No. 133
NATIONAL MARITIME HISTORICAL SOCIETY
WINTER 2010-1 1
SEA HISTORY,s THE ART, LITERATURE, ADVENTURE, LORE & LEARNING OF THE SEA
NMHS Ship's Store
NEW 26" 1934 J-Class Endeavor Half-Hull Gift #052 $185.00 + $13.00 s/h Beautifully hand-crafted of wood with dark blue topsides, white boot stripe, stained and varn ished hull. Mounted on a beautiful mahogany backboard with brass name plate. Board size: 30.25" L x 7.25" H.
NEW 22" Cape Cod Catboat Gift #050 $209.00 + $13.00 s/h Deve loped for the fishing and lobstering conditions along the cape, the catboat was the boat of choice of fisherman. This model features accurately rigged main sail and individual coaming boards. Made of wood planked on bulkheads. Red bottom paint with white topsides. Model size: 25" L x 36" H x 9" W.
Embroidered items ready to ship -
,,
I NEW 22" Herreshoff NewYork30 Gift #051 $179.00 + $13.00 s/h Designed and built by the Herreshoff Mfg. Co. in th e winter of 1905 for members of the New York Yacht Club. This model is true to the original with planked hull, canvas deck and screen printed sail. Authorized by the Official NY30 Class Association. Model size: 25.5"L x 28" H x 4.5" W.
Knit Hat with Cuff Gear #053
Knit Hat without Cuff Gear #054 $12.00 + 6.95 s/h Black, Brown, Navy, Spruce, Royal.
NEW 10 'h" General Ship's Marine Oil Lantern Gift #053 $89.95 + $16.80 s/h A Solid Brass clear lens oil lantern used to light cabins, cargo-holds and general purpose lighting on many sailing vessels.
Fleece Blanket Gear #009 $15.00 + $7.95 s/h 50" x 60" whip stitched Navy fleece blanket is cozy & warm, and includes carrying straps.
NEW Solid Brass 15" Clipper Ship Oil Lantern Gift #054 $189.95 + $16.80 s/h Clipper ship lanterns were used in the late 1800's and into the early 1900's. Lanterns such as these were used in passageways, cabins and on deck. Add $ 10 for electric li ght kit.
To order, call 1-800-221-NMHS (6647), ext. 0, or visit our web site at www.seahistory.org. Allow 2 to 3 weeks for delivery. Shipping within USA only. Satisfaction guaranteed!
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Celebrate our maritime heritage this holiday season with National Maritime Historical Society greeting cards! "New England M ackerel Schooner," by celebrated marine artist W illiam G. Muller, graces this year's new greeting card. The im age captures the romance of a bygone era-and helps support the work ofNMH S.
Greeting reads, "W ishing you fair winds for the holidays and calm seas for the New Year." Also available as blank note cards.
Sample Card:
Box of 10: $ 14.95 , or $ 13.46 for N MHS members. Add $4 s/h for one box and $2 for each additional box. Please indicate yo ur choice of holiday or blank cards.
New England mackerel schooner being assisted by a tug out ofport on a calm M arch morning in 1905.
Note cards by John Stobart and Paul Garnett are also available on our website www.seahistory.org.
To order, call 1-800-221-NMHS (6647), ext. 0, or visit our web site at www.seahistory.org. This original oil on canvas, 20" x 24" (25 1/ ,'' x 28 1/ 2" with frame) is available fo r purchase: 25% of the proceeds of the sale directly benefit NMHS. For more info rmation, please call 1-800-22 1-6647, Wendy (ext. 235) or Burchie (ext. 223) .
2011 Calendar Our bestselling item is back! The National Maritime Historical Society's 2011 Art of the Sea calendar features extraordinary paintings by world-renowned contemporary marine artists. The calendar includes biographies of the artists, plus information about the ships depicted, with historical accounts of the scenes by NMHS Chairman Ronald Oswald. Calendar is wall hanging, fu ll color, 11" x 14" $13 .95 ($11.50 for Sea History readers) + $5.50 s/h within the USA. To order, call 1-800-221-NMHS (6647), ext. 0 , or visit us on the web at www.seahistory.org. NY State residents add applicable sales tax .
No. 133
SEA HISTORY
WINTER 20 10-11
CONTENTS 10 War of 1812: Understudied, Misunderstood, Forgotten, by W illiam H . W hi te The bicentennial of the Wtir of 1812 is fast approaching, but what do we understand about this conflict and its place in history? Historian William H White discusses this first test ofthe new United States ofAmerica and what it meant for the young nation.
14 Echoes of World War I, Chemical Warfare Materials on the Atlantic Coast, by Geoffrey Carron, Kathleen C iolfi, and Mike Overfield
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Last summer, a commercial fishing vessel pulled up some mysterious canisters .from the ocean floor, which soon landed a crewman in the hospital wtih painful blisters after handling one that leaked. It turned out to be chemical munitions leftover .from a long-ago concluded war. This type of incident with fishermen is not uncommon, and historians Geoffrey Carton, Kathleen Ciolfi, and Mike Overfield set out to find out how they got there.
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20 Perilous Waters: Historic Ships and the National Historic Landmark Program, by Kevin ]. Foster Falls of Clyde, USS Olympia, SS Uni ted Scates-these National Historic Landmarks are on the verge of being scrapped or scuttled. Maritime historian Kevin Foster explains the National Historic Landmark program and what that means for historic ship preservation.
26 MARINE ART: Activism through Art, the Maritime Paintings of Christine Hanlon, by Christine H anlon Award-winning artist Christine Hanlon's paintings are beautiful but sometimes her subjects are not. She has made a name for herself, not just for the artistic quality ofher paintings, but for the commentary she makes through her art on some ofthe problems facing our world, .from homelessness in San Francisco to marine environmental disasters worldwide.
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34 Last(ing) Iron Ships: Iron vs. Steel in Shipbuilding by O lafT. Engvig Once steel could be mass produced for a reasonable price, the use ofiron in shipbuilding came to a crashing halt. Steel was deemed superior to iron as a shipbuilding material in every way. Why is it, then, that the hand.fit! ofiron ships that have survived as abandoned hulks have outlived their steel cousins. OlafEngvig challenged that assumption with an examination of real ships.
Cover:
Decker's Tug (Tanker 2) by Christine Hanlon oil on panel, 18 x 29 'ls': winner of the Oregon
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International Port of Coos Bay's Commissioner's Award, 13th Annual Maritime Exhibit 2006, Coos Art Museum, Coos Bay, Oregon. (See pages 26-30 for more on the artist.)
DEPARTMENTS DECK LOG AND LETTERS 8 NMH S: A CAUSE IN MOTION 32 MARINE ART NEWS 38 SEA HISTORY FOR Kms 42 SHIP N OTES, SEAPORT & MUSEUM NEWS 4
49 CALENDAR 50 MARITIME HISTORY ON THE INTERNET 51 REVIEWS 56 PATRONS
Sea History and the National Maritime Historical Society Sea H istory e-mail: edi rorial@seahisro ry.o rg; NMHS e-mail: nmhs@seahisrory.org;
Web site: www.seahisrory.o rg. Ph: 914 737-7878; 800 22 1-NMH S MEMBERSHI P is invited. Afrerguard $10,000; Benefacto r $5,000; Plankowner $2,500; Sponsor $1,000; Donor $500; Patron $250; Friend $ 100; Contributo r $75; Fam ily $50; Regular $35 .
Al l members outside the USA please add $ 10 for postage. Sea History is sent to all members. Individ ual copies cost $3.75.
34 SEA HISTORY (issn 01 46-93 12) is published quarterly by the National Maritime H istorical Society, 5 John Wa lsh Blvd. , POB 68, PeekskiJI NY 10566. Periodicals postage paid at Peekskill NY I 0566 and add '! mailing offi ces. COPYRIGHTŠ 20 I 0 by the National Mariti me H istorical Society. Tel: 9 14-737-7878. POSTMASTER: Send ad dress changes to Sea History, PO Box 68, Peekskill NY 10566.
NATIONAL MARITIME HISTORICAL SOCIETY
DECK LOG To Speak with One Voice ...
T
he maritime community received a strong challenge from Jeremy Weirich, maritime archaeologist and a staff member of the Senate Appropriations Committee working for Senator Barbara Mikulski, when he spoke at the 9'h Maritime Heritage Conference in Baltimore in September. H e implored the participants to come together as one, and speak with a common voice in order to move forward and achieve public support through the political process. The maritime heritage community needs essential funding to do its work, but it is neither vigilant in overseeing the funding it has cou 1msv .,.,M RUN YAN worked so hard to obtain, nor effective in communicating the importance of its needs. H e noted in particular that funding from the National Maritime H eritage Act, slated for heritage grants, was taken over by stronger and more savvy political entities not too long ago. We need to step up to the plate by paying closer attention to legislation and Jeremy Weirich (left), a former NOAA Corps officer, acting swiftly to alert our local, maritime archaeologist, and currently a staff member state, and federal representa- of the US Senate Committee for Appropriations, istives and the public when mat- sued a challenge to the attendees of the Ninth Mariters relevant to the maritime time H eritage Conference in September. H e was heritagecommunity are being welcomed by conference chair Christopher Rowsom, Executive Director ofH istoric Ships in Baltimore. reviewed and debated. Weirich's challenge hit a responsive audience. Tim Runyan , president, and Channing Z ucker, secretary, of the National Maritime Alliance, called an ad hoc committee of leaders in the maritime heritage community. It was the National M aritime Alliance that provided the diverse maritime heritage community with a united voice and a central resource in the 1990s. They spearheaded advocacy for appropriate legislation and organized the triennial maritime heritage conferences. As Dr. Runyan stared, "There is tremendous strength and resilience in the m aritime heritage community because of the dedication of individuals and organizations that distinguish themselves by their commitment every year. Often those efforts are focused on the individual task at hand, while efforts on a broader scale are not addressed due to the press of time and resources. A way forward is to focus attention on the larger issue of public support and funding for the entire maritime heritage community. The National Mari time Alliance can help energize members to work towards that goal as it has in the past through the passage and development of legislation, strategic planning, and the organization of the maritime heritage conferences." The National Maritime Alliance welcomes new members. The annual membership fee for organizations with annual budgets of over $ 1 million is $300; for smaller organizations it is $ 100. Associate m emberships for individuals are $25. The National Maritime Alliance is an IRS 50l(c) (3) organization for which contributions are tax deductible. Checks payable to The National Maritime Alliance can be mailed to the Program in Maritime Studies, Attn: NMA, Admiral Ernest M. Eller House, East Carolina U niversity, Greenville, NC 27858-4353. We urge you and your organization to join the National Maritime Alliance so we can speak with a unified voice on preserving our maritime heritage. -Burchenal Green, President, National Maritime H istorical Society 4
NATIONAL MARITIME HISTORICAL SOCIETY PUBLISH ER'S CIRCLE: Peter Aron, W illiam H . White OFFICERS & TRUSTEES: Chairman, Ronald
L. Oswald; Vice Chairman, Rich ardo R. Lopes; President, Burch enal G ree n; Vice Presidents, D eirdre O'Regan , Nancy Schn aars; Treasurer, H. C. Bowen Smith; Secretary, Thomas F. D aly; Trustees, C harl es B. Anderson, Wa lter R. Brown, Jam es Ca rter, David S. Fowler, Virginia Steele Grubb, Karen Helmerson, Steven W. Jones, Robert Kamm , Ri chard M. Larrabee, Guy E. C. M aitland, John R. McDonald Jr., James J. M cNa mara, William Pinkney, Richard Scarano, Philip J. Shapiro, Pete r H. Sharp , Howard Slornick, Bradford D. Sm ith, Cesa re Sorio, Philip J. Webste r, D ani el W Wha len, W illiam H . White; Chairmen Emeriti, Walter R. Brown, Alan G . C hoate, Guy E. C. Maitland, C raig A. C. Rey nolds, Howard Slotnick; President Emeritus, Peter Stanford
FOUNDER: Ka rl Kortum (1917- 1996) OVERSEERS: Chairman , RADM David C. Brown; C live C ussler, Richard du Moulin, Alan D. Hutchison, Jakob Isbrandtsen, Gary Jobson, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston , John Lehm an, Brian A. McAllister, John Stobart, W illiam G. Wintere r NMHS ADVISORS: Chairman, Melbourne Smith; D. K. Abbass, George Bass, Oswald L. Brett, RADM Josep h F. Callo, Francis J. Duffy, John S. Ewald, Timothy Foote, W illiam Gilkerson, Thomas Gillmer, Steven A. Hyman, J. Russell Jinishian, Hajo Knuttel, G unnar Lundeberg, Joseph A. Maggio, Conrad Mi lster, William G. Muller, Stuart Parnes, Lori Dillard Rech, Nancy Hugh es Ri chardson, Berr Rogers, Joyce Huber Smith SEA HISTORY EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD: Chairman, Timothy J. Runyan; No rman J . Brou wer, Robert Brow ning , William S. Dudley, Daniel Finamore, Kevin Foster, John Odin Jensen, Joseph F. M ea ny, Lisa No rling, Carla Rahn Phillips, Walter Rybka, Quentin Snediker, William H . White
NM H S STAFF: Executive Director, Burchenal Green; Membership Director Nancy Schnaars; Marketing Director, Steve Lovass-Nagy; Accounting, Jill Rom eo; Store Sales & Volunteer Coordinator, Jane Maurice; Communications Director, Paul Hecht SEA HISTOR Y: Editor, D e irdre O ' R ega n; Advertising D irector, Wendy Pa gg iotta ; Editor-at-Large, Peter Stanford Sea H istory is printed by the Lane Press, South Burlingto n, Vermont.
SEA HISTORY 133 WINTER 2010-11
LETTERS Fish eries Managemen t M arc Castelli's art (featured in Sea H istory 132, Autumn 2010) is truly spectacular and his talem and wo rks of art are to be held up fo r all to admire. His ideas abour fi sheries managem ent, no t so much . If the govem mem did no thing to restrict fis hermen fro m taking all that they can get, however they can, whenever they can, there wo uldn't even be a fishery left to manage. It is painful and sad to witness the end of a livelihood that
The Chesapeake Bay skipjack, a sail-powered oyster dredger, was once a common sight on the Bay. Today, only a handful remain and even fewer actively work under sail. spawned traditions and a rich culture that has defined the people living and working in the Chesapeake Bay region . Bu t to say that it is all the gove rnment's fa ult is not accurate and does not help us move forward to fi gure out a solution , if there is a solution to be had. We live in a wo rld of diminishing natural resources and, to date, we (the government and the peop le who have counted
ter: the battleship Oregon and the cruiser Olymp ia. The O regon , on loan to the state of Oregon since 1925, was berthed in Portland as a waterfrom monument and civic center. Governor C harles A. Sprague patriotically offered to return her to the US Navy for "coastal or o ther defense use." The Navy's official position was that the ship was a "histo ric shrine" and "an insp iration to our fighting fo rces." H owever, the War Productio n Board was pressuring the Navy to tum the sh ip over to be scrapped, and the Navy felt that it would have to give in. The fin al decisio n ended up in the hands of President Franklin D. Roosevelt himself. Meanwhile, the Olymp ia was tied u p at the Philadelphia Navy Yard, neglected and in rundown condition, bur still in naval hands. O n 26 O ctober 1942, the presidem rendered his verdict to Secrerary of the Navy Frank Knox. D ear C olo nel Knox: It is wi th great reluctance that I authorize the Navy D epartmem to turn the USS Oregon over to the War Production Board fo r reduction to scrap m etal. It is my understanding that the D epartment will take immediate action toward the p reservation of the USS Olymp ia as a naval relic of the Spanish-American war period . Sincerely yo urs, Franklin D . Roosevelt
USS Oregon, 1898
Ironically, the Oregon was only partially scrapped and its hull was used by the Navy as an ammunitio n stowage barge. The Navy never did anything to preserve the Olympia, fin ally turning it over to the predecesso r of its currem custodian . Perhaps now is the time for the N avy to finally honor President Roosevelt's understanding. ] OHN D . ALDEN, C DR, USN (RET.) Delmar, New Yo rk
Did You Hear the News? Learning abo ut the small role that H MS Pickle played in one of the wo rld's most fam o us naval battles, or rather her role after the battle, is a simple reminder of what communicatio n systems were like back in
o n them for their livelihoods) have done a rr-================================-.i very poor job of managing them effectively. There are no easy answers, but blaming Our seafarin g heritage comes alive scientists and the governmem fo r stepping lakes, and bays-if you appreciate in the pages of Sea Histo1y, from the legacy of those who sail in deep in and trying to keep this fishery from dythe a ncient ma riners of G reece to wa ter a nd t heir workaday craft, ing out altogether is as helpful as blaming Portu guese navigators opening then yo u belong with us. God fo r not m aki ng mo re fish . up the ocean wo rld to the heroic Join Today! M ARTI N EVANS J R. efforts of sailo1¡s in modern-da y Mail in the form below, phone Gaithersburg, Maryland conflicts. Each issue brings l 800 221-NM HS (6647), or visit new insights and discoveries. us a t: www.seahistory.org Time to M ake Good on FDR's Jf you love the sea, rivers, (e-mail: nmhs@seahisto ry.o rg)
Join Us for a Voyage into History
Promise about USS Olymp ia Regarding the pend ing po tential loss of USS Olympia, th e fo llowing little-known aspect of her preservatio n to date may be of interest. Shor tly after our entry into Wo rld War II, the natio n had launched a scrap drive to recover badly-needed steel. At that time, there were rwo surviving relics of the
Yes, I want to join the Sociery and receive Sea History quarterly. My co ntribution is enclosed . ($ 17.50 is fo r Sea History; any amo unt above that is tax deductible.) Sign me up as : D $35 Regular Member D $5 0 Family Member D $ 100 Friend D $250 Patron D $500 Do nor
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Mr./Ms. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ----------------------~ZIP _ _ _ _ __ Retu rn ro: National Maritime H istorical Society, PO Box 68, Peekskill NY 10566
Spanish-American War on the Navy's regis- ~================================~
SEA HISTORY 133 WINTER 20 I 0-11
5
We Welcome Your Letters! Write to rhe editor at editorial@seahistory.org or by mail to: Editor, Sea H istory, 7 Timberknoll Rd. , Pocasset, MA 02559. history. It is hard to imagine, today, rhat one of rhe mosr famous military leaders in rhe world could die in battle and ir would rake weeks for people to hear about ir. The closest rhing rhey had to "instant communications" would have been Paul Revere riding his horse like a madman rhrough rhe nighr announcing imminent news. Learning abour the news was more rhan just a matter of convenience and curiosi ry. Think of how rhe rro ops char foughr in rhe Battle of New Orleans Qanuary, 1815) musr have felr to discover rhar the Treary of Ghenr, which ended the war, had been signed weeks before (December 181 4). While the hurried journey of HMS Pickle may seem like a rrivial piece of history, it represenrs an importanr bur nearly always overlooked perspecrive on how we sho uld view rhe course of evenrs in cenruries pasr. DAN JARVIS Manhasset, New York
There was a large picrure of her o n the from page of the newspaper. It had been photographed on a calm day, and the ship was moored to the dock under full sail, slightly leaning shoreward. She caused a bit of an amusing sensation, as she was regisrered as a man-of-war to avoid paying harbor dues, but the only armamenr on her was a signal cannon on the aft deck. It was widely known that Ramfis [Trujillo] was a flamboyanr playboy and was once quoted as braggi ng, "I like spending money, and I have it to spend." H e made good on his claim and spenr lavishly, entertaining many Hollywood stars and starlets, including Zsa Zsa Gabor and Kim Novak, as well as other celebrities and even legendary strippers, Jill Sr. Cyr among them . The Dominican Republic was receiving millions of dollars at the rime in foreign aid, and it was suggested that the government to give the check directly to Ramfis and cut out rhe middle m an. The Bolero, so beautifully depicted in Sea Stories from Famous Yachts Lasr summer's issue of Sea H istory was of the outstanding painrings by artisrs Don personal inreresr to me. I was in San Diego Demers and A. D . Blake in the marine when theAngelita (a. k.a. Sea Cloud) visired. art feature, has a tragic segment to her
ADVENTURE IS IN OUR BONES
illustrious career. She was once owned by Sally Blair Ames, owner of the staysail schooner Constellation-the yacht, not the sloop-of-war. I sailed in Constellation as crew on the 1959 TransPac. Sally had an obsessive compulsion to wi n. She set out to prove thar she could sail among the best, and alrhough we wo n Class A, Barlovento, a Class B boat, beat us by a few hours. Sally was devastated and blam ed the skipper and crew for failing to do better. The first boat across rhe finish line was the 161 -foot gaff schooner Goodwill. She was a scratch boat, and no one expected to beat her. After a jaunt to Tahiti, we rerurned to Newporr Beach, and laid plans for the 1960 Bermuda-to-Sweden race. We made our way through rhe Panama Canal and sailed on to Bermuda, while Sally fl ew to New York, where a new mainsail was being built by Ratsey and Lapthorn sailmakers. Ratsey and Lapthorn stopped all other production to work on Constellation's sail, which they finished in record time. Sally chartered a plane and, according to her, straddled the sail as if riding a horse, getting it back to "Connie" in time for the start of the race. OWNER'S STATEMENT Statem ent fi led 9/30/ l 0 required by th e Act of Aug. 12, 1970, Sec. 3685, T ide 39, US Code: Sea History is published quarterly at 5 John Walsh Blvd. , Peekskill NY 10566; minimum subscription price is $ 17.50. Publisher and editor-in -chief: No ne; Ed itor is D eirdre E. O >Rega n; owner is N ational Mar it ime Histo rical
Society, a non-p rofit co rporation ; all are located at 5 John Walsh Blvd. , Peekskill NY 10566. Durin g the 12 months preceding October 20 I 0 the average number of (A) copies printed each issue was 25,547; (B) paid and/or requested circ ulati on was: (1) o utside co un ty mail subscriptions 9,4 10; (2) in-coun ty subscrip tions O; (3) sales thro ugh dealers, ca rri ers, cou n ter sales, o rher non-USPS paid disrriburion 240; (4) other classes mailed thro ugh USPS 608 ; (C) tora l paid and /o r requested circulatio n was I 0,258; (D) free disrriburion by mail, sa mples, comp lim entary and other 12,652; (E) free distribution outside rhe mails 1907; (F) total free distriburion was 14,559; (G) tora l distribution 24,8 17; (H ) copies not distri bu ted 730 ; (I) tota l [of l 5G an d H J 25,547; (J) Percentage pa id and /o r requested circulatio n 42% . The ac tual numbers fo r the single issue preced ing O ctober 2010 are: (A) tota l num ber prin ted 25, 185; (B) paid and/o r req uested circul ation was: ( 1) outside-co un ty mail subscriptions 8,4 14; (2) in -coun ty subscri ptions O; (3) sales thro ugh dealers, ca rriers, co unter sa les, other no n-US PS paid di stribu -
tion 240; (4) other classes ma iled through USPS 245; (C) roral pa id and /or requ ested circularion was 8,899; (D ) free distribution by mail , samp les, compli mentary and other 8,435; (E) free d istribu tion outsid e the mails l ,922; (F) total free d istributio n was 16,0 19; (G) total d istribution 24,9 18; (H ) copies nor d isrribured 267; (I ) to tal [of I 5G and H J 25, 185; (J) Percentage pa id and/ or requested circulatio n 36%. I certify that the above sratemen rs are co rrecr and co mp lete. (s igned) Burchena1 G reen, Execuci ve Directo r, Na ti o nal M ari time
Historical Society.
