The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1879-10-16
THE "GREAT REPUBLIC"
HISTORY OF THE LARGEST SHIP EVER BUILT
IN AMERICA.

IN AMERICA.
The ship Great Republic was built Of
East Boston by Donald Mckay in 1853,
was put up when finished, in New York
for San Francisco. When nearly loaded
she took fire and burned to the waters
edge, involving loss of cargo and ship
of nearly 100000. Nearly the whole
was insured and paid for by various COM
panies in New York and Boston; she was
then sold at public auction, the mere
shell of a 1900 ton ship, for S27, 900;
bought by Messrs. Low & Brothers OF
that city. They repaired or built her up
again with three decks, leaving off one
she had four when first completed. When
finished in Autumn of 1854, we thought
her the finest craft ever put afoat. Capt.
Joseph Limeburner of the clipper ship
Samuel Russell was appointed to take
charge of her for trip to London. She
sailed the following February, 1866, with
upwards of 5000 tons of mixed freight;
chiefly, however, of guano. She made
land in II days.
She was then chartered to the French
government, and sailed for Marseilles,
which port she reached in II days. They
loaded her with ordnance of heavy caliber
and $500 horses; and with French Off
GERS in the cabin she sailed for the
Crimea. She delivered her freight so
satisfactorily that they rechartered her
for another six months and kept her four
teen months in the same service. Before
the French government accepted the
charter, she was remeasured in London
by government officials, and found to be
$500 tons-measured in the old way, not
by sections. She had four masts-the
fourth bark-rigged. She was 305 feet
long, 81 feet BEEN; from the deck to the
main truck she measured 90 feet. With
the French blue, white and red all four
masts covered with Marryat's naval num-
bers from the tress, and the American
star spangled banner at the peak, count
Cambaces, the officer in charge at Mar
seilles remarked that she was the pret-
test marine view he ever remembered to
have witnessed; in fact she became the
favorite among 800 transports out of that
port. They appointed steamers to tow
her, but could reach the Darndanells
better under canvass than under towage,
so they let her sail up and towed her
through the straits.
While in London she was visited by
many distinguished persons, among them
81" Joehu" Rnror, Huoecl strsrges, Will
lam Philip, Richard Green and William
S. Lindsey, member of parliament.
While in Marseilles, it was observed that
upwards of 10000 people were on board
of her at reception given by Captain
Limeburner.
When she returned to New York she
was put upon the berth for California
and loaded rapidly for that place.
Her passages We're always fine; in one
of these passages she crossed the equator
inside of Is days, and made the most
miles in "a hours run ever made by steam
or sailing ship-412 miles-392 miles be-
ing the best ever made by recent pass
age to England. In one of her voyages
from the Chincha islands with 1000 tons
of guano, while running twenty miles an
hour off Cape Horn, with a fearful sea
running, she had a sea come on board
just under the main yard, which stove in
fifty feet of the deck above the main
hatch and filled her with water, and she
came near laundering. She became so
water logged that it was serious matter
to save the ship, but by superhuman ef-
fort they worked her up to Port Stanley,
Falkland island, men all worn out, hand
sore from the ammonia from the guano
taking the skin Off. When she hove in
sight Of the port a steamer came out and
her captain asked if he wanted to tow her
into the anchorage. Limeburner said:
'That depends on your price. What
will you take her up fora" -Four hun
dred dollars" said the captain of the
steamer. "Well, hook on to u.s. And
when she came to at her anchors and the
captain of the steamer found it was a case
of salvage-say one-half-he was furious
ly indignant.
Before she could proceed on her voy-
age to London they had to send to Mon
tevideo for sails and provisions, and the
whole cost from this unlucky sea was
$4,000.
After delivering the cargo she returned
to New York and loaded for San Francis.
co. Returning from that voyage she was
sold. to parties in st. John, n. B., and
loaded deals for London, thence to Rio
Janieio. On her return to England,
when off Bermuda, she sprang a leak on
the 9th of March, 1872, and was abandon
ed. The captain and crew arrived safely
in Their boats at Bermuda on the above
| date.
The last time she was loaded for San
Francisco her freight amounted to $780,
900, expenses, $4,000, including re-
pairs, provisions, ETC., for round voyage.
''BrY trunk, Pat" said dealer.
"And what for should 1 buy trunk2''
rejoined Pat. ITO put your clothes in, "
was The reply. ''And go naked?" ex-
claimed Pat; "not bit iv it."