Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-05-24
The BUILDING of the Viruinia.

| ton of this craft, the first sea-goins
vessel built in New England and
probably the first in America, but we
are nevertheless given some informa-
| ton about it by the chronicler of that
Inflated Popham settlement.
The name of the vessel was the Vir-
gina. She was termed pinnace or
shallop and this, with the statement
| reveals all we know of her size or rig.
The cOlonsts lost no time in entering
upon the construction of this craft af-
ter their selection of the site for the
colony, for it is recorded in 1.-THE Rela-
ton Of the Sagadahoc Colony" that on
Friday, August q, 1907, (Old stylc) the
very next day after the colonists had
landed and broken ground for their
fort, "all hands Labored hard about
the fort Som in the trentch Som for
FACETS & our ship carpenter about the
buildinge of a small pinnace or shall
lnp."
The journal contains no further ref
crencc to the process Of the construc
ton of this craft or it's launching, nor
indeed do we find any mention OF it
until the historian tells US later on that
the carpenters had framed a pretty
Pynnace of about some thirty tonne
which they called the Virginia; the
chief ship wright beinge one Digby OF
London" and when the colonists with
depleted numbers and with spirits
broken by the hard winter resolved in
1908 to return to England, we are told
that they all ymbarqued in this new
arrived shipp and in the new pynnace
the Virginia, ard sett sale for Eng
land And this was the end of that
northerne colony upon the river
Sachadchoc."
Nobody can state with certainty the
spot where this little vessel was built.
The circumstances were doubtless de-
terminod by the conditions of the
shore, the convenience for launching
and the proximity of timber. No
doubt, however, place very near the
fortiNcation was selected. The fact
that the work of building the craft was
entered upon at once after the arrival
Of the cclOnists shows that those in
charge had included this in their plans
and had brought the cordage, sails and
the required iron along with them, as
well as ship carpenters in their force
of workmen. No doubt it was their
intention to use this craft in voyages
up the rivers and the indentations of
the coast where their larger ships
could not be taken. There is no rec
ord that it was 50 used however, and
il is not likely that it was much used
before bearing its part in taking the
remnant of the colony back across the
Atlantic to England. History also
tells us that this little craft was in the
fleet that sailed the following year,
1902 from England with supplies for
the settlement at jamestown, then
called the southern colony-'in the boat
Of Sir George Somers, called the Viz
giria. which was built in the North
Colony. went one Captain Davies and
one master Davies"
g
small to he used in the business of
crossing the Atlantic as the Virginia
was certainly used in these two in
stances and in how many later we do
not know. but many voyages across the
Atlantic were made by the early cXplor-
cr@ in craft no larger than the little
Virginia The two vessels in Pring's first
voyage, 1908, were Of only 80 and 26 tons
The two ships which
brought over the Popham colony, the
Gift IF God and the Mary and John,
were, between 100 and $50 tons. The
Pilgrim ships were 100 and So tons
We are not old the fate
of the Virginia. It's name is re-
minder that this section was included
in that great and vague area along the
Atlantic shore which was claimed by
the early English explorers and which
Raleigh named in honor Of Queen
Elizabeth.
After 1901 many years passed before
any ship building of Importance was
carried On along the shores Of the Ken
nebec but we are justified ncverthe-
less in holding that the construction of
the plnnaCe Virginia under the direc-
ton Of zone Digby OF London" and
built from the trees that grew at Pop
ham. was the beginning of the great
ship building industry OF New Eng
lard. The celebration of the 500th an
niversary of the construction of that
craft is a matter of wide interest and
everybody wishes Bath success in its
attempt to make the celebration in all