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SEA HISTORY 133 WINTER 2010-11
Around the Cabin Lamp
(a bove) Schooner Yacht C onsrellarion crew with owner Sally Blair Ames (2nd from right). Indrek Lepson is center with p ip e.(below) The 19 63 TransPac program cover featured the Consrellarion from that 1959 race.
winning rhe Fasm er race. Among blue wa rer races, rhe Fas m er race is legendary for being a mosr dangerous and srormy passage. Bolero did nor even place. Sally sai led rhe boar back ro Brooklyn, New Yo rk, and after everyrhing was cleared and secure, she rold rhe crew "Good nighr boys" and rerired ro her cabin for rhe nighr. In rhe solirude of her cabin, she ove rdosed on prescriprion drugs and was found dead rhe fo ll owing morning. l N D REK LEPSO N
Louisburg, No rth Carolina
The race was ro M arstrand, Sweden, and we we re rhe third boar in-a deep disappoimment for our owner. From Marstrand, we sailed ro Copenhagen, D enmark, where I had ro leave rh e boar fo r a family emergency. One of rhe crew rold me larer whar transpired after I left. Afrer a ro ral refir ar Abeking & Rasmussen in Lemverder, Germany, Sally sold rhe Constellation and bo ught the Bolero for the sole purpose of
SEA HISTORY 133 WINTER 20 l 0-11
2010 NMHS Annual Awards Recipients W har a joy ir was ro see a sailmaker and rwo shipbuilders be recognized fo r rheir li fe's work ar rhis year's NMH S awards dinner. Somerimes ir seems as if rhe people who real ly deserve the credir, bur do rheir work o ur of rhe public eye, may never know how much rhey are appreciared. This reader appreciares rhem, for one, and I am sure many orhers do as well. H uzzah! ro rhem and ro rhe Na rional M aririme Hisrorical Sociery for irs excellem selecri on of awardees. ] AMES M . H ouGH Easro n, Massachuserrs
When rhe pilot cutter Vision put ro sea 100 years ago ro guide ships rhrough the English C han nel, her crew had ro face rhe wiles, tricky ways and fur io us onslaughts of old Poseidon . The pi lo ts, knighrs-erranr of the sea guiding others through its perils, had ro be always ready ro spring imo actio n ro face the Channel's steep choppy seas, which might be breaking o n the deck overhead as they pil ed out the hatch . Off wa tch below, they gathered under the cabin lamp ro cell srories of pas t deeds, mull about present challenges and dream of the future. Pas t experience and furure hopes are interrwined in seam en's yarns, and the nexus where hopes and practicali ties are transfo rmed into actio n is a grand place ro be, a place of o pen oppo rtuni ry. In Sea History we see hisrory as a living continuum of pas t, presem and future as we m ove through our rodays. We pursue our quest for hisrorical truths from the decks of ships where excuses cannot serve in pl ace of action. The seaman's favored writer, Joseph Conrad, has rightly said that ships will not accept bad art fro m their masters. Our writers and artists are challenged by these home truths, a challenge shared with o ur members. For what is published ass umes meaning only th ro ugh rha r viral parrnership with rhose who read ir and respond ro ir. Sea H istory also depends on m embers' suppo rt ro survive, jusr as ir depends o n m embers' ideas and guidance ro shape its co urse. Through yo ur support, Sea H istory is recognized roday as the voice of the American experience at sea. At this year's end, Norma and I m ade a contriburio n as an investment in Sea H istory. It will pay its dividend in strengthening America's awareness of its sea experience, a heritage chat links us ro the wo rld. H aving played an active role in Sea H istory's past, we have also acred ro affec r irs fu ture after our time, by adding a bequest in our wills, a sum ro meet unknown future calls fo r action. We invire yo u ro join us in this! -
P ETER STANFO RD
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NMHS: A CAUSE IN MOTION NMHS Annual Awards Dinner at the New York Yacht Club
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ember 13'h was indeed a gala evening as N MHS Annual Awards Dinner C hairmen Captain Cesare Sorio and D aniel Whalen welcomed the evening's rem arkable and distinguished honorees, sailmaker Nathaniel S. W ilson; D avid Rockefeller Jr. and Sailors for the Sea; and D ana H ewson, Quentin Snedi ker, and M ys tic Seaport president Steve W hite on behalf of the staff and volunteers of Mystic Seaport's H enry B. duPont Preservation Shipyard.
when some museums are considering giving up the stewardship of the historic ships in their care, M ys tic Seaport has taken bold strides to properly care for its fleet of historic ships. It is now restoring the last wooden whaleship, the 184 1 Charles W M organ, to a seaworthy condition so she may once more put to sea under sail. In preservation work, it is the diligence of the artisans, m any who wo rk unassumingly behind the scenes to mas ter their craft and pass on their skills to others, which is of critical importance. D avid Rockefeller Jr. has commirred himself to implementing the recommendations of the 2003 Pew Oceans Commission, and to formin g a new voice for ocean conservation, Sailors for the Sea, w educate and empower the boating communi ry to protect and restore our oceans and coas tal waters. His vessel Ocean "Watch recently completed a 25,000-mile circumnavigation of N orth and
NMH S D istinguished Service Award Recipients (l-r) Dana Hewson, Steve White, Quentin Snediker, and Nat Wilson . Award-winning yachtsm an Richard du M oulin was the perfect mas ter of cerem onies, sharin g personal sw ries abo uc each of the recipients. NM H S vice-chairman RickLopes's m ini-documen taries of the recipients in their home serrings were a highligh t of the evening. Na t Wilson was presented with the Distinguished Service Award in recognition of his skills and dedicati on as the pre-em inent sailmaker of traditional sails in the country, fo r his influence and support ofsail training and m ari time heritage educational program s, and his generosiry in sharing his craft. H e shared memories of hi s en try inw sail making and the worki ng of his craft and gave credit w other sail makers, shipmas ters, shipbuilders, and ins titutions who have also dedicated their careers w maintaining the traditio nal skills so necessary to carry out the wo rk in this fiel d. D ana H ewson, Mys tic Seaport's Vice President for Watercraft Preserva tion and Program s and C lark Senio r C urator fo r Watercraft; Quentin Sn ediker, D irecto r of Mys tic's H enry B. duPont Preservation Shipya rd ; and th e shipyard's staff and volunteers were awarded the Distinguished Service Award. Mystic Seaport stands o ut as a beaco n of hope for the beleaguered ship preserva tio n community by not only restoring historic ships but also buildin g important reproducti o ns, such as th e schooner Amistad. At a time
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Master of ceremonies Richard du Mo ulin (right) awards David Rockefeller Jr., (left) with the 2 010 N MHS "Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in M aritime Education. South America, visiting thir ry towns and cities in eleven countries to educate their citize nry about the health of our oceans. It was an ho nor w present him with the N MHS Walter C ronkite Award for Excellence in Mari time Edu cation and to have him speak so reverently of Walter Cronkite when he received his award. Mr. Rockefeller described the thrill of the Ocean "Watch voyage and challenged us to work together to protect the ocean fo r future sailors. We we re once again honored to have the US Coast G uard Academy Cadet Chorale, under the direction of D r. Robert N ewton, sing fo r us, and D on H ardy of Ships of G lass sent beauti ful glass models to the recipients to commemo rate the important occasio n. It was a grand gathering of the m aritime communi ry, a time for fun and revelry, a chance to share stories with old friends and new, and an opportuni ry to pay homage to a few most worthy recipi ents who have labored fo r maritime heri tage excellence.
The USCG Academy Cadet Chorale entertained guests of the 2 010 NMH S Annual Awards Dinner at the New York Yacht Club. SE A HISTORY 133 WINTER 2010-11
I Ninth Maritime Heritage Conference
T
he 9'h Maritime H eritage Conference hosted by Historic Ships in Baltimore from 15-19 September drew an international participation of more than 400 attendees from as far away as China, Australia, No rway, Great Britain, and H awaii to tackle the most significant issues facing the maritime heritage comm uni ty as it enters the second decade of the new cemury. The theme "The Maritime Nexus: Re-connecting Landsmen with their Seagoing H eritage" envisioned the marine environm em-saltwater an d freshwater waterways-as a global m eeting place. The conference o rganizers set out to stimulate thinking on how history can awaken the public's consciousness of all the ways the maritime wo rld is meaningful, both in the past and today, and how it has shaped civilization. The dynamic kick-off plenary session set the stage for this, followed by 72 break-o ut sess ions held concurrently over the three-day conference focusing on specific issues, ships, lighthouses, preservation proj ects, marine sanctuaries, Captain Chan Zucker (Left) and D r. Tim Runyan (right) of the National Maritime Affiance bestowed the first Maritime Heritage Conand hands-on sail training education, amo ng the many topics. ference Award of Distinction to maritime author, adventurer and The plenary session, chaired by Patrick C. Burns, USN, Director marine archaeologist Clive Cuss/er. ofNavy Commemorations, featured David Rockefeller Jr. of Sailors for the Sea, Jose Fuentes of OpSail, and Admiral John C. Harvey significant shipwrecks, particularly CSS Hunley. Jr. , (USN). Mr. Rockefeller emphasized that it is the responsibility The future of two iconic American ships created much interof the maritime heritage community to make our history inter- est. A round table discussion on the fate of USS Olympia brought esting to yo un g people and to convert sailors into ocean stew- together representatives from the Independence Seaport Museum, ards. Jose Fuentes the Friends of Olympia, the Pennsylvania Historical Comdiscussed the role that missio n, the Na tional Park Service, and the US Navy to tall ships play in passdiscuss the current condition of the ship and future options. ing skills to a new D an McSweeney from the SS United States Co nservancy ge neration and prospoke to the need to find a viable solution to save the moting international famous American ocean liner. cooperation . Admiral Attendees also rook advantage of a wealth of opH arvey announced portunities to visit historic ships and maritime sites, the formation of the including the Liberty Ship john W Brown, USCG Barque Navy CommemoraEagle, the fleet of the Historic Ships in Baltimore, Fort tions Co mmi ss ion McHenry, the Naval History and Heritage Command, to celebrate the Biand the newly renovated US Naval Academy Museum in ce ntenni al of th e Annapolis. The Johns Hopkins University Star Spangled Banner Conferees got to tour aff Press hosted a reception at the Maryland and the War of 18 12 of historic vessels in Baltimore, Hisrorical Society to launch their latest as part of a plan to from the 1854 sfoop-ofwar USS tide, Maritime Maryland, a History, by Sea educate Amer icans Constellation (above), to a cruise H istory Advisor Dr. William S. Dudley. on the US Navy's mis- aboard the Liberty Ship John W C hris Rowsom, Conference C hair and sion and to stress the Brown , to the nuclear merchant Executive Director of Historic Ships in importance of learn- ship NS Savannah (right). Baltimore, and David Winkler, Confering and understandence Program C hair and Director of ing our nation's history. The navy has partnered with OpSail for a Programs at the Naval Histori cal Foundation, did an outstanding series of signamre tall-ship events, and NMHS is honored to sign job oforganizing the event with the support of more than two dozen on board to work on the educational component of these events, o ther maritime organizations including: the National Maritime Hisspearheading a "Beyond the Spectacle" educational program. to rical Society, the Historic Naval Ships Association , and the AmeriNational Maritime Alliance president Dr. Timothy Runya n can Lighthouse Coordinating Committee. The conference, held and secretary Cap tain C hanning Z ucker, organizers of the confer- under the auspices of the National Maritime Alliance, brings toence, presented author C live C ussler with the inaugural Maritime gether members from the various maritime heritage clans every three H eritage Conference Award of Distinction to two standi ng ova- years to exchange perspectives on the state of historical preservation -Burchenaf Green, President tions for his work in promoting interest in the oceans and finding and educational o utreach . SEA HISTORY 133 WINTER 2010-11
9
The War of 1812- Understudied, Misunders by W illiam H. W hi te he War of 1812 is certainly one all of these are m ost likely valid interpreta- agree on what type of military it needed : of the most obscure-if not the tions, the broad spread of the causes seems wo uld it be regulars? Short term volunteers? most obscure-wars in American to confuse and confo und today'sAmericans. Militia? And what about a navy? Why on earth would we need a navy? history. While there ., are those who will ¡ Of course, another faction favo red a standing army and a recognize some of the major highli ghts of the war- the powerful navy-and that was burning of Washington, the just in the Republican Party! Bartle of New O rleans, and The Federalists (then in the possibly the writing of what mino rity) offered virtually became o ur N a tion al Anno resistance to the wishes of them-few could offer opintheir colleagues o n the other side of the aisle and, indeed , ions on exactly what the war was about, what the o utcome even favo red the idea of fightwas, or, in many cases, even ing the English on the high who the antago nists were! seas, which of course would M any histo rians refer to require a strong navy. the war as the "Seco nd War of But like almos t any Independence;" others relate conflict, the War of 18 12 it to a desire on the part of prod uced its share of heroes Am ericans to expand their and notables whose nam es The Taking of the City ofWashington in America, 1814, published bo rders, bo th to the no rth by co ntinue to reson ate, even by G. Thompson, 14 October 1814. In the evening hours of 24 August annexing Canada and to the with those who might not be 1814, British expeditionary forces under the command of Vice Admiral wes t by rem oving the British able to recall any detail of the Sir A lexander Cockburn and Major General Robert Ross set fire to the and their Na tive Am erican war itself: Andrew Jackson, unfinished Capitol Building in Washington, D C The engraving depicts alli es fro m what are now the Jam es M adison , H enry Clay, Washington, D C, under attack as viewed from the Potomac River. mid-western states. Still others Isaac Hull , Stephen D ecatur, mention "free trade and sailors' rights," the The outcome of the War of 18 12, which and Jam es Lawrence. There were others as right they claimed of a free nation to trade did not officially end until February of 18 15 well, and we will meet them (maybe with in peace upon the oceans of the world. The (even though the treaty was signed o n 24 a sm ack to the fo rehead and an uttered merchant and naval interests of the time D ecember 181 4) , was equally confounding; commentlike "Oh yeah, I rem ember him! ") were sick and tired of the British practice no land or territory was gained by either as we look at some of the events of the war of stopping American ships to press sailors side and, acco rding to many, none of the later on . into the Royal Navy, a right, the British lofty aims of the United States was achieved. So, who wo n? Many Ameri cans w ho claim ed , stemming from their ass umption Indeed, the Treaty of Ghent, which end ed have studied the confl ict will say "We did!" that Ame ricans were still, in spite of gaining the war, returned the two countries to the and point to som e of th e great naval battles their independence, British citizens. While status quo ante bellum, the state of affairs as fo ught by USS Constitution, USS United it existed before the hostilities broke o ut. States, and other ships of our o riginal navy. In many cases, the actual prosecution And indeed , while in many cases o ur navy of the war was horribly mismanaged by did thras h the vessels of th e Royal Navy, inept senior officers well past their prime we also suffered som e humiliating defeats and a populace unwilling to fight, especially such as Chesapeake vs. Shannon. Those sam e if it impacted their pocketbooks. Even the advocates of an American victory tend to proponents of the war seem ed in constant mumble under their breath and turn away disagreement with each other over how it when the subj ect of land battles-D etroit, should be prosecuted. And the politicians the effort to conquer Canada, and the invawere jus t as bad as the people they governed! sion of our capital-comes up . Bur these Consider that the government could not failures were as much a part of the war as th e triumphs at sea; indeed, m aybe m ore so, as (left) The Star Spangled Banner by Percy the general populace was on hand to witness Moran, c. 19 13. Francis Scott Key standing the crushing defeats and the newspapers to at the rail aboard H MS Tonnant. It was editorialize on them. So the British won , right? No, most from this vantage point that Key witnessed the Battle ofFort McH enry and was insp ired would agree they didn't either. They gained to write what became our National Anthem. no land (they weren't looking for any),
T
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SEA HISTORY 133 WIN TER 2010-11
tood, and Forgotte they gave up little, and they mo re or less lost a source of manpower for their warships as they had abandoned the Orders in Council allowing impress ment from American ships just prior to the declaration of wa r. During much of the War of 1812, England was busy with France and thought of the problem to the wes t m ainly as a n uisance and distraction. Ir is barely acknowledged today in Bri tain. Thar leaves o nly th e Canadians-they must have been the winners. Wro ng again. W hile they did defeat no fewe r than thirteen incursio ns to their coun try (at the tim e, a colony of Grear Britain), they were no r really combatants per se, bur rather instruments of the Crown. Relatively few of the ci ti zens in Canada had any interest at all in the war and certainly we re, for the most parr, unwill ing partici pants. Like the U ni ted Scates, they m ustered citizen militias to fight with the
Captain f ames Lawrence, USN, (above) and Commodore Stephen D ecatur, USN, (left) were two of the Wtir of 1812 's notable naval heroes. It was Lawrence who uttered the famous phrase, "Don't Give Up the Ship" after being mortally wounded in the battle between USS C hesapeake and HMS Shanno n in June 18 13.
Ular of 1812 map by Thomas Kensett, dated 4 November 1812. This contemporary map covers the area ofconflict along the US and Canadian border, showingforts on the US side and details on Canadian townships.
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Dropping Astern, by Michel Felice Corne (1752-184 5). Action between USS Cons ti tu ti on and HMS Guerriere, l ')August 1812, depicting Guerriere's main andfore masts collapsingfrom the effects of Constitution's fire. This early victory in the Wtzr of1812 boosted Americans' morale, giving them hop e that they could overcome the might of the powerful Royal Navy on the high seas. (inset) USS Constitution under sail in 1')')7. "Old Ironsides" is still a commissioned US Navy ship, stationed at the Charlestown Navy Yard. Regulars of the Royal M arines and Army, but their periods of enlistment were short, often for a single engagement, and the good folks of Upper Canada just wanted to be left to their own devices. The war passed in to American history books of the time, not as an eco nomic disaster and near-fatal debacle militarily, but rather as a rousing victory in which the fledgling United States defeated the greatest military might in the world, the conqueror of Napoleon, and the ruler of the Seven Seas. And they did it single-handedly! As modern historians reviewed the facts for more up-to-date histo ry texts, this outlook changed; maybe it wasn't such a great victory after all. With attitudes becoming more and more cynical over time, it is, perhaps, easier to understand why the war gets short shrift today; it's confusing at best and seems to have accomplished little. No t one of our great successes, like the Revolution, the C ivil War (if you are a Yankee!), and World War II. So why shou ld we even bother ro remember it, let alone make a big deal out of the bicentennial of the war? Because it was a great turning point in American and,
12
indeed, wo rld history. The War of 18 12 for September of 20 14 to commemorate concluded a quarter century of rroubled the Siege of Baltimore and the writing of diplomacy, both here and in Europe, and the Star Spangled Banner. it marked the beginning of the "Era of The information we present will be as Good Feelings." Most importantly, at leas t up to date and complete as we can make to Americans, it showed the wo rld that it, but printing schedules m ay preclude our experiment in a republican form of inclusion of some last-minute details. You government could work and gave us entry will want to check the webs ites for the Navy to the wo rld stage as a nation, which had History and Heritage Command (www. earn ed the res pect of the other players. history.navy.mil), OpSail (www.opsail. Over the next year, as the actual bicen- org), and, of course, the National Maritime tennial approaches and celebratory plans Historical Society (www.seahistory.org) so lidi fy, Sea History will offer a variety of as the time draws near. j:, articles about the War of 1812 itself, som e of the specific events important to under- William H White is a maritime historian standing the war and its outcome, and and award-winning author who specializes some of the people who m ade their mark in the history ofthe US Navy during the Age on history during the three-year duration of ofSail. H e serves on the Board of Trustees for the conflict. We will, in addition, provide the National Maritime Historical Society, the information on the events planned fo r the USS Constitution Museum, and the Lynx Educelebrations. The "main events" of course cational Foundation. Mr. White is currently will occur in the first year, 20 12, in a large serving as chair of the NMHS Committee number of venues, but year-specific events for the Commemoration and Bicentennial of are planned fo r various ven ues in both the the Wtzr of1812 and the Star Spangled BanG reat Lakes and the Eastern seaboard. It ner. (For more details on the author, see page should come as no surprise that Baltimore, 47 of this issue or visit his website at www. Maryland, is planning a huge celebration sea.fiction. net)
SEA HISTORY 133 WINTER 2010-11
Cunard 's new Queen Elizabeth , on her inaugural tour to North America , will depart from New York Harbor with her sister ships Queen Victoria and Queen Mary. Join the National Maritime Historical Society aboard the elegant and spacious World Yacht Duchess as we cruise out with the ships. Nobody does this kind of event better than NMHS with the most interesting speakers , information and fascinating stories about the Queens including their role during the wars . With a lavish buffet and open bar, this is a not-to-be-missed occasion . The Duchess is an elegant and interesting ship . New York Harbor is magical in the winter. Maritime enthusiasts and Anglophiles alike blend together into a fun and convivial group. The Queens, the fireworks , the Statue of Liberty make this an unparalleled evening . Give this cruise to someone special for the Holiday. Early-bird fare is $160 each including 4 hour open bar, sumptuous buffet and dessert buffet, entertainment and information .
