New-York tribune., 1909-07-18
REPRODUCE NOTED SHIPS.
Rcplicas of Half Moon and Clcr-
mont for HudsOn-FuIiOn Celebration

The most interesting feature of the Hudson
f7,I+cr celebration from the historical and spec
tacll,ar POINTS Of view viii be the replicas Of
HudsCn's vessel the Half Moon. and Fnltun's
steamboat the Clermont. The reproduction OF
the tiny Half Moon, in which the venturesoIne
English explorer crossed the ocean from Eu-
rorc in 1909 and asccndcd the river named for
him is now on its way to this country having
left Rotterdam, where it was built on the
deck of The steamship Soostdyk July 10 on
the same day that the Half Moon left Holland
the replica Of the Clormont was launched at
Mariners Harbor. Staten Island,
The construction Of the replicas had one diff
cult+ in common. Nc exact statistical data OF
either vessel were known to be In existence
The designers and builders, however were fort
unatc in being able TO find considerable ma
tc-ia upon which to base their work The re-
suit Is believed in the case Of the Half Moon
T. he approximately correct and il that Of the
ClerInont to be accurate in the chief dimensions
a. wen as the general appearance.
The construction Of the Half Moon was based
on q stud, Of the log OF the original Half Moon,
the records of the Dutch East India Company,
and old official documents and a comparison Of
tho data obtained with contemporancous plct-
ures II vessels Of the period. The result Of TINS
study is 4 craft a ~ feet all with length
between pcrpcndicuars Of $50 feet beam ot
IL 81 feet a depth OF hull Of zoos feet and
draft Of 1.03 feet. This vessel not so large as
many Z tug to be seen IN New York HarbOT,
was built by a number of Hollanders, who are
10 give il to the Hudson Fulton Celebration
Commission. II viii arrive here about July %,
and viii be unloaded at the Brooklyn navy yard
The masts will be set up and the finishing
touches applied in the latter part OF August,
upon the arrival here Of F. J. Bentham. the
naval constructor who had charge Of the build
Ing Of the vessel.
The dimensions of the replica OF the CIormont
urc those contained in a letter written by Rob
crt Fulton, in which he said: My first steam
boat on the Hudson River was $50 feet long 13
feet wide. drawing 2 feet of water bow and
stern 60 degrees" While drawings Of the
gine are in existence there is no contemporary
picture Of the hull. Other data contained in
the specifications upon which Mr. Fulton OBJ
taincd his second patent on october 2, 1910, are
believed to have established the fact that her
hull, below the deck had wedge shaped bow and
stern cut sharp to the angle Of GO degrees. In
horizontal plan her sides parallel, and she
was almost wall sided, being only a little wider
on deck than the bottom. Her bottom
fat with no keel and she had two lee boards to
prevent drifting. There two masts but
no bowsprit or fgurehead. There two
cabins, forward and one AFT. The Cler-
mont's tiller was behind the after cabin. which
made il difficult for the helmsman 10 sec any
distractions in his course. The engine, which
was amidships between the two cabins, was an
covered, were the raddcwhecls. which were
is feet in diameter AS result the passengers
were constantly liable to drenchn2. The
lack Of wheel guards also left the wheels open
to the dangers Of collision The hywheels of
the engine were placed outside the hull forward
Of the paddlewheels, and they rcvolved in the
same direction. 1t is said that on one occasion,
when one Of the paddlewheels was disabled,
paddles were attached to the hywheel on that
side ard the voyage continued. When IT was
desired to swing the vessel around, the paddle
wheels were disconnected from each other. The
boiler was Of copper. The paddewheels had not