The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1890-01-07
THE RAPPAhANNocK LAUNCHED.
Largest Vessel Ever Built in the City
Of Snipyards.

BATH, January Gc-The first full-rigged
ship built in this city since 1885, when three
were built, was launched at the noon hour
today, from the yard Of Arthur Sewall & Co.
The ships name is Rappahannock, and she
is the largest vessel ever built in Maine
ship yard, and her carrying capacity will ex-
ceed any square-rigged wooden ship built on
the Atlantic coast. The Rappahannock was
named for ship built in the same yard in
the latter part of the forties by William d.
Sewali, father of the leading member of the
firm that built the present Rappahannock.
The Rapp hammock of the forties was for
some years the largest vessel built in Maine.
Her tonnage was about 1900.
when President Harrison visited this city
on tne i4th OF last August, the laying Of the
Keel OF the Rappahannock had been COM
pleted but few days. Arthur Sewall, whose
guest the President was while here, drove
wltn MN to the shipyard, and the President
walked on the keel its entire length. The
dimensions OF the Rappahannock, as per
custom mouse measurements. are: Register
length, 2S7.2; register breadth, IS o.; register
depth, 1873; depth under spar deck, SO; to-
tai depth, PSI; gross tonnage, 3,1S5; net ton
In the construction OF the big ship up
wards OF 700 cubit tons of Virginia oak and
0,OO0 feet of southern pine timber were
USED. Inc frame is OF oak, clear OF wane.
and well seasoned when pnt up. First quail
lty OF Georgia pine was used in the ceiling,
deck frames and planking.
Inc main keelson is three feet two inches
in depth, bilge keelsons IA inches flush, low
er aeck beams 15xI5, between deck beams
l2xl4, upper deck beams 10x14, the spar deck
beams at the main hatchway are 18x1S. The
decks are OF yellow pine, and the quarter
deck extends forward to the mainmast.
When ready for sea the Rappahannock
Will be the heaviest SPARED ship sailing
from Maine port. Her mainmast is SO feet
long and 3oa inches in diameter; foremast.
80 feet long and IS inches In diameter; MAIN
topmast,. 5S feet; pgallantmast, II
feet; moinyard, 95 feet; foreyard, 95 feet;
lower maintopsailyard, 81 feet; upper main
topsail yard 70 feet; lower maintopgallant
yard, 70 feet; upper maintopgallantyard, GA
feet; malnroyal yard, 80 feet; mainskysail-
yard, 43 feet. The lower masts are of Geor-
gia pine, and the other spars OF Oregon pine.
The ship has steel bowsprit, which is an
innovation here, and Is without libboom.
The spread OF canvas will be between $4,000
and 10, 900 yards.
The cabins are very conveniently arranged
and are finished In gray oak with carved
trimmings of. similar wood.
The Rappahannock was designed by VIII
liam p. Pattee Of this city. Her lines are
clipper, she is not far from 1t. Ready for
sea she will have cost S125, COO. and her own
ers are A. Sewall & Co. and others of this
city and San Francisco. The big ship will
be commanded by Captain Wylie Dickinson
of Phipsburg, Ne.
In about two weeks the ship will be ready
to sail for Philadelphia, to load oil for Japan
1t is estimated that she will carry a cargo OF
5000 tons Of coal.
The ship yard was filled with people, and
it was good old-fashioned launching, and
one Of the prettiest ever seen. Loaded ex-
cursion trains came from Augusta and other
cities along the KenneDec, and also from
Lewiston and way stations. Two tugs
quickly hauled the big ship into the middle
OF the river
From rhomaston Yard.
Especial to the Press.l
THoMAsToN, January 6.~Messrs. Dunn Il
Elliott launched from their yard this morn
ing, the schooner Benjamin Firth, of about