The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1904-03-30
C h. TOWNSHEND DEAD
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tons. Captain B. F. Marsh. Of Whit
locks New York and Havre Union Line
Of Packet Ships. and in her made four
voyages, the first two as thirdsmate
and the last two as second mate. He
then changed to the Germania, 1900
tons. Captain D. H. Wood, Of the same
line. and made several voyages TO Ha-
vre as first officer.
Early in the year 1857 Captain Town
shend took command of the New York
and Havre packet ship Bavaria. In
about eight years he had worked up
through every grade, from the lowest to
the highest, in the merchant service,
and in that highest grade stood among
the first He was now in his twenty
third year.. He made two voyages in
command of the Bavaria and then went
back to his old ship, the Germania, as
captain; in which he made thirteen
voyages, all to Hayre, excepting one to
James River, Virginia, and Havre, one
TO Mobile and Havre, another to New
Orleans and Havre, and one from New
York to San Francisco, Puget Sound,
Queenstown, London, Cardiff in Wales,
and thence to New York, during which
voyage he escaped capture by Confed-
crate privateer twice off the South
American coast, this last voyage COW
ering a period of two years. He then
returned in the Gernania to the New
York and Havre route (the civil war
being ended, and while still in COM
mand of that vessel was invited to take
command of the United States mail
steamer Fulton, of $500 tons, by a
unanimous vote of the board of direc-
tors, which he accepted early in the
year 1867, and after making numerous
successful voyages in this service he
changed to the command of the Ameri-
can Steamship company's steamer On
tario, of some 5000 tons burthen.
While in command of the latter ship
during the Franco russian war. 1870
| II, he took her into Havre via Cowes,
England (haying cleared his ship at
the latter port for Antwerp to save de-
tention), which port he sailed for from
| New York, under sealed orders, laden
with firearms, ammunition and equip
ments, of which the French government
was sorely in need The value of this
cargo was two and a half million of
dollars. The timely arrival of the On
| tario, the Prussian advance guard hav-
! ing reached at the moment of her ar
rival a point four miles from zHavre,
saved this important port from capture
| and an estimated loss of at least fifty
millions of dollars. This achievement
created great enthusiasm and delight in
France, notably in Paris and Havre,
where Captain Townshend was feted
| and made the object of unlimited cour-
tesies and attention, and his name pro-
posed for an award of a decoration of
the Legion Of Honor.
One Of the most noteworthy of first
things in the history of American COM
merce is the first export of American
petroleum. This was in 1858, when
Captain Townshend carried a specimen
Of the oil from the Seneca Oil compa-
Iny's well, in which he was interested,
at Titusville, Pa, which was given him
by his brother, James M. Townsend, to
Paris for analysis and brought back the
| report of the French chemist.
Captain Townshend was long inter-
ested in oyster culture. For several
years previous to 1860, and while in the
Havre trade he personally watched the
experiments Of NM. De Coste and De
Broca, the latter commissioner to this
country in 1859, at the instance of Ma
poleon III. to examine our shell fish
culture. While here, the guest of the
Messrs. Townsends, he suggested util-
izing shells, tiles and twigs of trees to
be used for stool for spat, when ripe,
to adhere to. Captain De Broca at this
tive nc. nj II,
ings to prove the system was then
1850 in successful operation on the
coast Of France.
/ Captain Townshend had devoted a
great deal of time and money to an ex-
perimental study of the subject. noting
in a journal an account of his method
and result. This journal is largely
transcribed in the Tenth Census of the
United States, Section x monograph
b, in "a Report on the Oyster Indus
try of the United States" by Ernest
Ingersol.
Among the most important and valu,
able of the services rendered to his ma
tive place by Captain Townshend we
note his suggestions for a cornice road
along the cliffs Of East Rock, and To-
eating the soldiers and sailors monu-
ment there was his conception; also
those in connection with the improve
ments of it's harbor and the resurvey
Of Block Island Sound, Long 1sland
Sound and the East river to Hell Gate
where several dangerous reefs have
been located Con chart now in course
of construction by the United States
Coast and Geodetic Survey, one o.
which, lying in the fairway of ships
bound to New Haven and long known
to the local pilot now bears his name
Captain Townshend originated, abou
the year 1870, the idea of port of ref.
uge off the lower quay at New Haven
by inclosing by means of two break.
waters, similar to Cherbourg, France
and Plymouth England, which scheme
met the appreciation of commercial mer
and of congress, and in 1879 this great
national work for the benefit of foreign
and domestic commerce was surveyed
and located by United States govern
ment engineers and is now in course OF
construction, and when completed will
cost several millions of dollars and COW
er an area of about four times the
space of New Haven harbor, and be
easy of ingress and egress from all di-
rect ions in tempestuous weather Fol
this, and the improvement of the har-
Dor, about $250OOO has been appropri-
ated.