Ca/11-800-221-NMHS (6647) - ext 0 to make your reservations. Don't miss the boat.
SAVE THE DATE! An Invitation to the NMHS 2011 Washington Awards Dinner 2011 Washington Awards Di nner Chairs Inny & Philip Webster are pleased to invite you to join us for this gala even ton
Wednesday, 13April2011, beginningat6pmatthe NationalPress Club onPennsylvaniaAvenue in Washington,DC. The award recipients will be Admiral John C. Harvey, Jr., USN, Commander, US Fleet Forces Command; Former Congresswoman Helen Deli ch Bentley, for whom the Port ofBaltimore is named; and CDR Everett Alvarez, USN (Ret}, naval aviator POW in Vietnam. Gary Jobson, distinguished yachtsman, author and commentator, and President ofU.S. Sailing, returns as Master of Ceremonies, with an update on theupcoming defenseoftheAmerica's Cup by BMW Oracle Raci ng. The U.S. Na val Academy Glee Club singers conducted by Dr. Aaron Smith wi ll perfonn . We would be honored to have you join us.
Find out more! Look up the 2011 Washington Awards Dinner on our website ~ or, to receive an invitation with all the details, call headquarters at 1-800-221-6647, ext.0.
Echoes ofWorld War I- Chemical Warfare Materials on the Atlantic Coast by Geoffrey Carton, Kathleen Ciolfi, and Mike Overfield
W
orld War I, the Great War, is a part of history that most of us learned about in school, though some heard about it through the stories their grandparents told as they were growing up. To the majority of us, it was just that-a story. But in the 21 " century, World War I became more than just a story, it claimed new casualties. On 19 July 2004, a local police officer noticed an artillery shell leaning against a mailbox post in the small town of Bridgeville, Delaware. The State Police called theAir Force's 436'h Civil Engineers Squadron's Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Flight for assistance, and EOD personnel swept the area and collected a single 75-millimeterartilleryshell. The rusty shell's shipping plug was still in place, indicating that it was not fused. The EO D Flight determined the risk from movement of the shell was "acceptable" and transported it to a demolition range at Dover Air Force Base. The next day, a small explosive charge was used to punch a hole in the shell, and the result was not particularly exciting-at first. A black viscous liquid leaked from the shell and onto the EOD personnel when they picked it up after detonating the explosive charge. A field test subsequently identified the liquid as mustard agent, a toxic chemical agent. Mustard is somewhat insidious because there is no initial effect with contact, but large blisters start to form about a day after exposure. The fo llowing day, three members of the EOD Flight developed blisters; two airmen were treated for minor injuries and released, while the third was admitted to a hospital burn unit. The presence of a chemical shell in rural Delaware, far from any site used for manufacturing, storage, or testing of chemical warfare materials (a collective term for chemical munitions and toxic chemical agents) was a mystery at first. A subsequent review of all the Military Service's EOD response records and local newspaper reports revealed a pattern for recovery of m unitions from private properties . The mystery grew as the Department of Defense (DoD) found that more than one hundred conventional munitions were recovered from private driveways during the previous year. These included World-War-I-vintage British Mills grenades and French VB rifle grenades. The presence of these foreign items is not as unusual as it might seem. Many munitions were manufactured in
the United States for the allies during World War I, but how they arrived in people's driveways decades later is a peculiar story. The first clue to the source of munitions was identifying that all of them were recovered from areas paved with crushed clamshells . The DoD quickly traced the munitions to a seafood plant where surf clams (Spisula solidissima) were processed for chowder and strips. When the clams were removed from the shells, the company then sold the empty clam shells to a trucking firm for use as low-cost paving material. Surf clams are harvested by vessels pulling steel dredges along the bottom of the ocean at water depths up to 200 feet. Seawater jets temporarily fluidize the sediment at the front of the dredge, allowing the dredge to pass through with less chance of getting snagged. The spacing of the bars of the dredge is designed to let most of the smaller clams and other organisms pass through , while larger clams are retained. The dredge picks up anything else in its path that doesn't fit through the bars, including debris and ... munitions. Reportedly, it isn't uncommon for fishermen to recover munitions and other undesirable debris that they quickly return to the deep. Not all debris is culled aboard ship, and the seafood plant occasionally finds munitions during processing. When personnel from the DoD first visited the processing plant, they discovered some munitions temporarily stored in the basement. After reviewing their processes with the Army, the plant took immediate steps to revise their procedures to stop munitions from entering its processing operations or waste streams, thereby preventing their distriburion to the public. A review of EO D records revealed that, for at least the past few years, munitions were recovered during clamming operations at a number oflocations along the mid-Atlantic states. Tracing this particular artillery shell back to the seafood plant only answered part of the mystery. Several more perplexing questions remained: Where did the chemical m unitions originate? How did they get there, and, importantly, are there any more? The potential sources for the conventional munitions, incl uding military and civilian manufacturers and salvagers, are many, and thus the vessel or plant that disposed of them may never be
The freighter USS Elinor, c. 1918. Built by the Baltimore Dry Dock and Shipbuilding Company, and originally named SS General de Castlenau, this ship was taken over by the navy for World Wtir I service and placed in commission on 20 March 1918 as USS Elinor (JD # 2465). She was decommissioned and returned to the US Shipping Board on 26 April 1919.
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SEAHISTORY 133 WINTER2010-ll
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Type: 75MM Chemical Projectile (MKll ) Origin: USA Weight empty: 10.27 lbs Possible fills (fill weight): Mustard (0.96-1 .35 lbs), Phosgene (1 .2 lbs), Chloropicrin (1.34 lbs), White phosphorus (1 .90 lbs), and Smokes
(Left) These four 75-mm mustard rounds were recovered in 2 006 from a clam processing plant, which turned them over to the Army for demolition. Note how some ofthe shelfs look nearly p ristine, while the one on the bottom is heavily encrusted. (above) D iagram of the 75-mm chemical projectile.
determined. Nonetheless, only a few possible sources exist for the origination of chemical munitions. Although it is far from certain, the recovery of the chemical shell may have its origin in the period shortly after World War I. At the end of World War I, the victors were faced with the challenge of demilitarizing rhe defeated and safely disposing of excess war materials, including chemical and conventional munitions. The United States was also left with a significan t inventory of excess, obsolete, or unserviceable US munitions, including chemical munitions. In January 19 19, theAmericanExpedirionary Forces in France sent a confidential cablegram back co the United States government highlighting this problem. The cablegram stated, "Steamer Eleanor returned with large cargo 75 millimeter mustard gas shells and phosgene. Such material not desired here. H old there until treaty of peace is signed and rhen inform department of disposition yo u recommend." Concerns about the safe sto rage of chemical munitions and bulk chemical agents were hardly new. Phosgene and chlorine, two industrial chemicals that had been used on rhe battlefields in Euro pe, had co mmercial uses and the Chemical Warfare Service actively inves tigated the sale of these chemicals to industry. On the other hand, mustard agent and Lewisite (an arsenic-based blister agent) had no commercial use, and rheir disposal became a pressing concern . Disposal options for d1ese war materials we re then limited to open burn ing, buri al on land, or sea disposal; rhere was no chemical neutralization process available at the time. Sea disposal, an accepted international practice, appeared to be the best option at the time. Herein lies the story of USS Elinor and a possible explanation for the echoes of Wo rld War I chemical warfare materials along the Atlantic Coas t. The ship was actually USS Elinor (Hull No. 2465), rather than the Steamer Eleanor cited in the cablegram . She was a freighter built for the French at the Baltimore Dry SEA HISTORY 13 3 WINTER 201 0-11
D ock and Shipbuilding Company, originally named General de Castfenau. This 4,295-gross- ton freighter with a displacement of 8,785 tons, a length of 353.25, and a beam measuring just over fo rty- nine fee t, had a top speed of eleven knots. In August 19 17, while still under construction, USS Elinor was requisitioned by the US Shipping Board, which took possession of all ocean-going merchant ships under construction or on order in US shipyards. She was launched on 17 October 191 7 and was com missioned for Wo rld War I service the fo llowing March (19 18). Assigned to the Naval Overseas Transportation Service, the Elinor made fo ur voyages to Europe carrying general cargo, vehicles, and munitions, and retu rned either in ballas t or wirh a cargo of war munitions. Elinor was one of fo ur vessels that underwent special preparations in O ctober 19 18 to allow "for carrying of gas cargo." In November, it was decided that the installation of special fi ttings co allow Elinor co transport mustard shells would be discontinued, but because she had already fi nished loading munitions and other materiel she was allowed co operate for ano ther trip. According co a memorandum dared 26 November 19 18, Elinor was loaded with: 1,333 tons of 75-mm gas shells; 3 19.7 tons of supplies and equipment fo r the Mocor Transport Service; 939.9 tons of subsistence, clorhing, and general supplies fo r the Quartermas ter Corps; and 1,929.3 tons of smokeless powder, livens drums, propelling charges, fuses, shells, and cartridge cases. USS Elinor arrived at Nantes, France, on 16 D ecember 19 18. The nexrday, she p roceeded tO the amm unition dock at Ursine Brulee where her cargo was unloaded between 19 December and 5 January. On the 5'h ofJan uary, she was loaded with app roximately 2,900 tons of " O rdnance supplies" [possibly munitions or other Ordnance Corps materials] rhat were co serve as ballast on her return trip across the Atlantic. The cargo classification memorandum from Nantes shows the Elinor departed 5 January 19 19 with 88 cons of ordnance cargo [munitions] retained on board and 2,648 tons of new ordnance
15
cargo loaded. What the vessel actually carried is further confused, as an index of cablegrams shows the Elinor sailing from Nantes on 7 January 1919 with 2,325 tons of artillery ammunition and gas shells. Noted on this index is also a figure of 410 tons of artillery ammunition. USS Elinor arrived in Baltimore on 28 January 1919, and on 3 February, Major General William Sibert, director of the US Army Chemical Warfare Service, signed Special Order Number 28 directing that the service "send twenty-eight (28) enlisted men of the Chemical Warfare Service, now on duty at Edgewood Plant, Edgewood Arsenal, Edgewood, Maryland, to Baltimore, Maryland, with orders to report to Captain C harles H. Pearce, Chemical Warfare Service, for temporary duty in connection with the dumping of gas shells into the sea from the steamer Eleanor, and upon completion of such duty they will be returned to their proper station." 1 The Elinor's log for that day states that the soldiers from Edgewood Arsenal came aboard at 0930 and that the unloading and coaling of the ship proceeded throughout the day. At 1500, the ship had a "barge alongside with gas drums." The loading was not without incident; on 6 February, a diver was called upon to recover a "gas drum" that fell over the side while loading. It is unclear whether all or just some of her cargo was discharged in Baltimore, but the log notes the loading of war gas drums between the 4th and 6th of that month. A second ship, SS Yselhaven, left Ursine Brulee, France, loaded with 5,610 cases (622 tons) of75-mm gas shells in early January 1919, arriving in Baltimore on 31 January 1919, just three days after Elinor's arrival in that city. Although surviving records about the Yselhaven indicate that she also received authority to dispose of her cargo of gas shells at sea, it appears that this cargo was transferred to the Elinor rather than being disposed of directly by the Yselhaven. She pulled alongside the Elinor on 6 February and "gas shells" were loaded from SS Yselhaven to the Elinor from 7-9 February. On 10 February, USS Elinor left Baltimore Harbor and proceeded down the Chesapeake Bay. The Kingston Daily Freeman 2 reported that each of the crew was equipped with a gas mask for the voyage to dispose of 3,000 tons of "gas shells made at the Edgewood arsenal." lhe Washington Post provides slightly more detail on the cargo, indicating that the ship was "taking aboard 2, 100 tons of mustard and asphyxiating gas, manufactured for use against the Hun [a term that was applied to the Germans during World War I), but now rendered a dangerous and costly 'white elephant' by signing of the armistice." 3 lhe New York Times reported that the cargo consisted of"some large drums and 200,000 shells" of"mustard gas and chloropicrin" brought back from France. The containers "showed signs that they were soon about to begin to leak as a result of chemical effect of the gas, and in the interest of safety these were taken to sea and disposed of under directions given by Major Gen. Sibert, head of the Chemical Warfare Service." 4 The following day while exiting the Bay, Elinor put out its otter gear, also known as a paravane, used to deflect mines and sever them from their moorings. One can well imagine the desire of the crew to keep their vessel filled with war gas from striking a mine. At 17 40, on 11 February, the Elinor received the following message from the Bureau for Naval Operations: ''Authority granted to dump 75-millimetre shells after passing 15 mile limit." Less than an hour later, at 1805 hours, Elinor commenced disposing of
16
the 75-mm shells from hatch #4 by dumping them over the side in seventeen fathoms [102 feet] of water, about forty nautical miles beyond the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay. At 2000, she noted 43 fathoms [258 feet] and sand. The phosgene drums were disposed of at 2100 in 400 fathoms [2,400 feet] of water about seventy nautical miles outside the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay. At least one of the drums Boated away without sinking, because of darkness and the speed of the ship at the time. Elinor transited from the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay to New York Harbor between the 11 rh and 14th of February, disposing of its hazardous cargo of drums and shells along the way. Completing her mission, Elinor tied up at the Army Transportation Service Docks, in South Brooklyn, New York, just before 1700 on 15 February 1919 . Elinor's voyage to dispose of the munitions, which was not without incident, was diligently reported in the news. lhe Fitchburg Daily Sentinel reported that the ship was loaded with "tanks of phosgene, mustard, tear and special gasses .. .. The cases of shells loaded with the gas went to the bottom without any trouble, but a number of the tanks didn't sink and pot shots were taken at them by the marksmen. After shooting holes in a number of these, the gunners took off their masks and a wind swept the fumes across the deck. Physicians, however, revived them and no fatal results were anticipated." 5 lhe New York Times reported that the shells were taken from "Baltimore out to sea a distance of between sixty and 100 miles and dumped in about 1,500 feet of water. It was dumped deep enough not to have any effect on navigation and far enough at sea not to have any effect on the coast." Clearly, there was a recognition at the time that disposal of the war materials presented a hazard and consideration was given to minimize it. The article states there were plans to dispose of all drums of poison gas at sea, once the armistice was signed. The news report does not match the deck log, which indicates that some materials were disposed of in much shallower water as previously indicated. On 15 March 1919, an opinion published in the lhe New Republic concerning the disposal is rather telling of the views of the time on appropriate use of the oceans. It states: Two hundred thousand gas shells and some large containers of poison gas, have just been dumped into the sea. We had manufactured these shells and had sent them to France, where they arrived too late. Therefore they were sent back to America in a transport which after unloading other cargo at Baltimore steamed out to sea and consigned the poison to the depths, where it may profit the fishes. On one point we are not clear. Was there no water on the other side of the Atlantic deep enough to put these shells out of danger? Are we going to use up more valuable cargo space bringing back munitions and materials to be dumped into the sea? Regardless of whether the shell recovered from the Delaware driveway in 2004 originated from Elinor, the locations where Elinor (opposite page) USS Elinor's track from Baltimore to South Brooklyn, 10-19 February 1919. lhe red dots along the solid red line are where the chemical munitions were disposed overboard, according to the ship's log. lhe dashed red line approximates the track the ship took during the time where no coordinates were provided in the log.
SEA HISTORY 133 WINTER2010-ll
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CO U RTESY O F TONY REYER, NOAA
SEA HISTORY 133 WINTER 20 l 0- 11
17
disposed of its cargo are certainly of interest to both rhose whose building debris, and other waste borh in rhe United Stares and work takes them to sea and those who may never step foor near abroad, sea disposal was viewed as a responsible method to dispose the shore. To accurately plot the track of the Elinor, researchers re- of chemical warfare materials to prevent human exposure. The War viewed rhe positions recorded in rhe deck log, however, two Department, later known as the Department of Defense, like other problems were noted in the review of rhe data. The Elinor only federal, stare, and municipal entities, as well as private industry, reported her latitude and longitude fourteen times during the six- relied on sea disposal as one of the methods of safe, permanent day period. As expected for 1919, rhe Elinor only reported degrees elimination of some waste materials through 1970. Because sea disposal of waste was routine and minutes while omitting and many military records have seconds, therefore adding a 3 Rs OF EXPLOSIVE SAFETY a retention period of only a few measure of uncertainty to her Military munitions are designed for use in warfare with the inyears before they are destroyed, precise location . Several days tent to kill, injure the enemy, or to destroy enemy equipment. only a limited number of these in rhe log show no coordinates Regardless of size, type, age, or condition, all military munirecords are available. Today, berecorded at all. tions should be considered extremely dangero us. cause of advances in technology In 2006 , the clam proTo protect yo urself and rhose around you, the Department of and the expansion of the use cessing plant from which the Defense recommends rhat you learn, and remember the 3 Rs of of the oceans into areas once initial projectile originated inexplosives safety: thought of as beyond human tercepted six additional 75-mm RECOGNIZE when you may have encountered a munition; reach or of little value, we face mustard shells and turned them the unintended consequences over to the Army for disposal. RETREAT do not touch, move or disturb ir, but leave the area; of our past. The National Oceanic and REPORT call 911 on land or the Coast Guard ar sea and advise Who would have rhoughr Atmospheric Administration rhem what yo u saw and where you saw it. that munitions made nearly a (NOAA), working with the clam processing plant and commercial fishing industry, identified century ago and shipped to France for the "war that would end all the general area where the munitions were recovered. As part of wars" would be found on a rural Delaware driveway? Surely, the its management of the Surf Clam Fishery, NOAA requires that echoes of World War I will be heard for quite some time. !. fishermen tag each basket of clams so that the location where it was harves ted in can be identified. Based on these rags, NOAA Geoffrey Carton is a senior analyst with CALIBRE Systems, Inc., plotted the approximate positions of rhe recovered munitions and Alexandria, VA, and has done research on sea-disposed munitions determined that they were, indeed, on the estimated track of Elinor. for the past several years. Kathleen Ciolfi is an historian with the Just this past summer, in June, while clam dredging approxi- Army Research, Development and Engineering Command Aberdeen mately fifty miles off the coast ofLong Island, New York, a commer- Proving Ground, MD. Mike Overfield [deceased] was a marine cial fishing vessel, ESS Pursuit, reportedly recovered approximately archaeologist with NOM, based in Silver Spring, MD. eight munitions, believed to be World War I era 75-mm projectiles. When a crewmember observed one of rhe munitions leaking black NOTES liquid, he tossed them back into rhe ocean. Apparently, some of 1Memorandum to The Adjutant General of the Army, Subject: rhe liquid spilled on him and about five hours after exposure, "SS ELINOR," Voyage #3, November 23, 1918", dated 26 Nov. painful blisters developed. Upon learning of the exposure, rhe 1918; "Office ofTransport Quartermaster, USS Elinor. Narrative US Coast Guard ordered the vessel to irs srarion in New Bedford, Report-Voyage #3," undated; Memorandum, Army Transport Massachusetts, where ir and irs catch were quarantined. The muni- Service, Office of rhe Chief Checker, Base Section No. 1, Nantes, tions recovered by the Pursuit came from rhe same general area as Cargo Classification on the SS Yselhaven and SS Elinor, 7 January rhose previously recovered. 1919; William Sibert, Major General US Army, Director Chemical Because rhe seas had been regularly used for disposal of refuse, Warfare Service, Special Orders 28, 3 February 1919. National Archives and Records Administration RG 175/290/2/35/02-04 Entry 10, Box 37. 2 "Gas Shells Go to Ocean Borrom," 11 February 1919. 3 "Will 1hrow Gas into Sea, Ship wirh Masked C rew Soon To Leave Baltimore with 3,100 Tons," 7 February 1919, p. 13. 4 "War Gas Dumped Far Our ar Sea, Some Large Drums and 200,000 Loaded Shells Rest in 1,500 Feet of Water," 9 March 1919, p. 18. 5"Fumes Swept Back, Expert Riflemen in Great Danger During Process of Sinking Poison Gas Tanks," 18 February 1919. (left) In June 2010, the US Coast Guard issued an order for the fishing vessel ESS Pursuit to be decontaminated after three crewmembers were taken to a local hospital and treated for symptoms ofexposure to a hazardous/chemical substance that they pulled up from the sea.floor offLong Island, New York.
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SEA HISTORY 133 WINTER 2010- 11
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Perilous Waters for Historiâ&#x20AC;˘: Ships by Kevin Foster
Amidst the Shoals: Historic Ships in Hard Times Multiple problems plague historic ships in these difficult financial times. Less public and foundation funding has resulted in ships that have passed the preservation point of no return. Yet, there are programs and individuals who are helping to stave off many of the problems that threaten historic vessels, and they are making a difference. Some of the help is in the form of good management, and some is due to historic preservation laws, policies, and technical and financial assistance. The recent Ninth Maritime Heritage Conference in Baltimore provided information about the best and worst news that the field has to offer. Here are a few of both. Financial Difficulties Ships have expensive recurring maintenance needs. Deferred maintenance only makes the costs climb even faster if repairs and periodic care are not happening on a regular schedule. Under austere budget constraints, publicly owned ships must compete against other high-priority projects, including infrastructure maintenance, education, and other press ing needs of the nation. A particular challenge in securing public funding is the frequent requirement by government to find areas to cut to make up for spending on new projects and programs. "Zero-sum" funding provides challenges to both governments and non-profit organizations, and funding agencies require creative, persuasive arguments to be co nvinced. The process also usually involves pitting non-profits against one another. With zero-s um fundin g practices, the costs of competition itself may use up most of the gain from public fundin g. Nevertheless, it is not only public funding sources that are reducing their financial assistance and grants. Fundraising campaigns of all sorts are yielding disappointing results. Multiple approaches that once were staples of fundraising cannot be counted on. This m ay be a temporary condition connected to the current financial crisis and may pass as the economy improves, but creativity will be needed for the foreseeable future. A few grant-giving foundations are expanding their funding in areas of interest to their principals; it behooves the traditional ship-owning and -operating community to find out what those interests are and work towards fulfilling them. Visitation is another problem affecting funding for museum ships. For many years until recently, visitation had been sinking, likely because of competition with television and other home entertainment. Lately, numbers of visitors have been slowly climbing back to earlier, higher levels but are still not what they once were. Revenue from 20
Falls of Clyde, 2008
admission fees, even in good tim es, cannot totally fund the needs of historic ships.
