Shipbuilding in America began with the founding of the colonies. Until steam engines and wooden hulls replaced sails and wood, all sea going vessels were constructed of timber. Timber was a raw material that existed in abundance in the new world. From the sixteenth century, the timber situation in England and on the continent of Europe had greatly deteriorated and by 1800 the shipbuilding nations of Europe were suffering a timber famine. Due to the abundant supply and cheaper costs of shipbuilding timber, American ships cost far less to build than any European ship. Prior to the Revolutionary War, Massachusetts' led the rest of the country in the number of ships built and aggregate tonnage. Most of these ships were merchant vessels built for trade between the West Indies and North America or for trade or sale to Europe.
In the post Revolutionary War days the economy of the Massachusetts ship yards dropped considerably. The English markets were denied to American ships along with harassment of coastal traders by the British Navy. In 1786, the British applied their navigation laws to the United States. This ended the British market for American-built ships. In 1789, Congress passed a law that required that American flag ships be built in the United States. In 1793 France closed another market for American ships by passing a similar law. These events were followed by difficulties between France and England and by the War of 1812.
During the period of 1830 to 1856 the American shipyards along the eastern seaboard enjoyed a profitable increase in activity. This was the era of the famed American clipper ships, the most beautiful ship afloat. Built of oak and other hard woods, the clipper ship was designed and built for speed instead of capacity. The lines of the clipper evolved from a combination of features of the fast, sharp-ended ships built for slave and blockade running and those of the transatlantic packets and freighters.
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This splendid vessel was launched from the yard of John Taylor, Chelsea, and is the largest that ever floated in our harbor (1851). She is the property of Messrs. Bramhall & Howe, and is intended for the cotton trade. She registers 1800 tons, is 192 feet keel, and 210 feet over all; depth of hold, 29 feet. After the launch she was towed to the Navy Yard, Charlestown. The rigger, Mr. Joseph J. McClennon, at Arch Wharf, commenced work on her Saturday morning with a gang of nineteen men, and completely masted her in the short space of six hours actual working time. |
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Launching of the ship George Washington at |
The clipper was a long, narrow vessel with concave underwater lines and a long sharp bow flaring outward. The clipper had three masts or more that were set with a great slake and with square sails. These ships were designed to meet the needs of the China tea trade in the 1840's and the fast delivery of cargoes during the California and Australia gold rushes.
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Schooner M. D. Cressy - Richard T. Green Company - 208 Marginal Street. |
Numerous clipper ships were built in Chelsea shipyards that stretched on the waterfront near Williams and Marginal Street. The shipyards operated by shipbuilders: John Taylor, builder of "Storm King" 1853, the "Nabob" 1854, the "Malay" 1852, the "Aurora" 1853, the "Derby" 1855, the "Lotus" 1852; Jotham Stetson, builder of "Young Brander" 1853, "Neptune's Favorite" 1853, "Harry Bluff" 1855; Isaac Taylor, builder of the "Matchless" 1853; Winde & Clinkard, builders of "Daniel Webster" 1851, "Golden Gate" 1853, "William H. Atwood" 1852; from the yard of Rice & Mitchell, the "Orpheus" 1856; from the yard of Paul Curtis, the "Witchcraft" 1850; the yard of Dennison J. Lawlor, the "Olata" 1853. These names, represents a few of the ships built in Chelsea shipyards and their builders who helped write an important chapter in the maritime history of our country. The sea became a part of Chelsea life before the settling of the Village section of the town. The shipyards in Chelsea were turning out Sloops, Barks, and Brigantines before turning their abilities to building Clippers. The durability, speed and low cost of wood sailing vessels retarded the production of iron hull ships, introduced during the Civil War period. The introduction of steel ships in the 1880's made wooden commercial ships obsolete and caused a decline in the active shipyards.
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