The Republican journal., 1912-10-31
Oldest American Vessels.

Monuments to the excellence of Amer
lean shipbuilding are not found at their
best in our giant cargo carriers and
splendid modern vessels of war. The
perfect tributes to the art in which this
country has never taken second place
are rather discovered in the few surviv-
ing pioneers of the merchant fleet which
began their careers when the nation was
hardly out of its teens, and which are
yet good for years to come.
These venerable embodiments Of
sturdiness and durability, though small
in tonnage, are yet worthy representa-
tives of the erstwhile unnumbered fleets
of white winged argosies which play
ed very important part in winning
America its commercial supremacy, yet
they have with few exceptions no ap-
parent prospects of attaining inches in
the maritime hall of fame, and for the
most part blush unseen in the humblest
of occupations.
Loyal devotees to things nautical de-
ity of the shipbuilding industry in this
Comparatively youthful land gives Den
mark the ownership of the Oldest vessel
in commission, the sloop Constance,
built in 1923. 1t is only coincidence
that the same flag flies over the oldest
known product of American ship-yards,
though it is possible that stray craft of
native birth are existent unhonored and
unsung, in more remote portions of the
globe.
Be that as it may, the clipper schooner
Vigilant CT St. Thomas, D. W. l., is suf-
fcient testimony to the superiority of
Yankee white oak and Yankee skill The
Vigilant. vessel of Dinety-nine tons,
was built at Baltimore in 1890, and was
very soon afterwards sold foreign.
Nearly all the time since she has been
employed in trading about the Danish
Antilles, though in the summer Of 1909
she came northward and made a voyage
in command Of Captain Jacobsen from
Dysart, Scotland. to Spaniard's Bay,
Newfoundland. This was seemingly an
arduous undertaking for schooner Of
her age and size, though Newfoundland
vessels of equally small tonnage are
regularly employed in transatlantic
trade. During the war between Den
mark and Great Britain, in 1807-1S14,
the Nigilant was used with success as
privateer against the English. She is
still in the pink of condition.
AS small vessels are apt to change
hands with much frequency, It is not
surprising that their ancestries are often
lost sight of, especially if extending far
into the past. This was the case with
the little schooner Mary and Margaret,
owned by c. W. Hand, of Port Norris,
n. j., and engaged in the monotonous
business of oyster dredging in Maurice
River Cove. Her skipper, Captain
Charles S. Peterson, has none of the air
which might properly be worn by the
commander of the oldest merchant YES
sci flying the Stars and Stripes, for it is
doubtful if he, or the other seafarers
who daily rub elbows, so to speak, with
the archaic craft, know her as such.
The Mary and Margaret was built at
Newport, N. j., in 1904, but when she
was rebuilt at Bridgeton in 1864, the lat
ter year in some manner was adopted as
her official date of birth The original
figures gradually passed into oblivion,
out according to rule at Lloyds the
Mary Ann repaired all out of the old into
the new is still the Mary Ann. Thus,
though the famous frigate Constitution,
except for her starhoard mizzen topsail
brace bit, is not her original self, the
year OF her launching, 1898, is preserved.
The exploits of the little schooner
Polly, built in 1905, at Amesbury, Mass,
and generally considered the oldest
tlINel cCI4OoIiSI, nave CduSSu Htl W
be much coveted craft in late years.
Plans were made for exhibiting her at
the JANE stoWn Exposition, but they
Were not carried out. Recently the
Daughters of the American Revolution
and Commander Peary have beer ne
gotiating for the possession Of the ia
nous vessel, but she has now been pur-
chased by J, H. Weldon, Of Dighton,
Mass, who also intends preserving her
for her historic associations.
The Polly was built for Captain Will
liam Spear, of Amesbury, Mass, and
was named for his wife. Rugged as a
sloop, she was fitted out as a privateer
in the war of 1912, and being fine sailer
did yoeman service for her patriotic
owner until she was captured by the
British frigate Phoebe and taken into
Castine. Soon after she was cut out by
Americans. and under Boston ownership
was changed into schooner and placed
in the coasting trade, which has ever
since been her employment.
It was not the peaceful occupation
which might have been expected, how
ever, for she was again nabbed off Cape
Ann during the second year of the war,
when laden with lumber and fish on her
way to Boston. Her captor this time
was the BRUSH pflVateer wolverine,
whose master forced Captain French and
his crew of seven aboard of the leaky
old Newburyport sloop Betsy, another
prize, and left them to their own de-
vices. The Betsy finally reached Ply
mouth in sinking condition, and the
Polly was recaptured by an American
prlvateer.
She was rebuilt in 1864, thus starting
again in life equally with the Mary and
Margaret. Since that time she has been
owned successfully in Mt. Desert, Rock
land, Portland, Belfast and Rockland.
For many years the Polly was sailed out
of Belfast by Captain George F. Ryan,
one of the Oldest and best known Of
Maine coastwise shippers. Her last
owner was Captain Walter V. Spencer,
of Rockland, who piled in the lumber
trade between Bangor and other Maine
ports until he sold her this year.-Sail-
ors' Magazine.
SWANVILLE CENTER.
Mr.. Crosby of b ooks was 81 years old last
July. He planted, dug and picked up and put
into the cellar 100 bushels of potatoes, and car
l.. IL,