be highly beneficial ro local sea life. Artificial reefs can do a great deal ro reinforce the natu ral environment of an area by providing a home for underwater animal and plant life. At the present time, numerous derel ict and exhausted ships are laid up or wai ting for the scrap yard. Many of them can be used ro create such a reef for these environmental benefirs, as long as they are not classified as "hazardous m aterial." D espite the environmental benefits of artificial reefs, this was not the intended purpose in the case of the Vanderberg. The

SEA HISTORY 128, AUTUMN 2009

goal was ro create an at traction for scuba divers, with the hope of bringing more of them ro the area. Using such an unusual and famous ship, rather than an old, mundane cargo ship, would, of course, create more interest among di vers and entice more of them ro the area. Sadly, some of the ships which have m et this fate have had hisrorical significance and should have been preserved. One such ship was the aircraft carrier USS Oriskany, sunk in 2006 for the same reason off Pensacola, Florida. Oriskany had served with distinction in the Korean and Vietnam Wars. One pilot who fl ew from her deck in 1967 was John S. M cCain, who would be shot down and taken prisoner. The Vandenberg is now another such a case. The creation of this "reef" for divers led ro the loss of an hisroric ship, one that participated in several significant events. If yo u had seen the ship after 1961, yo u would have seen several large dish antennas that were used for tracking missiles and spacecraft. Before 1961, she had already served an interesting career of hisrorical consequence in her earlier deployments under a different name.

The ship was built as an Army transport ship during WWII as USS General Harry Taylor and carried troops across the Pacific for the war against Japan . Later, the Taylor was transferred ro the Atlantic, where she was used in the post-war relief effort, transporting survivors of the Holocaust from Europe ro the United States. While many relics of the Holocaust have been preserved worldwide, it wo uld seem that most are reminders of the crime itself, rather than the kind reaction of so many, after the fact. In 1961 the ship was acquired by the Air Force and converted ro a Mi ss il e Range Instrumentation Ship, renamed General Hoyt S. Vandenberg, and was used ro track the flights of the American space program. Considering the ship's multiple employm ents and identities, it is a tragedy that it was thrown away ro serve as nothing more than a rourist attraction for scuba divers. We can only hope that this will serve as a lesson ro prevent the wasteful disposal of other such hisrorically significant vessels. EDWARD P. McMoRRow Beverly, Massachusetts

NMHS: A CAUSE IN MOTION

COUNCIL OF AMERICAN MARITIME MUSEUMS

Let Go and Haul! Captain Walter Rybka and the Brig Niagara Bring the Battle of Lake Erie to Life It was cold, drizzling rain, and the wind was picking up outside the harbor in Erie, Pennsylvania. Aboard the US Brig Niagara fo r a daysail in late May was a gro up of individuals who, collectively, are most responsible fo r stewarding America's maritime heritage in the 2 1st century-the direcrors, educators, curato rs, presidents, and trustees of America's m aritime museums, in town for the C ouncil of American Mari time Museums' annual m eeting. All eyes were transfixed on Walter Rybka as he recounted the Battle of Lake Erie. Captain Rybka, site administrator of the Erie M aritime Museum and Niagara's senior captain, hosted this year's CAMM m eeting. From the deck of the original Niagara, Perry, assisted by the Beet of nine small ships under his command (six of which were built at Erie in the months leading up to the battle), defeated a British squad ro n of six vessels during the Battle of Lake Eriethe fi rst time in history that the British lost an entire squadron in battle. On that early autumn day in 18 13, not far from Put-inBay, Ohio, the British and American Beets opened fire, starting the battle each side had been anticipating for weeks. N ot long after Perry's Bagship Lawrence began exchanging fi re with the British ships Detroit and Queen

Captain Walter Rybka explains the Battle of Lake Erie aboard the brig N iagara.

The work environment for Niagara's crew. Charlotte, the wind died and the becalmed Niagara did not fo llow to close with the enemy. The Lawrence was soon overwhelmed. W ith most of his crew wounded or killed, Perry transferred by small boat to the undamaged Niagara and hoisted his battle Bag-" Don't G ive Up the Ship." The breeze picked up and he sailed her into close actio n, broke the British line, fo rcing their surrender. In the aftermath, Perry wro te his immortal report to General William H enry H arriso n, "We have met the enemy and they are ours: rwo ships, rwo brigs, one schooner and one sloop." W hat better environment to learn about this important historic battle than from the deck of the current-day Niagara under sail in Lake Erie. The CAMM visitorcrew helped the regular crew haul lines and then watched them as they scampered aloft to loose sail and later furl, fire the guns, and both tack and wear ship. In tight quarters Niagara maneuvers with remarkable precision, a testam ent to an experienced captai n and well-trained crew. Watching them at their work, it becomes clear why a ship like this would need so m any hands and why strict order was so important to survival. This experience under sail exemplifies both the unparalleled value of hands-on learning of America1~ history and the power of a great storyteller. A better run or more valuable sailing

program, o ne where trai nees and visitors learn traditional square-rig seamanship along with the history Niagara represents, would be difficult to find. While m ost CAMM m embers have com e to know Captai n Rybka over the years through meetings and conferences, spending time with him in his elem ent aboard this ship showed us his character, expertise, dedication , and genuine enthusiasm in a whole new light. As terrific as all of this sounds, with the state of the economy this year, the State of Pennsylvania, who owns the ship, has m ade severe cuts in the ship's fundin g, putting the sailing program in jeopardy. Every effo rt needs to be made to restore the funds. Unlike many other traditional sailing ships, Niagara is not in need of a restoration beyond routine yearly m aintenance. O wners of other wooden ships have learned some hard and expensive lessons regarding cutting back on ro utine m aintenance, including maintaining the skills and enthusiasm of professional and volunteer crew. In the short term, the cut in Niagara's budget most jeopardizes the ship's abi li ry to get underway with a sailing crew, pile on sail, and leave in her wake a powerful educational experience for all who com e aboard, whether for the afternoon or fo r a whole season .

Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry in the Battle ofLake Erie, 10 September 1813. SEA HISTORY 128, AUTUMN 2009

CONFERENCE AT THE ERIE MARITIME MUSEUM Highlights from the CAMM Meeting The Mariners' Museum

Mystic Seaport Museum

Bill Cogar of The Mariners' Museum in Newport News, Virginia, has been a visionary leader and progressive, sometimes controversial, thinker in the maritime heritage communiry, and the topic of his CAMM presentation was no exception. Cogar discussed the need for museums to embrace the technology that can create a virtual experience for millions of people who will never make it to a museum site, while still working to enhance rhe hands-on learning experiences of people who do. This rwopronged effort, Cogar suggests, is as important to a museum's mission as the care and display of its collections. Cogar, who has worked in leadership positions at some of our most prestigious maritime museums, is a good motivator to influence the maritime heritage communiry to reexamine how and to whom it communicates. Dr. Cogar has served as the Executive Vice President and COO of The Mariners' Museum since 2007, having worked there berween 1998 and 2002 as vice president and chief curator. In November, Dr. Cogar will rake over as museum president and CEO. In the past, he has served as a history professor at the US Naval Academy and as director of the Naval Academy Museum in Annapolis, as well as Vice President for Collections and Research at Mystic Seaport Museum from 2002 to 2007. Count on him to continue to pursue and influence the innovative approaches maritime institutions rake on making the museum experience more attractive, meaningful, and accessible to traditional visitors and virtual visitors alike.

During the session on ship preservation, Dana Hewson, vice president of Watercraft Preservation and Programs at Mystic Seaport, explained how instrumental the

SEA HISTORY 128, AUTUMN 2009

' expensive. Like many projects struggli ng in this economy, funds already raised have lost value with the stock marker decline and other anticipated funds are suddenly not

The 184 1 whaling ship Charles W Morgan hauled out at Mystic Seaport. Seaport's new docking lift was in hauling the 340-to n, 11 3-foor Charles W Morgan on the museum's grounds last November. An American icon, the Morgan is the world's last wooden whaling ship. Built in New Bedford , MA, in 1841, she made 37 whaling voyages befo re moving to Mystic Seaport in 194 1. Since then, more than 20 million visitors have crossed her decks, learning about the role whaling played in American history. Today, the Morgan is undergoing a three-year, mulrimilliondollar restoration, renewing areas of the hull below the waterli ne and considerably reducing the amount of hog in her keel. Ir has been more than rwenry years since work beyond the usual maintenance was performed, and the results of hull surveys indicated char a major restoration effort was needed and could no r be put off much longer without seriously jeopardizing the life of the ship. As the last surviving ship of her kind, every derail of the vessel's original fa bric is being meticulously documented in accordance with guidelines set forth by the US Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Historic Vessel Preservation Projects. The ongoing work is thorough, impressive, and conducted by ski lled shipwrights. Ir is

available. More money is needed to allow the restoration crew to continue their work to the full extent char the ship requires and deserves. To learn more about the restoration of the Charles W Morgan and how yo u can help support the project, visit Mystic's web sire www.mysricseaporr.org.

Lake Champlain Maritime Museum Sarah Lyman, education director at the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum, rook us on a "dive" via a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) on one of the 300 shipwrecks at the bottom of Lake C hamplain. ROVs can explore underwater sires, sending images back to archaeologists or tourists who direct its movements from a surface vessel. This is an exciting way to bring history alive and to create distance learning programs. Ms. Lyman is offering to visit yo ur sire and offer consultations and demonstrations. As she said, "One measure ofLCMM's success is if, and how, other co mmunities are able to adapt this program to their needs." A video of the dive is available on line at: http:// lcmm.org/m useum_info /shipwreck_tours. html; Ms. Lyman's contact information is available through the museum web site at www.lcmm.o rg. -Burchenal Green, President

Remembering Walter Cronkite

(1916-2009) National Maritime Historical Society Overseer and

Walter Cronkite loved sailing and rhe lessons of the sea; he used his fame and good name to help NMHS gain new members, strength, and fundin g so Sea History and irs stories wo uld have ever greater reach and importance. H e signed on as overseer and chairman of the NMHS Education Initiative and helped brainsto rm ideas for the future of our organization. A man of great hu mili ty, he expressed regret for not helping Peter Stanford and rhe Society even more. Recipients of rhe NMHS Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in M aritime Education benefit from the prestige and recognition his nam e co nfers. We are greatly honored that this American treas ure and icon becam e a significant leader in the National Maritime Histo rical Society, and we pay tribute to him here with a few of the many, man y stories that speak to his profound goodness . - Burchenal Green, NMHS President Walter Cronkite was in his element ar the opening of NMHS's new headquar ters in Peekskill in the fall of 1991. H e'd been talking with friends old and new, but we never expected anything quite like Walter's speech ar dinner. "Volunteering?" he said. "That's what I'm supposed to talk about, but I'm not going to. To learn about volunteering, do it. Ir's about action, not words. No, I'm going to talk about history, o r the lack of it, in our schools." He explained how his own daughters had fo und history "dull." "Of co urse histo ry isn't dull," he said. "It's the most exciting story we can know. It's our own story, after all, and bringing rhar story to life for people is our job. We in this society must do more to meet that challenge." Emboldened by I don't know what spirit, I rose to rel! Walter that we accepted his challenge, and invited him to jo in our Maritime Education Initiative, which was wo rking on developing school programs, as its chairman . Walter accepted our invitation, when heaven knows he had a myriad of other things to do, and sat with us to shape the first efforts of rhe initiative rhe following spring. H e honored us by giving us nor platitudes bur his own real concerns, and I trust in rhe course ahead we will always N .\TIO N.\L be guided by rhar kind and generous spirit. -Peter Stanford, NMHS President Emeritus

Peter Stanford presents Walter Cronkite with the NMHS Founder's Sheet Anchor Award at a 1991 ceremony at India House in New York. Over the years, I've had the honor and pleasure of working and dining with Walter Cronkite. As yo u can well imagine, he was a quintessential professional, while his company was charming and captivating. One evening, after Mr. Cronkite had presented the NMHS Walter C ronkite Awa rd fo r Excellence in Maritime Education ar rhe India House in New York City, I joined him for dinn er with his wife, Betsy, and several guests at one of their favorite restaurants downtown. The dinner conversation was eclectic, riveting, and humorous, ranging from foreign policy and energy issues to his love of sailing and his commitment to educational programs-as well as NMHS proj ects and efforts . O ut in public with one of the most respected and admired people in the world, we witnessed the spontaneous goodwill that was bestowed upon Walter and Betsy by their friends, colleagues, celebrities, and the public. It was a little like going to service in that yo u would repeatedly stand and sit as well-wishers stopped by their table to say hello. C learly, this was a regular pan of his publi c li fe because he was more than able to engage each parry as if they were the first to stop by the table. And when they'd left, he'd seamlessly return to the conversation we'd been having as if he had never been interrupted. Walter Cronkite was a man with an array of interests, concerns, and passion-and he was always a gentleman. For me, like for so many others, life is richer because of Mr. Walter Cronkite. -Richardo R. Lopes, NMHS Vice Chairman

just one of the crew: Walter Cronkite aboard USCG Barque Eagle, sailing with two students in an NMHS program.

SEA HISTORY 128, AUTUMN 2009

Chairman of the NMHS Education Initiative I first met Walter Cro nkite o n July 3, 1976, when Operation Sail was in New York Harbor in its full glory, preparing for the Fourth of July Parade of Sail. Later, in 1989, I spent two weeks with Walter and Betsy Cronkite as guests aboard the US Coast G uard Barque Eagle, sailing from London to Leningrad. While crossing the Baltic Sea, one of the officers asked Walter if he wo uld address the cadets. He replied that he didn't believe these yo ung people wo uld know who he was anymore, since he had been retired for ten years, but he was, of course, willing. As it turned out, he ended up doing four sessions because they all wanted a chance to hear him speak. Walter Cronkite was always very human and accessi ble to everyone. H e never considered himself a celebrity. Walter never let his fam e put him above anyone. He impressed everyone who met him with the goodness of his person. What yo u saw on televisio n was who he was in real life. -Howard Slotnick, NMHS Chairman Emeritus and Trustee Howard Slotnick and Walter Cronkite aboard USCG Barque Eagle in the Baltic Sea, 22 June 1989.

Walter Cronkite made himselfavailable to NMHS when his advice or good name could help move educational projects forward. Here, he posed with Walter Brown (left), NMHS Chairman Emeritus, and Ron Oswald, current chairman, in New York.

Walter Cronkite loved the Chesapeake, and rhe people of the Bay loved him back. H e sailed these waters many times in his 42-foot Westsail, Wyntje. Sultana Projects, Inc., located in Chestertown, Maryland, near the head of the Bay, shares the region's love and regard for Walter Cronkite. Sultana's president, Drew McMullen, told me, "Receiving the National M aritime Historical Society's Walter Cronkite Award twice has not only been a great honor for Sultana Projects, but it also played a significant role in raising our organ ization's national profile, helping to launch our successful effort to establish the Captain John Smith National Historic Trail. No other endorsement or award received by Sultana Projects has ever come close to having the impact of Mr. Cronkite's. To this day, the video presentation honoring Sultana Proj ects that NMHS produced with Wal ter Cronkite plays on a continuous loop at our offices in Chestertown. His good humor and dedication to preserving America's maritime heritage will be sorely missed by everyone." -Philip J Webster, NMHS Trustee

A few years ago, Walter Cronkite agreed to christen our new wooden motor vessel Manhattan at Chelsea Piers in New York Harbor. Although we've had two US senators and other dignitaries christen our vessels, this was different. To have Walter Cronkite break the bottle on the bow is as good as it gets. As generous as he was with comments abo ut our newest boat, when asked ifhe wo uld like to go for a cruise that same day on the motor yacht Manhattan or for a sail on the schooner Adirondack, it seemed a silly question to him. We went for a sail. Looking back on the photos of him sailing Adirondack on the day of the christening, and seeing more recent clips of him behind the wheel of his own boat, his expression is the sam e. This is a man who took sailing very seriously. When relaxing in the cockpit, his good nature, humor, and profound interest in the sea flew out. He told many stories, of taking kids aro und Manhattan on a sail boat years ago, cocktails with old colleagues, and a bridge span too low. Spending the afternoon with Mr. Cronkite, I came to realize rhat, in addition to all of the accolades bestowed upon this American icon for his skills as a newsman, professionalism, knowledge of and enthusiasm for history, for me he epitomized charm. What a privilege it was to spend even one afternoon aboard a boat Walter Cronkite sails schooner Adirondack in New York with this great man . -Richard Scarano, NMHS Trustee Harbor with Rick Scarano ofScarano Boatbuilding. SEA HISTORY 128, AUTUMN 2009

David StodderShipbuilder and Patriot in Post-Revolutionary Baltimore by Ronald Pilling and building superintendent, Commodore who ass umed Knox's cabinet position in 1795. TI1omas Truxtun, visited the yard and wrote Nevertheless, on 7 September 1797 Constelto Secretary of War Henry Knox that Stod- lation "moved gracefully and majestically der's "Artificers, Labourers [are] scarce and down her ways, amidst the silent amazement indolent" and that he believed the ship should of thousands of spectators, to her destined be built in his hometown of Philadelphia, the element, into which she plunged with such construction was mired in sometimes bitter ease and safety, as to make the hills resound political wrangling. A Burry of accusatory let- with repeated bursts of joyful acclamations." ters accompanied every phase of the frigate's Constellation's launch was both rhe pinrise from the lumber pile to the launching ways. nacle of an at-rimes rempesruous career and That she was completed ar all is testimony to one of rhe city's finest hours. Yet the story of rhe negotiating skills of Timothy Pickering, David Stodder has almost been lost to history, obscured by the controversy rhar swirls aro und rhe 1854 sloop-of-war of the same name thar graces today's Baltimore waterfront. Even contemporary sources confused the identity of Constellation's builder. Stodder leased his shipyard to James and Joseph Sterett, who were the War Department's agents for the building of the frigate and managed the paperwork. Newspapers of the day sometimes reported that the ship was being built in the Sterett ya rd, adding to rhe confusion. Of Stodder, even the dean of American maritime historians, Howard I. Chapelle, once wrote that "little is known." In his classic tome, The History ofthe American Sailing Navy, plenty of pages are devoted to the frigate Constellation bur only a single sentence mentions irs builder. It is as ifhe o nly built one ship in Baltimore. In fact, Stodder builr many vessels at his rwo shipyards, one in Fell's Point and The only surviving document from Joshua Humphreys's design for USS Constellation is the plan the other in what is now Canton. He cam e of her hull Lines. Commodore Thomas Truxtun accused Stodder ofhaving altered the Lines dur- to Baltimore toward the end of the Revo luing construction, which would have been in clear violation ofhis orders. The ship's tenderness in tion, having learned his trade in Hingham, strong winds, according to Truxtun, was the fault ofthe builder. Records from Later re buildings Massachusetts, where his family had settled reveal that Stodder did in fact follow the design as outlined in the ship's plans. That the frigate in 1638. The bustling waterfront of Philpot Srreer, where Stodder and his wife Marcia lived, heeled excessively on the wind was more Likely the result of Truxtun's ambitious sail plan. wo uld have been a welco me sight, for had he tons in the late eighteenth century was risky looked over his shoulder as he left his previous and potentially dangerous. Constellation was home in Porrsmourh, Virginia, he wo uld have among the first ships of rhe new United seen only desolation. Stodder had worked in States Navy, and Stodder did not want to be Virginia building fri gates for the Co ntinental remembered as the shipwright who capsized Congress from 1777 until late 1779, when the her, damaged her keel, left her stuck in the Gosport Navy Yard was burned by rhe British mud, or crippled some of the bystanders in and Stodder's unlaunched frigates went up in the process. flames. That Stodder solicited the assistance of Humphreys at all was a rare concession for a (left) Commodore Thomas Truxtun was apm an who was co nvinced that his talents far pointed master and building superintendent exceeded those of the Pennsylvania Quaker of USS Constellation. Despite a difficult reshipbuilder. It is likely that Stodder was maklationship between Stodder and Truxton, on 7 ing every effort to prevent further difficulties, September 1797, USS Constellation slipped given the project's troubled history. From the down the ways on Harris Creek without incident. (Painting by Bass Otis, 1817) first day that Constellation's chosen master ithin days of the scheduled launch of the frigate Constellation, master shipb uilder David Stodder and designer Joshua Humphreys surveyed the launching ways on H arris C reek, rwo miles east of Baltimore. The rwo men discussed water depths at various tides, carefully measured the slope of the heavy beams that led to the creek, and checked the inventory of tallow that Stodder would use to grease the ship's descent. Launching a ship of 1,278

SEA HISTORY 128, AUTUMN 2009

PL IN inox

!...

inset beio~. 't. ._ ~ t .