Ships in Extremis Many historic ships go through a succession of owners before they reach their end. They may then wind up with an owner who does not have the experience, will, o r capacity to raise the needed funds to maintain the ship, despite the best of intentions. A museum or other non-profit organization may raise awareness of a ship's plight by advertising offers to turn the ship over to any responsible parry who will accept ownership, and, in the interim, it may not use funds for the ship even when they are available. Recent examples of ships transferred or being given to new owners include the four-masted barque Falls of Clyde, previously owned by the largest museum in Hawaii. She was gutted and dismasted for sinking before a las t-minute effort by an enthusiastic bur inexperienced local preservation group took overownership of the vessel. Help has arrived from knowledgeable volunteers, but funding is in short supply and the ship is still in a grave situation.
Another large and well-known museum, the Independence Seaport Museum (ISM) in Philadelphia, recently advertised to give the cruiser Olympia, of SpanishAmerican War fame, to any takers. They have not found another institution to take her, including the US Navy, and have made plans to remove her superstructure and sink her as a reef off New Jersey. The Navy took back responsibility of the vessel once before and did find a new caretaker but has declined to repeat its actions to save the ship again. The recent Maritime Heritage Conference in Baltimore devoted an entire session to the plight of Olympia, at which a relatively new non-profit organization, the Friends of the Cruiser O lympia, was introduced and has expressed an interest in having the ISM transfer the ship to its care. This gro up appears to present by far the best chance for the historic cruiser's survival, but it faces a requiremem from the Navy that it must have raised $2.5 million before the ship can be transferred. Other ship preservation organizations take on projects with huge capital requirem ents: one aircraft carrier required more SEA HISTORY 133 WINTER 2010-11
USS Laffey, 1942 than $130 million for preservation wo rk, dredging, pier repairs and conversion of much of the vessel to reconfigure it in a way that can keep it earning money. The fundin g came predominantly from federal appropria tions from multiple agency budgets. If the ocean liner United States is to survive, a similar influx of fundin g will be needed. Straightforward maintenance costs of battleships and aircraft: carriers run in the millions of dollars; just the authentic new teak decks for battleships cost more than $5 million each, and painting a battleship can cost twice that. Teak for decking from the two traditional species is now a rare and endangered hardwood, and the purchase of sufficient timber to renew the decks of a major historic ship m ight take up a fi fth of the entire world's supply for a year. W hile money is typically the problem in restoring and maintaining historic vessels, the environmental impact has to be considered as well. The historic fl eet at Patriots Point in C harleston, South Carolina, is an example of huge capital needs that are not being m et. 1 h e costs of dry docking eve n a smaller warship such as the National Historic Landmark destroye r Laffey for bottom re-plating and painting can be as tronomical. In 2009, USS Laffey was moved to the shipyard and repairs were made to the tune of $9 .2 million. Al tho ugh the work on th e ship has been completed, Laffey has not been able to return to her dock at Patriots Point for lack of mo ney to ready her berth th ere, and the museum owes the state for the emergency loan that saved the ship in the first place. Two o ther Na tional Historic Landm ark ships have also departed fro m Patriots Point: the nuclear fre ighter Savannah to Baltimore; and the World War II Coast G uard C utter Ingham to th e Key Wes t Maritime Mem orial Museum. The fu ture of the aircraft carrier USS Yorktown and the sub ma rine Clamagore is at risk. O ther ships with dire fund ing needs include several historic steamships. The Great Lakes ore freighter j. B. Ford has outlived its economic usefuln ess and been laid up fo r several years. A gro up has recently com e toge ther to seek a hom e and fu nding for the historic steamship. O ut wes t, the wooden steam schoo ner Wapama has been kept afloat on to p of a barge fo r m any years but suffe rs fro m dry ro t and needs extensive wo rk. The huge sidewheeler President has been cu t into roo m-sized chunks to prepare for a move to a location fa r fro m the O hio and Mississippi SEA HISTORY 133 W INTER 20 10-1 1
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Wapama, 1988
Rivers where she once operated. It seems unlikely she will be reassembled. The streamlined former San Francisco ferry Kalakala has been seeking a home port, funding, and restoration for years with little success. She is currently located in Tacoma, Washington. A recent trend is to partially dis man tie and then scuttle old ships for use as artificial reefs. Whi le this is an acceptable disposal option along the lines of scrapping or sinking in weapon tests, it is not a preservation option. Some owners have been criticized for using this disposal method as a quick way to place the failed project out of sight, and thus out of mind. This may explain why some scuttling operations have been quietly planned and carried out, with the ship to be sunk in deep water far from public scrutiny. Deep water scuttling is considered more acceptable from an environmental standpoint and is less likely to damage shallow water preserves or pose navigational hazards.
Kalakala
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Legal Protections for Historic Vessels and Other Properties The US Navy has the longest established system of historic vessel protection in the United States. Starting with the frigate USS Constitution, "Old Ironsides," the navy continues to preserve historic vessels as floating headquarters or training vessels long after those particular ships have outlived their usefulness as fighting warj ships. Constitution, famous for her victories in the War of 1812, has repeatedly survived destruction when deferred maintenance threatened her existence. The 1854 ship-sloop Constellation followed Constitution in preservation. Next came three other well-known Civil War ships: Farragut's flagship at Mobile Bay, Hartford; Kearsarge, the victor of the famous
duel with CSS Alabama; and the famous schooner yacht America, which had been captured as a Confederate blockade runner. By continuing useful service, these vessels were preserved through ordinary maintenance alongside newer vessels. Eventually, other historic naval vessels, such as the cruiser Olympia, joined their historic sisters. Today, only half of these ships survive, one, the cruiser Olympia, with only a tenuous hold on life. The other previously preserved ships which did not survive include Kearsarge, America, and H artford. Kearsarge ran on Roncador Reef in 1894 and was partially salvaged but could not be successfully refloated. The schooner America went through a succession of owners without receiving adequate maintenance until she was given to the Naval Academy. The Academy began preliminary resto ration work, removing rotten decks and so me structural m embers,
Kearsarge, c. 1879-86
but work h alted when World War II intervened. America was broken up in place; her temporary shelter collapsed m a snowsto rm and damaged the remaining hull stored within . The steam sloopof-war Hartford was declared a relic in 1945 and kept at the Norfolk Navy Yard with only rudimentary maintenance. She sank in place in 1956 and was dismantled. Relics from the ship were divided up and are exhibited in several museums across the country. There ought to be a law! Preservation laws are often perceived as more effective than they are. Federal preservation law is strongest in protecting public property. The Historic Sites Act of 1935 first made clear that historic preservation was a Federal duty and public policy. The law also established the Historic American Building Survey and the temporary Historic American Merchant Marine Survey, and the survey that became the National Historic Landmark Program. The National Historic Preservation Act of SEA HISTORY 133 WINTER 2010-11
USS Olympia, 2005 1966 (NHPA) is the m os t comprehensive preservation law. It established the National Register ofHistoric Places, Stare and Federal Historic Preservation Officers, and other assistance to help private grou ps, local government, and federal offices protect historic sires, structures and vessels. These programs helped protect examples of the Americanbuilr environment from som e dangers, bur there are still many hazards from which there is little protection. Today, there are more than 130 historic ships designated as National Historic Landmarks, and a larger number are listed on the National Register. State, tribal, and local governments, as well as private historic property owners, are m inimally constrained in their actions dealing with those properties, unless they intend to use federal funds or lands or opera re using a federal permit. They can perhaps be embarrassed bur not prosecuted for their actions. The area where the NHPA has "teeth" is in causing federal agencies engaged in actions, called "undertakings" under preservation law, to consider whether there might be a negative impact caused by their actions. If a property is a National Historic Landmark, the agency needs to avoid negative impacts entirely if poss ible. The listing, however, may cause more stringent local and stare regulations to kick in . One of many federal preservation programs under the law is run by rhe US Navy. 1he program helps groups that can demonstra te administrative competency and fundraising abili ty to adopt historic vessels if they can meet the criteria set by Congress and the law. The ship donation program's role is made more difficult by partially conflicting legal requirements. Like any Federal agency, they m ust comply with the National Historic Preservation Act and consider their actio ns and undergo public comment under Section 106, while complying with a requirement that they spend no federal funds on the process-so there is arguably no provision for the Navy to take back a histo ric ship if a new owner is unable to care for that ship. This is the situation the Navy has been handed by the Independence Seaport Museum's fai lure to raise suffic ient funding to care for the tremendo usly important National Historic Landmark cruiser Olympia. In this case, the museum wants to give the ship back to the Navy: the Navy has said essentially "no gives, no backs, no takes." SEA HISTORY 133 WINTER 2010-11
Instead, the museum has plans to destroy Olympia by removing the superstructure and sinking her as a reef. Once before, when the Olympia was threatened with scrapping afrer the owners at the time were underinsured and lost a slip-and-fall court case, the Navy did take the Olympia back and later awarded her to another owner in Philadelph ia. That action required the direct intervention of the Secretary of the Navy. The current impasse may result in the loss of one of the fo ur or five most important historic ships in the United States. For many years, the most acceptable thing to do with a ship that co uld not be saved was through a two-step process as the vessel was broken up. The first is photographic and drawing documenta-
tion before scrapping; and the second is salvage of important pieces of artwork and engineering components. This process has become standard practice with the Navy, the Coast G uard, and some other government agencies. The builder's plaques, the ship's bell, charts and paper records, bridge instruments, the ship's wheel, and some electronics might be removed. Classified devices, amm uni tion, fuel , and the smaller armament are removed, and large weapo ns are rendered inoperable (demilitarized). In the m erchant fleet, only a small number of vessels that could not be saved have been dismantled responsibly, using good p reserva tion practice. The m ost recent example is the three-mas ted schooner Wawona, broken up in 2009 in Seattle.
Wawona, 2007
23
Wawona had been a central part of Northwest Seaport, open to visitation while restoration proceeded, but funding was never sufficient to restore more than a portion of the hull at any one time. Once the owners accepted that they wo uld not be able to save the ship, they assem bled sufficient fundin g for a major project to document the vessel fully and prepared the schooner for her end properly. Recent successful projects Not all is gloom on the waterfront. Success has come to many other historic ships. Most of the naval vessels preserved around the country are kept in good shape, with
active, competent management and crews. Perhaps it is their active crews, visible on deck, that make a difference. The remains of two salvaged C ivil War warships, CSS Jackson and CSS Chattahoochee, have been preserved inside a museum in Columbus , Georgia. A replica wars hip, usually m anned by a uniformed crew, is ou tside and attracts visitors to the museum who might otherwise miss the real vessel remains inside. The battleship North Carolina in Wilmington, North Carolina, has been kept in good co ndition , and the aircraft carrier USS Intrepid in New York City has been extensively renova ted and operates a very active education and outreach program as part of the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum. The three-mas ted schooner C. A . 1hayer, owned by the National Park Service, has been extensively restored and is in beautiful co ndition, a true jewel of the San Francisco waterfro nt. Other examples of exemplary preservation abound among non-profit and privately owned vessels on the western rivers, G reat Lakes, Gulf of Mexico, and the East and W est Coasts. As long as eno ugh Americans remember the nation's long history on the water, there will be a need ro preserve the handiwork of our predecessors. America is a maritime nation, from the colonial period through to the twenty-first century, and our ships keep us in touch with this rich history as living reminders of our maritime heritage. j:, Kevin j. Foster is an historian andpreservationist for the federa l government with m ore than 25 years of experience in maritime museums, archaeology, and history. Mr. Foster also serves as an edito rial advisor to Sea History.
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SEA HISTORY 133 WINTER 20 10-11
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Activism through Art, the Maritim e Paintings of Christine Hanlon by Christine Hanlon y fascination with the ocean began at an early age. I grew up in the Midwest in a big family, and we traveled to the coast each summer to spend a month at Carolina Beach, North Carolina-living in our bathing suits, falling in love with waves, visiting th e historic Cape Hatteras lighthouse, and learning to water ski. Moving to Chicago for my high school years gave me Lake Michigan as a constant backdrop for thunderstorms over the lake, occasional Sunfish sailing, and the opportunity to paint what seemed like an inland sea. When it came time for college, I headed east to Providence to attend the Rhode Island School of Design, which gave me the chance to explore the Northeastern shores. I have fond memories of painting the salt marshes of Plum Island near Newbury, Massachusetts, with gloves on, holding onto my easel and canvas, to kee p them from sailing away. But it was not until a move to Northern California in the early 1980s that the ocean really became a permanent part of my life and artistic expression. Traditional and urban landscapes have always attracted me, but living in the San Francisco Bay area allowed me to see and experience big ships up close for the first time. Living on boats for several years (my husband is a sailor and repairs and restores boats), I was immersed in rhe world of working harbors and marinas, adding to my understanding of the waterfront. The vessels I found most visually engaging were nor the sleek lined yachts bur rather rhe working crafr such as tugboats, cargo ships, oil tankers and fishing boats. We lived aboard an 85-foot sub-chaser as caretakers, and my painring studio was housed in the bridge. From rhar vantage point, I saw oil tankers across the Richmond channel, docked for days at a rime, exchanging crude with the local refinery and watched rhe tugboats maneuver them around. It was an eye-opening experience to sail our the channel in a small Rhodes sailboat and pull alongside a docked oil ranker, looking directly up the towering sides of the massive ship. I have always loved rhe way light and shadow
M
Import/Export #3 12 x 12 inches oil on panel An anonymous cargo ship with just few containers aboard, as seen from the shore and silhouetted by the intense reflection ofthe sunlit water.
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SEAHISTORY 133, WINTER2010-ll
Aground
.
12 x 12 inches oil on panel
â&#x20AC;˘
lhe Jolly Rubino, an Italian 3 1,362 gross-ton cargo ship, ran aground after a shipboard fire 1, 000 feet offthe coast of South Aftica on 12 September 2 002 . lhe ship's location was particularly distressing because it was just offthe iSimangaliso Wetland Park, a World H eritage Site and ecologically sensitive wetland and estuary. lhe Jolly Rubino was carrying 1, 100 tons offuel, plus toxic chemicals including: phenol, alpha-naphthylamine, isopropanol and acetone. An estimated forty containers washed overboard in the heavy seas; a week later, some of her containers were located 600 miles north ofthe wreck site, presenting a physical and chemical hazard to other ships.
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Cargo 5 x 7 inches oil on panel lhe colors of this container ship are washed out by the glare ofa late afternoon sun, giving it a surreal appearance as it goes about its work and passes Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay.
SEA HISTORY 133 , WINTER2010-ll
27
Death of an Oil Tanker: Prestige (1976-2002) , triptych,
11 x 11 inches each panel
Winner of "Best of Show" at the 15th Annual Maritime Exhibit, Coos Art Museum, Coos Bay, Oregon, 2008; j uror's Award, Bay Area Annual juried Exhibition at Sanchez Art Center, Pacifica, California, 2005. The sequence of scenes depicted in this triptych shows the breaking apart of the 42, 820-gross-ton tanker Prestige off the coast of Spain. The 2 002 oil spill.from Pres tige caused the Largest environmental disaster in Spain's history. Twenty million gallons ofoil p oured into the sea when the hull split in half, devastating the fishing industry and ecology of the entire coastline off Galicia. Four years Later in 2 006, oil slicks in the vicinity ofthe Prestige wreck site were still being detected.
defin e the complex lines of rhese m assive seagoing monoliths, especially cargo ships, wirh rheir multi-colored container loads. Tugs and fishing boars usually exhibit shapes and character nor generally found in recreational vessels. While I am attracted to rhe appearance of rhese large shi ps and wo rking boats, there is a sociopolirical aspect to rhem as well, on which I have chosen to co mment th ro ugh my an . In 2010, approximately ninety percent of rhe wo rld's goods are rranspo rred by ship, and rhe U ni red Srares has been and is srill a m aritime nation even iffew people consider rhis fac r. These ships and working vessels represent the globally dependent culture and economy rhar we inhabit, rransponing goods from around rhe planer, while burning rhe dirriesr crude oil ro accomplish their wo rk. While we enj oy being excessively mobile in our ca rs, ir's the oil ra nkers th ar have allowed us rhis luxury, ye r rhey have also been rhe source of some of rhe worst ecological disasters. Several of my paintings show rhe single hull tanker known as rh e Prestige before and after it broke up off th e coast of Spain and Ponugal in late 2002. This was an enviro nmental disaster of severe m agni tude, and ir pollu ted rhe entire coastline of Spai n, ruining the fi shing and shellfish industry fo r a very long rime. O f course, we now have far worse spills, like rhe explosion of the D eepwater
Import/Export #1 , 12 x
12 inches, oil on canvas
A fu lly Laden cargo ship whose name is Less important than its p urpose, to bring goods in and out of US ports.
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SEA HISTORY 133 , WINTER 20 10-11
Horizon oil ri g in the Gulf of Mexico. Considering that it took almost twenty years for rhe fishing industry to recover after the Exxon Valdez disaster in Alaska, which is still not fully cleaned up, it is clear that the impact of our global dependence upon fossil fuels will co ntinue to be felt by the oceans and fishin g industries for generations to come. Not only are we overharvesring the boun ty of the seas, bur we are turning them into a toxic soup that threatens all life, both human and marine. I will continue explorin g this subject through my arr, as well as the activities of the local fishing harbor of Princeton-By-rheSea, California, where I live and work in m y studio, walking almost daily to our local beach to paint the water and rocks off Maverick's just north of Half Moon Bay.
El Morro 3 0 x 52 inches oil on canvas This scene portrays the interface between the urban and waterfront landscapes seen in many large cities today-including the environmental degradation so common within industrial areas. Ocean-going ships have come to drydock for maintenance and repairs in San Francisco's China Basin, including the El Morro (blue hull), while container ships are visible across the bay in the distance, awaiting access to the Oakland port terminals.
SEA HISTORY 133 , WINTER 2010-11
29
All Washed Up, 5 x 6 3!s inches,
oil on panel
This image was inspired by a fishing boat that had broken free from its mooring during a storm inside Pillar Point Harbor and was left unclaimed by its owner. It seems to reflect the gradual demise of local fisheries due to depleted fish stocks and the financial stresses fishermen have come underfrom the loss ofincome. The painting on the left is the small color study done in preparation for the final version (right) which is four times larger (20 x 25 'l2 inches}. This color study is a square root ofthe "Golden Section," the same ratio that is usedfor the final version. Proportions like the square root ofPhi (the Golden Section) and the square roots of two, three, and jive are used to compose and harmonize the paintings. The side ofa square can be divided into the Golden Section cut, thereby creating an actual Golden Section (1 :1. 618.. .) within the area ofthe square- this device was used in the painting Aground (page 27). Decker's Tug (right) is a Golden Section; Cargo (page ' 27) is a square root of two; and El Morro (page 29) is a square root ofthree.
Decker's Tug
Christine Hanlon received her BFA in Painting in 1976 from the Rhode Island School ofD esign and her MFA in Painting in 1997 from the Academy ofArt University in San Francisco, where she has been part-time faculty since 1997. An activist through her art, in addition to her works on maritime themes, Ms. Hanlon is an award-winning artist for her urban landscapes. H er depictions of homelessness have won awards and helped raise funds and awareness for the Coalition on Homelessness. H er maritime art has won awards as well, including the 2008 Best in Show prize for one ofher oil tanker paintings at the Coos Art Museum 15'" Annual Maritime Exhibition. For more information on Christine H anlon and her art, visit her online at www.christinehanlon.com. ~
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:SEA HISTORY 133, WINTER 20 10-11
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Marit1e Art News Russ Kramer of Mystic, Connecticut, has been elected the new president of the American Society of Marine Artists. H e replaces arrisr Ian Marshall, who had held rhe posirio n since 2007. Kim Shaklee of Brighton, Colorado, is rhe new vice presidenr. Kram er, an oil painrer, is known fo r his 'firsr-person' recreations of historic America's Cup races and rurn-of- rhe-cenrury yachting scenes. Shaklee is a sculptor in bronze of marine life. The nor-for-profir American Society of M arine Arrisrs was found ed in 1978 and today has over 500 members across rhe co unrry. Ir cominues to serve to enhan ce public awareness of rhe genre, to explore and record rhe history of American marine arr, hold exhibitions, and encourage and support rhe wo rk of newcom ers. The ASMA Reach For The Start: Mischief, 1881 by Russ Kramer has announced venues and dares fo r irs 15th National Exhibition, which will rravel rhroughout the South and West beginning in late 2011. As m any as 100 wo rks fro m the top American m arine artists will be o n display beginning at the Cornell Museum of Art and American C ulture, Delray Beach, FL (27 O ctober 2011 - 9 January 201 2), and continue to the M obile Museum of Arr, M obile, AL (1 9 January - 8 April 201 2), the Arr M useum of Southeasr Texas, Beaumont, TX (21 April - 17 June 201 2), rhe Ar t Museum of Sourh Texas, Co rpus Christi , TX (30 June - 25 August 201 2), the Museum of rhe Southwesr, Midland, TX (4 Seprember - 7 December 201 2), The H aggin M useum, Stockton, CA (20 December - 3 March 201 3), the Coos Ar r M useum, Coos Bay, OR (22 M arch - 18 May 2013) , and The M innesota M useum of Marine Arr, W inona, MN (4 June - 28 July 201 3) . Informatio n on rhe Society, rhe upcoming exhibirion, and regional shows and wo rksho ps can be found online ar www.americansocietyofmarineartists.com. COURTESY PAT RIC K O' BRIEN
The 31st Annual International Marine Art Exhibition at Mystic Seaport is jusr abour wrapped up, and rhirreen arrisrs were recipienrs of eighr named awards and fi ve awards of excellence o ut of more rhan 100 wo rks displayed. The Museum Purchase Award, rhe most pres ri gious award of the evenr, went to Patrick O'Brien fo r his oil painting, Ihe Great White Fleet in the Straits of Magellan (righr). Fo r m ore info rmarion on rhe exhibirions ar the M aririme G allery at Mys ric Seapo rr, including rhe upcoming M aritime Miniatures by Maririme Masters exhibirion (20 November - 29 January), contacr the gallery ar: Ph . 860 572-5388; em ail ar gallery@mys ricseaporr.org (47 Greenmanville Avenue, Mystic, CT 06355; www.mysticseaport.org/gallery). On the West Coast, Reflections, Provincetown, a watercolor by Louis Stephen Gadal, has been awarded Best of Show at the 17th Annual Maritime Art Exhibition at the Coos Art Museum in Coos Bay, Oregon. The museum collaborated wirh the American Society of Marine Artists to presenr the annual juried exhibirion, which also served as ASMA's regional comperi rion for rhe wes rern Unired Srares . Sixty-nine works by fo rty-four contemporary m arine artists were on display. A narive of Califo rnia, Mr. Gadal is the currenr presidenr of rhe Internatio nal Society of M arine Ar risrs and is a Fellow of the Ameri can Society of M arine Arrists. The Coos Arr Museum o rganizes the exhibirion of conremporary m aririme arr from across the country each summer. Information for artists and patrons abo ut evenrs ar C oos Arr Museum can be found online at www.coosart.org. (CAM, 235 Anderson Ave., C oos Bay, OR 97420; Ph. 54 1 267-3901 ). Reflections, Provincetown by Louis Stephen Cada!
