Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1886-11-12
The Great shipbuiIdins City of the United

States.
New York Tribune1
The history of tie little city of Bath, Nc,
is the history of American shipping. She
reached h.r greatest prosperity in the ear
ller tifties-the palmest years of the Ameri-
can merchant marine-and to-day, with the
outlook for shipping more discouraging than
ever before, business here is in state Of stag
nation. Strangely enough, but in the Light
of history most fittingly, the first vessel
built in America was built only few miles
below where Bath now stands, and built on
the river whose broad bosom has been the
first to receive to its embrace more ships
than any other river on the continent 10
1907 the Inflated Popham colony landed at
the mouth Of the kennebec in the ships Gift
of God and Mary and John. In the winter
that followed they launched a little vessel
Of thirty tons burden, the Virginia OF Sag
adahoc, pioneer Of that great fleet that has
since saile1 out OF this river Oh maiden
voyage to take part in the commerce of the
world.
In 1745 vessel building began at Bath
small coasters for the West Indian trade,
taking out Goldfish and lumber and bringing
back rum AMI molasses. The year 1862 saw
the first ship built here. the Earl of Butte
DuiAe III u c&OVShIiltil DuTiiS INC reNClI-
ton privateor was built here, but from
the close of tho revolution to the war OF
1912 complications with England and France
retarded shipbuilding, and not much was
done. After the close Of the war, and
especially after 1915 when congress passed
tine law forbidding any foreign vessel to
bring goo1s to America except from that
country to which the vessel belonged, ship
building revive'. From this time to the de-
clno of the American merchant marine
Bath sailed on the fool tide of prosperity.
Foreign traders followed the early coasters.
and Bath ships Were often the first to carry
the American flag into distant seas Then
came the cotton ships, AMI it was during
the cotton ship era that there was built at
Bath tho largest cotton ship afoat, the Rap
pahannocli, built by Clark s. Sewall. i1gIs
feet long, 81 feet beam, and of l, 1873 tons
register. People flockei from all over the
country to see the launch.
1t was not believed that there was foreign
commerce enou n to occupy such q vessel.
and it was declared that even the Roths.
childs could not afford to own her, and that
she would be sure destruction to the for
tunes of whoever undertook to employ her.
The Rappahaanoc. was a bluff bowel, full
and long bottomed ship, narrower on deck
than below, and full rugged. Her scantling
was no larger than that Of 3OO-ton
schooner of the present day, and the fasten-
ing throughout would now be considered
light. She ran Us packet to Liverpool in
tho summer time, and as cotton ship from
Nav Orleans in the winter. 1t is said that
freights dropped in New Orleans when she
was reported below. But still the famon:
old ship, in spite Of many dire predictions
was great success. She plowed the seas
for twenty-one years, and finally foundersd
carrying Goals in the Mediterranean.
Along with the cotton ships cana tina
clippers which ran between New York end
Liverpool. Steam did not easily displace
these graceful Incl, smooth sailing ships
for they made nearly as good time as the
early steamers.
With the discovery Of gold in California
clipper ship-building reached its highest
point of development. Great was the flow
of money now into the pockets of Bath
owners But in 1857 came the crisis which
only the strongest lived through, and this
year began the decline OF the merchant ma.
rine, that reaction Of shipping which Enc.
land made her opportunity. In this wear It
is estimated there were in the California
trade Sver lO0 large ships that vera not
needed, for California had not then becoma
great wheat state. but nevertheless pro-
ducsd nearly enough agricultural products
to supply the needs Of its people. and TO
render them independent of the east. The
rapid inroad Of steam, and finally the war
with its high rates Of insurance, and tho
destruction wrought by the Confederate
cruisers, gave the last blow. The shipyard,
of the large cities closed, and never re-
opened. The year 1865 saw the end of the
reaction. Many ships had been transferred
to foreign flags, many more had Teen
wrecked or destroyed by the Confederate
cruisers
In the halcyon days of the early fifties
Bath wharves were crowded with new
ships. In 1854 thirty five vessels, eleven %
them from l, $50 to 1,5S0 tons register were
launched here. At one time in this period
twenty five square-rigged vessels lay at the
wharves receiving sails and outfits. To-
day in all the yards of Bath only three
large vessels are being built. Generally
throughout this little city those who have
had such a famous share in the construction
and ownership OF vessels, when asked about
the prospect. obviously shake their head,
1hey fores., harier tiuaes yet for their
CITY and themselves