..:::...-

'--

.-e....

-~ ___.:_--"-

_..~ ..

,,.. .

~.. ~

J'm~

t t * .. -

,f'

' '1 /1"/,."Âˇ

C n ESAPJ<; Ai;:

H Âˇ'

lhis 1192 map ofBaltimore shows Fell 's Point in the center, with Stoddard's H arris Creek shipyard marked just east oftown. (See inset).

Philpot Sueet formed the sole of the boot-shaped peninsula that was the wes tern pan of Fell's Point, and Srodder wo uld have felt right at home in the communi ry. Nearly every lot was occupied by someone employed by the maririme u ades, and those that had piers along the Parapsco River were mosdy shipya rds. His new neighbors were block and pump makers, riggers and boat bui lders. Three ship caprains lived on Srodder's srreer. Dr. William H ayes, the co mmuni ry's only physician, undoubtedly was kept busy tending the adze wo unds and hot pitch burns that were endemic ro shipbuilding. W hen sailors needed their foul-weather gear and slops mended, they could turn ro seamsuess Elizabeth Fullerton, and when they'd builr up a thirst, George Know's porter brewery was just down th e road. Srodder's neighbor SEA HISTORY 128, AUTUMN 2009

and first business parmer in Baltimore was shipwright Briningham Dickeson. In the waning days of the Am erican Revolution, Srodder and Dickeson we re hired w make repairs on the famous armed schooner Plater. Balrimore/Fell's Poim was the onl y major metropoliran and shipbuilding area left untouched during the Revolution. The ciry's development was therefo re unencumbered and it grew along with the demand for military srores and arms. W hen Srodder arrived, several large and well-established shipyards were already in operation. He wo uld have been familiar with the yard of George Wells, where the 28-gun frigate Virgi.nia was built in 1777, the only warship built on the Patapsco for the Continental Congress. Joseph D espeaux had a large yard on Philpot Streer. William Price was building ships in Fell's Point as early as

1792. The shipbuilding partnership ofMayer and Brandt bui lt the schooner Pallas in the early 1780s, and their colleagues John Steel and Thomas Lamden established a yard in Fell's Poim by 1790. Srodder's Fell's Point business was established before he acquired the properry where he wo uld evemually build Constellation and at least sixteen other vessels (that figure is based on documented launches) . Little was recordedaboutSrodder's-o r any other Baltimore shipwright's-actual output until 1792, when it became mandaro ry for ships' carpenters w file a certificate fo r every launch, which included the name of the owner, the captai n, and some basic facts about the vessel, including its rig and its ronnage. Despite rudimentary information, however, a clear picture of the activiry

at his shipyards emerges. The majority of vessels that made their way down Stodder's ways was exactly what one might expect: "square-sterned schooner(s) with a square tuck, 1 deck, 2 masts"-the classic Baltimore C lipper. The first documented vessel that Stodder built in Baltimore was a ship commissioned by the merchant trader Abralum Van Bibber. The launch of Goliath was announced back in Massachusetts in the Salem Mercury, 18 D ecember 1787: "SHIP NEWS. Launched las t week, at Baltimore, by the ingenious Mr. Stodder, the beautiful ship GOLIATH, 600 tons, the property ofAbraham Van Bibber, Esq. D esigned for the East India trade." Goliath was hardly a Baltimore clipper. She would likely have been square-rigged, with a round and commodious hold. She was designed to carry the "hempen and Aax linens, woolens and broadcloths," and silks and nankeens that Van Bibber advertised for sale in the Baltimore newspapers. Shipbuilding boomed in Baltimore during the war, as orders for fast schooners for privateering piled up faster than ships could be built and launched. When the war ended in 1783, no r only did the demand for new vessels dry up, but many former privateering vessels were now available for other purposes. In the five-year period beginning in 1787, only twelve new vessels were documented as having been launched in all of Baltimore. Of those, two were launched from Stodder's yard in that first year: the schooner Betsy, for

Robert Carter of Virginia, and Goliath. In 1787, two vessels launched from anyone yard would have been considered big production, especially given the size of Goliath. Even the most productive shipbuilder of the rime, William Price, whose yard was in operation for 34 years, built only a total of 43 commercial vessels in his entire career. The peak years

:~t~~~-i~

for Baltimore shipyards began right after the Revolution and ended with rhe ascendancy of steam ships by about 1835. A convincing case can be made rhar it was rhe shipbuilding industry rhar was at rhe root of rhe city's enormous eco nomic growth. There are other reasons, of course, bur everything comes back to trade. Baltimore, rhe closest deep water port to rhe burgeoning west (the "burgeoning west" in 1800 was Pittsburgh and rhe O hio Valley) had a logistical advantage over Philadelphia and New York. Baltimore's position near the northern end of rhe Chesapeake Bay offered it relative protection from invasion. TI1e city's merchant class provided a ready demand and a reliable source of banking and finance. As rhe nature of Baltimore's commercial shipping evolved, its merchants required a special type of vessel, where speed became a key part of the equation in ship design. Perishable flour and wheat supplanted tobacco as the main agricultural export, and rhe transshipment of Africans headed for the auction block, both before and after rhe slave trade was

Sharp-built clipper schooners made Baltimore famous among privateers and infamous in London, where the merchants whose cargoes were seized by Baltimore-built ships during the Revolution and the Wtir of 1812 named the city a "nest ofpirates. " The bulk of Stodder's output was in schooners like this one, long and low to the water with a blackpainted hull, sharply-raking masts and plenty of sail. The swift vessels were also popular in the slave trade, when speed meant getting more of the human cargo to America alive. abolished, also required fast passages on speedier vessels, even if it meant sacrificing cargo space. Everything combined to place Stodder and his colleagues ar me focal point ofshipbuilding technology ar the turn of rhe century. Hundreds of extrem e topsail schooners had been built in Baltimore during the Revolution. At least 248 privateers were built, launched, provisioned, and m anned there during char time. Long and sleek with very low freeboard, rhe extreme rake of the masts made Baltimore schooners look like rhey were fl yi ng even at anchor. Their hulls were sharp at both rhe stem and rhe stern, with a relatively Aar sheer between . The keel dropped at a sharp angle from bow to stern, creating a profile that is shaped almost li ke an arrowhead. Rigging was simple and light. The most famous ship ever launched in Baltimore is the frigate Constellation (left), which slid down Stodder's ways in 1797, six weeks before USS Constitution. USS Consrellarion was the first of the six frigates ordered by the Naval Act of 1794 to be commissioned and the first to see action in battle when she defeated the French Llnsurgente in the West Indies on 9 February 1799.

SEA HISTORY 128, AUTUMN 2009

To make up for their limited capacity below other Baltimore-built topsail schooners. ''A planking timber, knees, futtocks, masts, spars, decks, Baltimore schooners tended to have Revenue Cutter, was launched at Baltimore and timbers to build at least one more ship, the 9th inst. at Captain D avid Scodder's Ship plus 5,000 locust treenails, 1,300 pounds of a relatively large beam-co-length ratio. In 178 9, David Stodder built two Yard, and is considered, by good judges, a rivets, and more assorted spikes and bolts vessels that, although they would have beautiful vessel," the Columbian Centinel than Stodder cared to count. been common in his native state of Mas- announced on 30 April 1791. She was armed Stodder continued to build ships for a sachusetts, would have been an unusual with "ten muskets with bayonets; twenty few more years after Constellation; his last sight in Baltimore yards. The full-ri gged pistols; two chisels; one broad axe," and her documented vessel was the clipper Nonesuch, ship Samson was 89 feet long and 275 tons crew consisted of three officers, four enlisted launched in 1800. In spireofhis productivity, burthen. She was stepped with three masts men, and two boys. Stodder has attracted less scholarly attention Stodder leased his Harris Creek yard to than any other major Baltimore shipbuilder. and built with a raised quarterdeck. The 194-ton Prosperity was launched the san1e the US Navy during the building of Constella- H e is scarcely mentioned in Chapelle's The year-another three-masted vessel. Both tion. At the conclusion of the project, Stodder Baltimore Clipper, and, in ToniAhrens's comwere considerably larger than any l'H QTO BY ELIOT H UDSON prehensive analysis ofshipbuilding of Scodder's schooners, the largest in Baltimore from 1795- 1835, of which was the Active, a 170-ton Design Makes a Difference, the two-masted schooner completed in author meticulously charts 67 commercial vessels built there during 1794 (not to be confused with the revenue cutter of the same name David Stodder's career yet does that Stodder also builr). nor include a single craft from his yard. Norman G. Rukerc's The Fells Stodder was a New Englander who likely learned his trade in Point Story includes a list ofsixteen shipbuilders working in Fell's Point a shipyard owned by his father's during Scodder's years in Baltimore. cousin, Jeremiah Stodder, in HingStodder is not among them . ham . It is unlikely that he would Yet there cannot have been have ever laid eyes on a Balrimoremany other shipyard proprietors style schooner in Boston Harbor in the 1790s whose yard would acbefore he moved south . While commodate an inventoryof5,000 New England yards churned out Replica vessels, such as the topsail schooners Californian (Left), Lynx treenails, a mile and a half of oak large square-ri gged vessels for trans(right), and the Pride of Baltimore II (not pictured), are the modoceanic passages, most southern plank, 32,000 feet of pine planks, ern embodiment ofthe Baltimore Clipper-type schooner. and 800 feet of iron chain. When merchan rs were coastal traders with strong ties to the Caribbean. Cargo list after itemized everything remaining, including he died, Stodder was among the richest men cargo list outbound included lumber and materials, buildings and tools, and made a in Baltimore with large real estate holdings. In wheat for the West Indies; inbound cargoes report that referred to his yard as the "Navy addition to building ships, he became an inwere typically sugar, coffee, guano, and Yard ." Scodder's post-Constellation inven- dustry organizer who influenced his colleagues slaves. After he was established as a master tory reveals much abo ut the landscape of his to unify as one voice to encourage American shipbuilder in M aryland, if Stodder found Harris Creek yard throughout its operation manufacturing in their region. He served as an his yard occupied with ships more indigenous from 1787 until his death in 1806. The sire officer in the Maryland militia and marched ro New England than the Chesapeake, it was dotted with buildings and sheds. In ad- at the head of nearly every celebratory parade may have been because he had a reputation dition to two boar sheds ofindeterminare size, that wended through Baltimore streets. When as a builder of larger ships. One of his last probably for the storage of small craft, there he died in 1806, he had no children to carry ships, Dolphin, was a 210-ron, 93-foot long, was a boat-building shed that was 40 feet by on the business. His wife eventually made three-masted ship built on his own account 12 feet, a mast shed 90 feet long and 22 feet her way back north, dying in New York in wide, a large workshop of 66 feet by 22 feet, 1818 and leaving her assets to nieces and in 1799. Stodder's first documented Baltimore- a joiner's shop and a blacksmith shop, both nephews in New England. David Stodder's built naval vessel, Active, was more typical of almost as big, and a clerk's office. The double story, lost in the shuffle perhaps, is the story local designs, however.Active, destined for the launching ways from which Constellation was of Baltimore in the years immediately after new United States Revenue Cutter Service laun ched included "sliding ways, cant pieces, the Revolution. .t (predecessor of the modern Coast Guard), shores, blocking, and wedges, with iron work, mirrored the sleek and fast Baltimore clip- all complete, and well calculated to launch Ron PiLLing makes his home on Maryland's pers. Her mission, after all, was to interdict any ship, from 74 guns down to a frigate." Eastern Shore. Hehas writtenfour books ofLocal smugglers, and the smugglers were all sail- All the tools necessary to build a large ves- history, and, when not writing, he restores and ing sharp-built schooners. Active was 58'8" sel were stored in the shops, including four builds smaLL traditional boats. "David Stodder" long on deck, wirha beamofl 7'3", a ratio of complete sets of blacksmith tools, five forges is excerpted from a complete biography of the 3.5 : 1, in line with surviving specifications of and several pairs ofbellows. There was enough shipbuilder stiLL in manuscript form. SEA HISTORY 128, AUTUMN 2009

Of Whales and Teeth by Louis Arth ur Norton

[CaptainAhab} ... saw a white living spot no bigger than a white weasel, with wonderful celerity uprising, and magnifying as it rose, till it turned, and then there were plainly revealed two long crooked rows of white, glistening teeth, floating up from the undiscoverable bottom. It was Moby Dick's open mouth and scrolledjaw; his vast, shadowed bulk still half blending with the blue ofthe sea. -Moby-Dick, "The Chase, First Day"

hales, dolphins, and porpoises (cetaceans) are divided into two large groups (suborders)-baleen and toothed. The larges t group, containing the largest whales, is the baleen whales: blue, fin, right or bowhead, humpback, and minke whales, among others. These animals have flat flexible plates with frayed edges arrayed in parallel rows, sieve-like structures composed of comb-like thick hairs made of keratin (a common biological substance similar to fingernail material) . 1hey erupt to form upper jaw filtration curtains used to strain plankton from seawater. The

Baleen x ~ <

appendage can approach six meters in length. Embedded in this mandible are two rows of broad, conical, and slightly recurved teeth angled towards the gullet. And now behold Jonah taken up as an anchor and dropped into the sea; when instantly an oily calmness floats out from the eas t, and the sea is still, as Jonah carries down the gale with him , leaving smooth water behind. He goes down in the whirling heart of such a masterless commotion that he scarce heeds the moment when he drops seething inro the yawning jaws awaiting him; and the whale shoots-ro all his ivo ry teeth, like so many white bolts, upon his prison. Then Jonah prayed unto the Lord out of the fi sh 's belly. -Moby-Dick, "The Sermon" Melville's m etaphoric "white bolts" are firmly attached to, and largely covered by, the fibrous dense gum tissue (gingiva) with on ly the tips of the teeth exposed to the elem ents. After a whale was killed and its lower jaw hoisted on board a whale ship, the teeth were usually stripped off as a unit like peas embedded in an opened gingival pod; the minimal underlying bone indicates a weak WHALE TE ETH FROM TH E COLLECT IO N AT T H E NEW BED FORD WHALING MUSEUM, PHOTOS BY LOU IS A. NO RTON

largest toothed whale is the sperm whale (Physeter catodon), with a head occupying one-third of its entire body. Its teeth are usually broad, but many are narrow and pointed to catch squid. In the case of orcas, the teeth are very pointed to catch fish and other prey, such as sea mammals and sea birds. The mouth or "m aw" of the sperm whale has been the source of legend and at times terror as depicted in Melville's Moby-Dick by way of the opening lines of Father Mapple's sermon: The ribs and terrors in the whale, Arched over me a dismal gloom, Whi le all God's sun-lit waves rolled by, And lift me deepening down to doom. I saw the opening maw of hell, With endless pains and sorrows there; Which none but they that feel can tell Oh, I was plunging to despair. The sperm whale's mouth has a long and slender lower jaw or mandible, consisting of two halves that are wide at the joint surfaces (condyles), where it articulates with the base of the skull and fused anteriorly to form an elongated chin or symphysis. This

1his row of sperm whale teeth, approximately 12 cm long, are still attached to a highly desiccated gingival tissue. periodontal ligament. The two rows of short conical mandibular teeth are well separated mesially and distally (fore and aft) . Th e surface of the raw tooth has thin narrow grooves or striations from the crown descending to its root. The tooth's single root is embedded in a mandibular socket, but not rigidly fixed within the bone as in a gomphosis. Instead they are strongly supported in place by the thick fibrous gingival tissue. Their removal is described by Melville as follows:

SEA HISTORY 128, AUTUMN 2009

With a long, weary hoist the jaw is dragged on board, as if it were an anchor; and when the proper time comes some few days after the other work ... being all acco mplished [by crew] dentists, are set to drawing teeth. With a keen cuningspade, Queequeg lances the gums; then the jaw is lashed down to ringbolts, and a tackle being rigged from aloft, they drag out these teeth, as Michigan oxen drag stumps of old oaks out of wild wood lands. There are generally fo rty-two teeth in all; in old whales, much worn down , but undecayed; no r fill ed after our artificial fashion. -Moby-Dick, "The Sperm Whale's H ead: Conrrasred View"

7his diorama in the American Museum ofNatural H istory in New York City depicts a sperm whale battling a giant squid. To date, the artist's conception is the best we can get to visualizing a sperm whale feeding on the elusive cephalopod, which takes place at depths in excess of 1,500 feet below the surface ofthe ocean.

H oisting in the lower jaw ofthe sperm whale, 19 03. Scientific data indicate that the number of teeth in an individual whale varies with its size, age, and sex, the female apparently havi ng fewer (sexual dimorphism). Around thirty is common in adults, but there are reporrs and photos of whales having up to forty-n ine teeth. The most anterior teeth are the smallest; the largest are located towards the middle and posterior third of the mandible. These teeth can be very large indeed, some exceecling twenty-seven centimeters in length . Sperm whales lack a primary dentition (o ne that is shed as the animal matures). Unlike other aquatic animals, notably sharks, sperm whales do no t form new teeth if a tooth is lost. With mandibular growth, a success ion of new teeth is formed, erupting in the posterior portion of the lower jaw. By the time a yo ung sperm whale is weaned, it has grown to approximately 8.5 meters, but its teeth usually have not erupted. The animal usually "teethes" after it has grown to about ten meters in length . The upper jaw has no functio ning teeth or "oppo nent dentition" as is commonly fo und in other mammals. Instead, the mandibular teeth close into shallow pits or sockets located

SEA HISTORY 128, AUTUMN 2009

in the up per jaw (m axillary) mucosa. Therefore, the lower teeth are analogo us ro pestles in mortars-som ewhat like the cusps of human molar teeth that grind o r articulate into the grooves of an opponent dentition. There are reports of rudimentary unerupted teeth occasio nally seen in the upper jaw, but the author has not seen examples or depictions of them . It is quite possible that the m axilla1y pits could trap a hard durable substance, such as pieces of debris (barnacles, squid beaks), that lodge in the sockets and appear as an unerupted dentition. Sperm whales can neither brush nor Aoss! That no ted, rough fore ign objects embedded in the maxillary pits could cause noticeable wear patterns on the crowns of lower jaw teeth. A primary fun ction of these teeth is to apprehend and hold prey, but not necessarily to chew it. Sperm whales feed on a variety of squid species that swim freely in all depths of the ocean. The skin on the head and jaws of the whale are often heavily scarred, and occasionally giant squid suckers, carti laginous reinforcement rin gs or rims that are part of these appendages, can make perman ent scars. Difficult to di gest, hard keratin beaks of giant squids have been found in sperm whale stomachs; the whale's digestive system produces Ambergris (g rey amber), a solid waxy and flammable gray This piece ofsperm whale skin bears the scars ofgiant squid suckers.

substance, to fac ilitate the passage of just such hard, sharp objects. Another function of the whale's teeth may be sexual, engaging in contests of dominance- male against male like big horned sheep battering each other for co nquests of femal es. They fence with their long lower jaws, som etimes locking them together, and so striving for the supremacy like elks that warringly interweave their antlers. No t a few are captured having the deep scars of these encounters, furrowed heads, broken teeth, scolloped fin s; and in some instances, wrenched and dislocated mouths . -Moby-Dick, "Schools and Schoolmasters" Therefore teeth are used as a rutting appendage or weapon, partly acco unting for the scarring one often finds on the animal's skin . When feeding, a sperm whale dives to great depths with its mouth wide open in search of food. Once it reaches the sea flo or, its open mandible can become entangled in debris, such as lost o r discarded fishing nets or wire cables, possibly injuring the animal's teeth and jaw. The animal's small white tongue is not very mobile, but the palate of the mouth, the tongue, and the teeth glisten to a bright white underwater. The open jaw may act as a lure for prey during a dive. This is a common natural stratagem used by many aq uaric species.