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SEA HISTORY 133 , WINTER 2010-ll
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Last(ing) Iron Ships- Iron vs. Steel in Shipbuilding by OlafT. Engvig
T
he common view has generally sailing in her as part of the ship's history, Karl Kortum, the late director of the San held that old iron is an inferior but more importantly, I asked for help. A Francisco Maritime Museum, was one of substance to steel. During the group of volunteers signed on, and together the few who shared my views. He concurred 1880s, steel emerged as the prewe restored the sailing steamship. During that the world's maritime heritage had sufferred shipbuilding material, once it could the restoration, I was particular about in- fered unnecessarily because, for more than be produced in mass quantities and compete vestigating Hansteen's hull plates. Riveted a century, authorities had been arguing the opposite and acting on price, and with that accordingly: as soo n transition, the iron as newer tonnage of shipbuilding era was steel was available, doomed. Laboratory they scrapped their rests and the practiiron vessels. cal knowledge gained from ships in use led When most of the to the conclusion that surviving iron sh ips were built, the wo rld a ship made from steel h ad no telephones, was both lighter and typewriters, electric stronger than iron (or lights, combusrionwood, for that matter) and therefore could engine cars, or radios, withstand much more and a considerable wear and tear without part of the world had yet to be discovered by having to be repaired or aba ndoned. With l'HO TO BY OLAF ENGV IG explorers. The older these assumptions, it New research, starting with a study of the H ansteen, has shown that iron is superior to all iron-built tonnage was accepted as fact other material for shipbuilding. No other historic vessel of the same age has survived in a that is still with us as that iron ships were similar condition, with its hull more or less intact since construction. hulks or restored ships lesser-quality vessels pre-dates these inventions. They are among the oldest original iron than their steel sister ships. Nor until recently repairs were easily spotted from the inside, has research shown tharship-qualitywrought structures left in the world, together with bur it was the newer plates of steel which iron, produced during the Victorian era, was some locomotives, bridges, and other static were badly corroded to just a few millimeters. in many ways a superio r material to steel and, iron structures, first and foremost represented This observation was quite the opposite of above all, is much more resilient. what I had been told to expect. I understood by the Eiffel Tower in Paris. When I started the restoration of my Ships of iron have survived a hundred that this was important new knowledge but years in sub-Antarctic waters with little or first ship, the 1866 Norwegian iron-built could find no publications in support of my Hansteen, I was told by authorities as well as no attention aside from some vandalizing findings. I decided to conduct a thorough attempts. a government-employed antiquarian that I In the frigid waters ofNew Fortuna scientific study myself, and the Hansteen was was foolish for trying to save "a few old iron Bay, South Georgia (Antarctica), the hulk of well suited for such an inves tigation. plates" and a ship that old. Shortly beforethe collier Bayard still remains nearly 100 Of the ship's 128 hull plates I replaced hand, however, I had a ship surveyor from twenty-six. N ineteen were steel plates that yearsafter sheran agro undinJune 1911. The the classification foundation Der Norske had been replaced during the ship's active Bayard was a 1,335-gross-ton, three-masted Veritas measure the hull-plates of the same years. C ur-outs of these replaced plates barque of 220 feet, built of iron by Vernon ship. He was amazed and reported that there and angle iron were sent to a laboratory for & Son, Liverpool, in 1864 for worldwide was "plenty of thickness left in these plates." analysis. The laboratory results were exactly trading. After Ocean Whaling of Larvik, The Hansteen was already scheduled to be as I anticipated from studying her records No rway, was granted whaling concessions scuttled, bur when the owner learned that from h er original construction and repair in 1909 at Ocean Harbour, New Fortuna he could get away with selling the floating history. Almost eigh ty percent of the hull Bay, the Bayard was taken to South Georhulk for the symbolic price of one Norwegian of this old ship still consisted of her original gia with her holds filled with coal. She was krone (about 25 cents), he was m ore than wrought iron plates. The common notion tied up at the pier and became the whaling happy to sign the deed over to me. I then of "no-good, rusty old iron" would have to station's coaling depot until she broke away became the sole owner of 200 tons of old be modified, but for a long time I was met in a severe storm on 6 June 19 11. The Bawrought iron and began having nightmares with a rather indifferent attitude in regards yard drifted across the bay and grounded that the ship wo uld si nk in O slo Harbor. to my findings about the issue of iron versus on rocks, where she sits today. The hull of Thar did not happen. this iron vessel looked much the same at steel as a shipbuilding material. Instead, I wrote an article on the ship When I set out to share my conclusion the beginning of the twentieth century as that included the story of King Oscar II that old iron lasts much longer than steel, she did at the century's end. She was builr
34
SEA HISTORY 133 WINTER 2010-11
just one year after the San Diego Maritime Museum's iron barque Star ofIndia, which is listed with the World Ship Trust as the oldest active sailing vessel in the world. The Star of India (ex-Euterpe) is identifi ed as an original iron ship by the industrial stamp marks on her frames and beams. The Bayard, aground for all these years with a list to port, still has her lower masts of several tons each, upright without support, indicating she must have considerable strength lefr in her hull. Port Stanley in the Falkland Islands was an emergency port of call for sailing ships in distress. With no facilities for repairing riveted sh ips, those unable to put back to sea were written off and left there to die as storage hulks. 1 h e 1843 passenger steamship SS Great Britain was scuttled and abandoned there in 1937. More than four decades later, a naval architect determined that the hull could be refloated. In 1970, she was raised and towed across the Atlantic to England, where sh e has been restored and operates as a museum ship in Bristol. With the Great Britain's departure from Port Stanley, the 1879 barque Lady Elizabeth becam e the Falklands' most famous resident hulk. Lady Elizabeth was built by Robert Thompson Jr. of Sunderland, England. Her iron hull is 223 feet long and 1,208 gross tons, and she was rigged as a three-masted barque and sailed across the oceans engaged in worldwide trade. In 1913, she limped into Stanley as a Norwegian trader with storm dam ages after losing fo ur crew members off Cape Horn. She was not leaking, but she was badly beaten up and deemed unseaworthy. The Lady Elizabeth stayed in Stanley and was used as a storage faci lity and wareho use in the port for many years . In 1936 she was towed to Whalebone Cove and purposely gro unded by making several holes in her to make her stay put. In 2010, she is still sitting in shallow water at Whalebone C ove with all her lower masts and even the heavy main yard in place. She exhibits damage to her topside railing and bowsprit that occurred almost a hundred years ago. Recent expeditions have surveyed her hull , fo und it intact, and noted that the ship was moving slightly in the swell. I walked her deck last February and found her in the same shape as she was twenty-six years ago, as recorded by two extensive reports on her condition . I was amazed at how much of the ship has survived almost 100 years as an
SEA HISTORY 133 WINTER 2010-11
Thousands ofiron ships were phased out and broken up after 1890. just a few have survived past the mid-twentieth century, only to be deemed inferior structures. The Bayard has lasted a hundred years like this at a distant shore in South Georgia.
abandoned hulk in the harsh environment of the Falkland Islands. I believe that, like SS Great Britain before her, the Lady Elizabeth could be re-floated on her own hull if the holes were patched in a salvage operation and the sand "ballast" pumped out. Imagine how seeing this ship aflo at in Port Stanley would speak to how ship-quality wrought iron can survive this long in South Atlantic waters and a sub-Antarctic climate. Tourists in Stanley would have something unique to inves tigate and not just as an abandoned hulk visible from only a distance today. The Lady Elizabeth is likely the world's
most famous hulk-she even has her own postage stamp. She is easily spotted by tourist ships enterin g Stan ley and is by far the most significanr maritime landmark of the Falklands. Eighteen years before Lady Elizabeth arrived at Stanley, a brand new steel ship on her maiden voyage from Swansea to San Francisco with a cargo of coal sailed into the same harbor after her cargo caught fire. It was the G!engowan, built by Rogers & Co., Port Glasgow, delivered in September of 1895. The G!engowan was a three-masted full-rigged ship of 1,967 gross tons. The
The sorrowful remains of the full-rigged ship Glengowan, a once mighty steel ship from the fast days ofsail that ended her maiden voyage in the Falklands. Younger, stronger, and more solidly built than her iron sisters, little is left of this vessel apart from the rudder post-the one piece ofiron in her huff.
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___ 35
Lady Elizaberh is perhaps the world's most famous wreck extant. H er hulk has been a Port Stanley Landmark for almost a hundred years. 1hese three photos reveal the durability ofiron as a shipbuilding material-her three masts are still standing nearly 75 years after she was abandoned.
36
caprain cried to scuttle her ar Whalebone Cove to exringuish rhe fire. The ship was less rhan half a year old when chis happened. She srayed ar Whalebone Cove umil 1909, when she was sold ro Chrisrian Salvesen's whaling company, salvaged, and towed to New Island, Wesr Falkland, to be pur to use as a coaling barge for the Sourh H arbo ur W haling Sration. Ar char rime, rhe Glengowan's rhree towering mases of sreel were srill imact. In 1916, rhe sration burned and was closed down. Equipmem was dism anded and sem to Sourh Geo rgia; rhe ship was lefr behind. N ine years lacer, she broke her moorings and sank nearby, much like rhe Bayard fourteen years prior. The Glengowan has srayed in that locatio n ever since. In comrasr to her rwo older iron sisrers memioned above, little is lefr of chis big and once-proud sreel ship. Her entire poop suucrure is long gone, as is her m ain deck. Only a few scarrered pieces of her rusred frames and part of her hull is lefr above water. The one part of the ship made of wrought iron is the rudder pose, and it is rhe only part of the ship char appears imact. Unlike the older ships nearby, also abandoned and exposed to the elemems for decades, chis yo unger vessel made from "superior" sreel is too far deteriorated for even rhe mosr imaginarive to think of her as a proud windjammer from the last days of sail. Rust has consumed her almost entirely. The Bayard, at 146 years old, and the Lady Elizabeth, at 13 1 yea rs old, have never been worked on as restoration projects. They have just been sitting in their locations for abo ut one hundred years and refuse to die. They are original relics from rhe beginnings of the industrial revolution and superb artifacts to research . Their sheer presence is the best proof of the superiori ry of "rotten old iron" compared to steel in regard to longeviry. Its lasting quali ry is simply amazing, and this is why the few iron ships left in the world should be treated as historic treasures. They comain original marerial from rhe rime they were built and are rhus excellem artifacts for furure generations to interpret and study. On the coast of Norway, three Norwegian-built iron ships remain. They h ave never received much attemion from the antiquarians, much like rhe Bayard and the Lady Elizabeth. Many nations and the institutions within them are challenged in how rhey regard presierving historic ships and maritime herirage. Tihe No rwegian Governmem, for example, d hose to spend big money replacing rhe emtire hulls in much yo unger steel
SEAHllSTORY 133 WINTER2010-ll
ships to save them as historic icons. The same goes for USS Constitution and H MS Victory. W hen near entire hulls are replaced with new materials, whether they be wood, iron, or steel, few clues are left for researchers who are imeresred in how these ships were origi nally built. O ne of Norway's most famous historic ships is rhe 1892 polar expedition schooner Fram, a Colin Archer design which gained fame as Roald Amundsen's vessel in expeditions to both poles. After she was retired from service, one of her former captains, Orto Sverdrup, struggled for rwenty-five years to save his ship. The Fram was finally re~cued and put ashore in a boathouse in 1935 to be ad mired by rhe whole wo rld as an histo ric ship and an example of solid and skillful wooden shipbuilding. She has become a national treasure, and, today, her wooden hull makes her the only major ship of this material left in Norway. Fram was saved seventy-five years ago and her hull is still original. Norway's three surviving iron
ships-Hansteen, Oscarsborgand Vterdalenwere all built before Fram, and they represent another important form of shipbuilding,
The lumber schooner V a:rdalen is a prototype in iron with steel frames. Built in 1891, she is believed to be the last-built iron-hulled ship still around. includes ships. With this recognition should follow an obligation by rhe governments to supervise their upkeep and nor just rely on small private non-profits to raise big money to preserve them . They may succeed in good times, bur when economies are stressed, funding dries up and ships cannot wait it out. Ir is fair to say that rhe UK has secured the rwo iron prototypes, the Great Britain
Twelve years ago, the 1874 tugboat Oscarsborg went about her usual winter duty as an icebreaker, negotiating a foot or more ofsea ice, after a new icebreaker sprung a leak. After 127 years of active duty as a salvage and coastal tug, Oscarsborg still has more than 80% ofher Bloomfield iron hull left and has never been restored. one rhar was discontinued before Fram was launched in 1893. In 2010 they are in rhe water, still Boating on their original hulls. The use of wrought iron for shipbuilding ended 120 years ago. So far, there has been little or no imeresr in preserving the aforementioned sh ips for the future, even if they are the last examples in a shipbuilding tradition bridging rhe gap berween a wooden shipbuilding tradition and ships of steel. The United Stares, rhe Uni red Ki ngdom, and No rway were once rhe three leading nations with regards to world tonnage, but today rhey all have the same problem- to fully recognize that their nation al heritage
SEA HISTORY 133 WINTER 2010-11
and the Wtirrior, large original ships made from iron, but they failed ro rake action regarding worldwide trader Lady Elizabeth, a ship abandoned, patient, bur with limited rime left. Maritime interests all over rhe wo rld were stunned a year and a half ago when the United Stares Coast G uard in H onolulu gramed permission to her owners to tow rhe magn ificent 1878 Falls of Clyde our beyond the US territorial limit and sink her in deep water. The iron-built Falls ofClyde in H awaii is rhe only four-mas ted full-rigged ship left in rheworld: 1,809 tons and266 feerlong. Just one generation after this ship's complete res-
toration from a hulk to a beautiful museum ship, rhemuseum rharownedherabandoned her. Unlike the rwo previously mentioned windjammers, whose only visitors for nearly a hundred years have been penguins and traveler-adventurers, Falls ofClyde had been open to the public in downtown Honolulu since 1968, closing less rhan rwo years ago when she was deemed unsafe. Her ownership has since been transferred to a non-profit gro up, Friends of the Falls of C lyde, bur their ability to raise enough funds to restore her is unclear and in all likelihood, despite rhe best of intentions, doubtful. Ir should be rhe US government's obligation to save and restore rhe Falls of Clyde in the interest of safekeeping its maritime heritage. If she cannot be kept in the water, they should follow Norway's model with the Fram: make a proper boat shed on land for the Falls of Clyde and keep her there for new generatio ns to interpret and admire, making her a tourist attraction of great magnitude. To sink the Falls ofClyde wo uld be an irreversible tragedy of historic proportions. She is rhe last of her class-a class that includes the most famo us windjammers the world has ever seen. ,!,
OlafT Engvig has extensive maritime experience working with historic ships and a graduate degree in maritime historyfrom the University of Oslo. He has written numerous books and articles in English and Norwegian and has worked on the restoration of several historic ships, including the sail steamship, H ansteen, among others. His book, Viking to Victorian: Exploring the Use oflron in Ship Building (2006) was reviewed in Sea Histo ry 117. For
more information, visit his website at engvig. com/olaf 37
SEA HISTORY for kids What was the Mayflower Compact? of England. The Mayflower voyage was paid for by the Virginia Company, a group of merchants and investors that had already founded Jamestown in 1607 and now was looking to start another colony at the mouth of the Hudson River. The North Atlantic is a cold and rough place to sail at this time of year, and after a stormy two-month passage at sea, they sighted the tip of Cape Cod and headed for shore. Their contract, or charter, with the Virginia Company had granted the colonists permission to settle the land at the mouth of the Hudson River, nearly 300 miles from where they ended up. With winter fast approaching and the sailing conditions looking increasingly dangerous, they decided not to go back to sea. Instead, they would settle locally, even though it meant ~........., ....._..._ they would be breaking the terms of their charter. Some of the passengers argued that because they had already broken this contract, they would not have to follow its rules. After much discussion, they came up with a new agreement about how they , . _. . . . .::;.._~~ would govern the new colony, promising to "obey all laws made for the common good of the colony." Aboard the Mayflower, this agreement was written up and signed by 41 of the men. This agreement later became known as the "Mayflower Compact," and it is considered an important step towards a~eiii-;~tlie idea of self-government,
n 6 September 1620, a ship named the Mayflower set sail from Plymouth, England, bound for North America. Onboard the ship were 102 passengers who were leaving their homeland to establish a colony in the wilderness on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean. About half of the passengers were people we refer to as "the Pilgrims," who wanted to build a new community where they could practice their own religion, free from the restrictions of the Church
Mayflower II
the premise on which the United States Constitution is based. The Pilgrims and the other colonists
......
Passengers of the Mayflower signing the "Mayflower Compact. "Painting byfeanL.G. Ferris (1863-1930). set out to explore the local area for a suitable spot to build their settlement. They chose a location across Cape Cod Bay and named it Plymouth (or Plimoth), after the port from where they embarked on their journey. The Mayflower anchored in Plymouth Bay for the winter and left to sail back to England in April 1621. Very little is known about the ship itself, even though it is one of the most famous vessels in American history. William Bradford, the governor of the Plymouth Colony, in writing about its history, wrote that a ship "was hired at London, ofburthen about nine scoure." He never recorded the ship's name, but SEAHJSTORY 133, WINTER2010-JJ
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a few pieces of information about the ship can been gleaned from the text. For example, he reported that one of the passengers fell overboard during a storm but saved himself by grabbing a topsail halyard, confirming that the ship
was rigged with topsails. The ship was only identified as the "Mayflower" in a 1623 document that listed the colonists' names and land assignments; the list groups individuals by ship name and lists "May-floure" for the colonists that arrived on the 1620 voyage. It turns out that "Mayflower" was a popular name for ships back then. Historians were able to narrow it down to one, however, by matching the name of the ship's captain, Christopher Jones, with a ship "Mayflower" in the record books with a captain of the same name. His ship Mayflower was a trading vessel during that time period and could have made the voyage to North America when the Pilgrims embarked on their historic journey. After the Mayflower sailed back to England in the spring of 1621, she resumed her trading voyages between London and France. A few years after Captain Jones died, there is one last mention of the ship in the 1624 records when the owners declared the ship "in
minis" and were requesting an appraisal from the British Admiralty. Today, you can tour the Mayflower IL a reproduction of the original ship, owned by the living history museum Plimoth Plantation. Because we don't know exactly what the original Mayflower looked like, the Mayflower II was designed to represent what a typical trading vessel of that tonnage, or size, and rig (don't forget the clue about the topsails) would have looked like. Mayflower II serves as a dockside exhibit and occasionally goes sailing for special events. You can visit the Mayflower II and Plimoth Plantation, either in person in Plymouth, Massachusetts, or online at www.plimoth.org. To learn more about the first Thanksgiving and what really happened, check out their interactive online feature, "You are the Historian," by clicking on the "Online Learning Center" under "Education Programs." (Plimoth Plantation, 137 Warren Avenue, Plymouth, MA 02360).
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The image of the Pilgrim in the black suit the starched white collar and big buckles on his hat and shoes is largely just a myth. They did wear black on Sundays, but they fastened their shoes with leather ties, not buckles. Buckles did not even come into fashion back in England until the 1660s, forty years after the Pilgrims landed in North America . No one knows what happened to the original ''Mayflower Compact, " but William Bradford, the governor of Plymouth Colony, later published a history of the colony, titled Of Plimoth Plantation, which contained the document's text, as shown on this page from his book.
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SEA HISTORY 133, WINTER 2010- 11
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n Robert Louis Stevenson's novel Treasure Island (1883), Long John Silver shows young Hawkins his pet parrot in a cage. Silver's female bird, which ~. . . . . . . he gives sugar snacks and calls Cap' n Flint, not only swears and barks sailing orders but repeatedly shrieks "Pieces of eight!" Silver explains: Now, that bird . .. is, maybe, two hundred years old, Hawkins-they live forever mostly; and if anybody's seen more wickedness, it must be the devil himself She's sailed with England, the great Cap'n England, the pirate. She's been at Madagascar, and at Malabar, and Surinam, and Providence, and Ponobello. She was at the fishing up of the wrecked plate ships. It's there she learned "Pieces of eight," and little wonder; three hundred and fifty thousand of ' em, Hawkins! She was at the boarding of the Viceroy of the Indies out of Goa, she was; and to look at her you would think she was a babby.
Did sailors really keep parrots on ships at sea? Large brightly-colored birds live mostly in tropical climates, so when the early European explorers began sailing to warm distant shores, they collected parrots as exotic souvenirs and specimens for collectors and scientists back home. In 1676 explorer and pirate William D ampier observed red and yellow "tame Parrots" along the Caribbean coast of Mexico: "They wo uld prate very prettily and there was scarce a Man but what sent aboard one or two of them ." One strategy sailors used for collecting parrots involved seizing one and pinching the animal until it cried out. Since parrots are socially protective birds, others would soon By in to help and get tricked into being caught themselves. Once the sailors h ad the parrots back aboard ship, they built cages to keep the birds safe for the passage home. The animals didn't always survive their journeys at sea, however. In 1826 on the Atlantic Ocean, the log-keeper of the brig Cicero reported dryly: ''At 9AM took F[ore] T[opgallant] Sail. Lost a parrot overboard bel o nging to Mr Delgado."
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SEA HISTORY 133 , WINTER20l0-ll
When Captain Michael Healy of the US Revenue Cutter Service was asked to pose for a photograph in 1895, he made sure to include his pet parrot. At the time this photo was taken, his ship was serving in Alaskan waters, far ftom the natural tropical habitat ofany parrot.
