Herreshoff #189602ep [Unbuilt 65ft Torpedo Boat]
Particulars
Type: Navy Steam Torpedo Boat
Designed by: NGH
Not built, not assigned, cancelled, etc.: 1896-2
Construction: Wood
LOA: 65' (19.81m)
Beam: 10' 6" (3.20m)
Propulsion: Steam, Herreshoff
Built for: U.S. Navy
Note: Particulars are primarily but not exclusively from the HMCo Construction Record. Supplementary information not from the Construction Record appears elsewhere in this record with a complete citation.
Model
Model number: 101Model location: H.M.M. Model Room South Wall Left
Vessels from this model:
9 built, modeled by NGH
Original text on model:
"#148 OUR MARY 1888
#149 JERSEY LILY 1888
#188 SQUIB 1896 stern lengthened
#228 EXPRESS 1902 bow and stern changed
#231 ADRIENNE 1903 " "
#232 HELVETIA 2 1903 " " #248 " " [final name THANIA]
#264 SARAH WEBB " " [Note: Ditto marks indicate these vessels had "bow and stern changed"]
#268 CANVASBACK 1908" (Source: Original handwritten annotation on model. Undated.)
Model Description:
"65' loa Our Mary and Jersey Lily, steam passenger launches of 1888. Also, with stern lengthened, the 78' loa steam cabin launch Squib of 1896, and, with bow and stern changed, the 49'6" gasoline launches Express, Adrienne, Helvetia II, of 1902 & 1903, the 59'8" loa Toddy Wax of 1905, the 50' loa Sarah Webb of 1908, and the 59'11" Canvasback of 1908. Both Toddy Wax, renamed Thania, and Canvasback are in the Herreshoff Marine Museum's Hall of Boats." (Source: Bray, Maynard. 2004.)
Note: Vessels that appear in the records as not built, a cancelled contract, a study model, or as a model sailboat are listed but not counted in the list of vessels built from a model.
Documents
Other Contemporary Text Source(s)
"London Times. Philadelphia May 7th [1896] --- Messrs. Herreshoff, the Rhode Island yacht builders, are sending a bid to the Spanish Government for the building of six torpedo-boats, of 18 to 21 knots speed, for use as patrol boats on the coast of Cuba. [Might this be a reference to #189602ep Unbuilt 65ft Torpedo Boat? The timing could be right, but note that NGH in his February 1896 notes estimated the speed of his 65ft torpedo boat as 15kn, 16 1/3kn or 17kn, but never as 18 to 21kn as reported in this article.]" (Source: Anon. [Title?] London American Register, May 11, 1895, p. 7.)
Archival Documents
"N/A"
"[Item Description:] Penciled pantograph hull sections titled 'Preliminary for 65ft Torpedo launch [#189602ep]. Feb[ruary] 22, [18]96. Scale 3/4ft from model [Model 101] of #148 [OUR MARY] & 149 [#149p JERSEY LILY]'. With calculations arriving at a displacement of 288cuft = 18500lbs and other calculations arriving at a displacement 'to upper w.l.' of 20340lbs." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Pantograph Hull Sections. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE04_06150. Folder [no #]. 1896-02-22.)
① ②
Note: This list of archival documents contains in an unedited form any and all which mention #189602ep [Unbuilt 65ft Torpedo Boat] even if just in a cursory way. Permission to digitize, transcribe and display is gratefully acknowledged.
Further Reading
-
Simpson, Richard V. Building the Mosquito Fleet: The U.S. Navy's First Torpedo Boats. Charleston, S.C., 2001.
Description of the first American torpedo boats, with strong emphasis on Herreshoff-built vessels. Unfortunately, numerous small factual inaccuracies.
Note
We are always interested in learning more about this vessel. If you want to discuss it or can share any additional information or images or to discuss a copyright concern, please do not hesitate to send an Email to the link below!
Herreshoff Catalogue Raisonné.
All rights reserved. No reproduction, adaptation, or distribution of any part of this document or any information contained herein by any means whatsoever is permitted without prior written permission. For the full terms of copyright for this document please click here. Last revision 2024-01-16.
© 2024,