Herman Melville described rhe oral anato my of the sperm whale in a m etaphorical and quasi-anthropometric way as fo llows: Bur come our now, and look at this portentous lower jaw, which seems li ke the long narrow lid of an immense snuff-box, with rhe hinge at one end, instead of one side. If you pry it up, so as to get it overhead, and expose its rows of teeth, it seems a terrific portcullis; and such, alas! it proves to m any a poor wight [living creature] in the fishery, upon whom these spikes fall with impaling force. Bur far more terrib le is it ro behold, when fathoms down in the sea, yo u see some sul ky whale, flo ating there suspended, with his prodigious jaw, so me fifteen feet long, hanging stra ight down at right-angles with his body, for all the wo rld like a ship's jib-boom. 1his whale is nor dead; he is o nly dispirited; our of so rts, perhaps; hypochondriac; and so supine, that the hinges of his jaw have relaxed, leaving him th ere in rhar ungainly sort of plight, a reproach to all his tribe, who must, no doubt, imprecate lock-jaws upon him. -Moby-Dick, "The Sperm Whale's H ead: Co ntrasted View"

Normal sperm whale teeth.

W hale tooth anato my resembles rhar of other m ammals. They have a hard thin laye r of enamel that covers occlusal surface, a thick dentin core that makes up the bulk of the tooth, a thin layer of hard tissue (cem entum) that covers the root surface and finally a very wide root apex that contains the blood , lymph, and nerves. This appears hollow when non-viral. In longitud inal cross section, rhe dentin is layered in an annual ring fas hio n that has a slight pinkish color and circular bubbles are often seen in rhe dentin. 1 h ese nodules have been called osteodentin o r "bony dentin. " Th e enamel in most specimen reerh has been abraded or wo rn thin, thus exposing the softer dentin . Because rhe reerh are firmly attached to the encircling gingiva, when parasites invade this connective tissue, they can act as foreign body irri tants. The gum tissue's rich netwo rk of blood vessels can invade the relatively soft root surface (cem entum) .

This 9.5-cm tooth either shows evidence ofblood vessel invasion into its root surface, perhaps from the rich network ofvessels in the gingiva, or the aftereffect ofworm-Like parasites that invaded the cervical surface. Embryo logically, as whale teeth o rgan ize into their more familiar anatomy, they form into a primitive cap and more co mplex bell stages. Ge nerally this is the time when crowns fuse (conjoin, geminate), roots bifurcate (form a fork- like structure) and other

SEA HISTORY l 28 , AUTUMN 2009

structural defects or aberrations occur. The sperm whales do not "teethe" until several years after weaning, therefore untoward wear patterns occur only after the teeth have erupted into the oral cavity. Invasive diseases of the teeth or gross anatomical responses to physical or biological irritants can occur during or after dental eruption.

The crowns of these two specimens are fused together {conjoined or geminated). The roots, the last to be formed embryologicaliy, are bifurcated mesially and distally (forward and aft along the length ofthe jaw). Note a shiny wear pattern seen at the tip of the tooth (above), indicating that it had been in occlusion with a very hard substance in the maxillary socket over a long p eriod oftime.

Whale teeth were hard, heavy, almost indestructible, transportable, and relatively small, occupying little sea chest space and "off-watch canvas" of the scrimshander. To make scrimshaw, the teeth were first soaked in brine, then scraped smooth with a knife. The polishing was done using a piece of shagreen, or rough sharkskin. The tooth could then be readily etched with a sharp nail or knife point. When teeth are relatively freshly harvested, they are comparatively soft. The scrimshander penciled a sketch on the tooth, often a portrait or scene copied from a magazine or book. The design was then etched into the tooth with a variety of homemade sharp instrumen rs. Various coloring agents, lampblack, sealing waxes, fruit and vegetable dyes, tea, etc., were frequently rubbed into the tooth to highlight the drawing. Melville addressed the art of the scrimshander as follows: Throughout the Pacific, and also in Nantucket, and New Bedford, and Sag H arbor, yo u will come across lively sketches of whales and whaling-scenes, graven by the fishermen themselves on Sperm Whale-teeth, ... skrimshander articles, as the whalemen call the numerous little ingenious contrivances they elaborately carve out of the rough material, in their hours of ocean leisure. Some of them have little boxes of dentistical-looking implements, specially intended for the skrimshandering business. Bur, in general, they roil with their jack-knives alone; and, with that almost omnipotent tool of the sailor, they will turn yo u our anything yo u please, in the way of a mariner's fancy. -Moby-Dick, "OfWhales in Paint; In Teeth; In Wood; In Sheer-Iron; In Stone; In Mow1rains; In Stars"

Man, as a hunter, has traditionally collected the teeth of the animals that he has slain to make an animistic religious amulet or souvenir of the successful hunt. During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, sperm whales were a prime target for hunting at sea. 1he animal's anatomical parts were very valuable, particularly the spermaceti found in the whale's case. As Elmo P. Hohman describes the practice in The American Whaleman: A Study of Life and Labor in the Whaling I ndustry: "The jaw, with its heavy, white bone and huge, glistening teeth, had no commercial value; but both bone and teeth formed the raw material for numerous objects which resulted from long hours of 'scrimshawing,' and therefore an adequate supply was always kept on board. " The second mate distributed teeth and jawbone to the crew for their long, often boring, idle hours. There was a marker for whale's teeth to make cane handles, piano keys, finials, and even poker chips, ere., but this was a minor enterprise.

SEA HISTORY 128, AUTUMN 2009

This work ofscrimshaw depicts a harpooned sperm whale wreaking havoc on the men in the whaleboats. Many a scrimshander etched scenes oftheir life and work on the teeth of their prey.

Pacific Islanders, primarily those in Fiji, modified whale teeth for use as a form of money. These "rabua" (a word whose original m eaning was "sacred object") were not just currency for exchange, but they represented the currency of life, particularly for expressing esteem and ato nement. Ir was used as a dowry when seeking a wife, paym ent when forming an inter-tribal request, an apology, an appeal ro the gods for a favor, or as a sympathy offering to the bereaved. W hale-tooth tabua was prepared by soaking it in oil, so rhar smoke wo uld more effectively stain the roorh's surface. This

surface. This gave tabua an attractive range of mahogany-like colors. Some teeth were polished beforehand, but most were left in their raw unpolished state prior to smoking. A ho le was drilled at th e crown tip and root end, then a cord of braided plant fiber from coconut palms or pandanus leaves was secured to each end. Alternately some were made into whale-tooth necklaces called wase gales, co nsisting ofseveral joined smaller teeth. Whales, being mammals, show anomalous developmental and disease pattern s analogous to those found in humans. Most whale teeth that have been preserved serve as biological specimens as well as souvenirs, scrimshaw, or tabua. They are normal in shape and without surface blemishes. Whale tooth specimens from the New Bedford Whaling M useum exhibit an array of anomalies and manifestations of disease. Barnacles, such as Conchoderma auritu m, commonly fasten themselves to the surface of baleen plates and occasionally at the gingival-enamel junction of toothed whales. For a parasite to successfully infest hard tissue, it must attach at a site that is undisturbed during jaw fun ction or closure. Therefore, colonized barnacles can only clump on teeth that are our of occlusion, or on teeth that are attached to a deform ed or severely injured jaw. Ocher irriranrs, such as debris from the whale's diet, may also lodge in gingival-enamel junction.

Fijian tabua: a sperm whale tooth suspended from a chain of looped pandanus palm leaves. Sperm whale teeth were regarded with reverence, perhaps the most important ofFijian valuables. (Courtesy ofMuseum Victoria) Since flossing is obviously not an option, these foreign bodies can cause the cemenrum to react against it by formin g an exodomosis, like a tree forming a burl on its bark from a canker infestation. One could conclude that these magnificent creatures may have a little-known need for the services of a dentist. W ho knew? ,!,

Louis Arthur Norton, a professor emeritus of orthodontics from the University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, was educated at Bowdoin (AB), Harvard (DMD) and, in his retirement, at the University of Connecticut where he received an MA in history. Dr. Norton has published extensively on maritime history topics includingfour books: Sailors' Folk Art Under Glass, Joshua Barney: Hero of the Revolutionary War and 1812, New England's Stormalong and Captains Contentious: The D ysfunctional Sons of the Brine. Two ofhis scholarly articles, published in The Log of Mystic Seaport, were awarded the 2 002 and 2006 Gerald E. Morris Prize for maritime historiography. Special thanks goes to D r. Stuart M. Franh ofthe New Bedford Whaling Museum for allowing Dr. Norton access to their collection.

Historic, antique U.S. Coast Survey maps from the 1800s o Original lit hographs, most American seaports and shores. Reprints, too. Uniqu e framed, great gifts. Catalog, $ 1 .00. Specify area .

Cuttysark Nautical Antiques One of the most extensive collections offine old marine artifacts, collectables and art. Visit us in Seattle or at

www.cuttyantigues.com 206.262.1265 20

SEA HISTORY 128 , AUTUMN 2009

Nautical

SS METEOR WHALEBACK

Research

Guild

Association of modelers a nd resea rch er s formed to pursue the mutual interest in ships of a ll eras and types Membe rship inc ludes the quarte rly Nau tical Research Journal w ith a rtic les by knowledgea ble write rs featuring ship mode l bu il din g and researc h o f a ll periods, merch a nt , nava l a nd m a ritime hi sto ry . Book rev iews, qu e ri es, replies, and shop notes are o the r features, inc luding technica l dra w ings a nd photographs. Othe r services inc lude the M aritime Institutio n S urvey, Shi p t1oclel Repair & Restoration Service and the Tec hni ca~ss i sta n ce Netwo rk.

SHIP NIUSEUNI Superior, Wisconsin Join us for a day of whaleback seminars, discussion and entertainment Septembe r 12, 2009

Yearly Membership

.....,~

S 38.00 USA S 50.00 A 11 Others www.Tbe RG.o rg

Limited Edition Membership Mug

superiorp ublicmuse ums.org

715-394-5712

Glass Replicas Featuring Curved Glass Sails

Onrust Friendship Sloop Dictator

ii,

--~

Friendship of Salem Philadelphia II

Coast Guard B ark Eagle

Ships of Glass, Inc 6702 Rosemary Dr Tampa, FL 33625

www. sh ipsofglassi nc.com 813 918 1566 8 13 968 2 163 dhardy@shipsofglassinc.com

[J{es, I can make a rep lica of your sailboat. D CDon Hardy

SEA HISTORY 128, AUTUMN 2009

PO 10:1

~7 Dunha.r, NE

..io~, 402-20~Âˇ2334

Ei B346

1 .....

ff.Lee White Marine Museum 400 years of Maritime History Open Daily 1-Spm July & Aug 10-Spm West 1st Street Pier, Oswego, NY www.hleewhitemarinemuseum .com 315-342-0480

19 34: ANew Oeal for Artists a new look at the art from the 1934 Public Works of Art Program

h en Franklin Delano Roosevelt was inaugurated in M arch of 1933, he wasted no time in pushing fo rward with his promised N ew D eal programs. By the end of the year, the US Treasury D epartment had appointed artist and lobbyist Edward Bruce administrator of the first federally supported arts program, the Public Works of An Proj ect (PWAP), the predecessor of the Federal Art Project, which was started in 193 5 as part of the Wo rks Progress Administration. Bruce was tasked with organizing the project, which would serve two purposes: providing paying work fo r thousands of unemployed artists and providing public works of art access ible to the general citizenry. Edwa rd Bruce began by co nsulting with museum directors and communi ty leaders across the country. Individuals were selected fo r their artistic talents and on their need fo r employment. They were paid the sam e level as other crafts m en , with wages ranging from $23 to $42 per week, and in most circumstances were to supply their own materials. With financing coming from public fundin g, the resulting artwo rk was to belong to the public and be displayed in any building or park that was supported by federal, state, or municipal taxes. All at once, artists, writers, and playwrights were acknowledged by the government as workers, contributing to the American identi ty in a positive way and worthy of public support. The government sought to both keep food on their tables and enrich the lives of the general public, many of whom had limited, if any, exposure to professional art. Painter George Biddle, a personal friend of Roosevelt's, wrote that the N ew Deal had m ade ''America art conscious as never before," while at the sam e time making the artist "conscious of the fac t that he is of service to his community." Most of the participating artists enj oyed complete freedom in their work, with the exception of a handful of pieces where sketches were required to be sent in ahead of completion. The guidelines were simple: artists were directed to portray "the American Scene." By June of 1934, just seven months afrer it began , the PWAP had produced 15,663 works of art, made by 3,749 artists Waterfront Scene by Pino ]anni, oil on canvas. at a cost of $ 1,3 12,000 . Thirty-two paintings were selected to hang in the Roosevelt Pino ]anni's depiction ofNew York City's East River docks is all about hard work. Two burly White House, seven of which are included in Longshoreman are about to unload freight from a cargo ship; towering cranes and booms a new exhibition at the Smithsonian Ameristand by to Lift the heaviest cargo ashore. A nearby tug works with harbor pilots to guide the can Art Museum. O f the mo re than 3,000 ships to and from the piers. A ship is just out of view, but its hawser is in view, secured to a works created in th e 193 0s in the museum's bollard. Despite the Low hourly wages, dockworkers were desperate for scarce jobs during the collection, 180 are fro m the PWAP The Depression. In January 1934, when ]anni was creating this painting, a fight broke out among ''American Scene" as interpreted by PWAP hundreds of Longshoremen who were competing for work. artists includes landscapes and urban scenes, The red band around the tug's funnel is the only note of bright color. Heavy black outof course, but also many depictions of induslines define the powerful forms of the men and the harbor. ]anni's painting ofthe noisy, dirty try, people at work and at leisure, peoplewaterfront is as vigorous and straightforward as the Longshoremen's Labor. 22

SEA HISTORY 128, AUTUMN 2009

regular people-doing whar rhey do every day, and, yes, maritime scenes! Fro m dockyards to seascapes, wo rking boats to sailing regattas, PWAP artists depicred the American scene as they understood ir, and maritime topics are most ass uredly American scenes. This year marks the 75 th anniversary of the PWAP in a year when the American eco nomy is once again in dire straits, eerily reminiscent of the struggles of the 1930s. In an effort to deal with its own 2009 budget crisis, the Smithsonian American Art Museum's administrators decided to create exhibitions from their own rich collections rather than pay for traveling exhibits, which are, at present, prohibitively expensive. Perhaps it is a blessing in disguise, for a new generation will be introduced to works that haven'r received close attention since the last century in 1934: A New Deal for Artists, featuring fifty-five original works selected by Deputy C hief Curator George G urney and researched by Curatorial Associate Dr. Ann Prentice Wagner. This window into American scenes from 1934 is one to celebrate and reflect o n, and we can look forward to enjoying rhcse works in our nation's capital, online, and later when they tour across the country (check online for a sched ul e of when the exhibition will be in your region as it travels on a national tour). In the pages that fo llow, enjoy a selectio n of maritime-them ed art fro m the 1934 PWAP collection at the Smithsonian American Art M useum. 1934: A New D eal for Artists will be on display in Washington, DC, until 3 January 2010. It will then begin a rhree-year narional tour, opening in Pimburgh on 30 January 2010 and ending rhree years larer in Portland, Maine, on 20 Jan uary 201 3. Smithsonian offers a mulritude of companion presentarions online: slide shows; images on Flickr.com, where yo u can add yo ur own images from 1934; biogs; an illustrated video tour of the museum exhibition, narrated by Dr. Wagner; and listings of museums and dates that will host the exhibition when it goes on tour next year. (Smithsonian American Arr Museum, 75 0 9 rh Srreet, NW, Suire 3 100, Was hington, DC 2000 1; Ph. 202 633-7970; e-mail: Am ericanArtinfo@s i.edu; http: //am ericanart. si.edu/ exhibitions/ archive/2009I 19 34/)

Sketch of Old Baltimore Water&ont by Herman Maril, oil on fiberboard.

H erman Maril opened a window onto the history of his native city in this view of Baltimore's inner harbor. The domed Merchants and Exchange building, which stood at the corner of Gay and water Streets, is visible in the background. It was built in 1815 and razed in 1901. Thus, this painting is set before Maril's birth in 1908. By the time Maril was alive and old enough to walk along the waterfront, the inner harbor docks and much of the city had been destroyed in a disastrous fire in 1904. Baltimore's vanished past remained key to Maril's personal conception ofthe "American scene. " SEA HISTORY 128, AUTUMN 2009

River Front

by Saul Berman oil on canvas.

Racing by Gerald Sargent Foster, oil on canvas. One-design sailboats charge across the choppy waters of Long Island Sound. Artist Gerald Sargent Foster was an avid yachtsman, who often depicted yachts and races in his art. Although he knew well every detail of these boats, he minimized the technical details to avoid distracting the eye from the clean geometric shapes that dominate the scene. The nature ofsailboats racing in close quarters allowed the artist to create an elegant pattern ofoverlapping hulls and sails silhouetted against the blue water and sky. Yet the geometry is not cool and detached; even Line and color speaks ofthe keen excitement of the race. Even in the teeth ofthe Depression, this sport continued to be popular with wealthy New Yorkers.

SEA HISTORY 128, AUTUMN 2009

(facing page) Saul Berman's detailed, reportorial painting depicts workers clearing snow from the New York Navy Yard during the hard winter of 1933-34. Piles oftimbers lying in the snow recall the fleets ofsailing vessels and steamships built by these shipyards along the East River in Brooklyn both for the navy and for the merchant marine since the 18th century. Empty dry docks along the river in the background indicate that yard workers often had no other work to do other than clear snow. The brick building in the foreground displays the Blue Eagle symbol ofthe National Recovery Administration in its window to indicate that the lumber company adheres to the N RA codes for prices, wages, and hours. The negotiation of these NRA codes set offstrikes in many industries, and the shipbuilding business was no exception. In early 1934, after the strikes were settled, New York shipyards still lacked work and pleaded for federal projects to keep men employed A Jew years later, World ~r 11 would attract record numbers of men and women to the shipyards that languish idle here under gray skies.

Golden Gate Bridge by Ray Strong, oil on canvas. This panoramic depiction ofthe Golden Gate Bridge under construction pays tribute to the ambitious feat of engineering required to span the mouth of San Francisco Bay. The view is towards the north from the San Francisco side to the hills ofMarin County, where the first bright orange tower rises. Tugboats and a freighter crossing through the opening typifj the busy shipping that would routinely pass beneath the span. The bridge, therefore, had to have the highest deck ever built. Two massive concrete structures in the foreground anchor the cables that will support the deck. The intense colors and active brushwork convey the artist's infectious optimism. Hundreds of tourists who shared the artist's excitement came to gaze at this massive and impressive project. Despite the financial strains ofthe Great D epression and a powerful storm that washed away a trestle in the fall of 1933, work on the bridge continued. This painting, a celebration ofAmerican engineering and perseverance, was chosen by President Roosevelt to hang in the White House. Sea History gratefully acknowledges the assistance of the Smithsonian American Art Museum in presenting these works on our pages; much of the information in the introduction came from the exh ibit catalogue, 1934: A New Deal for Artists by Roger G. Kennedy, with Ann Prentice Wagner, and from its foreword by the museum's director, Elizabeth Broun. Captions and images courtesy of the Smithso nian American Art Museum. -Deirdre O 'Regan, Editor

SEA HISTORY 128, AUTUMN 2009

Masterpieces in Miniature at the Maritime Museum of San Diego

5 September 2009 - 31 May 2010

n September 2009, the Maritime Museum of San Diego will revisit one of its most popular and fascinating exhibits of the past decade,

Masterpieces in Miniature, first hosted by the museum from 2001-2002. Those who attended then or have seen its commemorative

souvenir catalogue will remember the stunning collection of models then assembled. The forthcoming exhibit promises to continue these high standards by featuring the work of internationally acclaimed model makers such as Lloyd McCaffery and Donald McNarry. It also breaks new ground by featuring many models held in private collections that have never before been seen by the public. Moreover, a significant number of the forty models on display have been constructed since 2001 and, therefore, represent the cutting edge in ship modeling at a scale of 1116" to the foot (1: 192 scale) or even smaller. The attention to accuracy found in these creations is truly extraordinary. Imagine holding a highly detailed Admiralty model in the palm of your hand.