USCG HISTORIAN'S OFF ICE Pl-I OTO
Sailors collected parrots and tropical birds for centuries. Historians believe Columbus brought back two Cuban Amazon parrots as gifts for Queen Isabella. Even George Washington had a pet parrot, surely delivered by ship. In 1859 a sailor aboard USS Marion wrote that the ship's company had gathered some fifry pet parrots from the coast of Africa, some in cages made from netting or even old tea kettles punched with holes. He wrote: "James Cummings, does not growl quite all the time, now, as he did before he bought a parrot in Gaboon. His whole attention & time is taken up with his noisy bird, which he appears to love as a parent would his child." When sailors returned to Europe, to major cities such as Paris and London, merchants ran stalls that specialized in selling tropical birds. Men often sold the parrots through newspaper advertisements or at taverns.
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The word "parrot" can be a general term. Biologists still debate the groupings of these birds, which represent hundreds of species. As a popular name, especially in sailors' accounts, "parrots" can include macaws, cockatoos, parakeets, lovebirds, and a variery of other large, strong-beaked birds, most of whom eat seeds, fruits, and nuts as the majoriry of their diet. Parrot species are often mostly green, like Cap' n Flint, in part to help with camouflage, and usually there is no difference in the bright feathers between male and female. Flint's age is unlikely, but parrots can live over a century in captiviry. In Treasure Island, Cap' n Flint's abiliry to talk, to mimic human speech, makes her as useful as a watchdog for Long John Silver-just as the parrot's intelligence and chatry nature were surely part of its appeal for actual sailors aboard ships. Next issue: What underwater delicacy did sailors once find Polynesian women catching at night-with their feet? For other ''Animals in Sea History" visit www.seahistory.org.
SEA HISTORY 133, WJNTER2010-l I
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.SHIP NOTES, SEAPORT & MUSEUM NEWS The Battleship Texas, part of the San Jacinto Battleground State Historic Site in Texas, signed a contract in October with AECOM USA Group, Inc., an architectural and engineering firm, to design a permanent dry berth for the historic warship. The only surviving dreadnoughtera battleship in the United States, USS Texas (BB-35), is a veteran of both World Battleship Texas
Wars. In 1916, Texas became the first US battleship to mount anti-aircraft guns and the first to control gunfire with di rectors and range-keepers, analog forerunners of today's computers. In 1919, she became the first US battleship to launch an aircraft, and in 1940, the battleship was designated flagship of US Atlantic Fleet. USS Texas was decommissioned after World War II. In 1948, the ship was transferred to the State ofTexas and rowed to the San Jacinto State Park (off the Houston Ship Channel), becoming the first battleship memorial museum in the US. Since 1983, the battleship has been under the care of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD). In 2005, TPWD developed a plan to place the battleship in a permanent dry berth to best combat further deterioration from the corrosive waters of the Houston Ship Channel. In 2007, voters in Texas approved a bond package that included $25 million to dry-berth the battleship. The design of the dry- berth by AECOM is scheduled to be completed this spring. Following a federally mandated environmental assessment, expected to take two years, the bidding process for construction of the dry-berth and a temporary mooring is anticipated to begin sometime in 20 14, with construction complete by the summer of 20 17. USS Texas has been used in a number of movies, including Sand Pebbles (1966) starring Steve McQueen and directed by Robert 42
Wise, Pearl Harbor (2001 ) with Ben Affleck, and the 2006 films directed by C lint Eastwood, Flags of Our Fathers and Letters from Iwo Jima. (Battleship Texas State Historic Site, TPWD, 3523 Highway 134, LaPorte TX 77571 ; Ph. 281 479-243 1; www. tpwd.state. tx. us/ spdest/ findadest/ parks/battleship_ texas/) . . . Oxford University announced the launch of the "Old Weather" project on 12 October, which seeks to use crowd-sourcing and WWI ship logs to build a massive database of historical weather recordings. C itizen-researchers can participate by logging into their website and transcribing weather data from 280 ships' logbooks, which they have scanned in and are ready to view at the click of yo ur mouse. "These naval logbooks contain an amazing treasure trove of information, bur because the entries are handwritten they are incredibly difficult for a computer to read," said Dr. Chris Linton of Oxford University, one of the project developers. "By getting an army of online human volunteers to retrace these voyages and transcribe the information recorded by British sailors, we can relive both the climate of the past and key moments in naval history." Ship logbooks included notation of temperature, wind strength and direction, barometric pressure readings and other information, which were recorded every fo ur hours. That information is critical for climate scientists trying to improve their computer models. As well as rescuing those weath er observations, the project organizers also ask participants to record the personal and political events aboard the ship that might be noted by hand in the old logbooks. Old Weather: Our Weather's Past, the C limate's Future is a Zooniverse project in collaboration with diverse individuals and institutions, including the University of Oxford, The National Maritime M useum (UK), Naval-History.Net, the Atmospheric Circulatio n Reconstructions over the Earth (ACRE) initiative, amongst others. The project is online and waiting for yo u to join them at www.oldweather.org.) . . . Approximately forty fellowships at the John Carter Brown Library (JCBL) in Providence, Rhode Island, are up for grabs to qualified applicants for the 1 June 2011 to 30 June 2012 year.
The JCBL is accepting applications through 3 January for both shortand long-term fellowships, ranging from 2-10 months. Short-term fellowships are available to those engaged in pre- or postdoctoral or independent research for 2-4 months w ith a monthly stipend of $2, 100. Applicants for the $4,200 per month long-term fellowships are required to have their PhD before January 20 11. The JCBL's collection is foc used on the history of the Western H emisphere during the colonial period (1492-1825), emphasizing the European discovery, exploration, settlement, and development of the Americas, the indigenous response to the European co nquest, the African co ntribution to the development of rhe hemisphere, and all aspects of European relations with the New World. All fellows must relocate to Providence and be in continuous residence at the JCBL for the entire term of the fellowsh ip. Details on restrictions, research topics, and eligibility are available through the library. (JCBL, Box 1894, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912; Ph. 40 1 863-2725 ; www.jcbl.org) James "Jamie" White has taken the helm as the new director of the Texas Seaport Museum (TSM) as of 1 October. The TSM is home to the 1877 sailing vessel Elissa and several other historic vessels. A master rigger, White has more than thi rty years experience in the historic sailing ship community and has led the restoration, rigging, and mai ntenance of dozens of
Jamie White
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SEA HISTORY 133, WINTER 2010-11
histo ric and replica vessels around the US and UK. W hite holds a 100-ton m as ter's license from the US Coast Guard and has logged more than 30,000 miles at sea ·aboard traditional sailing vessels. The T SM is the maritime component of the Galveston Historical Foundation, which also operates the Galveston County Historical M useum and numerous other historic sites in Galves ton Coun ty, Texas . (TSM , Pier 2 1, No. 8, Galveston, TX 77550; Ph. 409 763- 1877; www.galvestonhisto ry.org) The original Massachusetts Bay Charter is currently on display at the Peabody Essex Museum (PEM) in Salem, Massachusetts, until 30 January 2011. The fo urACCENTS LIGHTHOUSES panel parchment will be displayed in PEM's American Art G allery, along with a RemembenngNorth American and Irish , . '];:brass sundial that belonged to G overnor •Lighthouse 1luough John Endecott and other obj ects representthe fine art of oowited ""'" ing American art and culture of the 17th cross -stitchmd ~ century. Known as the "Endecott Charter," histx>ric. alreseuch ~ ::the parchment came to N aumkeag (now -....:, ....,.~ ~ . ....... ~ Salem) on 23 June 1629 with Endecott, ·~ lt!llHt\ who became governor of the newly-es tablished Massachusetts Bay C olony. King ~. P O lloz9?"Dullbar,m 68 346 . iQiL ~, Charles I had signed two copies of the ofr~ !ll!!e c;i.tll.og: 40 2·209-2 334 ~ ficial charter- the fi rs t was taken to Cambridge, England, to be discussed amongst Serving Collectors & M useums Since 1971 the puritan founders, and the second was J. P. URANKER WOODCARVER sent to the colony itself as authorization. It AUTHENTIC MARIT IME was the first such charter to arrive in British HANDCARVED * DOVETAILED North America. Significantly, the fo ur Na nruckec, Massachusetts 1-508-693-5871 sheets of parchment represented a docu1393 County Road, Martha's Vmeyard, MA 02557 www.ninahellmanantiques.com mentary basis for American self-governWWW.JPUWOODCARVER.COM ment. The Massachusetts Bay Charter was considered the official governing document for almost 56 years, until it was made n ull and void by a court case in 1684 and Massachusetts fell under the Dominion of New England and the reign Sir Edmund Andros. The Endecott Charter was held by the Salto nstall family un til June of 18 10, when they gifted the Charter as a fo unding manuscrip t of the Salem Athenae um's collectio ns. (PEM, East India Square, 16 1 Essex Street, Salem, MA 01 970; Ph. 866-7451876; www. pem .org. Salem Athena::um, 37 Essex St., Salem , MA; www.saleDoor Hook 222051(-1) mathenaeum.net) . . . The North American Society of Oceanic History has issued a Call for Papers for the 2011 conference, "Maritime History Research at the Beginning of the 21st Century," to Door Stop & Catch Berth Light - Small Cabin Light be held on 12-15 May at Old Dominion 222712(-1) 400400(-1) 400430( - 1) University in Norfolk, VA. The conferEverett, Washington USA ence theme aims to provide an overview on
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SEA HISTORY 133 WINTER 2010-11
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what is going on in maritime history at the beginning of the 21st century. The way we study history and the field of maritime history in particular has evolved significantly in recent years . New sub-disciplines of maritime history have developed, traditional topics have been examined from new perspectives, and inter-disciplinary research has become more the standard than the exception. Amo ng the questions to be addressed in presentations and panels will be: What is the relationship of maritime history to new historical subdisciplines such as environmental or Atlantic-world history? Does traditional maritime history still make sense? Proposals for panels of up to four speakers as well as proposals for individual papers addressing the state of the discipline of maritime
history as well as new directions in maritime history research should be subm itted before 31 January to the conference organizers via e-mail. For details on submission guidelines, visit www.nasoh.org. Proposals and specific questions about the program can be emailed to: Dr. Ingo Heidbrink at iheidbri@odu.edu) Candidates for this year's annual Marion Brewington Essay Prize have until the end of December to submit their manuscripts for consideration of the $1,000 prize. The prize is awarded by the Maryland Historical Society and is named for Marion Brewington to honor his dedication in preserving, documenting, and recording the maritime history of Chesapeake Bay and encourages research in all aspects of maritime activities in rhe Bay
East Carolina University Director of Diving & Water Safety and American Academy of Underwater Sciences (AAUS) Past President Steve Sellers is retiring from the University after twenty-one years of service. Steve will not be hanging up his regulator just yet however, as he will become Diving Safety Officer (DSO) for the National Park Service, beginning in December 2010, based out of the Submerged Resources Center in Lakewood, Colorado. "All good things must come to an end, and so it is with Steve Sellers's position as Director of Diving & Water Safety at East Carolina University. In this capacity, he trained several generations of budding underwater archaeologists as scientific divers in ECU's Maritime Studies Program, teaching them the tricks of the trade-not the scholarly academics of archaeology, but the diving skills so critical to surviving and worki ng in the murky waters so many of us find ourselves in conducting field work in underwater archaeology. Aside from the high standards of excell ence Steve brought to the Diving & Water Safety D ep artment at the universi t y, S teve's real legacy is the divers he trained. Many, many of these individuals now hold prominent positions in the maritime heritage field and are passing along Steve's techniques to a new generation ofstudents in their work. Of course, his work isn't finished yet. He is moving on to a new job with the National Park Service Submerged Resources Center in the Denver area. With many thanks for lessons learned, on behalf of alumni who have been through the ECU Maritime Studies Program and the Scientific Diver training program, we wish Steve smooth sailing in this new endeavor." -Frank] Cante/as, NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research
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and its tributaries. (Editorial guidelines are available online at www.mdhs.org/museum/brewington. html.) ... The Society for the History of Navy Medicine is seeking to organize a panel for the Naval Academy Symposium and is offering $750 travel grants to undergraduate and graduate students whose papers are accepted for presentation to this panel. Proposals for papers on any topic related to the history of maritime medicine or of medicine in the maritime environment are encouraged and need to be submitted by 14 Jan uary via email to dsnyder@historynavy-med.org. The Naval Academy History Symposium in Annapolis, MD, is scheduled for 15-16 September 20 11 ; it is organized by the History Department of the United States Naval Academy. Submission guidelines are available online at www. history-navy-med.org. The Society for rh e History of Navy Medicine was fo unded in May 2006. Membership is free, altho ugh donations are welcom e to offset operating expenses and to help fund the student travel grant program . (For more information the symposium, visit www.usna.ed u/ History/ symposi um .hem or email Dr. Marcus Jones at mojones@ usna.edu.) â&#x20AC;˘â&#x20AC;˘ . While some maritime educational programs are still trying to crawl off a lee shore, brought on by the economic climate of the last two years, the International Yacht Restoration School (IYRS) in Newport, Rhode Island, started its fall semester with the largest class size since the school opened its doors in 1996. Sixty-one students from thirteen states and six countries, an 18% increase over last year, make up the current class. IYRS offers three full-rime certificate programs in Boatbuilding & Restoration, Marine Systems, and Composites Technology. In the 20-month Boatbuilding & Restoration program, students work on restoring classic wooden boats and develop strong boarb uilding and woodworking skills. Students in the 9-month Marine Systems program learn the many trades that comprise rhe boat manufacturing and service trade such as plumbing, electrical, gas and diesel engines, HVAC and refrigeration, electronics, and steering systems. In the 9-month Composites Technology program, students learn vacuum infusion processing, SEA HISTORY 133, WINTER 20 I 0-11
advanced co mposices molding, CAD operacions, robocic CNC plug building and co mposices restoracion pracrices. IYRS also offers a conrinuing educacion program, which includes courses in woodwo rking, onboard sys rems insrallarion and mainrenance, coarings applicarion, and boatbuilding. (IYRS, 449 Thames Street, Newport, RI 02840; Ph. 401 848-5777; www.iyrs.o rg) â&#x20AC;˘.. The Connecticut River Museum in Essex, CT, suffered a major fire at approximately 9PM on 11 August. 1h anks to the prompt response by che local volunteer fire departments fro m Essex and surrounding towns, che historic building, exhibics, and artifaccs we re saved. Currenrly, rhe museum is wo rking to repair che historic 1878 Sceamboac Warehouse building and dock from fi re, smoke, and wacer damage. The museum's firsc Boor escaped mosc of ch e damage and has been open to che public since shordy after che fire. The second and chird Boors
had to be gutted, but repairs are nearly complete and chose Boors will open after the 1h anksgiving holiday. Making che best ouc of a difficult situacion, che museum took the opporcunicy to return che historic building's inrerior to ics original co nfiguracion. D onacions towa rds chis effort are especially welcome. Checks should be made payable to "Connecticuc River Museum Fire Fund" and mailed to Conneccicuc River Museum, 67 M ain Screec, Essex, CT 06426. C redic card donations can be made online ac www.ccrivermuseum.org. The National Park Service HABS/HAER Heritage Documentation Program is currently accepting applications for the 2011 Sally Kress Tompkins Fellowship and the HAER Maritime Documenta-
SEA HISTORY 133 WINTER 2010-11
tion Internship. The Tompkins Fellowship, a joinr program of che Sociecy of Archiceccural Hisrorians (SAH) and che Historic American Building Survey (HABS) , provides a $ 10,000 scipend fo r a 12-week HABS proj ecc during che summer. The Fellow will eich er conduce research on a nacionally significanr building or sice and prepare a wriccen history to become pan of che permanent H ABS collection, or conduct research on a particular topic relating to archi tectural history in support of future HABS proj ects. Fellows will be stationed in the field working in conjunction with a HABS measureddrawings team or in the HABS Washington, D C office. Applications must be subm itted by 1 February. (For detailed info rmation and to download application fo rms, visit: www.nps.gov/history/hdp/ jobs/tompkins .htm). The H AER Maritime Documentation Inrern will receive a $7, 000 stipend and will work with a Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) team for 12 weeks in the summer. Applicanrs musr be stud ying architecture, engineering, or history and be inreresced in maricime The preservacion. maricime inrernship is co-sponsored by HAER and che ¡, ci Council of American M aricime Museums. The applicacion deadline is 8 February 2011. Applicacion derails and conract inform aci on are available at www.nps. gov/ history/hdp /jobs/maricime.hcm. To access the HABS Co llection ac che Library of Congress, visic http ://memory.lac.gov/ amm em /co ll ec ci o ns/ h abs h ae r/ index. html. ... Maritime archaeologist and historian James P. Delgado has taken the helm of NOAA's Maritime Heritage Program as director, effective September 15th. D elgado had been the president and CEO of the Insticuce of Naucical Archaeology since 2006 and before chac served as executive director of the Vancouver Maririme Museum for 15 years. H e is rhe auchor of more chan 30 books and articles and is che fo rmer hosr of "The Sea
Hunters," a Nacional Geographic Channel celevision series . 1h e Maritime H eritage Program was created in 2002 as an iniciative of N OAA's Nacional M arine Sanctuaries Program to preserve, scudy, and promoce che maritime herirage resources wirhin che N M S system. The US has des-
James Delgado
ignaced 14 marine prorecced areas rhac encompass more rhan 150,000 square miles of marine and Greac Lakes waters fro m Washington Stare to che Florida Keys, and from Lake Huron to American Samoa. (http:I I san ccuaries . n oaa.govImari rime/) . . . In honor of the l 50th anniversary of the Civil War in 2011, NOAA has posted online a special collection of historical maps, charts, and documents prepared by the US Coast Survey during the war years. "Chaning a More Perfecr U nion" contains approximacely 400 documents, available free from NOAA's Office of Coasc Survey websice. In 1807, President Thomas Jefferson escablished che Survey of che Coasc to produce che naucical charts necessary for mari cime safecy, defense, and che establishmenr of national boundari es. By 1861 , che Coasc Survey was rhe governmenc's leading scie nrific age ncy, chan ing coas rlines and determining land elevacions for the nacion. (www. n a u cica lchan s. no a a. govI hi story I C ivilWa r. ) . . . The Noble Maritime Collection on Staten Island, NY, recently unveiled several works of art and historic maritime artifacts and furnishings from the Sailors' Snug Harbor Collection. The 200-piece colleccion belonging to che Sailors' Snug H arbor Trusr was moved to rhe No ble Maririme Collecrion in June 2010 to further encourage rhe public's undersranding of the history of rhe mariners' (con tinued on page 48)
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Skipjack Rosie Parks Restoration ProjectChesapeake Bay Maritime Museum
T
h e Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum (CBMM), in St. Michaels, Maryland, has announced a major skipjack restoration project that will be funded by $500,000 in philanthropic support. The Rosie Parks w ill be restored on the museum's grounds and in the public eye. O ver the next three
years, the project will provide hands-on shipwright experience while serving as a m ajor attraction for museum visitors. The skipjack was built in 1955 by the well-known Chesapeake boatbuilder Bronza Parks for h is brother; it is named for their mo ther. The C BMM purchased Rosie Parks in 1975 fro m Captain Orville Parks. Only twenty years old at the time, Rosie had a reputation as the best-maintained skipj ack in the oyster dredging fleet and as a champion sailor at the annual skipjack races at D eal Island and C hesapeake Appreciation D ays at Sa ndy Point. Rosie Parks was the first of her kind to be p reserved afloat by a museum and quickly became the m ost widely recognized Chesapeake Bay skipjack of the late 20th century. Now pas t 50, Rosie Parks is in need of a substantial rebuild. Repairs were made to the boat as needed until 1994, but Rosie remains one of the least altered historic skipjacks in existence. If resto red in acco rdan ce to the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Historic Vessel Preservation Projects, Rosie could be the best example of her type for interpretation of the work of this fleet. The skipjack contains her original winders (power winches) and other dredging gear, which will allow her to be fully outfitted when refloated. Original fabric retained includes a majority of the structural components of the hull, including a major portion of the keel. Rosie's suit of D acron sails is still usable, although she will most likely need a new engine fo r her push boat, and the push boat itself must be assessed fo r repair or replacem ent. C BMM ho pes to involve a large pool of community volunteers as well as school and yo uth programs in the restoration process. In addition to witnessing and participating in the hands-on physical work, museum visito rs will learn about the cultural aspects of this vanishi ng communi ty: how the boats were designed and built, who the designers and builders were, how workers were treated and paid, what life was like in these communities, and what th e men and boats did in the off-season. The restoration project has already received a generous bequest from the family of Richard Gram, who sailed in Rosie Parks when she was still working the oys ter beds. C BMM has 86 vessels built from the 1880s to the 1980s, including wooden sail,
46
power, and row boats in its collection. Ir is the largest and most important collection of its kind in the world. All of the region's waterfowling boats are represented, along with most of the m ajor types used in the regio n's fisheries, as well as a good sample of recreational watercraft. In addition to the Rosie Parks, the museum maintains afloat fi ve other historic vessels: the 1889 oyster dredging bugeye Edna E. Lockwood (a National Historic Landmark) ; the 19 12 river tug Delaware; a 193 1 Potomac River dory boat; the 1934 Hooper Island draketail M artha; and the 1909 power crab dredger Old Point. (CBMM, 2 13 N . Talbot Street, POB 636, Sr. Michaels, MD 21663; Ph. 4 10 745-2916; www.cbmm.o rg) j:,
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William H. White Wins Samuel Eliot Morison Award NMHS Trustee, historian , and award-winning author William H . White is the 2010 winner of the USS Constitution M useum's Samuel Eliot Morison Award, which was presented to him on 27 O cto ber at the museum's Chairman's Dinne r and Awards Ceremony. Bill served as an officer in the US Navy in the 1960s and was activel y involved in naval operations for three years in Vietnam. He is the author of numerous books set during the Age of Sail, including: the War of 1812 Trilogy (A Press of Canvas, A Fine Tops'! Breeze and The Evening Gun); The Greater the Ho nor; and In Pursuit of Glory. White's latest book, When Fortune Frowns, examines the aftermath of the famous mutiny on the Bounty. In additi on to his books, White is a frequent contributor to Sea History magazine and serves as Sea H istory's liaison to the National M aritime Historical Society's Board of Trustees. In 2007, White was honored by NMHS with the first Rodney Houghton Award for Excellence, given for the best feature-length article of the year in Sea H istory. White h as appeared on the History Channel's "History or Hollywood"program and served as a narrator in a docudrama on the Barbary Wars. He is a regular speaker at maritime history events and venues. In addition to serving on the Board of Trustees for NMHS and the USS Constitution Museum, he also serves on the board for the Lynx Educational Foundation , where h e also served as a consultant to the reproduction 1812 privateer Lynx. White has also been named a Fellow of the Massachusetts Historical Society. For more information on William H. White, visit his website at www.seafiction.net. Congratulations Bill! SEA HISTORY 133 WINTER2010-ll
Served aboard the Mississippi sternwheeler Washington . Played first by Leslie Swanson in 1928, and continued aboard the Washington until she was decommissioned. This instrument is a rare and unique antique and is available with a 15 HP Bryan propane boiler, 50 gallon propane bottle, pressure regulator, flexible piping , books (5" x 8" paper back) by Swanson about calliopes and several hundred calliope recordings. $105,000, buyer collects.