HMS Britannia by Lloyd McCajfery

Mediator

by Gus Agustin

SHIP MODELS Offering an extensive selection of documented, one-of-a-kind ship models by internationally acclaimed marine model artists.

1hematically, the exhibi tion will represent the vast sweep of maritime subjects from early navigation through the Age of Sail up to the modern era. The collection shows the development of this art form over the past two hundred years, beginning with a representative collection of French prisoner-of-war models, a model from the D ieppe school, l 9thcentury sailor-built models, and culminates with the work of contemporary masters . This unique event promises to be a celebration of painstaking research , faithfu l rendition, exquisite craftsmanship, and artistic flair. While you are at the museum in downtown San Diego, save some time to tour the recently expanded fleet of historic vessels, conserved and open for visitation. These include: the 1863 barque Star of India; the 1898 ferry boat Berkeley; the 1904 steam yacht Medea; the newly arrived submarine USS Dolphin; the B-39-a Russian Foxtrot class submarine; and "HMS" Surprise-made famous by the film Master and Commander. For further information contact the curator, Dr. Kevin Sheehan, at librarian@sdmaritime.org and visit the special web page feat uring Masterpieces in Miniature at www.sdmaritime.org.

Diorama from the Dieppe School, ca. 1820 AMERICAN MARINE MODEL GALLERY 20 Pleasant Street, P.O. Box 6102 Gl oucester, MA 01930

CUSTOM MODELS (YACHT & HISTORIC) APPRAISALS RESTORATIONS DISPLAYS UNITS Illu s. catalog SlO. {S15. overseas) or free brochure

SEA HISTORY 128, AUTUMN 2009

FIDDLERS GREEN MODEL SHIPS & YACHTS SHIP MODEL BROKER I will help yo u Bu y, Sell , Repair or Co mmi ss ion a mode l

Commission your ·wn Sea History! Custom

rJo\ el of:

Co llected by the US Navy, museums, and discriminating indi viduals wo rld wide, BlueJacket is the standard by whi ch all others are measured. Surp risingly affo rdable, we deliver within a guaranteed period of time. Bui lt in the US , by our talented shipcrafrers. Call for a quote or our catalog of wood scale model kits, fittings, tools and boo ks.

USS BARRY (DD-248) circa 1927 • scale 1/8" • 39.5" LOA

www.Fidd lersGreenModelShips.com 201-342-1220 Fiddl e rs Gree n Mode l Ship s 245 Pros ee l Av e nu e, Suit e 198 , Hac ke nsac k, NJ 07601

Ligllthouses by £11u Products Come see what we have! • model ships • nautical decor • lighthouse decor

Visit our webs i1e a t : www. li 0 hthou ses byeva 1>roducts.com (920) 279-1170 Eva Prod ucts P.O. Box 38 14 Oshkos h, Wl 54903

2010 Calendar

Fine ship models since 1905!

BltTllffc4R!flPs * ). P. URANKER WOODCARVER *

OCEAN I.INEil llOW - ;

AUTHENTIC MARITIME

The Great Ocean Liners of

*SEA CHESTS* HANDCARVED

New York City

DOVETAILED

Committed to the Preservation of Our Maritime History

1-508-693-5871 1393 County Road, Martha's Vmeyard, MA 02557

WWW.JPUWOODCARVER.COM

Ocean liner Memorabilia - Ofco r-Poste rs - Canvas Art

Ian Robertson www.ocea nlinerrow.com 917-416-7653 - PO Box 20586, New York, NY 10025 ~ cr;(ll!I'.;,.,., ~fJl'·.~~-<r~r::f'.>".:t" "".·-: ':"' '" r:,.~;~«-7" ~ ., ~·JI'..,,.,, __ ·e-~~

MODEL SHIP RESTORATIONS NEW YORK MUSEUM CONSERVATOR NOW ACCEPTING PRJVATE COMMISSIONS

Our best-selling item is back! The 2010 Art ofthe Sea calendar features extraordinary paintings by world-renowned maritime artists. The calendar includes biographies of the artists, plus information about the ships compiled by NMHS Chairman Ronald L. Oswald and NMHS President Emeritus Peter Stanford.

REPAIRS, RIGGIN G, CLEANING, PREPARATION FOR AUCTION SALE FREE DIGITAL PHOTO REVIEW AND ESTIMATE

DANIEL W. PARISER SHIPMODEL@A OL.COM

718-855-1 720

"'fhe Sailing Ships of the Chesapeake,, Show opens Friday, October 16, 2009

Calendar is wall hanging, full color, 11 " x 14" $13.95 (or $11.50 for Sea History readers) + $4.00 s/h To order: call

1-800-221-NMHS (6647), ext. 0, or visit our web site at

www.seahistory.org. NY State residents add applicable sales tax.

SEA HISTORY 128, AUTUMN 2009

Paintings, sculptures & models celebrating the Great Chesapeake Bay Schooner Race

SKIPJACK NAUTICAL WARES & MARINE GALLERY One High Street, Olde Towne Portsmouth, Virginia (757) 399-5012 - www.SkipjackNauticalWares.com 27

National Maritime Historical Society's 2009 Annual Awards Dinner Pays Tribute to Ted Turner and "Heroes of the Hudson"

aptain Cesare Sorio and Daniel W Whalen, co-chairmen of the 2009 NMHS Annual Awards Dinner, are pleased to invite our members to join the gala celebration on Wednesday, 14 October 2009, at the New York Yacht Club as we honor world-renowned yachtsman, media innovator and entrepreneur, Ted Turner. In presenting the NMHS Distinguished Service Award to Turner, the Society endeavors to pay tribute to his dedication, vision, and influence as a proponent of America's maritime heritage and multiple accomplishments as a world-renowned yachtsman. NMHS Overseer Gary Jobson, tactician onboard Courageous for the win of the 1977 America's Cup and America's yachting spokesman, will be on hand to present the award. NMHS Overseer Richard T. du Moulin, a great American award-winning yachtsman and a leader in the shipping industry, will be Master of Ceremonies. The Society is also honoring the heroic ferryboat captains of the "Miracle on the Hudson" with the NMHS Bravo Zulu Award for their lifesaving efforts rescuing the passengers and crew of US Airways Flight 1549 that landed in the Hudson River in brutally cold weather last January.

Ted Turner The National Maritime Historical Society salutes Ted Turner for his commitment to yachting. In his time Turner has won 176 sailing trophies. He entered his first sailing competition at age 11 at the Savannah Yacht Club and competed in the 1964 Olympic trials. Turner won the coveted "Yachtsman of the Year" award, twice while owner/ skipper of American Eagle, andin 1976, Turner sold Eagle to pursue his dream of defending the America's Cup. In 1977, he successfully skippered the

12-Meter Courageous, defending the America's Cup for the United States. Turner was inducted into the America's Cup Hall ofFame in 1993. Turner skippered Tenacious in the infamous 1979 Fastnet race, ofwhich he was proclaimed the winner in a corrected-time victory. Storms during the race wreaked havoc on over 300 yachts taking part in the biennial race, resulting in 15 fatalities. The emergency response was the largest rescue operation in peace-

time. Those involved included naval ships, lifeboats, commercial boats, and helicopters. Throughout his career, Turner has received recognition for his entrepreneurial acumen, sharp business skills, leadership qualities, and his exceptional philanthropy. Turner has stepped into the international spotlight with one accomplishment after another. Whether in sailing, cable television, billboard advertisement, sports team ownership,

SEA HISTORY 128, AUTUMN 2009

environmental initiatives or philanthropy-Turner's vision, determination, generosity, and forthrightness have consistently garnered welldeserved international attention.

currently serves as its chairman. Turner is also chairman of the Turner Foundation, which supports efforts for improving air and water quality, developing a sustainable energy future to protect our climate, safeguarding In September 1997 Turner pledged environmental health, maintain$1 billion to the good-works pro- ing wildlife habitat protection, and gram of the United Nations, creat- developing practices and policies to ing the United Nations Foundation curb population growth rates. He is to administer the gift, where he co-chairman of the Nuclear Threat

Initiative, which works to close the growing and increasingly dangerous gap between the threat from nuclear, chemical and biological weapons; and chairman ofTurner Enterprises, Inc., a private company, which manages his business interests, land holdings and investments, including the oversight of two million acres in 12 states and in Argentina, with more than 50,000 head of bison.

Heroes of the Hudson The Society salutes the exemplary methodically rescuing the plane's efforts of these first responders passengers as the world watched in reaching the passengers of US the effective rescue operation. Their Airways Bight 1549 when it was inspirational efforts on that frigid forced to make a splash landing in the Hudson River on Thursday, 15 January 2009. Captain Scott Koen of the M/V Lt. Michael P Murphy, Captain Vincent Lombardi of the M/V ThomasJefferson, Captain Vince Lucante and Captain Michael Starr of the M/V Yogi Berra, Captain Carl Lucas and Captain Matthew Warra of the M/V Athena, Captain Manny Liba of the M/V Moira Smith, Captain Brittany Catanzaro of the M/V Thomas Kean, Captain John Winarski of the M/V Admiral Richard E. Bennis, and Captain Mohamed Gouda of the M/V George Washington will each be presented with the NMHS Bravo Zulu Award. January day brought to the foreThe captains and crews, along with front of American minds the spirit the other ferries responding, began of initiative and bravery in helping

our fellow man, a long honored maritime tradition. The Society will also recognize the hundreds of individuals who were involved

in making the quick and efficient rescue of the Bight 1549 crew and passengers a total success.

The gala event takes place at the historic New York Yacht Club in Manhattan, a building that boasts a magnificent Gilded Age, Beaux Arts motif, inside and out. The United States Coast Guard Academy Cadet Chorale, directed by Dr. Robert Newton, Director of Cadet Vocal Music at the United States Coast Guard Academy, will provide the evening's entertainment. This affair is traditionally sold-out and seating is quite limited, so early replies are recommended. For information about sponsorship opportunities or to order tickets for the Annual Awards Dinner, please contact the Society's headquarters at: 914-737-7878 ext. O; or e-mail at nmhs@seahistory.org. Please visit our web site: www.seahistory.org for more information. -Julia Church, Communications, and Burchenal Green, President

SEA HISTORY 128, AUTUMN 2009

Just a preview of a few of the great items featured in our Annual Dinner Auction ... Port Newark Container Terminal: Take a Tour of the State-of-the-Art Container Terminal Ride a straddle carrier and move containers around the terminal under the supervision of Don Hamm, President of PNCT. Don will also give you and up to three friends an extensive tour and briefing accompanied with a lunch brought in by a local caterer. Donated by Ports America, Inc, a wholly owned company of Highstar Capital. Value: Priceless.

Schooner Adirondack Private New York Harbor Cruise for 40 Private champagne cruise aboard the schooner Adirondack in New York Harbor departing from Chelsea Piers with a standard open bar for up to 40 guests. Valid Monday-Friday, Expires June 5, 2010. Donated by Richard Scarano and Classic Harbor Lines. Value: $2,500.

Cruise aboard Dreamer for an Afternoon of Tennis at Sea Bright Lawn and Cricket Club Enjoy a day of multiple pleasures with 3 of your friends and host John R. McDonald, Jr. with a cruise aboard his East Bay 38 cruiser Dreamer from Manhattan to Rumson, New Jersey for an afternoon of tennis at Sea Bright Lawn Tem1is and Cricket Club, one of the oldest lawn tennis clubs in the country, designated a National Historic Landmark. Available between Memorial Day and Labor Day for the summer of 20 10. Donated by John R. McDonald, Jr. Value: Priceless.

Race with the best Day Sail, Dinner and Evening Race aboard four-time class winner of the Newport-Bermuda Race. Only one other boat in history has accomplished this feat of four consecutive wins. You don 't need to be an experienced sailor to enjoy an afternoon sail, light dinner, and evening race aboard Rich du Moulin 's 37 foot ocean racing yacht Lora Ann sailing out of the Larchmont (New York) Yacht Club. You will get a lesso n in racing. Rich and a few of his racing crew will take four guests for an entertaining and exciting adventure. The racing will be low-key, but for real. Winning (and losing) crews have been known to enjoy post-race festivities at the Club bar. Donated by Richard T. du Moulin. Value: $4,000.

Grand Mayan Resort Mexico Vacation Vacation in style at Grand Mayan Resort in Mexico. One-bedroom apartment with living room, kitchen, bath, and terrace for any week in 2010 starting Friday, Saturday, or Sunday except CluÂˇistmas, Easter or New Year's. Sleeps four adults. Can be at Grand Mayan Resort in Acapulco, Puerto Penasco (Sea of Cortez), Los Cabos, Nuevo Vallarta, or Riviera Maya. Donated by Cesare Sario.Value: $2,500.

Keep checking our web site, www.seahistory.org, for an updated list! If you are unable to atttend NMHS 's ga la event on 14 October, let us bid for yo u! Call 800-22 1-6647, ext. 0, and we' ll set you up witlti your own personal bidding representati ve. A ll proceeds fro m the aucti on benefit the work of the Sbociety. 30

SEA HISTOR~Y 128, AUTUMN 2009

A SPECTACULAR LIMITED EDITION PRINT by marine artist William G. Muller

The square-rigged ship Allerton, just arrived from sea, is nudged alongside a South Street pier near the Brooklyn Bridge, on a moonlit night over Manhattan's East River waterfront.

Nightdocking, East River, NY, 1895 An exclusive limited edition of 700 signed and numbered prints on 100 lb. Mohawk superfine cover using lightfast inks. Certificate of authenticity. Image size: 28" x 20 1/4". Sheet size: 33" x 25 3/4". $175 each. (Add $15 s&h in the US.)

To order by phone call with your credit card:

1-800-221-NMHS (6647), x 0 Or visit our web site to order this or other William G. Muller prints:

www.seahistory.org NYS residents add applicable sales tm:. For orders sent outside the US, call or e-mail (nmhs@seahistory.org) for shipping.

by Captain Arie L. Bleicher mil very recently on the hi srorical rime scale, the oceans beyond the beach were also beyond m an's grasp. They were alien a nd unexplored-rhoughr ro be the realm of dreadful creatures. M aps drawn by ancient-and even medievalcartographers show the world beyond the "Known" ro be inhabited by sea serpents, dragons, fa nciful monsters and such, all ro convey ro the beholder the dread ful perils of the "Unknown ." Somewhere, sometime, man and a floating rree trunk must have come rogether. Let us assume char from then on m an's curiosity, inventive disposition, and greed led ro experimentation, progress, and ultimately ro rrade. Th is led ro the need for rules ro ensure the o rderly conduct of m aritime affairs and, of late, ro ensure an equitable disposition of the spoils. The earlies t use of

the oceans' resources was likely limited ro coas tal fishing, with the use of the ocean as a h ighway coming later. Until the adve nt of paved roads, travel by wa ter was preferable over the rigors of travel on la nd. But the question of who owned the ocean highway was harder ro answer because of the inability ro measure and control it in the same way that land has been measured , apportioned , and cont rolled . Control, m eaning the power ro deny access ro the unwa nted and uninvited, is essential ro supporting a claim of ow nership. There is a basic difference between ocean transportation and transportation by any other means . O cean transportation is usually a joint venture between the owner of the goods and the owner of the ship. As joint venturers, they share risks and have no clai m against each other fo r losses caused by the perils of the sea, acts of God, pirates,

res traint of princes and rulers-in short, all events that could not be anticipated at the o utset of the adventure. This may seem archaic in the days of aro mic power and manned flights ro rhe international space srarion, bur ir should be rem embered chat ocean transportation has a long traditio n, which reaches back in ro times before recorded hisrory. Scholars believe char the joint venture concept was originated by m erchants of rhe Minoan kingdom of C rete, passed from them ro the Phoenicians, was refin ed by rhe Dutch , and was carried on ro the present day. The m erchants of a city entrusted a ship's captain ro carry their goods ro a foreign port and, once rhere, barter for ocher goods at his discretion . Fo r this service, the cap rain charged the m erchants a commission. The ships of the time were relatively small , and by roday's standards no r terribly seaworthy.

Canta Marina, 1539, map of Scandinavia by Glaus Magnus (1490-1557). Ancient and medieval world maps often included depictions of monsters and mythical creatures out to sea.

SEA HISTORY 128, AUTUMN 2009

In the case when a ship would return home without the bartered goods of one or more m erchants, the captain might claim that he had had to jettison them overboard during a storm to lighten the ship to save the vessel and the remaining cargo-not to mention the lives of the crew. Upon inves tigation, merchants began to realize that such misfortune most often befell the

You may ask why someone doesn't propose to update this ancient concept, bringing it in line with modern times and compelling the ocean carrier to assume the sam e liabilities as a trucking company or a railroad. There is good reason for thi s: having evolved from precedents, commercial usages, arbitration and court rulin gs, the rules fo rm a predictable platfo rm fo r

Empi re and the collapse of the W estern (Latin) E mpire, no individual power was strong enough to exercise that kind of control. With the disruptions caused by the invasion of Asiatic tribes into Western E urope, little energy was lefr to spend on ocean ventures. Th at power vacuum led to a dram atic rise in piracy in the M editerranean and in other coastal waters.

"~ tfte !cul? !!f1uttt{/)ce tne6e tltl/J7:!1,6 cv1ce e01JUJW1'b tÂ°' nuvnkl/Jict- the al/Jc,, JCt{/)Uil/J7ff tf/ate1c,, tfte 6ea.1, cunct eo/Ji6f3fttent-fy the 6ft01ce6 goods that would have returned low commissions to the captain, while other more profitable goods had not been sacrificed . As a consequence, eventually a n agreement was reached that established that all participants in a commercial venture would share in the loss of any sacrifices m ad e in the course of a voyage . Out of this jo intventure concept arose the rules of "Ge neral Average," first embodied in Rhodian Law around 800 BC. This original concept has been greatly expanded and overshad owed in many aspects by modern legislation, but the underlying principle has survived . It is reflected in contemporary m a ritime practices and legislation and expressed in the "York-A ntwerp Rules of General Average," first promulgated in 189 0.These rules are now incorporated into all contracts of ocean transportation . (The word "average" is derived from the French word "avarie" and m eans "accident.") It is important to stress the continuity of the legal concepts surrounding a sea voyage. Today the technical problem s and risks of an ocean voyage are quite different from what they were in earlier times. No longer on adaringadventure full ofuncertainty, the carrier of goods on the high seas still enjoys a privileged position, both in commerce and in contract. Following the concepts of the joint-venture principle, which are the underpinnings of the General Average rule, he can exempt himself from a va riety ofli abilities towards the owner of the goods, which a carrier of goods on land must accept, provided that the ship was seaworthy at the commencement of the voyage. The contract of carriage is described in the Bill of Lading, in which the obligations of the carrier and his liberties are described in detail. SE A HISTORY 128, AU TUMN 2009

conduct of maritime transportation between countries having different legal regimes. A body of mari time law has developed which can be q ui te different from the lega l regime of any individu al nation, facilitating the orderly conduct of m a ritime commerce. The rules are, of course, subj ect to change with advances in technology a nd ch a nges in commerce. An Internet search will lead yo u to the changes to Rotterd am Rules now being considered. As a reflection of the lon g evolutionary history of m aritime commerce, we find that in m aritime contrac ts, especially in m arine insurance, archaic language is ofren re tai ned because of precedent and predictability of meaning and intent. During the rule of the Rom an Empire, the M editerranean Sea was considered "Mare Nostrum," or "Our Sea," and the concept of " freedom of the seas" was not applicable because all the surrounding lands were already under Roman rule, m aking it easy fo r them to deny access to any opponent. By about 530 A D , however, Emp eror Justinian I proclaimed that the oceans were common to all m en. At that point, however, the Roman Empire was already disintegrating and had lost the might it once had. Perhaps Justinian simply wished to m ake a virtue out of necessity. This was a revolutionary idea at the time and did not find ready acceptance. After the partition of the Roman

-Justinian I

!!/tlw 6ecu. "

(527-565 AD)

W ith the C rusades came a resurgence of interest in maritime affairs which propelled the need to regulate them. As a res ult, in 1150 Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine promulgated the Laws ofOleron, which were intended to regulate the trade of wine and oil between her possessions and England. With her subsequent m a rriage to Henry II in 1152, she not only broughtAquitaine under the rule of the English Crow n, but she also brought w ith her the Laws ofOleron to E ngla nd. The system of describing the size of ships, for example, derives from these laws. A ship's capacity for cargo was expressed in the number of barrels, or "tuns"-presumably of wine or oil- a ship could load . The "tuns" becam e "rons" and are now called registered tons, which measure the volume available for cargo expressed in units of 100 cubic feet. Registered tonnage is a m easurement of the earnin g capaci ty expressed in volume and has nothing to do with weight. The formul as for measuring tonnage are rather complex and are subj ect to international convention . The Laws ofOleron were largely adopted by the H anseatic League and became the basis of maritime legislation in Wes tern Europe and eventually of the m aritime codes of practically all natio ns. In the thirteenth century, the Venetians claimed sovereignty over the Adriatic Sea and began levying tolls on ships passing

across it. In return, they offered protection fro m pirates. To the north, ships enterin g the Baltic Sea were being fo rced to pay tolls to the D anes. In retributio n, the English Parliam ent, under the reign of H enry V, sought to levy tolls on ships passing thro ugh the E nglish C hannel. As E uropea n monarchs were di vvying up parts of the globe, both waterine and terrestrial, it was Columbus's unexpected discovery of terri to ry on the wes tern side of the A tlantic that led Pope Alexander V I to issue a papal bull in 1493, Inter caetera, alloca ting separate spheres of ac tivity between Spa in a nd Portuga l along the 3 0° W meridian . Both countries interpreted this

to m ean that they had the right to exclude anyo ne else fro m tradin g a nd even from navigating in their respective areas. Naturally, the D utch and E nglish refu sed to accept this situation, and the raids of Sir Francis D rake and o thers were an expression of th is refusal. Dutch lawyer Hugo G rotius revived the Justinia n concept of the freedo m of t he seas in 1609 and defin ed the limits of te rri torial waters a nd t he right of innocent passage th ro ugh territorial waters of o ther nations. Essentially, this puts us where we are today as fa r as the use of the oceans as a highway is concerned . G reat Britain, the erstwhile opponent of these concepts,

eventually became their most vigoro us protagonist. Largely due to G reat Britain's rising eminence and dominance in m aritime pursuits, they becam e firm ly established and a large body of m aritime law was d eveloped, again by Hugo Gro tius, as to how these pri nciples m ay be violated in time of war. Terri torial waters are mo re or less w hat a littoral country ca n cla im . The di s ta nee offshore dem arcating thi s boundary was originally based on how fa r a cannonball could be sho t; now it is usually not less than twelve nautical miles . Economic zo nes are those upon whi ch a litto ral country trad itionally depends fo r its economic survival. Patrimonial waters,

This portion ofthe Cantina Planisphere map of 15 02 shows the meridian agreed upon by Spain and Portugal in the Treaty ofTordesillas in 1494, just west of the line established by Pope Alexander Vi 's Inter caetera the year before. It was named, not for the cartographer who made it, but instead for the man who smuggled a copy of it out of Portugal in 15 02 for the Duke of Ferrara (Italy). This map is one of the first sea charts from the era of European transAtlantic exploration and discovery that can be accurately dated. The map represented the latest information on transAtlantic discoveries and was considered a state secret, kept under lock and key in the Casa da India in Lisbon. The original map measured 86 x 40 inches, and today it is part ofthe Biblioteca Estense collection in Modena, Italy.

," t1m1lus.ntims· .

I ~ CC:\\lllS

omlitJllu

1·

:--~----!llr'~.r.~~-.:-::,..-1•~-"~-;;a..'- :; ;::...- ~;; i ; ;;--~~--~~-:-'"~~e: :.:m;.: ~l1~6~1~~"0=1s~:~~~ ;/

J.,_

~·

; 11tp11 11 ll !I! llP11 1f :

I m1rt1t1 r:1 rnm r

SEA JHISTORY 128, AUTUMN 2009

not much different from economic zones, are those which historically provided the livelihood of the littoral population. Let us look at other subjects which govern commerce on the oceans . For example, there is the obligation of any ship to come to the assistance of any other ship in distress, even at its own peril , and no reward is offered fo r the saving oflives. Then there are th e many rules and conventions ensuring safety of life and property at sea. One of the first such rules adopted internation ally was the Load Line Convention, which spelled out how deeply a ship may be loaded. In the 1870s, British Member of Parliament Samuel Plimsoll took up the case against shipowners who knowingly sent unseaworthy and overloaded ships to sea, never to return. These "coffin ships" were usually heavily insured, ass uring the shipowner that he wo uld recoup his fin an cial losses with no regard to the loss oflife. Plimsoll's bill met wi th strong opposition, as many of his fellow Members of Parliament were also shipowners themselves or were pressured

by influential shipowners. It took years to pass, but in 1876 the United Kingdom Merchant Shipping Act made the marking of the load line mandatory. Countries of all nations followed suit with the adoption of the International Load Line Convention in 1930. The load line mark engraved on the ship's hull became known as the "Plimsoll Mark." There is the story about one shipowner who painted the Plimsoll Mark on the smoke stack of his ships, implying that it was entirely up to the judgment of the

On 15 D ecember 1976, the Liberian tanker Argo Merchant ran aground on Nantucleet Shoals and broke in half a week later, spilling 7 7 million gallons offuel oil into the sea. Predating the disastrous Exxon Valdez oil spill by thirteen years, it is still considered one of the worst environmental disasters in history. An investigation determined that the ship was sailing with fau lty navigational equipment and unqualified helmsmen, amongst other of Jenses. In response, Congress passed the Port and Tanker Safety Act of 1978.

PHOTO BY W. A . W EI N GARTE N

-e-

Samuel Plimsoll (1825-1898)

shipowner how deep he wo uld load his ship and that no government ought to be allowed to interfere. Today, there is no longer any controversy about the prudence of the Load Line Convention, and ships of all fla gs are subject to inspection by authorities in any port of call. As one might expect, load line rules are even more vigorously enforced by the insurers of ships and cargo than by governmental authorities. In accordance with human nature, it usually takes a major catastrophe to adopt and ratify conventions covering rules for the saving oflife and property at sea and, of late, protecting the environment. Notable events in m odern history causing changes were the sinking of SS Titanic (1912), the Mo rro Castle fire (1934), and the m assive oil spills from the Argo Merchant (1976) and Exxon Valdez (1989) groundings. The m erit of these conventions is beyond dispute, and they are freq uen dy revised to bring them up to date with changing technologies and the latest scientific research. By and large, one can say that the body of law and precedent governing the ocean as a highway is progressing slowly, but in an orderly m anner.

TF F

ARGO MERC H AN T PHOTO CO U RT ESY O F NO AA; PLIMSOLL LITHOGR A l'H CO U RT ESY OF LONDO N STE REOSCOPIC AN D PHOTOG RAl'l-llC CO.

s w WNA

The appalling loss oflife ofseamen sailing in British "coffin ships" inspired Samuel Plimsoll, a Member of Parliament, to champion a bill that would require shipowners to mark load lines on the hulls of their vessels. It took years of wrangling on the floor of the House of Commons, but he finally prevailed in 1876. Load lines became known as "Plimsoll M arks," and they must be clearly visible on a ship's starboard side. The International Convention on Load Lines was adopted in 1930. SEA HISTORY 128, AUTUMN 2009

The oudook ~.> nor so brighr wirh regards ro fi shing. Whi le navigarion makes use of rhe ocean surface, fishing exploirs rhe body below ir. Even in areas whe re ownership is asserred, rhe righr ofinnocem passage is preserved in mosr places. Fishing, on rhe ocher hand, is exploirarion of a resource, and ownership of chis resource is claimed si mulraneously by many nations. Coumries wirh di recr access ro rhe ocea n a re claiming economic zones far beyond rheir

for ecological balance, rhe resul r is rhe same. Today, borh milirary and eco nomic considerarions are puuin g pressure on coasral narions ro exrend rhe rerrirorial limirs ro varying di srances from shore, depending on physical geography, specifically, rhe exrem of rhe cominem al shelf. Further complicaring the siru ation are recent demands by landlocked nations, which hisrorically showed lirde imeresr and had no say in maritime affairs , for an

~ z

A Soviet trawler Loaded with perch plies waters offAmerica's West coast.

rerrirorial warers, and they are insisting on comrolling rhe exploirarion for rheir sole benefi r. Th is concepr is hardly new. As early as rhe fourreemh century, a Venerian jurisr proposed char narions depending heavily on fishing should h ave broader righrs over coasral warers rhan ochers. Nonerheless, fi shing was largely ignored, because at chat rime ir was believed thar fish were limidess. The firsr challenge ro chis ass umprion came with rhe decimarion of whales in rhe ninereenth century. In rhe heyday of wha ling, whale oi I and whale bone (baleen) were valu able commodiries. Unlike the currem scenario w irh fi sh popularions in decline while demand is srill high, rhe reducrion of rhe whale popularion coincided wirh rh e discovery of peuoleum in 1869, which made wha ling unprofi.rable by rhe lace 1800s. Organ ized pro res rs againsrwhaling emerged in rhe rwemierh cemury, which led ro rhe passage of rhe Imernarional Co nvemion for rhe Regularion of Whaling in 1946. A lrhough rhese prores rs were inspired mainly for humanirarian reasons wit h lirde rhoughr abour rhe whales' va lue

equal voice in deliberarions and a share in the allocation of rhe ocea ns' bo unty. The exploirarion of rhe resources on and under rhe sea Aoor wo uld presem few polirical problems if rhe acriviry were resuicred ro rerrirorial warers. Now char scientisrs and engineers have inves rigared and cominue ro study our undersea environment and irs poremial, rhe effon s ro expand terrirori al limits have increased dra marically. The porential ro exu ac r minerals and rhe exploirarion of kineric, rhermal, and chemical energy contained in solurion are now being explored.

Neglecr or uncomrolled activiry in any of rhese mauers has global consequences, even if rheir control mighr consrirure inrerference w irh sovereign prerogatives . People are slowly recogni zing char rhe earth 's resources are not limidess and char the avenues for m anaging chem continue ro grow. Bur auemprs ro manage the resources through comrol have been hindered by rhe face char everyone wa m s ro grab a piece of rhe acrion before rhe game is over. Today, rhe field is wide open for applied polirical science. J, Captain Arie L. Bleicher, a native Austrian, enrolled in a maritime school in Italy in 1937, later serving as a seaman in a British Royal Engineers Company in WWII. H e has served in all capacities, from ordinary seaman to Master to owner, in all types of vessels: sail, steam, and modern cargo vessels- from fishing vessels to tugs to transAtlanticpassenger liners. He obtained his master's license in 1952 and eventually settled in N Y, where he attended the School ofMa ritime Insurance and became a maritime insurance claims adjuster. Moving to San Francisco in 1957, he co-founded a ship brokerage, ship management, and ship owning company. Retiredfrom business, he is active in maritime affairs and organizations. Capt. Bleicher is one ofonly afew non-lawyer members ofthe Maritime Law Association of the United States, andfounder ofthe Society ofMaritime Arbitrators ofSan Francisco. H e has served as one of two US representatives on the more than 100-year-oldDocumentary Committee of the Baltic and International Maritime Council, headquartered in Co penhagen. Captain Bleicher is a long-time member of the Board of D irectors and an ardent supporter of the Friends of the San Francisco Maritime Museum Library U. Porter Shaw Library at SF Maritime NHP). f

SEA HHSTORY 128, AUTUMN 2009

.,.. ~u. . SH\PS RETURN TO THE GRr::-

\ 'r'\€. \

i;;."A, /

'-4r\C:s v

THE AMERICAN SAIL TRAINING ASSOCIATION has partnered with

GREAT LAKES UNITED to bring a fleet of international tall ships to the Great Lakes, the world's largest body of fresh wa ter, as part of the Great Lakes United TALL SHIPS CHALLENGE® 2010 race series. Join us as the tall ships race through all five Great Lakes making port appearances in cities throughout the US and Canada. Two important initiatives sail along with the tall ships: water conservation education and youth sail training!

For over 27 years, Great Lakes United has been a unifying voice for ensuring a healthy and vibrant future for the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River ecosystem. A diverse coa lition of organizations and individuals including citizens, environmenta lists. conservation ists. labour unions. First Nations, tribes, hunters. anglers, academics. and progre ssive businesses working together to clean up toxic pollution , stop invasive species, and protect the waters of th e Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River from damage and irresponsible use. Thousands of voices are calling for a healthier Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River and Great Lakes United continues to be the coalition through which these voices are heard. The American Sail Training Association is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization focused on youth education, leadership development and the preservatio n of the maritime heritage of North America. The mission of the American Sail Training Association is to encourage character building through sail training, promote sail training to the North American public. and support education under sail.

For more information about how YOU can sail on a tall ship in the Great Lakes United TALL SHIPS CHALLENGE® 2010 race series contact the American Sail Training Association or visit our website at www.sailtraining.org. American Soil Training Association. PO Box 1459. Newport, RI 02840 . 401-846-1775. asta@saillraining.org

NORTH AMERICA

EUROPE

AFRICA Indian Ocean

SOUTH AMERICA

What Do You Want to Be When You Grow Up? Careers in the Marine and Maritime Field

Maritime Lawyer

byBlythe D aly

Chances are that yo ur favo rite pair of shoes or yo ur treasured MP3 player wasn't made in the United States . It's also likely that the banana in yo ur cereal this morning was grown in another country. The United States imports and expo rts many goods to and from other countries, and nearly all of these things are transported aro und the world in large commercial ships. When com mercial ships, fishing vessels, sailboats, and other priva te yachts sail upon the navigable waters of the United States and beyond, they are subject to many different laws and rules, depending o n where they are, where they cam e from, where they are goi ng, and what they are doing at sea. My job, as a maritime lawyer, is to learn and understand the laws that apply to vessels bo th in port and underway in inland wa ters, in fo reign countries, and upon the high seas. Many of these laws are very old, as the field of maritime law in the United States dates back to the colonial era. When I was a kid, I was addicted w the water-from swimming to can oeing to sailing on small boats with m y father and at summer camp on the Chesapeake Bay. The wa ter has always been a big part of my life, whether it's a freshwater pond or the big salty ocean . Even a pool will do! When I went to college, I studi ed foreign affairs and international politics and joined the rowing team. After graduation, I took to the water full time. I got a job as a decl<l1a nd on a tall ship, and that led to more sailing jobs as a mate and then captain aboard vessels large and small along the East Coast of the United States, in the Caribbean, and in Mexico. After thousands of miles at sea and having learned first hand about ships, ship work, and the people who crew them, I decided to go At my desk at Holland and Knight, a law firm in New York. to law school to study maritime law. Now l work as a maritime lawyer in New York City. I m ay spend my time in an office these days, but I my sailing experience helps me Thats me! Aloft on understand the various problems "HMS" Rose/ wrestling and cases I confront in my job on with the main course a daily basis. with some of my In addition to answering questions about piracy (yes, pirates shipmates. still exist), I determine what happens when the shi p carryi ng bananas for yo ur breakfast arrives late and the bananas have spoi led before the ship reaches po rt. Maritime law applies to almost any accid ent involving a vessel-whether commercial or private-such as when two vessels collide o r a single vessel runs aground or into a pier. Sailors are given special protections and benefits under maritime laws that employees asho re may not have in their land jobs because of the special nature of their work. Because ships travel to all parts of the world, maritime law is international in nature. Maritime lawyers help draft or design, interpret, and enfo rce international legislation that govern s various as pects of the maritime industry, including safety aboard ships and pollution from vessels. So, the next time you reach to put on your favorite pair of shoes, yo u m ay also want to think abo ut a career in maritime law. It's a great way to stay connected with ships and the sea while living ashore, and yo u can feel good knowing yo u are m aki ng a difference in sailo rs' lives and in helping those whose business is out on the water.

SEA HISTORY 128, AUTUMN 2009

~N\~~\...S \N 9E.t--. \--\,sTo~y g'{

1?\~~~9 ~\tJ6r n Winslow H o mer's famous painting Fog Warning, a fisherman stares at rhe ho rizo n and his schoo ner far off in the distan ce. H e's looking at a thick fo g bank approaching, which will soon make it much more difficult to row over the steep seas and find his ship. Homer depicts the quiet heroism of this fi sherman, showing his handsom e profile and sou'wester rain hat. The m an looks like a classic warrior. Bur what's he doing our there in the first place? What has he caught in his dory? Homer's fi sherman carries two Atlantic halibut, the largest of the "flat fish," closely related to flound er. H alibut are thin, swim sideways, and have both eyes on o ne side of their heads in order to rest flat on the sea floo r while looking up. Homer painted the halibut's left side, the underside when lying on the sea floor, whi ch is bright white or speckled grey. Their right sides are olive, grey, or chocolate brown, and often splotched, particularly wh en they are younger, so they can blend into the sand, gravel, or clay of the ocean bottom when viewed from above. Atlantic halibut prefer cold water and once were very common throughout the wes tern No rth Atlantic. Fishermen caught them on the G rand Banks, Georges Bank, and in the coastal wa ters of the Canadian M aritimes. In 1634 W illian1 Wood wro te in New England's Prospect: "'lhe halibut. . .so me Fog Warning by Winslow H omer (1885) being two yards long and one wide and a foot thick; the plen ty of better fish makes these of little esteem except the heads and fins, which stewed or baked is very good ." Fo r centuries No rth Atlantic fishermen caught enormous numbers of halibut, bur the fish were too thick for salting-at the rime th e o nl y way to preserve them . So, when fishin g for cod or haddock, the m en usually threw the halibut back into the wa ter o r just cut off their heads and fins, tossing the rest into rhe ocean. In the 1800s halibut were commonly 50- 150 po unds, but there have been several trustwo rth y accounts of halibut weighing over two or three hundred pounds, including one in 19 17 of an Atlantic halibut weighing about 700 po unds and measuring over nine feet long! By rhe 1840s, fishermen had the ability to keep their catch fresh by packing them in ice while still at sea. Ar the same time, the number of people who immigrated to the Uni ted States-people who ate more fish- had increased dramati cally, bumping up the S~P.., ÂĽ-'? C IJ ~\J ct> demand for halibut. W ithin a few decades, \~Ell-I ID EP\T N ew England fishermen had caught so o\1-\~I!- f-\ s 1:-\) much halibut that the fish becam e difficl'!vS.T,~.q~"'t-lS , t>-t:-lCi culr to find at all. In the 1870s men from E\18'\ SÂŁ"'~\'f-i(S Gloucester, M assachusetts, had to sail all t..\ES fL.f\T ON the way to G reenlan d before they could '' ~1..-1iJD \...tfT S\i;>c fill their holds with full-sized halibut. Winslow H o mer painted Fog Warning at the very end of the era of commercial fi shing fo r Atlanti c halibut, giving the word "warning" a second meaning. In 1996, scientists put the Atlantic halibut on the Endangered Species list, and, today, there is no commercial fishery fo r Atlantic halibut anymore. The good news is that several other species of halibut, notably th e Pacific halibut, have recovered from overfishing and are now managed well and caught regularly. So if anyo ne as ks you why Winslow H omer put a huge Rat fish in his famous painting Fog Wa rning, yo u can answer with this joke: "Just for the halibut !" In the next issue of Sea History, we'll learn about a seabird with a forked tail and a naval name. You can find past entries of"Animals in Sea H istory" at www.seahisto ry.org. 11

SEA HISTORY 128, AUTUMN 2009

eafarers in t he North Atlantic k.now that a southwester!!:! wind usual!~ brings rain a nd wind. If a storm is brewing from that direction , sailors report for watch dut~ wearing the ir foul weather gear, including t he ir trust_l::J ra in hats-the sou 'wester. People who mak.e their living o n the sea (as o pposed to recreationa l sailors, o r "tair-weather" sa ilors , who head back. to s hore whe n the weather turns ugl~) go to great le ngths to sta~ dr~. O ne of the first things a sailor pack.s when getting read!:! for a sea vo~age is foul weather gear (rain coats, hats, a nd pa nts). While man~ a power vessel has an e nclosed-even heated-bridge or wheelhouse from where crew ca n steer a nd navigate, most sailing s hips re9uire the crew to sta~ o n deck., exposed to t he weather, to steer, k.eep a look.o ut from t he foredeck., a nd ha ndle sails a nd rigging. Once ~ou get wet, there is no eas~ wa~ to dr~ ~our clothes. Toda~ , high-tech fabrics do a n excelle nt job of k.eepingsailors dr~ . 5 efore the development of n~lon a nd Gore-TexÂŽ, before th e~ k.new how to rubberize fabric, sailors made a nd wore oils kins and sou 'westers. O ilskins are clothes, usua l!~ pants or overa lls a nd a coat, made waterproof b~ rubbing linseed oil o r tar into cotton ca nvas. The traditiona l hat worn b-1:) deep-sea sa ilors a nd fish erme n is the sou'wester, a n o ilskin hat with a s pecia l design. With its s hort brim a nd upturned lip in front, the hat sta~s firm!~ o n the sailor's head even in ver~ strong winds. The upturned lip acts lik.e a gutter to cha nne l the rain water toward the back.. Sou'westers a lso have a large, lo ng s la nted brim in the back., which k.e pt wate r from going down the sailor's neck. but instead down the outside of the back. of his o ilskin coat. E:ar Raps a nd chin straP.s assured a secure fit no matter how strong t he wi nd would blow. E:ven toda~ , a black. rubber sou 'wester with a Ra nne l lining is o ne of the most importa nt pieces of e9uipment a sa ilor can own, as va luable as a knife a nd ma rlinspik.e. If ~ou ' d lik.e to own the best rain hat ever d esigned , ~ou don't have to ma k.e it .1:JOurself, ~ou ca n find it at a n~ wellstock.ed mari ne supp l~ store (or on line, of course).