Contact Murphy, FAX 305-666-0501 Book & CD available, $50, pp .
DA
t
47
(continued from page 45) lives on Staten Island. Incorporated m 1806, Sailors' Snug Harbor was the first charitable institution of its kind established in rhe country and was located on a 130-acre site. In 1976, the retirement home moved to Sea Level, NC. The Staten Island property included the distinctive
"front five,'' Greek Revival-style buildings designed by Minard Lefever and completed in 1876, which became the first five National Histori c Landmarks designated in the country. The Staten Island sire was purchased by the C ity of New York in 1976 and became Snug Harbor C ultural Center. The Sailors' Snug Harbor co llec-
rion includes works of arr, antique furnishings, m aritime artifacts, and ship models. The museum plans to create exhibits featuring items from the collection to share with the public. (No ble Maritime Collection, 1000 Richmond Terrace, Staten Island , NY 10301 ; Ph. 7 18 447-6490; www.noblemaritime.org) j:, j:, j:,
CLASSIFIED ADS Nautical Decor. From the exceptional nautical piece to the perfect small design accents. For home, interior design projects, and corporate gifts. www.WayzataNautical.co m. Sea Buoys, Fresnel Lighthouse Lenses, Shipwreck and Maritime Antiques. See all at www.lighthouselens.com or Call Steve at 810-599-5147. Wallace Welch & Willingham boats & yacht insurance: A-rared co mpanies, competitive rates, flexible coverage. Get a quote, www.Marinelns.com or 800-783-5 085 . EXPERIENCED MODEL BUILDER. Ray Guinta, PO Box 74, Leonia, NJ 07605; www.modelshipsbyrayguinta.com. Photos of "messing around" boat yards, sailing in wooden yachts & boats. H ang beautiful pictures in yo ur home or office. www.StanSinowitzPhotos.com. SHIP MODEL BROKER - I will help you BUY, SELL, REPAIR, APPRAISE or COMMISSION a model ship or boat. www.FiddlersGreenModelShips.com. Handcrafted fabric decorative nautical signal Aags spell yo ur personal message. Order by the letter www.ibdesigns usa.co m Thousands of century-old ship postcards, ephemera- in San Francisco; Ph. 4 15 586-9386, kprag@planeteria.net. Elegant Ship Models. Individually handcrafted custom scale model boats. Jean Preckel: www.preckelboats.com or call: 304 432-7202. Custom Ship Models Half Hulls. Free C atalog. Spencer, Box 1034, Quakertown, PA 1895 1. FREIGHTERCRUISES.COM. Mail ships, containerships, trampers . . . Find the ship and voyage that's perfect for you. Ph. 1-800-99-Maris. 1812 Privateer FAME of Salem, MA. Sails Daily, May - October. Ph. 978 729-7600; www.SchoonerFame.com.
NAUTICAL SOUVENIRS WHOLESALE. Sextants, Telescopes, Compasses, Rum C ups, Signs, Sand T imers, and much more. www.HarmonicaNecklace.com for smal l sampling 1-800654-1 447. Jonesport Nautical Antiques . We offer a wide selection of high quality nautical lights from Italy and the Far East. 1-800-9965655 or see us on the web at www.NauticalAntiques.com.
BOOKS NEXT VOYAGE WILL BE DIFFERENT by Captain Thomas E. H enry. Accounts from my 37 years at sea. Available through Amazon .com and BarnesandNoble.com. Also, CRACKING HITLER'S ATLANTIC WALL. Call 772 287-5 603 (EST ) or e-mail: Arcome@aol. com for signed copi es. A CARELESS WORD-A NEEDLESS SINKING by Captain Arthur R. Moore. Documented account of catas trophic losses suffered by American Merchant Marin e and Armed Guard during WWII. 720 pp, lists crew members & ships, profusely illustrated . Eighth printing sponsored by American Merchant Marine Veterans. E-mail : gemurphy@verizon.n et. IT DIDN'T HAPPEN ON MY WATCH and SCUTTLEBUTT by George E. Murphy. Memoirs of forty-t hree years with U nited Scares Lines aboard cargo and passenger ships. Anecdotes of captains, chief engineers, crew members and the company office. Web sire: www.gemurphy.co m; e-mail: gemurphy@verizon.net. SHIPS OF THE U.S. MERCHANT FLEET and HISTORY OF ELECTRIC DRIVE FOR SHIPS by Capt. John A. Culver. Model Kirs of ships, rugs, CG C raft, lightships; catalog in www. jacmodel.net. THE SMOOTH LOG by Arthur Randolph Murray. Memoirs of a mariner spanning the years from WWII to 195 5. Available through Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, and Borders Books. GREAT MARITIME HISTORY BOOKS from Washingto n State University Press! Shop online at wsupress.ws u. edu or call 1-800-354-7360 . Free catalog.
Advertise in Sea History! Call 914 737-7878, ext. 235, or e-mail: advertisimg@seahistory.org. 48
SEA HHSTORY 133, WINTER20l0-ll
CONFERENCES AND SYMPOSIUMS • "Boundaries and Crossroads in Action- Global Perspectives in Historical Archaeology," Society for Historical Archaeology Annual Conference: 5-9 Jan uary in Austin , TX. (SHA, 9707 Key West Avenue, Suite 100, Rockville, MD 20850; Ph. 301 990-2454; www.sh a.org) • "History, Society, and the Sacred," American Historical Association 125th Annual Meeting, 6-9 January in Boston, MA. (AHA, 400 A Street, SE, Washington DC, 20003; Ph. 202 544-2422; www. historians.org) • "Reading Coastal Footprints: Ecology and Maritime Archaeology in the Pacific," 22nd Symposi um on Maritime Archaeology and History of Hawaii and the Pacific, 18-2 1 February in Hilo , HI. (Maritime Archaeology and History of Hawaiian Islands Fdn., POB 8807, Honolulu, HI 96830; www.mahhi .org) •British Commission for Maritime History New Researchers in Maritime History Conference, 11 - 12 March at the Univ. of Hull, UK. (For derails, contact Rachel Mulhearn, Merseyside Maritime Museum, Albert Dock, Liverpool L3 4AQ; www.maritimehistory.org. uk) • "Sea Literature, History and Culture," the 2011 Conference of the National Popular Culture and American Culture Associations, 20-23 April in San Antonio , T X. CALL FOR PAPERS deadline is 15 December. (www. pcaaca.org) • "People Make Places: Ways of Feeling the World," conference sponsored by the Societe Internationale d'Ethnologie et de Folklore (SIEF), 17-2 1 April in Lisbon, Portugal. (www.siefhome.org) •Association of Caribbean Historians 36th Annual Conference, 30 May-3 June 20 11 in C urac;:ao. CALL FOR PAPERS deadline is 15 D ecember. (www.associationofcaribbeanhistorians.org) • "Exploring Empire: Sir Joseph Banks, India and the 'Great Pacific Ocean'Science, Travel, Trade & Culture 17681820," 24-25 June. Organized jointly by Nottingham Trent University and the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London, UK. (www.nmm. ac.uk/researchers/ conferences-and-seminars/ cfpbanks) •6th International Congress of Maritime History, 3-6 July 20 12 at the University of Ghent, Belgium. Theme is
SEA HISTORY 133, WINTER 2010- l l
"Maritime and Global History." CALL FOR PAPERS deadline is 1 March 2011. G uidelin es and information can be found at www. imeha2012.uge nr.be. All papers presented at the Congress will be considered for publication in the International journal ofMaritime History. •2011 McMullen Naval History Symposium, hosted by the History Dept. of the US Naval Academy, 15-16 September 2011 in Annapolis, MD. CALL FOR PAPERS deadline is 2 1 January. (Specific questions should be sent to Dr. Marcus Jones at mojones@usna.edu; USNA, History D ept., 107 Maryland Ave., Annapolis, MD 2 1402; www. usna.ed u/History/ symposium.htm) FESTIVALS, EvENTS, LECTURES, ETC. •International WorkBoat Show, 1-3 December at the Ernest N. Moria! Convention Center in New O rleans. ADM Thad Allen, USCG (Rer.) will deliver the keynote address on the opening day at l 1:30AM. (www.workboarshow.com) • "Racing Thoroughbreds of the Future," 7 December. A lecture by Don Warson at the International Yacht and Restoration School in Newport, RI. Watson is the head of composite boatbuilding at New England Boatworks. (IYRS, 449 Thames St., Newport, RI 02840; www. iyrs.o rg) •Christmas Tree Ship Celebration, 1 1 December at the Wisconsin Maritime M useum (WMM, 75 Maritime Drive, Manitowoc, WI 54220; Ph. 920 6840218; www.wisconsinmaritime.org) •10th Annual New Years Eve Deck Party aboard USS Constellation, 10PM-1AM, 3 1 December-I January in Baltimore. Advanced ticket purchase required. (Historic Ships in Baltimore, 301 East Pratt Sr., Baltimore, MD 2 1202; Ph. 4 10 5391797; www.historicships.org) •106th Annual New York Boat Show, 19-23 January Qacob K. Javits Convention Center, 655 West 34 th Street, NYC; www.NYBoarShow.com) •The Chicago Maritime Festival, 26 February at the Chicago History Museum. Lectures, seminars, demonstrations, exh ibits, workshops, and an evening concert. (www.chicagomaritimefestival.org) •New England Boat Show, 26 February6 March in Boston. (Boston Convention Center, 4 15 Summer St., Boston, MA;
www.newenglandboatshow.com) •36th Annual Maine Fishermen's Forum, 3-5 March at the Samoset Resort, Rockport, ME. (For details, contact: Chilloa Young, POB 288, Bath, ME 04530; Ph. 207 442-7700; www. mai nefishermensforum.org) •Society of Professional Sailing Ship Masters Meeting, 11 March at Mystic Seaport, Mystic, CT. (Details can be fo und through the ASTA website: www. sail train ing.org/ events/SPSSM. ph p) •Maine Boatbuilders Show, 18-19 March at the Portland Company Complex, a.k.a. Portland Yacht Services. (58 Fo re St., Portland, ME 04101; Ph. 207 775-4403; www. portlandcompany.com) •2011 Maritime Tattoo Festival, 2 1-23 May in H alifax, Nova Scotia. (www.maritimetattoofestival.com) EXHIBITS
•Fish and Fishing, a juried art exhibit, 10 December-19 February at the Coos Art Museum in Coos Bay, OR (235 Anderso n Ave., Coos Bay, O R 97420; Ph. 54 1 267390 1; www.coosart.org)
•Maritime Miniatures by Maritime Masters .Exhibition, 20 November through January at Mystic Seaport. (MSM Maritime Gallery, 75 Greenmanville Ave., Mystic, CT 06355; Ph. 860 572-5388; www.mysticseaport.org)
•It Sprang from the River: Everyday Objects with Maritime Secrets, through 3 Jan uary 20 11 at the Independence Seaport Museum in Philadelphia (Penn's Landing, 2 11 So uth Columbus Blvd. & Walnut St.,Philadelphia, PA 19 106; Ph. 2 15 4 138655; www.p hillyseaport.org)
•Endangered Species: Ulatermen of the Chesapeake, thro ugh 11 May; Building Better Ships: Featuring the Paintings of Thomas C. Skinner, through 11 March at the Mariners' M useum. (MM, 100 Museum Dr., Newport News, VA; Ph . 757 596-2222; www. marinersmuseum.org) •From Prey to Protection, thro ugh 5 September at the Cold Spring Harbor Whaling Museum on Long Island. (CSHWM, Main Street, PO Box 25, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11 724; Ph. 631 367-34 18) •Alfred Stieglitz New York, a phorography exhibit at South Street Seaport Museum, through 10 Jan uary. (SSSM, 12 Fulron Street , NYC, www.seany.o rg)
49
MARITIME HISTORY ON THE INTERNET
by Peter McCracken
Competitive Rowing Online
C
ompetitive rowing, like any pastime, has an online presence these days. Rowing history, curiously, is not well represented o nline, but a 2004 essay tided "The Danger-
ously NeglectedLegacyofRowing"athttp://rowinghistory.net/ neglected.htm provides some considerations as to why this is so.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henley_Royal_Regattahas much more historical information than the H enley's own site. The Boat Race, the 150-year-old regatta between O xford and Cambridge universities, is online at http:/ /theboatrace.org, and features a BBC Replay of the most recent race. Boston's famous Head of the Charles has an impressive site a t http://hocr.org, where, like the
Nevertheless, from rowing history to real-time racing results, there's Boat Race, it highlights its m any corporate sponsors. a bit of something fo r any rowing enthusias t. The UK's River & Rowing Museum (http://rrm.co.uk) is more interesting than it's Pocock Racing Shells (http://pocock.com) are among the web site, bur the sire is nonetheless wo rth noting and exploring. most adva nced racing shells available today, and these boats have The London-based Fishmongers' Company, founded some rime been manufactured in and n ear Seattle for nearly a century. In before 1272(!), has a page about the oldest continuous sporting an interesting move in the goal of physical and virtual preservaevent in the U K, and perhaps the wo rld: , - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - , ti on, when the Pocock company ceased The Doggett's Wager, a rowing race building the wooden singles, the owners in London that was first held in 17 15. transferred rheirrools, jigs, templates, and The Fishmo ngers have been sponsoring other gear for building single cedar shells the race since the 1720s, and they de- â&#x20AC;˘ to the Northwest Maritime Center in Port Townsend, Washington. The old web scribe it on line at http://www.fishhall. org.uk/Heritage/TheDoggettsWager/. sire was transferred to the boatbuilding The RowingHistory site,arhttp:// program as well, and is regularly m ainrowinghistory.net looks quire dared, rained at http://pocockdassic.org. bur its content is no t as old as the layo ut Though the rowing events in the fi rs t would sugges t. It compiles numerous histories on various aspects m odern Olympic games were cancelled due to weather, rowing has of rowing and has an extensive collection of historic regatta results, been on the Olympic program since the inception of the modern general essays, lists of crews and team s, and more. Its content is gam es. M ost Olympi c rowing teams have online presences; the definitely wo rth inves tigating even if its appearance is no t exactly Americans are at http://usrowing.com, the Canadians are athttp:// cutting edge. The National Rowing Foundation's sire (http:// rowingcanada.org, and the British are at http://britishrowing. natrowing.com) includes images fro m the National Rowing H all org. The London 2012 website offers a smattering of informaof Fam e, now a permanent installatio n at Mys tic Seaport. rion about the rowing events in the next Olympiad: http://www. The online presence for today's rowing scene is qui re different. london2012.com/games/venues/eton-dorney.php. The World The row2k.com site (http://row2k.com) offers extensive daily Rowing site at http://worldrowing.com has extensive informaupdares on current rowing events, lo ts of recent results, m any tion about current racing, with a focus on national teams. The site includes thousands of images and m any videos from races going rowing- related videos, and much, much more. As always, biogs back nearly twen ty years. are often a good place to turn for up- to-dare in fo rmation . Several biogs of note include "Hear the Boat Sing" (http:! /hear-theRowing history is not as strong online as other sports or boat-sing.blogspot.com/), which foc uses on rowing history, and m aritime topics, bur there's n o lack of in fo rmation about current the U K-based Rowing for Pleasure, at http://rowingforpleasure. racing. If you're interested in rowing, there are plenty of ways to blogspot.com/. Both are updated regularly. spend lots of time online! Suggestions fo r other sites worth m entioning are welcome at All of the m ajor regattas of co urse have their own websites, tho ugh few focus on the historical sides of their races with any peter@shipindex.org. See http://www.shipindex.org for a free great emphasis. The Henley Royal Regatta, begun in 1839, has compilation of over 140,000 ship nam es from indexes to dozens of books and journals. .!, a presence online at http://hrr.co.uk. The W ikipedia entry at Tired of nautical reproductions? Martifacts has onl y authentic marine collectibl es rescued from scrapped ships: navigati on lamps, sextants, clocks, bells, barometers, charts, flags, binnac les, telegraphs, porthol es, U. S. Navy dinnerware and flatware, and more. Current brochure - $1.00
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SEAHISTORY 133, WINTER 2010-ll
Reviews Alone at Sea: Gloucester in the Age ofthe Dorymen (1623-1939)b y JohnN . Morris,
tight society that lived through its frequem vacillations. The audience for this book may be limited, bur iris an importam contribution to maritime hisrory and in particular to those interested in the history of the fishing industry and New England.
(Commonwealth Editions, Beverly, MA, 2010, 448pp, appen, gloss, illus, notes, index, ISBN 978-0-9819430-7-7, $34.95 hc) John Morris's Alone at Sea is about a place, a dangerous labor-intensive, exhaustLours ARTHUR NORTON ing way of life, and the effect of hundred s West Simsbury, Connecticut of years of history on both. The book's theme is built around the Gloucester dory, Gender,Race,EthnidtyandPowerinMara small flat- bottomed slope-sided boat, an itimeAmerica: Papersfrom the Conference uncomfortable platform floating on unpre- Held at Mystic Seaport September 2006 dictable seas upon which fishermen labored. edited by Glenn Gordinier (Mystic Seaport Dories were rhe critical tools of the fishing Museum, Mystic, CT, 250pp, illus, notes, schooners that for centuries sailed from index, ISBN 978-0-939511-27-3; $ 16.95) the port of G loucester, Massachusetts, to In 1993 Mystic Seaport stepped up offshore fishing banks in the NorthAtlantic, to address the pressing issues of race and and they were home for immigrants from ethnicityinAmericansociety. Theexpression many countries as well as old-line Yankees. of this commitment was the first National Rather than a melting pot, Gloucester was Conference on Race, Ethnicity, and Power a mosaic of disparate cultures ~----------~ in M aritime America held together via an cohesive bond- the fishing industry. "The sea [was) where [fishermen] made their living, but it was land where [they) lived [their) lives. When [they) came home the whole family celebrated." Divided in to five books, from the genesis of dory-boat fishing through its zenith to its unfortunate nadir, Alone at Sea is like a diminutive Old Testament. Alone At Sea chronicles the perils, triumphs, and tragedies of the Gloucester fishing industry in great detail. In the long hisrory of fishing out of Cape Ann, dory fishing had little significance until after the Civil War and lost its importance after World War I. This was a tough and barely profitable business, whose market shifted from salted ro fresh to frozen products over time, but it did have its colorful side-the International Fishing Schooner Races of the early twentieth century. Morris has written a marvelous, scholarly, and detailed compendium about the fishing industry, the fishermen and fishery workers as well as their families. Rather pedantic in style and tightly focused upon the hisrory of G loucester, fishermen and fishing, the book traces American history along with its inAuence upon the fishing industry. Ir also presents insights into this highly specific economic entity and the SEA HISTORY 133, WINTER 2010-11
in 1995, followed by a second conference at MysticSeaportin2000 and a volume of selected papers in 2005, Perspectives on Race, Papers from the Conference Ethnicity and Power Held at Mystic Seaport in Maritime America. A third conference Glenn s. was organized by the Gordinier Frank C. Munson Insriwte of American Maritime Studies at Mystic Seaport and held in 2006 with rhe added subj ect of gender, and a more global approach to rhe main themes. The result is the collection of twelve chapters by authors from a variety of disciplines that form this very diverse and engaging book. Sowande Muskareem's introductory chapter focuses on rhe Middle Passage, drawing from acco unts of merchants, government records, and from those who served aboard slave ships. The experiences of slaves who escaped bondage in British North America are investigated by Charles Foy. H e examined the records of over 7,500 mariners of color, the "maritime m aroons," of rhe Atlantic in the eighteenth century. For these m ariners, rhe ship represem ed many things: rhe stage for th e horrific Middle Passage, a vessel of slavery and exploitation , and for many slaves, employment in conditions far better than those ashore, with rhe added opporwniries for escape.