NEW ITEM - MENS NMHS EMBROIDERED LONG SLEEVE RESIDENTS ADD T SHIRT. PRE-SHRUNK. APPLICABLE SALES TAX. COLORS AVAILABLE: ASH, BLACK, CARDINAL RED, CHARCOAL, NEW ITEM - SOLID BRASS 16" CLIPPER SHIP LANTERN. DARK CHOCOLATE, FOREST GREEN, INDIGO BLUE, MAROON, NAVY, SAND. MusT CHOOSE OIL OR ELECTRIC SIZES S-3XL (2XLADD $2.00, 3XLADD $4.00) HEAVY GAGE SOLID BRASS WITH OIL (ALSO AVAILABLE IN LADIES & CHILDREN) - LAMP INSIDE THICK GLASS PANES. GIFT# 40 #GEAR 016 $20.00 + $7.95 s/H $229.95 - FREE SHIPPING

WEEMS & PLATH RAo10 CONTROL CLOCK HAND POLISHED AND LACQUERED SOLID BRASS PORTHOLE WITH MAHOGANY FINISHED FRAME. MOVEMENT IS EASILY ACCESSIBLE FROM REAR OF CASE. D1AL: 6 1/8" BASE: 9 7/8". LIFETIME WARRANTY. GIFT #45 $268.99 + $16.80 S/H

50" x 60" NMHS EMBROIDERED FLEECE BLANKET WITH CARRYING STRAP (IN-STOCK) #GEAR 009 $15.00 + $6.95 S/H

SOLID BRAss 7" "SPYGLASS" TELESCOPE WEEMS & PLATH PORTHOLE DESK SET IN MAHOGANY Box. BRASS FINISH PORTHOLE DESIGN WILL NEVER TARNISH. GIFT# 15 HIGH QUALITY INSTRUMENTS SET IN SOLID $39.95 + 9.80 S/H NORTH AMERICAN HARDWOOD. INCLUDES GIFT BOX. LIMITED LIFETIME WARRANTY. GIFT #21 $122.99 + $16.80 S/H

NMHS EMBROIDERED ADAMS BASEBALL CAP. {IN-STOCK) ADJUSTABLE LEATHER STRAP. COLORS AVAILABLE: CACTUS, CHAMOIS, CHARCOAL, FOREST GREEN, KHAKI, DENIM, NANTUCKET RED. #GEAR 001 $20.00 + $ 6.95 S/H

NEW ITEM - MENS NMHS EMBROIDERED DEVON & JONES LONG SLEEVE TWILL SHIRT. COLORS AVAILABLE: BuneR, CRIMSON, DUTCH BLUE, KHAKI, NAVY, OLIVE, SMOKE & WHITE. SIZES S-3XL (2XL ADD $2.00, 3XL ADD $4.00) #GEAR 017 $40.00 + $7.95 S/H

NEW ITEMS - YOUR CHOICE SoLID BRASS 2 %" LIFEBUOY - â&#x20AC;¢ CoMPASS GIFT# 36 OR6" BRASS A

TELEGRAPH G1FT#37 $18.95 + $4.00 s/H

SOLID BRASS 6" SEXTANT IN OAK WooD CASE G1FT#23 $59.95 + $16.80s/H

SALE - UNISEX NMHS EMBROIDERED HEAVYWEIGHT SHRINK-RESISTANT SWEATSHIRT. COLORS AVAILABLE: ASH, BLACK, DARK CHOCOLATE, DEEP FOREST, NAVY, MAROON, - PINE, WINE SIZES S-3XL - (2XL ADD $2.00, 3XL ADD $4.00) GEAR #003 $25.00 + $7.95 S/H

1-800-221-NMHS (6647), EXT 0, E-MAIL NJMHS@SEAHISTORY.OR OR VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT WWW. SEAHISTORY'. ORG. ALLOW 4 WEEKS FOR DELIVERY FOR EMBROIDER\ED ITEMS.

MARITIME HISTORY ON THE INTERNET

Women in Maritime History

by Peter McCracken

"Is there a place for women in maritime history?" This question was posed in the ride of a 2005 article in the online journal History in Focus (http://www.history.ac.uk/ihr/Focus/Sea/artides/ hagmark.html) , which suggested that historians broaden their definition of maritime history ro avoid excluding women's roles. Women participated at sea in many areas, fro m well-known pirates (An ne Bonney, Mary Read) of the 18th century ro merchant captains' wives in rhe 19th century, some of whom served as navigators or played other critical ro les aboard ship. Today, wom en like Linda Greenlaw, swordfishing boar captain and author of The

Joan Druett, author of a number of books about women ar sea, has worthwhile information on her web sire at http://members.authorsguild.net/druettjo/ and on her blog at http://www. joan-druett.blogspot.com/. The International Institute of Social History, based in An1sterdam, maintains "ViVa Women's History," a database of citations about women's history, available at http:// www.iisg.nl/womhist/vivahome.php. A search of their database yields som e useful citation s, but full-text articles are not included. Because the citations are translated into multiple languages and entries do not have abstracts, one needs to search for words that Hungry Ocean (http://www.lindagreenlawbooks.com/) , I!~!!~~~=' appear in an article's title, and it can take some time ro figure out the most effective search terms. describe their experiences ro better inform society, a society "H -Net" is a broad coll ection of discuss ion nor necessarily clued in ro rhe ways in which women have participated in and been affected by maritime lists focused on specific history topics. Two relevant lists for this subject are "H -Wo men" and pursuits. These aspects of our history need ro be in"H -Maritime." Past messages posted ro rhe lists cluded and studied to get a fuller picture of our are searchable and can be a great reso urce for maritime heritage. finding all kinds of information. Al l H-Net In the past, only a handful of historians discussion lists can be searched at http://www.h-net.org/ have published works on women in maritime history, but today people can find numerous oplogsearch/; yo u can limit your search ro a specific one or search several ar a rime. All H-Net lists can be found at http://www.h-net. portunities onlin e for exploring wo men's roles in org/lists/ , and H-Women is at http://www.h-net.org/ . .- women/. maritime settings . Back in 2001 , The Mariners' Museum created an online exhibit tided, "Women & The Sea," w hich is still availNor surprisingly, many online resources focus o n issues that affect women currently working in maritime industries, both at sea able at http://www.mariner.org/women. The San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park has a similar online exhibit worth and on shore. One example is the M inerva Center, at http://www. minervacenter.com, a no n-profit organization that supports the checking out at http://www.nps.gov/safr/historyculture/maristudy of wom en in the military and women at war. Conferences timewomenhistory.htm. An archivist at the museum has also creaddressing wo men currently working ar sea include the Women's ated a 45-page document outlining selected resources at http:// International Shipping and Trading Association at http://www. www.nps.gov/ safr/historyculture/ upload/WomeninMar Hist. wistaconference.org/ (September 2009 , London, UK) and The pdf. Across the pond-bur easy ro access through cyberspaceUS M aritime Administration's "Women on the Water" co nference The National Maritime Museum, in Greenwich, UK, posted a reat http://tinyurl.com/nm6vg7 (October 2009 , Castine, Maine). search guide titled "Women and rhe Sea: Sources for Research" ar The Women's Maritime Association (http://www.womensmarihttp:/ /www.nmm.ac. uk/ researchers/Ii b rary I research-guides/ timeassoc.com/) provides a central spot for those interested in iswomen-and-the-sea/. Also in rhe UK, rhe Royal Naval Museum sues affecting women at sea today. in Portsmouth has compiled oral histories from a number of inSuggestions for o ther sites worth mentioning are welcome dividuals involved in and affected by the Royal Navy's 1990 deat shipindex@yahoo.com. See http://www.shipindex.org for a cis ion to have all female recruits spend rime ar sea; these can be compilatio n of over 100,000 ship names from indexes ro dozens of heard and read ar http://www.seayourhistory.org.uk/content/ books and journals. view/43/108/ .

Na utical Lights, 5ells, & Gitts www.NauticalA nti9ues.com

1-800-996-5655 SEA HISTORY 128, AUTUMN 2009

SIDP NOTES, SEAPORT & MUSEUM NEWS The Los Angeles Maritime Institute has listed one of its twin brigantines for sale (or lease). Faced wi[h repaying a millionplus dollar cons[ruc[io n loan, LAMI is seeking m sell either the Irving Johnson or Exy Johnson, buye r's preference. Ideally, [hey would like m kee p [he briganrines sailing

Irving Johnson and Exy Johnson

mge[her wi[h inner-ciry kids, and if any generous do nor-sponsors are inreres[ed in helping pay off [he loan and endow the TopSail Yo uth Program, please conraC[ [hem immed ia[ely. Alrernarively, [hey're looking for a long-[erm lease/chaner or m sell one of [he ships. Bo[h ships were launched in 2002 and began their careers in sail [raining in 2003. Asking price is $4.2 million . (LAMI, Berth 84, Foor of 6rh Sr. , San Ped ro, CA 9073 1; Ph . 3 10 833-605 5; e-m ail, info@lamimpsail.org; www.lamimpsail. org) . . . Elysa Engelman of Mystic Seaport is seeking information on the maritime aspects of the Underground Railroad. Readers, if anyo ne is currend y researching o r knows of primary source ma[erials o n this important mpic, please com ae[ her. (Elysa Engelman, Mys[ic Seapo rc The M useum of America and [he Sea, This portion ofthe map, "Routes ofthe Underground Railroad" by Wilbur Siebert (1 898), shows routes up the eastern seaboard, along rivers, and through the Great Lakes.

75 Greenmanville Avenue, PO Box 6000, Mys[ic, CT 06355; Ph. 860-572-5302 ext. 407 1; e-mail: elysa.engelman@mys ricseaport.org) ... Paul Hundley, senior curator of the Australian National Maritime Museum USA Gallery, has invited scholars at maritime institutions to apply for the up-to-$30,000 Australian National Maritime Museum USA Gallery Fellowship that fosters relationships with key American institutions, promoting research into the two countries' shared heritage. This is an excellenr oppo rtuniry m do research in Australia. (For more info rma[ion: con [aC[ Paul H undley a[ ph undley@anmm. gov.au) . .. The University of Exeter in the UK, the only university that offers MAs and PhDs in British Naval History, has announced its new MA program delivered wholly on-line. Ini ria[ed by Professor N icholas Rodger, [his course allows studem s who canno[ an end sem inars a[ Exeter m pursue a course of study in their own [ime fro m home. (www.exeter.ac. uk/ postgrad uate/ degrees/h istory/ navaldlma.html. ) ... The US Coast Guard has launched a new Web-based tool to provide information on the validity of merchant mariner credentials. The Merchant Mariner Credential Verifica[ion tool was created fo llowing Operarion Big Tow, a m arine safery program focused o n ensuring uni nspected mwing vessels are being operated by properly licensed individ uals, w hich idemified the need fo r a rapid means of ve rify ing the validi ry of merchant mari ner credenrials. The M erchant Mariner C redenrial Verificatio n tool provides m arine employers the m eans to ensure th ey are hi ri ng mariners with val id credentials, and also allows Port Srate Control officers in foreign ports a real-tim e capabili ry to verify US mariners' credentials. There are three ways to verify the val idi ry of a M M C: credential rype and serial number; mariner reference number; o r las[ nam e, date of birth, and last fo ur digi[s of [he mariner's social securi ry number. (For more informa[io n abour the Na[ional M ari[im e Cenrer's Mariner Licensing and Documen tatio n program visit hnp: //www.uscg. mil/ nm c or [he Homepo rt si[e a[ hnp://homepo rt.uscg. mil and then select M erchant M ariners.) .. . Could there be a return to commercial sailing ships in our future? C OSCO thinks so.

Las t year, C O SCO , China's bigges t shipping line, signed an agreement with Solar Sailor of Australia to retrofa [heir tankers wfrh large solar-powered sails, which are expected to red uce fuel costs by up m 40% . 1he first ship is supposed m be ready in 2010 . The sails are nearly 100-feer long and are covered with photovolaric panels. A comp uter linked wirh rhe ship's navigation system aummarically adjusts rhe angle of rhe sails m maxi mize rh eir exposure m rhe sun's rays and "rrim" rhe sails ar an an gle rhat best harnesses the wind . Sounds a litde like science fiction, but Solar Sailor already has ourfitted a number of vessels for different uses wi[h solar sails. The m anufacturer claims rha[ solar sails on C OSC O ships will

pay fo r themselves in savings on fuel in fo ur years. Solar Sailor also is [rying to ge[ into rhe luxury yacht business . (Solar Sailor is based in Sydney, Australia, www.solarsailor. com) .. . In May, UK-Halsey Sailmakers created a free " Rules Gadget," a Google Gadget designed to help sailors master the racing rules, which can be installed on any web site and links instantly to a bundle of five animated rules quizzes. The q uizzes show developing race co urse sirua[ions and explain [he rul es rh a[ apply. Anyo ne can place rhe Rules Gadget on [heir web sire free of charge. The race scenarios in the qui zzes are changed aum marically so [ha[ users will always be able m ffY it again and again withom repeating the sam e scenarios. The rules analysis for each situatio n was developed by Rob O verton, C hairman of US Sailing's Racing Rules Co mminee. To check out [he Gadge[, get on iG oogle, click on ''Add sruff' (toward [h e righ [ of [he page), then "Sea rch fo r gadgets." Yo u can always check OU[ [he many interac[ive games and q uizzes on UK-H alsey's official web si[e: www. ukhalsey.com . ... The New Bedford Whaling Museum has launched a new exhibit, From Pursuit to Preservation: The History of Human Interaction with Whales, that seeks to d efine and explore the complex and (continued on page 48)

SEA HISTORY 128, AUTUMN 2009

'WE NEED YOUR PHOTOS! Sea History is che quanerly publicacion of che Nacional Maricime Historical Sociecy, a non-profic organizacion. All arcicles yo u see in chese pages have been donaced by cheir auchors and mosc images have been donaced by cheir owners, whecher ic be a museum repository, commercial business or non-profic group, or individuals-bur noc all. We are seeking to build up our darabase of digiral photos and images for pocencial use in fucure issues of Sea History. If you own images of maricime scenes, ships, people, historic maps, anyching you chink mighc be relevant and wo uld like to concribuce, please submic chem via e-mail ro: seahistory@gmail.com or mail CDs co: Editor, Sea History, 7 T imberknoll Road, Pocassec, MA 02559. Be sure ro puc "Photo Donation" in che subject line or in a noce wich CDs. Im ages muse be high resolucion (minimum of 300 dpi) and eicher copyrighc free or wich your permission to print free of charge. Images chat get printed in Sea History will be properly credited and that issue will be sent, naturally, to the owner of the image who submitted it. Please include the photographer's name, if known, or to whom credit should be attributed, and any caption or identification of the subject. Please do not crop photographs in advance. If yo u'd like a magazine senc to you if your photograph gets printed, be sure to include your mailing address. You don't have to be a professional photographer as long as the images are in focus and free of thumbs! When you are out and about with your digital camera, remember to take photos of today's scenes and events as well. You just never know when we mighc be able to use them. It's an easy way to help keep o ur costs down, be an active participant in your Sociecy, and help to broaden our awareness of our maritime heritage. If yo u have questions about resolution, content, or how to best send th em, please e-mail me at seahistory@gmail. com. All other inquiries regarding Sea History sho uld be sent to: editorial@seahistory.org.

-Thank yo u, Deirdre O'Regan, Editor

SEA HISTORY 128, AUTUMN 2009

MAINE WINDJAMMER CRUISES 3, 4 & 5 Day Cruises May-October

-â&#x20AC;˘

Grace Bailey 1882, Mercantile 1916, Mistress 1960 www.M aineWindjammerCruises.com

888-MW C-SAIL

Latell Sailmakers . Traditional ~ Classic New Sails, latellsails.com

Modem

Repair,~ Cleaning

80i:l-77

~ors~

Choose one of 20 stately cabins with private head & shower, climate control, porthole, satellite TV. Weekly cruises New England, Caribbean and Chesapeake.

800.395.1343 atlanticstars.com 45

Columbia Trading Co.

Affordable Luxury When You're Anchored in Boston

Nautical Books & Artifacts

Free Mail Order Book Catalog • On-line Shopping • Cape Cod Store Open Year 'Round Th e ant iquity and ch arm of t he original Marin ers Ho use has been updated to include all t he modern amen it ies, featu r ing com pletely re novat ed private rooms, privat e bath s, elegant common rooms and all the in- room necessit ies of modern life.

Starting at

~65

We Buy Maritime and Naval Book Collections

1022 Main St. (Route 6A), West Barnstable, MA 02668 508-362-1500 • Fax: 508-362-1550 • info@columbiatrading.com

www.columbiotroding . com

per night

including breakfasL l unch and dinner offered daily.

Guests must be active seaf.i rers with proof of service.

160Years of Hospitality and Guidance to Professional Mariners

ifHANIEL H. WU S[ ~I\ -=-"~ ~..:_ _, I~ S1\ll"'1' 11\l(J ~ll -- 0 EAS·\ \1'

or 1-1 B1\ l'

' ' 't;\ IN E

I I North Square, Boston, MA 0 2113 Voice (617) 227-3979 Fax (617) 227-4005 inn@marinershouse.org www.marinershouse.org

Yacht Sa ils Rigging B ILDERS OF H IGH-QUALITY HAND-FINISHED SAILS Full-servi ce sail and riggin g loft

To Make a Reservation, call 1-877-SEA-9494

P.O. Box 71 , Lincoln St., East Boothbay, Maine 04544 (207) 633-5071

I e "'.6e ~

.sqh.