Gender, Race, Ethnicity, and Power in Maritime America
£~b1¡
Kevin D awso n's examination of enslaved underwater divers reveals that African divers were ben er swimmers than their European comemporaries. They had advanced capabilities for breath holding, diving, and swimming derived from experiences in their homelands. Slave divers worked hard to gather pearls and sponges or in salvage operations. Their skills also m ade them unique and not easy to replace, often resulting in better u earmem . Freedom could be expressed various ways, but Bryan Sinche's examination of some of rhe writings of Frederick Douglass directed that focus to a single document and image. The seaman's protection certificate carried the symbol of the American eagle and was, for Douglass, his ticket to freedom. "I have a paper with the American eagle on it, that will carry me round the world." Black sailors served in the US Navy during the War of 1812, earning accolades,
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51
Baltimore Museum of Industry
410-727-4808 x132 52
including the pointed response of C ommodore Isaac Chauncey to Oliver H azard Perry who was complaining about his motley crew: "I have yet to learn that the Colour of the skin, or cut and trimmings of the coat, can affect a man's qualifications or usefuln ess. I have nearly 50 blacks on board of this Ship, and m any of them are amongst m y bes t m en." Following his victory at the Bartle of Lake Erie, C hauncey recalled, "Perry speaks highly of the bravery and good conduct of the Negroes, who fo rmed a considerable part of his crew." Loren McCormack, Anne Grimes Rand and Kristin C allas contributed a study ofUSS Constitution from various perspectives that m ake it an ideal case study to include in this volume. The ability of a black man to succeed as a freeman in the workplace was a challenge, but there were some notable successes in th e whaling industry. W illiam T. Shorey of Barbados went on his first whaling cruise in 1876 at the age of sixteen, returning as a boatsteerer, and after another cruise as first mate, and then captain. Shorey distinguished himselfas a m as terful captain with a cool head under the greatest stresses the sea could offer, bur rhe records also reveal his dark side; he was charged with bearing crew m embers on several occasio ns over his fo rty-year career. T imothy Lynch reflects on Shorey's experience and sees the value of his position as mas ter of an American sailing ship as the key to his status and success in society. Native American participation in the mariti me wo rld is examined in Jason M ancini's study of Eastern Long Island Sound fro m 1713- 1861. Ethnicity was registered in the seamen's protectio n certifica tes, and it is instructive to scan the entries marked "Indian ," "light,'' "negro," "dark." A student of the Pequot, M ancini also sees a rainbow of colo r in the records from New London. H e employs a broader anthropological landscape ap proach linking the maritime communi ty to rhe land, often through wom en. W omen played a major role in the development of the Biloxi seafood industry; D eanne Stephens N uwer traces the developm ent of the business in Biloxi through the lives of the women who peeled and packed sh rimp and shucked oysters. Their hard work contributed to Biloxi's claim in 1904 to be the seafood capital of the wo rld. The image of America abroad was often generated by its seamen serving as unknowing ambassadors. Brian Ro uleau examines
George Little's Life on the Ocean; or, Twenty Years at Sea: Being the Personal Adventure ofthe A uthor published in Boston in 1846, reco unting his experiences that included a Pacific Coast voyage of the Americas and out to H awaii. George Little visited Chile, which wo uld contribu te to the growth of San Francisco in the wave of immigrants, among the first to catch gold fever, that cam e after 1849. Edward Melillo examines the contributio n of Chileans, including m any of the pine vessels that became the fl eet of an expanding port. Other immigrants were attracted to California and the West coas t, including the C hinese. Joshua Smith notes that the Chinese were talented and able sailors, fisherman , and sho reside workers. This made them a target and led to stereotyping that defined them as incapable of assimilatio n within American society. The Chinese only became eligible to join a seafarin g union in 193 6, when the National M aritim e U ni on opened m embership to seamen of all races. The Japanese migrated to Califo rnia in the late nineteenth century, wh ere they becam e heavily involved in commercial fi shing. A m ajor concentrati o n of N isei- children of first-generation Japanese immigran rs-was on Terminal Island in Los Angeles. KarenJenks examines the communi ty through the history and activities of the girls' Junior Outing Club. The events of 7 D ecember 1941 changed everything. The entire Japanese comm uni ty was evicted from Terminal Island for "securi ty" reasons within a few months. Skillfully edited and introduced by G lenn Gordinier, with a variety of papers on critical issues, this volume stimulates, reads well, and is priced right. T IMOT HY
J. R UNYAN, PHO
Maritime Heritage Program , N OAA and East Carolina University Greenville, No rth Carolina
Moon Men Return: USS Hornet and the Recovery of the Apollo 11 Astronauts by Sco tt W Carmichael (N aval Institute Press, Annapolis, MD, 2010 , 237pp, illus, biblio, no tes, index, ISB N 978- 1-59 11 4-110- 5; $36.95hc) I can remember vividly, my parents gath ering my siblings and m e around the television (black and whi te!) to watch the coverage of che Apollo 11 as tronauts landing o n the moo n. I was twelve, and SEA HISTORY 133, WINT ER 2010-11
somehow ir seemed so smoo ch and easy. We knew ir was a big deal, bur we had no idea whar ir took to make ir all happen. Moon Men Return brings yo u back to a time before space travel was so commonplace that few of us even keep track of space shuttle launches, space station missions, and the names of current as tronauts, and it takes yo u to a place we never saw up close, the deck of the aircraft carrier USS Hornet. While the names Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin are still remembered by those who followed thei r expedition at the time and even to those born a generation later, few ever heard about Captain Carl Seiberlich and his executive officer, Commander Chris Lamb, who together guided Ho rnet to the splashdown area thousands of miles out in the Pacific, despite the heavy cloud cover that made determining their exact position in the days leading up to the "Big Day" exceedingly difficult (in the days before GPS). And in the middle of all the logistics and difficult ship maneuvering, they had to deal wirh the landing of President N ixon via helicopter, along with his staff, secret service, and other politicians. I had never before thought about the Underwater Demolition Team (UDT) swimmer, John Wolfram, and his fellow swimmers, who were the first to reach the module in the water, and the risks they took to do it. Recovery of the space module was deemed of top priori ry, second only to the safe return of the astronauts, as it carried valuable cargo-the moon rocks thar scientists were eager to get their hands on. The fact that those aboard USS Hornet made it look easy speaks to the skill and hard work of the ship's company and those in charge of planning the logistics and preparations. There would be no second chances. Lives were o n the line and the world was watching. Carmichael's book, through interviews with thosewhowere there, also makes the story less about the space program as a government institution andmoreabo ur the individuals who actually carried out the mission. Carmichael left no stone unturned, and while the details are welcome in some cases, this is where the book gets bogged down somewhat. It reminded this reader of the doctoral student who cannot bear to leave out anything and everything h e (or she) discovered in his research. All the information you want is there, and if you are not worried about getting quizzed on the details later, this factor is easy to disregard in the overall value of the book. I was happy to go back to a time in our SEA HISTORY 133, WINTER 2010-11
MARITIME
BOOKS 1806 Laurel Crest Madison, Wisconsin 53705-1065 (608) 238-SAlL FAX (608) 238-7249 Email: tuttlemaritime@charter.net http://tuttlemaritime.com Books about the Sea, Ship & Sailor Catalogue Upon Request
Old Ironsides, Our National Treasure Bluejacket's model of the \]SS CONSTITUTION presents her as she was durin 'lier most glorious years, 1812-1815. 1812 - 1815 Her accuracy is basJd 'up~n three years of painstaking LOA: 40" SCALE: 1/8" HEIGHT: 27 114'' research by a Trustee of the CONSTITUTION Museum, ITEM #K1018 KITCOST: $590 Larry Arnot. Larry studied her deck logs and maintenance Also available as a completed model i records in the museum library to recreate her glory years. As an attestation to her authenticity, our model has been hli named the "OFFIC\AL Krr or THE USS CO NSTJTUTI N MusEUM "
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Th is rich history of Maryland's wa terways reveals how human ente rprise has affected- and been affected by-the C hesapeake Bay and its tributaries.
53
that came in search of seals and whales, fish and phosphates, pearls and oil. The result is a solid if unspectacular Nautical Books & Artifacts introduction to the Free Moil Order Book Catalog • On-line Shopping • Cape Cod Store Open Year 'Round m aritime history of the region. Unfortunately, We Buy Maritime and Naval Book Collections as a history book, it is a 1022 Main St. {Route 6A), West Barnstable, MA 02668 rather straightforward 508-362-1500 • Fax: 508-362-1550 • inlo@columbiotrading.com and, at times, overlysimple presentation: www . columbiatrading . com issues of imperialism, history when we could all unite in our racism, or environmental impact are only excitement and pride in something we, as alluded to in passing. W hile these concerns a nation, were m aking a priority. We can might not be the major focus of the author, thank all who were involved for making it they are important dimensions of the marisuch a great success. Moon Men Return w ill time history of the region that deserve more satisfy anyo ne eager to learn more abo ut than passing attention. the story of Apollo 11. Nonetheless, if the strength of this ANDREW M. MARSH book is not found in its incisive and critiMaplewood, New Jersey cal analysis of the pas t, it can certainly be fo und in the rich vis ual imagery that Maritime History of Baja California acco mpanies the text. Scarcely a page by Edward W Vernon (Viejo Press, Santa goes by without one-and in most cases, Barbara, CA, 2009, xxii + 285pp, m aps, several-high-quality color image of the photos, illus, gloss, biblio, index, ISB N 978- regio n. Photographs, m aps, and charts make this a worthwhile acquisition for 0-5 78-03668-7; $49.95hc) Edward Verno n's Maritime History of those who appreciate m aritime art. On that Baja California is a labor of love, whereby basis alone, Maritime History ofBaja Calione man's fasc ination with the historically fo rnia is a welcome addi tion to the growing, understudied Baja peninsula is shared with but underserved, field of West Coast marihis readers. Described by the author as a time histo ry. It is hoped that the tantalizing photo-journal, this text walks a fine line leads included in this volume stimulate adbetween a coffee-table art book and his- ditional research in this rich field. to rical treatise, which seeks to share the TIMOTHY G. LYNCH, PHD natural beauty and compelling history of The Cal ifornia Maritime Academy, CSU the region with a wider audience. Richly Vallejo, California illustrated with handsom e maps, compelling photographs and satellite imagery, the Remembering Lubec: Stories from the book brings home the beauty of the rugged Easternmost Point by Ronald Pesha (The coastline that m arks both the Sea of Co rtes History Press, Charleston, SC, 2009, l 59pp, and the Pacific Coast of Baja California. illus, biblio, index, ISBN 978-1-59629-625The accompanyi ng text, particularly a 1; $ 19.99 pb) well-crafted introduction, provides a rich We have a tendency to think that lohistorical context for the development of cal hisrories are a dime a dozen, especially various ports in a comprehensive fashion. A when they are other people's local histochapter on "Special Ships" provides fodder ries. Yet within those volumes, historians for naval architects and others who want to working on the greater themes of history learn more about the specifics of the various often find gold. For maritime historians, craft that have plied the waters of the region . the histories of small coastal towns can be The book begins with a chronological as important resources as any great work look at som e twen ty entradas (ports) that on sea power or ancient seafaring history. played an important role in the region. Take, for instance, Ron Pesha's RememberBeginning with Spanish settlement and ing Lubec. One might guess, and correctly development, Vernon takes us through so, that a town of 3,000 people might not the twentieth century, focusing on vessels have nearly as much history, quantitatively,
Columbia Trading Co.
54
as many other American communities, but its unique position as the easternmost point in the continental United States brings w ith it many equally unique themes, the gateway to Newfoundland and Campobello Island, the easternmost lighthouse at West Quoddy H ead, for example. Lubec was once renowned for its sardine canneries, which during World War II received a call from the War Department for three million 100-can-cases per year. Tiut m eant a whole lot of fishing for the men and work in the canneries for the wom en. There's the story of the Pike family: Jabez, the smuggler; Jacob, who took to sea at fourteen and delivered the first load of ice to Barbados as part of a seventeen-year career upon the sea; Carleton, who served as a naval aviator in World War I and as clerk for the Senate Naval Affairs Committee, and who retired a full commander from the Navy in Wo rld War II; and finally Sumner, who was appointed acting chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission by Harry S. Truman. Coas t G uard historians will recognize Hopley Yeaton, the "Father of the Coast G uard," who was commissioned as the first captain of a revenue cutter in the United States. He lived out his final days on the family farm in Lubec, died, and was buried there, only to be exhumed in th e 1970s for re- interment in New London, Connecticut, at the USCG Academy. Yes, Remembering Lubec can be seen as yet another local history title, but it's one that deserves special attention from maritime histo rians wo rking in a broad spectrum of themes. JoHN GALLUZZO Weymo uth, Massachusetts
Cruise of the Dashing Wave: Rounding Cape Horn in 1860 by Philip Hichborn and edited by William H. Thiesen (Un iversity of Florida Press, Gainesville, 2010, 148pp, illus, appen, gloss, biblio, index; ISBN 978-0-8130-3437-9; $24.95 hc) While doing research for his book, Industrializ ingAmerican Shipbuilding (University of Florida Press, 2006), historian William Thiesen stumbled upon the 1860 journal ofship's carpenter Philip Hichborn, in which he recorded his experience during a 143-day passage from Boston to San Francisco. Hichborn's detailed observations of shipboard life and the interactions between shipmates, and his ability to convey SEA HISTORY 133 , WINTER 2010-11
in wo rds the weather, the food, the scene above deck and below, make his journal someth ing Thiesen just had to share. In 1860, Philip Hichborn was offered a job as a shipwright at the M are Naval Shipyard near San Francisco. To get there, he secured passage on rhe clipper ship Dashing W'tive in exchange for carpentry wo rk during the voyage. Like many effective sea narrators before him, Hichbo rn shares his new experiences and observations as a green hand (a la Richard H enry D an a ] r. ), whi ch allows readers to learn about rhe way of the ship along with him . Green hand, perh aps, bur he certainly picked it up quickl y, and it helps if readers are already familiar with sailing ship terminology. Ir helps to know what the truss of a yard is or be able to grasp what caulking leaking seams might be like, bur if you don't, Thiesen has provided simple diagrams and a glossary of "naurical and slang terms" as appendices . The Dashing W'tive, a 180-foo r fu llrigged clipper ship, was considered a fi ne seaworthy sailing vessel, bur Hichbo rn m akes it clear rhar only constant repairs to the deck and hatch es, hull planking, seams, and most especially the pumps allowed them to stay aflo at during the stormy passage around the H o rn . She was no r an especially fast sailer, and her caprain was n't exactly a "driver." They heaved-to a good part of the way, even when co ntrary winds turned fa ir, much to th e chagrin of Hichbo rn and the rest of the crew. Hich born was no fan of Dashing W'tive's Cap tain Lecraw, and his personality and rhar of the mates, his bunkmates, the sailmaker and cook, and even the two stowaways are described in enough derail to give readers a very good impress io n of th e dynamic of the ship's company. Hi chbo rn was well-educa ted before he signed o n board, and his writing is cl ear and easy to read. His abili ry to describe the fo rce of a huge green wave raking the deck and clearing our everything in its path- so mething rhar happened repeatedly du ring this voyage-is impress ive and pulls yo u right in to the scene. H e co uld also skillfully convey the less ta ngible scenes-the profo und grieffelt fo re and aft after a shipmate fell from aloft and died, fo r exa mple. Na rratives abo ut an individual's experi ence at sea can dispel precon ceived ideas about rheAge ofSail and temper some of the SEA HISTORY 133, WINTER2010-ll
romance, while instilling a huge amount of respect for those whose wo rk carried them across the oceans. For Hi chborn , there was no romance in the experience, bur he clearly had respect for the sea and fo r some of his fellow crewmembers. Readers will come away with a better understanding of what it mean s to be a good shipmate, o r, in some cases, a bad one.
For his part, Willi am Thi esen does what a good edito r sho uld. H e introduces the a uthor, the ship, and the captain and then lets Hichbo rn tell his story. At the end, Thiesen fills us in o n what happened to Philip H ichbo rn and to Dashing W'tive after reaching their des tination. And, what a treat to see so m any photographs of the actual ship and even daguerreorypes of Hichborn himself and Dashing W'tive's Captain Lecraw. Cruise of the D as hing Wave-the book, that is- is a relatively short and enjoyable read fo r anyo ne: experien ced sailors and armchair sailors alike, and even perhaps som e landlubbers lookin g fo r a good read. Thanks, Dr. Thiesen , fo r sharin g. D EIRDRE
O 'REGAN
Editor, Sea History
The Slave Ship: A Human History by M arcus Redike r, (Penguin Books, N ew York , 2 007, 434pp, illus, notes, index, ISBN 978-0-1 4-3 11 425-3; $ 16pb) M arcus Rediker's The Slave Ship is an impo rtant powerful book, but a difficult read- difficult because it graphically deals w ith human violence, violence on many levels. It is a tale of m aritime history but
also a rale of human brurali ry and exploitation . 111e autho r describes the slave ship as a means of transportation, bur also as a metaphor fo r slave trade as an enterprise. Rediker skillfully weaves together primary source material, ship logs, written m aterials from captains, the crews, slaves and abolitio nists who resided on both sides of the Atlanti c, ro p roduce a stunning narrative covering the va ri ous vantage points of this ugly enterprise. From 1700 to 1808 Great Britain and the U nited States engaged in selecting, transporting, and selling human slaves as commodities. Slavery was a business fo r the Bri tish, a lucrative commercial enterprise to supply labor to its colo nies. In contras t, Americans used their slave labor fo rce domestically to produce marketable agricultural goods for transAtlantic trade. This multi-award-winning book is well written and, by addressing m any details abo ut the slave trade o n three continents, its traders and the slave captives, it is uniquely insightful. African, mostly Muslim, m erchants captured the slaves by way of armies of raiders, kidnappers, and canoe-men. They sold their human "commodities" to Christian slave ship captains waiting on ships anchored in African harbors until they accumulated a potentially profitable requisite number of healthy slaves for shipment to markers across the Atlantic. W hen the captives arrived, this was the fi rs t rime most of the natives had encountered white men, men who communicated aurhori ry through terror via the cat-o' -nine-tails, thumbscrews, cutlasses, pistols, swivel guns, and the threat of being fed alive to ever-present sharks The slave rs' business occurred on what the unsophisticated natives saw as a huge floating house that could move with the wind , serving as both a shelter and prison ; a place of incredible overcrowding and a house of torture, mutilations, and occasional gruesome public murders designed to intimidate. This scholarl y work certainly raises ques tions about m ankind's relationships with his fellow humans beings. Problems of current race relationships are shown from an uncomfortably disturbing perspective. The Slave Ship is highly recommended as a book to be read and to serve as the basis for discuss io n am o ng histo ri a ns-and especially with their students. L O UIS ART H UR NORTON
West Sim sbury, Connecticut 55
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JA MES CARTER II I
RI CHARDO R . LOPES
ROBERT F. KAMM
H OWARD SLOT ICK
WILLIAM H. WHITE
SCA RA 0 BOAT B UILD I G, I NC.
AMERICA
& GRACE DOHERTY CHARITABLE FOUl\DATION
THOM AS F. DA LY
MCALLISTER TOWING & T RANSPORTATIO ', I C. STAR CLIPPER CRUISES
L.
ESTATE OF WALTER J. PETTIT SR .
D AN IEL W. WHALEN
FURTHERMORE: A PROGRAM OF THE J.M . K A PL A AVY FEDERAL CREDIT U 10
H ENRY
RONALD L. OSWALD
MR.
& MRS. T ED TUR BLACER
DR. & MRS. J OHN DI X W AYMAN
WILLIAM E. WOOD
SEA HISTORY 133 , WINTER2010-ll
........ ...... ····••• • • 1.1111 • ••••• ' ' ' ' • • •
• •, ,
J 111
• •
'·r·--•-•.---.__
In all of travel, only one voyage reigns above all The Transatlantic Crossing aboard
Q1l EEN MARY 2®
East and Westbound 7-Day Crossings From APRIL to DECEMBER 2011
ALTO UR
fares fro m
$1 ,245* (Fare shown inc ludes a fuel supp lement of $26.95)
pauline.power@altour.com alma .karassavidis@altour.com
Coll 212-897-5145/5154 to pion your adventure today. * Fares are per person, based on double occupancy, voyage only, subject to availability, capacity controlled. Call the above agency for more details. Fares shown include a fuel supplement of $3.85 per day (up to a maximum of $154) for all passengers who have booked on or after 1OMay 201 O for sailings on or after 1 November. 2010. This fuel supplement amount is subject to change even if the fare has already been paid in fu ll. Government fees and taxes are additional. Air add-ons are available. See applicable Cunard brochure for terms, conditions and definitions that apply to all reservations. Other restrictions may apply. © 2010 Cunard. Ships registry: Great Britain.
Hawaiian Adventure
Panama Canal Treasures 17 nights, Jan 13 - 30, 2011 New York to Los Angeles
14 nights, Feb 17 - Mar 3 , 2011 Los Angeles round-trip
• Los Angeles
Pisa Brothers Exclusive
Pisa Brothers Exclusive
Ft. Laud erdale •
• ' 150* sh ipboard credit with Inside or Oceanv iew
• ' 150* shi pboa rd credit w ith Inside or Oceanv iew
Manzanillo Acapulco•
· ' 300* shipboard credit w it h Balcony or Suite
• Huatulco
· ' 300* shipboard cred it w ith Balcony or Sui t e
Punta renas
•
• Panama Can•I
I
07 - Inside
$2,195*
C3 - Outside 5
2,595*
A4 - Balcony
Pl - Suites
$3,395*
$6,740*
--------~-~~
--~
Panama Canal Adventure 15 nights, Mar 3 - 18, 2011 Los Angeles to Ft. Lauderdale
• Los Angeles
• ' 150* shipboa rd c redi t w ith Inside or Ocea nview
-----
1,995* --
-~
-
2,495*
-~--
Pl - Suites
$2,695*
$6,095*
- - -----------------
~EEN VICTORIA CUNARD
8
j
------
-- --
A7 - Balcony 5
2,595*
-
-
P4 - Suites
$5,395*
--------~-
-----
Ft. Lauderdale
Pisa Brothers Exclusive •St. Maarten
• '150' shipboa rd credi t w ith Inside o r Ocea nv iew
•
AG - Balcony
$2,395*
Round-trip Panama Canal
·1
Puert.o Q uetzal
C3 - Outside
$1,995*
11 nights, Mar 18 - 29, 2011 Ft. Lauderdale round -trip
• ' 300* shipboa rd cred it wi t h Balcony or Sui te
Panama C urac;ao Canal ~ Fuerte Amado r
C3 - Outside 5
• Puerto Vallar ta Zihuatane jo
• ' 300* shipboard credit w ith Ba lcony or Suite
5
Cabo San Lucas
07 - Inside -~---~-
Ft. Lauderdale
Pisa Brothers Exclusive
07 - Inside
i
l
j
I
08 - Inside
C4 - Outside
C2 - Outside
A3 - Balcony
$1,495*
$1,695*
$1,945*
$2,345*
~---------------------------
--
Fellow Society Member
Brad Hatry 212.265.8420 or 800.729.7472 ext. 222 brad@pisabrothers.com
'Fares areinUSD, per person, based on double occupancy, and subject to availability. Government lees &taxes, airfare, air taxes and transfers are additional and subject to change. Stated shipboard credit is per stateroom basedondoubleoccupancy for limitedtimeonly and may be withdrawn without notice. Cunard line reserves the right to impose afuel supplement of up to $9 per person per day on all passengers if the NYMEX oil price exceeds $70 per barrel, even if the farehas already been paid infull. Olher reslrictionsmay apply. Ship's Registry: Great Britain. Pisa Brothers strongly recommends thepurchase of travel insurance. We reserve the right to correct errors or omissions. Offers are capacity controlled and may not be combinablewith other offers or discounts. for complelelermsand conditions conlacl Pisa Brothers.