9th Maritime Heritage Conference 15-19 September 2010 in Baltimore, Maryland Historic Ships in Baltimore, home port of USS Constellation, USS Torsk, USCGC ~ Taney, LV-116 Chesapeake and Seven Foot (i Knoll Lightho use, are pleased to host the the 9th Maritime Heritage Conference within the City's historic Inner Harbor. Held every three years, this conference provides an opportunity for members of local, national, and international maritime heritage and preservation organizations to meet, exchange ideas about issues affecting the broader community, and have a great time while doing so! In the past, many organizations have held \l their annual meetings in conj unction with the conference and the MHC planning team

q~e,

will work to coordinate these meetings with ' the overall program. ~ Dr. David Winkler of the Naval Historical Foundation, aided by Dr. William S. Dudley, former Director of Naval History for the Chief of Naval Operations, and an ever-growing program committee, will be promulgating a call for papers this fall (look for announcements in upcoming issues of Sea History and on the NMHS web site, www.seahistory.org) . Inquiries and ideas should be r directed to Dr. Winkler: 1306 Dahlgren Avenue SE, Washington Navy Yard, Washington, DC 20374; Ph. 202 678-4333; e-mail: dwinkler@navyhistory.org.

The National Maritime Historical Society has agreed to host the official conference web site for this and future maritime conferences. Check www.seahistory.org for periodic updates.

SEA HISTORY 128, AUTUMN 2009

•

NEWYORKSTATE QUADRICENTENNIAL EVENTS Hudson River Panorama: 400 Years of History, Art & C ulture at the Albany Institute of History and Art. Information at www.albanyinstitute.org. "New Amsterdam, Island at the Center of the World" exhibition at So uth Street Seaport Museum in N ew York City, 12 Sep tember - 7 Jan uary 2010 . Th e exhibit will show over 60 historic documents, cards, and maps of New York. On display will be rhe original 1626 letter Pieter Schaghen wrote to the "Staten Generaal" about acquiring Manhattan in exchange for goods wo rth 60 guilders, on loan from the Dutch Archives in The H ague and never before exhibited in the United States . (www.southstreetseaportmuseum.org)

HalfMoon recreating Henry Hudson's Voyage of Discovery. The expedition will fo llow, as closely as possible, the original route on the actual dates from 400 years ago . (www.halfmoon.mus.ny.us/schedule/2009/schedule.htm) Historic Ship Festival, 4-5 Sept., and the 17th Annual Running of the Great North River Tugboat Race and Competition, 6 September. (www.workingharbor.org) Floating exhibition of more than two dozen historic vessels traveling the waters of Lake Champlain, the Champlain Canal and Hudson River. Participating vessels include: 1907 tug Pegasus, 191 4 wooden-covered barge Lehigh Valley, and 193 1 fireboat]ohn j. Harvey. Don't miss the tour of the famed barge canal m otorship, the 256-foot Day Peckinpaugh. For schedules, events, and more info rm ation on participating vessels, visit: www. workingonwater.org.

Launch of Onrust One night in November, 16 13, Dutch fur trader Adriaen Block and his crew were put in a desperate situation when their vessel, Tijger, was destroyed by fire off the southern tip of what is now the Battery in Manhattan . The stranded men, with the help of the local Lenape Indians, immediately began building a new vessel, completing and launching the vessel the fo llowing April. Block named her Onrust (Restless) and soon set off exploring and charting the coastline and inland waterways between the Delaware River and Cape C od. Onrust is once again plying the waters around N ew York. O n 20 M ay 2009, a reproduction of Block's vessel was launched into the Mohawk Rive r in N ew York State by New Netherland Routes, Inc., On rust a non-profi r organization. The new Onrust rook three years to build. The vessel design was based on 17thcentury records and extensive archeological research on Dutch shipwrecks in rhe Netherlands, and her 2 1st century builders used 17thcentury boat building rechniques, in the same style and with similar materials as the original vessel. (www.theonrust.com) ANSWERS TO TRIVIA QUESTIONS FROM PAGE

W'hy is New York the ''Empire State, "and if the Hudson River is the ''North River, "what is the South River? The story of how New York became the Empire State is said to go back to George Washington's tour of the colonies following the revolutionary war. H e was riding with New York Governor George C linton at sunset when they came upon a particularly beautiful vista, and the general was moved to observe: "Truly this is the seat of empire" (o r wo rds to that effect). So he meant the phrase in an aes theti c rather than a political or economic sense. Interestingly, some historians have placed the location somewhere along the Bronx River, perhaps in the borough of the same name. As ro the Norrh, South , and East Rivers: H enry Hudson's river was known to m ariners as the North River since the 17th centu ry, since it flows almosr directly out of rhe north at leasr as far north as Fort Edward. The Delaware River, the next major watercourse south of N ew York was called the So uth River by early Dutch and English settlers. On the East side of M anhattan Island , the Easr River flows north and south but rums East through H ellgate to Long Island Sound, New England, and points East. - D r. Joseph F Meany, Sea History Editorial Advisor and NY State H istorian Emeritus

STARS AN D STRIPES PENN ANTS. Auth enti c hi storica l des ign ex qui s ite ly handcrafted in the most durable fa brics 4 ', 6', 8' and 12' sizes in stock-other sizes and designs by custom order. Custom design and fabri cation is our specialty. Also in stock, all s izes U.S., state, fore ign, hi stori ca l, ma rin e a nd decorati ve fl ags , bann e rs , pennants, and accessories. 77 Forest St., New Bedford, MA 02740 508-996-6006. www.brewerbanner.com

SEA HISTORY 128, AUTUMN 2009

SHIP NOTES, SEAPORT, & MUSEUM NEWS

continued

(continued from page 44)

intimate relationships between whales and men, from the hunt for food and profit, to hunting for knowledge. New Bedford is the "Whaling C ity," and explaining the history of the fish ery in context with today's efforts to preserve whale populations can be difficult, especially fo r younger people who are no r well-versed in our whaling heritage. (18 Johnny Cake Hill New Bedford, MA 02740; Ph . 508 997-0046; www.whalingmuseum.org)

Five lighthouses that withstood the fury of devastating hurricanes, in some cases while partially submerged, are depicted on the new the USPS Gulf Coast Lighthouses commemorative stamps. M ade available on 23 July, the 44-cent First-Class stamps depict the M atagorda Island (T X), Sabine Pass (LA), Biloxi (M S), Sand Island (AL) and Fo rt Jefferson (FL) lighthouses. Be sure to as k fo r them o n your next stop at the US Post Office. Stamps are issued in sheets of 20 .. .. NOAA's Fisheries Service has published a new handbook online, which gives teachers, community groups, and the public a detailed road map of how to design and conduct oral history projects that celebrate the people, history, and culture of our nation's coastal and Great Lakes fishing communities. The idea fo r the handbook grew

out of NOMs Fisheries Service Local Fisheries Kn owledge Project co nducted in Ellswo rth and Jonesport high schools in Maine between 2003 to 2006 . N OAA wo rked w ith local educators to design an oral history curriculum for students who documented the fi shing and maritime history of their D owneast communities. The handbook includes sections on how to start proj ects, build communi ty partn erships and integrate projects into existing curricula, among other topics. "Students who previo usly saw no co nnectio n betwee n their lives and the work of scientists, fisheries m anagers, and seafo od businesspeople began to imagine different futures for themselves," said Joyce Whitmore, a retired social sciences teacher from Ellswo rth H igh School and a co-author of the handbook. (www.vo ices. nmfs. noaa.gov).

DAVIS FINE ARTS 19th & 20th century American & European paintings Custom Made Museum Display Cases

C.Ontents courtesy of Maine Lighthouse Museum, Rockland, Maine.

At Hope Framing we build elegant m u seum display cases. Our cases are individually built to custom specifications. All s ide and top edges are high-lighted with miter ed brass and the base is covered with a rich fab ric board . The exterior of the base is trimmed with quality frame moulding of your choice. All cases inclu de acrylic glazing. Call or write fo r a free estimate of a display case designed to protect you r cherished possessions.

P.O. Box 66172 Auburndale, MA 02466 Phone (617) 558-5554 elram0416@comcast.net

Custom Picture Framing

Fine Nautical Art frame@hopeframing.com 27 Ludwig Road , Hope, ME 0484 7 (207) 763-3600

www.hopeframing.com

Boston Harbor, Marshrnll Johnson (1850-1921) SU, oil on canvas, iimage size 18" x 24" SEA\ HISTORY 128, AUTUMN 2009

MARAD Makes a Grab for National Maritime Heritage Act Grant Money by Polly Parks The Maritime Administration (MARAD) Authorization Act of 20 10 (Section 3 of Senate Bill 1308) will allow the MARAD Administrator to take past and future funding previously allocated to the 1993 National Maritime Heritage Act G rants Program for exclusive use by MARAD. On 23 July 2009 the language was put into the Senate Armed Services Committee bill and will go to conference. The Act currently allocates a quarter of the funds MARAD receives from the sale of National Defense Reserve Fleet vessels to the Department of Interior-administrated grants program. The language makes clear that MARAD has not been remitting the dedicated funding, which includes over $1.5 million fro m scrap sales in FY2008. The last time MARAD remitted funding, $652,6 16 in 1998, several hundred proposals were received. The 39 grantees from 20 states included maritime education and information access proj ects, exhibit and heritage trail development, preservation of ships, lighthouses and oth er maritime properties, and survey and co nservation of underwater archaeological resources for grants ranging in from $2,500 to slightly less than $5 0,000.

The Act's statutory language mandated a multi-sector Advisory Panel, including a MARAD representative. The Panel's authority ended in 2000. Within DOI, program administration fell ro the National Park Service Maritime Heritage Program. The Maritime Grant Program web page (http: //www. nps.gov/history/ maritime/grants.htm) states that there is no funding available due to environmental and wo rker safety issues associated with the [MARAD] program's so urce. However, since 2005, Congress has been allocating between $15 to $25 million per year to subsidize the dismantling of obsolete vessels that are not sold outright and no funding from scrap sales goes back into the MARAD Ship Disposal Program. At press time, it is unclear whether the language will make it through MARAD-related committee conferences, but this is the kind of obscure change that can easily get passed into law. Interested groups and individuals should contact their Congressperson or Senato rs before the bill is voted upon. Polly Parks manages the Washington DC office of Southern Recycling, LLC, a pre-qualified MARAD ship recycler that buys MARAD vessels and believes the funding should remain for disbursement through the National Maritime H eritage Act Grant Program.

CLASSIFIED ADS Explore the winding Essex River water ways rich with shipbuilding heritage. 1 Y2 hour narrated sightseeing cruises offered daily May through October, call for reservations. 1-800-7483706. www.essexcruises.com. Great maritime history books from Washington State University Press. Shop online at ws upress.wsu.edu or call 800354-7360. Free catalog.

A CARELESS WORD-A NEEDLESS SINKING by Captain Arthur R. Moore. Documented account of catastrophic losses suffered by American Merchant Marine and Armed Guard during WWII. 720 pp, lists crew members & ships, profusely illustrated. Eighth printing sponsored by American Merchant Marine Veterans. E-mail: gemurphy@carroll. com.

"San Francisco's Little Boat that Could." The history of the beautiful Monterey fish ing boats of Fisherman's Wharf is now available at Barnes and Noble.

BOOKS: It Didn't Happen on My Watch and Scuttlebutt by George E. M urphy. Memoirs of forty- three years with United States Lines aboard cargo and passenger ships. Anecdotes of captains, ch ief engineers, crew members and the company office. Web site: www.gemurphy.com; e-mail: gemurphy@carroll. com.

Photos of "messing around" boat yards, sailing in wooden yachts & boats. Hang beautiful pictures in your home or office. See (www.StanSinowitzPhotos.com)

FREIGHTERCRUISES.COM. Mail ships, containerships, trampers . . . Find the ship and voyage that's perfect for yo u. Ph. 1-800-99-Maris.

1812 Privateer FAME of Salem, MA Sails Daily May - October. Ph. 978 729-7600; www.SchoonerFame.com.

Thousands of century-old ship postcards, ephemera-in San Francisco; Ph. 415 586-9386, kprag@planeteria.net.

Elegant Ship Models. Individually h andcrafted custom scale model boats. Jean Preckel: www.preckelboats .com or call: 304 432-7202.

Custom Ship Models Half Hulls. For a Free Catalog, write to: Spencer, Box 1034, Q uakertown, PA 18951.

CUSTOM SCRIMSHAW on antique ivory. Made by hand in the USA by me, Peter Driscoll. www.scrimstore.com. For a free brochure: chipsmay@aol.com; Ph. 336 998-0459. EXPERIENCED MODEL BUILDER. Ray Guinta, PO Box 74, Leonia, NJ 07605; www.modelshipsbyrayguinta.com. Jonesport Nautical Antiques. We offer wo rld class nautical antiques & nautical gifts (old & new); 800 996-5655 or on the web at www. nauticalantiques.com .

Retire cheap(er) on the "Great Gulf Coast of Florida." Less crowded, lots of maritime history, excellent health care, beautiful white beaches & great outdoor activities. Lots, acreage & homes. www.FloridaVacantProperty.com. Bob Davis Realty of Pensacola- Ph. 850 982-1907 . NEXT VOYAGE WILL BE DIFFERENT by Captain Thomas E. Henry. Acco unts from my 37 years at sea. Available through Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com. Also available, CRACKING HITLER'S ATLANTIC WALL. Call 772 2875603 (EST) or e-mail: Arcome@aol.com .

Advertise in Sea History ! Ph. 914 737-7878, ext. 235 or e-mail: advertising@seahistory.org. SEA HISTORY 128, AUTUMN 2009

CLASSIC HARBOR LINE

Private Charters & Public Sails

SHIPMATE WANTED Look in g fo r a s in g le woma n, 35 -4 5 + / - . " Co untry girl - Tomboy type". Familiar with co mm erc ia l marin e e nv iro nm ent, i. e. ocea n exp lo rat io n, conservation , research , tu gs , fre ighters, fi shing, sa ilin g, shipyards, marinas. A meri ca n or intern ati onal , milita ry or nava l acade my backgro und . Athl et ic, very active, outgo in g, responsible. Be willing to work with and stand by her man and be at ease in a pickup truck or hi gh tech amenities. Value open commun ication. Marriage and family minded. l ask a lot. I have the va lues and common sense yo u wa nt. Please write and send picture or do yo u kn ow someone who should see this ad. 111East14th St., PMB 495, New York, NY 10003

PLANNJNGA(;RUISE? •S m a ll Ships • Sailing Vessels •Ex pedition s •F re ig hte rs •E ducational or Traditiona l C rui ses

www.sail-nyc.com www.sail-newport.com www.sail-keywest.com 1-800-701-72 45 Built by Scarano Boat Building Schooners Adirondack, Adirondack II, Imagine and Yacht Manhattan Photo by P. Mathews

I Save w ith TravLtips R a tes I ~TravLti~s~ ;~~;

www.travltlps.com

800 872-8584

e-mail: info@tra vl t i s.com

Tired of nautical reproductions? Martifacts has only authentic marine collectibles rescued from scrapped ships : navigation lamps, sextants, clocks, bell s, barometers, charts, flags, binnacles, telegraphs, portholes, U.S . Navy dinnerware and flatware, and more. Current brochure - $1. 00

Scarano Boat Building, Inc.

MARTIFACTS, INC.

P.O. BOX 350190 JACKSONVlLLE, FL 32235-0190 PHONE/FAX: (904) 645-0150

Designing and Building Tradition Since 1976

www.martifacts.com e-mail: martifacts@aol.com

Port of Albany, Albany NY • www.ScaranoBoat.com • 518-463 -3401

SEA HISTORY 128, AUTUMN 2009

CONFERENCES AND SYMPOSIUMS

•"Museum Security: Problems, Trends and Solutions," Internarional Commirree for Museum Security meering 14- 18 Seprember in Quebec, Canada (hrrp:// icom. museum) •Historic Naval Ships Association Annual Conference, 21-23 Sepr. in Mobile, AL, ar rhe Barrleship Alabama. Conference theme: "Back co Basics." (Info: HNSA Exec. Direccor Jeffrey Nilsson, POB 40 1, Smirhfield, VA 23431; e-mail hnsaOl@ aol. com; www. hnsa.org/conf20 09.hrm) •"Understanding Change, Coping with Uncertainty," International Congress of Maritime Museums 2009 Congress, 5-11 Occober 2009 in Esbjerg, Denmark. (www.icmmonline.org) •Nautical Research Guild Conference, 6-11 Ocrober in Buffalo, New York (For more info, contacr: Parri Romo, NRG , 31 Warer Sr., Suite #7, Cuba, NY 14727; www.thenrg.org) •Maritime Conference, Massachusetts Maritime Academy, 23-25 Occober in Buzzards Bay, MA. (Info: contact Dr. Karhryn Mudgert, Department of Humanities, MMA, 10 l Academy Drive, Buzzards Bay, MA 02532; e-mail ar nautilus@maririme.edu; www.maritime.edu) •"Coastal Connections: Integrating Terrestrial and Underwater Archaeology" SHA 2010 Conference 6-9 January 2010, Amelia Island, Florida (www.sha.org/ abour/conferences/201 O.cfm) •"Transportation in the Americas (18001914): A Factor of Modernity?" International Conference, 14-1 6 Jan. in Bordeaux, France. (Info: Dr. Isabelle Tauzin via e-mail Isabelle.Tauzin@u-bordeaux3.fr) •Consortium on the Revolutionary Era, 1750-1850, 25-27 February 2010 in Charlescon, SC. Call for Papers deadline is 15 Occober. Send proposals co: Professor Carol Harrison, Department of Hiscory, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208; or ceharris@mailbox.sc.edu) •New Researchers in Maritime History Conference, 12-13 March 20 10 ar the University of Exerer, UK. Call for Papers deadline is 6 November. (Complete the form available from the BCMH web site, www.maritimehistory.org. uk or e-mail newresearchers@maritimehisto ry. o rg. uk) •Ninth Maritime Heritage Conference, 15-19 October 2010 in Baltimore, MD. SEA HISTORY 128,AUTUMN 2009

Held every three years. (Fo r all the details, see page 46 or check www.seahiscory.org) FESTIVALS, EvENTS, L ECTURES, ETC.

•25th Gloucester Schooner Festival, 4-7 Seprember in Gloucesrer, MA (www.cape an nvacations.com/schooner/) •The Great Provincetown Schooner Regatta and Yacht Race, 7- 12 Seprember, G loucester co Provincecown, MA (www. provincecownschoonerrace.com) • Downrigging Weekend Festival, 28 October - 1 November, in Chestertown, MD. (Sultana Projects, Inc. , 105 S. Cross Sr., Chestertown, MD 21620; Ph. 4 10 778-5954; www.s ultanaprojects.org)

Maritime Museum in Sr. Michaels, MD (CBMM, Navy Point, POB 636, St. Michaels, MD 21663; Ph. 410 745-29 16; www.cbmm.org) •30th Annual Classic Yacht Regatta, 4-6 September, at the Museum of Yachting in Newport, RI. This year the CYR will converge wirh the Huckins Rendezvous and rhe srarr of the Six Meter Worlds. (MoY, Fort Adams State Park, Newport, RI, 02840; Ph. 401-847- 1018; www.moy.org) •SNAME Expo (Society of Naval Archirecrs & Marine Engineers), 21-23 Occober in Providence, RI . Booth space can be reserved at www.snameexpo.com. (For info: Ph. 561 732-4368; e-mail howard@ marinelink.com) •New York City Pickle Night Dinner, 13 November ar rhe New York Yachr Club, NYC (Limired searing, reservarions required. Contacr Sally McElwrearh Callo at: Ph. 212 972-8667 or send e-mail co SallyMC79@verizon.net) EXHIBITS

•Forty Years, Forty Objects: Selections from Our Collections, thro ugh June 2010 ar rhe Wisconsin Maririme Museum in •Michigan Schooner Festival, 11-13 Manicowoc, which is celebrating its 40th September in Traverse City, MI (Maririme year rhis year. (WMM, 75 Maririme Dr. , Herirage Alliance, 322 Sixth Sr., Traverse Manicowoc, WI 54220; Ph. 920 684City, MI 49684; Ph. 231 946-2647; WWW. 0218; www.wisconsinmaritime.org) •From Pursuit to Preservation: The Hismichiganschoonerfestival.org) •Painting the Maritime Landscape, 28 tory ofHuman Interaction with Whales, Sepr. - 2 October (watercolor) and 2-4 at rhe New Bedford Whaling Museum Occober (oil) at Mysric Seaporr. Plein air (NBWM, 18 Johnny Cake Hill , New instruction from master artists. (75 Green- Bedford, MA 02740; Ph. 508 991-2204; manville Ave. Mystic, CT 06355; Ph. 860 www.whali ngmuseum.org) 572-5331; www.mysticseaport.org) •Working Waterfronts: Planning and •"Maritime History through Song: 21st Preserving the Maritime Traditions of Annual Sea Music Concert Series, 26 St. Joseph and Benton Harbor, rhrough September, 17 Occober, and 14 Novem- 2011 at the Heritage Museum and Culber aboard the hiscoric ship Balclutha, rural Center in Michigan (HM&CC, 601 at the San Francisco Maritime National Main Streer, Sr. Joseph, MI 49085; Ph. Hiscorical Park in Cali fornia. (SFMNHP, 269 983-1191; www.rheheriragemcc.org) Fisherman's W harf, Ph. 415 447-5000; •Treasures of a President: FDR and the Sea, at South Street Seaport Museum in www.n ps. govI safr) •Fall "In-the-Water" Meet, 17 Occober NYC. (SSSM, 12 Fulcon Sr., New York, in Beaufort, NC, hosred by rhe local Tra- NY 10038; Ph. 212 748.8600; WWW. ditional Small Crafr Associarion. For tick- southstreetseaportmuseum.org) ers and informarion, contact the North •Net Worth: the Rise and Fall ofMaine's Carolina Maririme Museum, 3 15 Front Fin Fisheries, through 29 November at Sr., Beaufort, NC 28516; Ph. 252 728- the Maine Maritime Museum (MMM, 243 Washington Street, Bath, ME 04530; 7317; www.ncmaritime.org) •26th Mid-Atlantic Small Craft Festival, Ph. 207 443-1316; www.mainemaritime 4 Occober 2009 ar rhe Chesapeake Bay museum.org)

Reviews Gustavus Fox of the Union Navy by Ari Hoogenboom (Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, MD, 2008, 387pp, illus no res, index; ISBN 978-0-80188-9868; $40hc) Gustavus Vasa Fox is the most important figure of the American Civil War who, before now, had no published biography. Fox served as rhe Assisrant Secretary of the Navy during the war and was involved with all aspects of administering the business of the navy. He essentially performed many functions of today's Chief of Naval Operations. Historians have often debated his importan ce, influence, and his exact role within the Navy Departm ent during the conflict. Born in 1821 in Saugus, Massachusetts, Fox received an appointment as acting midshipman ar rhe age of sixteen. H e served in naval ships all over the wo rld and participated in the Mexican War. In 1856, he left rhe navy with the rank oflieurenant. For rhe next couple of years, he captained mail steamers until he married into the influential Blair family. His marriage connections gave him access to the most powerful social circles in Washington. In 1861, with Fort Sumter under siege, Fox presented a plan to relieve the garrison and accompanied the ensuing expedition. His failure here wo uld embitter him against Charleston and rhe Stare of South Carolina, whose politicians he held res ponsible for starting the war. In May of that year, Fox became the chief clerk of the Navy Department, the highest civilian position next to the secretary, and in August, he filled the new position of assis tant secretary of the navy. Mosr of Hoogenboom's book covers this part of his life. Fox was outgoing, energetic, and persuasive. These traits helped when he became involved with the Navy Department's purchasing and building programs and the war's strategic planning. He was a stro ng advocate of rhe Monitor-class vessels and pushed the building and use of rhese warships during the war. His gregarious nature and forceful personali ty enabled him ro get rhe most from people and to forge important relatio nships with rhe naval commanders. H e and secretary of rhe navy, G ideon Welles, wo rked well together-Fox serving as the loyal subor52

dinare and the troubleshooter for the department. Welles allowed him great latitude and Fox left his mark on most of the business carried our by the navy. The author spent many years collecting material for this book, and it is apparent in rhe research. This book is well-written and will appeal to C ivil War scholars,

buffs, and anyo ne interested in the avy Department and the bureaucracy of Civil War Washington . Hoogenboom has finally put to rest the question of just how important Fox was to the naval effort during the C ivil War. ROBERT BROWNING Dumfries, Virginia

The Royal Navy and the Peruvian-Chilean Wtir 1879-1881: Rudolph de Lisle's Diaries and Wtitercolors edited by Gerard de Lisle F. S.A. (Pen and Sword Maritime, Barnsley, S. Yorkshire, UK, 2008 , l 76pp, illus, maps, notes, appen, biblio, index, ISB N 978- 1-84415-652-8, ÂŁ30) A transcription of the first of two journals derailing the activities and events of service o n board H MS Shannon during rhe Peruvian-Chilean War, this historical travel narrative recounts the written observations of Lieutenant Rudolph Edward March Phillips de Lisle over a rhree-year time period during a war fo ught over land claims, mineral rights, and taxation.

lhe Royal Navy and the Peruvian-Chilean 1879-1881 goes beyond a simple

transcription of de Lisle's journal by delving into British maritime con fli cts in the regio n, participating watercraft, armament, and rhe coastal skirmishes that ultimately led to C hilean victory. Providing a daily record from 3 August 1879 through 16 January 188 1, de Lisle's interpretations and spectacular watercolors highlight naval operations, harbor configurations, topography, various cities, indigenous wildlife, and a Victorian Catholic view of war, repercussion, and acco untabili ty. Dr. Celia Wu-Brading contributed a succinct description of the foundations of the conflict, explaining irs cause and European involvement. Gerard de Lisle, great nephew of rhe diarist, summarizes the remainder of rhe lieutenant's rime in South America; Bernard Elliot provides additional info rmation pertaining to de Lisle's career in the Royal Navy. Written for historians and enthusiasts interested in British Naval perspectives or activity in South America during the Peruvian-Chilean War, this book describes the events of a divergence seldom discussed. Using a variety of sources dared from 1880 through 2005 , lhe Royal Navy

and the Peruvian-Chilean

1879-1881

is a well-rounded compilation of personal encounters entwined with actual events. Enhanced by numerous notations and solid content, de Lisle presents his research concisely and professionally in this beautifull y illusrrared book. MoRGAN MAcKENzrn Greenville, North Carolina

Building Kettenburgs: Premier Boats Designed and Built in Southern California by Mark Allen (Mystic Seaport and the Maritime Museum of San Diego, CA, 2008, 224pp, illus, index, notes, ISBN 9780-039511-26-6; $50hc) The legacy of California's famous Kettenburg Boar \l(forks can be seen in the sheer number of their wooden vessels sti ll plying the Pacific. Ir's a story of the last of the "amateur" yacht designers, builders,

SEA HISTORY 128, AUTUMN 2009

and racers to gain a following based on the quality of their work alone, rather than from clout gained from an academic pedigree. They were sailors first, designers after.

1he Maritime Museum of San Diego, in conjunction with Mystic Seaport Museum, has produced a vivid coffee table book capturing the legacy of the Kettenburg family, their boats, and what made them so special. The book is 224 pages of well-researched information on the Kettenburgs and their product, carefully prepared by historian Mark Allen. The San Diego-based company started in 1919 and was about as grassroots as one could get, lowering hand-made boats into the swampy waters off Shelter Island on roughly-hewn wheels and ways. They had to wait for high tide to lift their larger creations out of the mud. "Initially, building the Kettenburg boats provided the basis for a family business,'' said Raymond Ashley, director of the Maritime Museum of San Diego. "U ltimately it provided a kind of maritime immortality, a deepening patin a of legend that has followed the boats themselves as they sail across the decades and generations." Ashley pointed out that the Kenenburg PC was the first popular class of ocean sailing boat in Southern Califo rnia that people of ordinary means could aspire to own. Today, there are dozens of them still afloat and regularly racing. The PC Fleet is extremely active (and inexplicably competitive) on a weekly basis in San Diego. Kenenburg became a name people could trust and a boat yo u knew would not fai l SEA HISTORY 128, AUTUMN 2009

yo u. They were known for their integrity and their appreciation of both the people building their boats and the people buying them. A plaque hung in Paul Kettenburg's office heralding two simple words: "People Matter." From high-speed veebottom rumrunners of the 1920s to the Pacific Class (PC) sailboats of the 1930s; from government fishing boats and planerearming contracts during World II to the classic Pacific Cruising C lass (PCC) after the war, the Kettenburg boats left their mark on the world of boating. Paul and George Kettenburg have passed on, but the Kettenburg family fully cooperated to bring this graphic and insightful book to completion, sharing photographs that had never befo re been seen by the public. The photographs alone are spectacular. Combine this with the wellresearched history and lively anecdotes concerning the Kettenburgs and their boats, and yo u have a book that yo u'll be proud ro set out for others to see. No dusty bookshelves for this quality volume.

]OE

MARITIME

BOOKS 1806 Laurel Crest Madison, Wi sconsin 53 705-1065 (608) 238-SAIL FAX (608) 238-7249 Email : tuttlemaritime@charter.net http://tuttlemaritime.com Books about the Sea, Ship & Sailor Catalogue Upon Request

* J .P.URANKER WOODCARVER*

DITLER

San Diego, California Vl NEYA RD

Navigation Through the Ages by Donald Launer (Sheridan House, Dobbs Ferry, NY, 2009, 208pp, illus, ISBN 978-157409-278-3 ; $23.95) The study of maritime history incl udes a host of avenues of study: economics, geography, and culture-the volumes of wo rks and interest in the Age of Exploration and Discovery, for example, demonstrate our fascination with the remarkable feats of mariners who crossed oceans and explored shorelines no one had ever seen before. All this, of course, was only possible if the expeditions could figure out, not only how to get there, but how to get home. The study of navigation at sea is the study of man's motivation to get out there and learn about his world and his universe. Sailors have always taken pride in their self-reliance, and as technology and understanding progressed, from simple star charts to high-tech satellites and electronic tools, they have embraced them all. Unlike driving with your dashboardmounted GPS unit, a prudent mariner also knows the value in learning the

(508) 693 -5871

* WWW.JPUWOODCARVER.COM THE GLENCANNON PRESS

NEW! An Act of Piracy, the story of the SS Mayaguez . .. NEW! Hollywood to Honolulu, the cruise ships of the L.A. Steamship Co .. .. THE TANKERS from A to Z. The Liberty Ships from A to Z . .. The Victory Ships from A to Z .. . SS America . . . more. FREE CATALOG 1-800-711-8985 Online catalog at www.glenca nnon.com

naval heroes of the

A firsthand account of a nineteenthcentury sealing expedition that recalls the spirit of Herman Melville

160 pp., 18 illus., $29.95

A compelling narrative ofhow American ingenuity solved an international scientific mystery

264 pp., 34 illus., $29.95

basics, the low-tech methods, because when your electroni cs go haywire, you can't always pull into the next gas station to ask for directions. This is not to say that everyone o n the water today is a skilled celestial navigator, but you might be surprised just how many still strive to m as ter these skills. In additio n to the usefulness to m ariners, the evolution of navigational m ethods and technology is a fascinating study, even fo r those far from the sea. Donald Lauer has been fascinated by the field of navigation, both for practical reasons as a mariner and to assuage his endless curiosity with the subj ect. In Navigation throughout the Ages, he presents the evolutionary path in the field of navigation in a way that anyo ne can read and understand. Unlike hard-core traditionalists, he does not shun the advan ces and user-friendly technology available today, but he embraces it in context with its history. This is not a how-to or a scholarly representation of the top ic, but rather an enjoyable and compelling read fo r anyone who is curious abo ut how people have navigated near and far, fro m antiqui ty to the twenty-first century. D AVI D J AMISCH

O xnard, California

piracy, illuminating the motivation behind the acts of many of history's most infamous pira tes. This book will find a welco me home on the shelves of no t just those interested in

PIRATES' * PACT * The Secret Alliances Between History's Most Notorious Buccaneers and Colonial America

DOUGLAS R. BURGESS, JR.

piracy and its m any, and at times colorful, characters, but also those seeking to gain a more complete understanding of the formative years of the United States of America. J ASON C HAY TOR

Woods Hole, Massachusetts

The Pirate's Pact: The Secret Alliances Between History's Most Notorious Buccaneers and Colonial America by D ouglas R. Burgess, Jr. (M cGraw-Hill, New York, 2009 , 301 pp, notes, sources, index, ISBN 978-0-07-1 47476; $26.95hc) A quote by Justice Sir C harles H edges (page 12) seem s as appropriate today as it did in 1696 when he m ade it, "piracy is only a term for sea robbery ... ." Given the escalating, and particularly brazen acts of piracy presently occurring in the Indian O cean , I found it interesting to make compariso ns between the acts and motivation of the piracy detailed in The Pirates' Pact to those occurring today. Douglas Burgess presents the reader with a thoroughly researched and well-written history of piracy during its golden age and its intimate relationship with colonial America. Drawing on an extensive collection of primary sources, many previously unexploited, Burgess delves into the political, commercial, and legal realities of

Lifesavers of the South Shore: A History of Rescue and Loss by John Galluzzo (The History Press, C harleston, SC, 200 8, 128pp, illus, biblio , ISBN 978- 1-59629224-6; $ 19 .99pb) Lifesavers of the South Shore is a capti vating and important book that delves into the history of the US Lifesaving Service and some of the brave men who selflessly dedicated their lives to the rescue of mariners in peril along the South Shore of M assachusetts. John Galluzzo, a South Shore native, histo rian, and editor, incorporates letters from surfmen, newspaper articles, oral histories, and historical photographs to illustrate the heroism of the lifesaving volunteers whose names are little kn own outside of the state. The autho r presents a comprehensive history of the beginnings of the US Coast G uard, crediting early inspiration for the saving of human life to the Humane Society, an o rgani zation fo rmed in Massachusetts in the eighteenth century.

SEA HISTORY 128, AUTUMN 2009

The Society's mission was to raise funds and awareness of the need for a lifesaving service with manned stations maintained along the treacherous shoreline. Seven stations were erected on Bosto n's sho res from 1874- 1898, consisting of cottage-style buildings and equipped with lifeboa ts for shore-to-ship rescues. In addition to a detai led description of each station's architecture, lifesaving technology is discussed in detail, including the design and capabilities of purpose-built lifeboats, and the invention of the Lyle gun for the deployment of a breeches buoy. In addition to a general histo ry of maritime lifesaving, the reader is rewarded with enthralling tales of harrowing rescues through storms, freezing weather, and n igh seas. Courageous station keepers and volunteer surfmen risked their lives as they maneuve red oar-powered lifeboats through crashing waves and debris to rescue mariners who were srranded and exhausted on wrecked ships. Men such as Joshua James, who rescued sailors on the South Shore at the tender age of fifteen,

are the subject of colorful tales of derringdo. More curious is the correspondence describing the behaviors of wayward surfmen, who on calm days would find themselves distracted by the wiles of the local women and wander away from their posts for long periods of time. Galluzzo's work is a light and enjoyable read that includes char ming historic photos, primary documents, and newspaper acco unts featuring people, locations, and vessels involved in wreck incidents along Bosto n's South Shore. The book succeeds in bringing into sharp focus the names and faces of the men who persevered in the face of peril, putting their lives at risk to assure the safety of others. J ACQUELI NE

M ARCOTTE

G reenville, North Carolina

Longitude by Wire: Finding North America by Richard Stachurski (So uth Carolina Un iversity Press, Columbia, 2009 , 264pp, illus, notes, biblio, ISB N 978-1-57003-80 1-3; $29.95) The quest to determine longitude

and one's position on the chart is a sto ry that goes far beyo nd the story of H arriso n and the chronometer. In the early nineteenth century, inaccurate navigational charts and difficulties with find ing longitude, despite th e success of the chronometer, still plagued mariners approaching the coast. The US government sought to alleviate chis problem by creating the US Coast Survey in 1807 to survey and produce more accurate charts. In Longitude by Wire, Richard Stachurski, a retired US Air Force colonel and cartographer, documents this effort through solid research and analyzes the information using his backgro und in history as well as mathematics. Readers un fa miliar with geography and navigational methods may have to work harder to understand some parts, but this book is still a delight in that the author's writing style flows nicely and maintains an enj oyable tone. Maps and simple diagrams complement the text well . KATHRYN YouNc-BoucHARD Rochester, New York

New&Noted The Age ofthe Ship ofthe Line: The British and French Navies, 1650-1815 by Jonathan R. Dull (Unive rsity of Nebraska Press, Lincoln, 2009 , 250pp,

ISBN

978-0-8032-1930-4; $29.95hc)

l!!!I NAVAL ~

HISTORICAL FOUNDATION

1306 Dahlgren Avenue SE, Was hington Navy Yard, DC 20374-5055

The Sea King: The Life ofJames Iredell Waddell by Gary McKay (Birlinn, Ltd. , Edinburgh , UK, 2009, 297pp, illus, appen, biblio, index, ISBN 978- 1-8434 1-04 6-1 ; $ 16.5 0pb)

NAVY HERITAGE • N AUTICAL GIFT S

• L ONE SAILOR STATUE

Live Yankees: The Sewalls and Their Ships by W H. Bun-

• HISTORIC PHOTOS

• CRUISE BOOK COPIES

ting (Tilbury House, Publishers and Maine Maritime Museum , 2009, 512pp, photographs, appen , index, ISBN 978-0-884483 15-1 ; $30hc)

• NAVY BOOKS

• N AVY CALENDAR

Caddell Dry Dock: 100 Years Harborside by Erin Urban (Noble Maritime Co llecti on, Staten Island, NY, 2009 , l 13pp, illus, biblio, index, ISBN 978-0-962301 7-3-5; $40hc)

0 NAVY

- - ..... -.... ......

-.- ~ :···:

Captains Contentious: The Dysfunctional Sons of the Brine by Louis Arthur Norton (University of South Carolina Press, Columbi a, 2009, 360pp, illus, maps, tables , notes, biblio, index, isbn 978- 1-5 9114-648-3; $34.95 h c)

Darwin's Armada: Four Voyages and the Battle for the Theory of Evolution by Iain McCalman (WW Norton & C o. , New York, 2009, 423 pp, illus, index,noces, isbn 978-0-393-068 14-6; $29.95hc) SEA HISTORY 128, AUTUMN 2009

Visit our web site at www.navyhistory.org or contact the Navy Museum Gift Shop in Washington, DC Fax: 202-889-3565 Phone: 202-678-4333 Email: nhfwny@navyhistory.org

NATIONAL MARITIME HISTORICAL SOCIETY AFTERG UARD

J. ARO CHAR ITABLE FOUNDATION

H OOPER FO UN DATIO N

ROBERT

H EN RY L. & G RACE DOHERTY CHARITABLE FO UNDATION

K AMM

J A IES A . M ACD01 ALO FOUNDAT ION

NY STATE OFFI CE OF PARKS, RECRE AT ION & HI STORIC PR ESERVATION

D AV ID M. MILTON TRUST

HOWARD SLOTNICK

CAPT. CESARE SORIO

BENEFACTORS

IN MEMOR Y OF S HANNON & LUC Y WALL

M ARY B. B UR RICHT ER & BOB KIERL IN

F URTH ERMOR E: A PROGRAM OF TH E J.M. K APLAN F UN D S CARANO BOAT B UILDI NG, I C.

PLA KOW ERS

D AV ID

LIB ERT Y M ARITIM E CORPORAT IO

ESTATE OF WALTER J. PETT IT SR.

WILLI AM H. WHITE FOWLER

IN MEMORY OF RODNEY N. HOUGHTON

G UY E. C. M AITL AND

J OHN R. M CD ONALD J R.

MR. & MRS. H. C. BOWEN SM ITH

PAUL F. BALSER

LAW RENCE S. HU TINGTON

RO ALO L. OSWALD

DAN IEL W. WH ALEN

TH OMAS F. DALY

T HOR TON D. & ELIZABETH S.

I N MEMORY OF D o AL O C. M CGR AW, J R.

JAMES CARTER III

ALICE DADOURIAN

MCALLISTER TOWING & TRA SPORTATIO , INC.

D. H ARRY W. GARSC HAGEN

RAL PH & DOROTHY PACKER

IN MEMORY OF JOE R. G ERSO

STAR CLIPPER CRUISES

PHILIP&. IRMY WEBSTER

W ILLI AM G. W INTER ER