Herreshoff #191901ep [Unbuilt Steam Yacht for Thomas Slocum]

"[Item Transcription:] [Typewritten letter on 'Eleven Thomas Street New York' stationery:]
Dear Mr. Nat,-
I enclose picture of the 'RANGER' [designed by H.J. Gielow and built in 1910 by Robert Jacobs, NY] which I finally found in the bottom of my bag. It is, of course, fore-shortened and really does not do her justice, as she looks best broadside on.
Her dimensions are 145 feet over all; 133.6 feet water line; 32 feet extra beam; 10 feet depth of hold, and 7 feet draught. She has two Sullivan engines; 3 cylinders, 10, 15 and 34 x 15in stroke, and two Almy Water Tube boilers. She makes 13-1/3 knots (not miles) cruising speed, and can make 16 knots under forced draught.
For a new boat [which will eventually become #191901ep Unbuilt Steam Yacht for Thomas Slocum], Mr. Slocum's idea was 160 feet over all; 35 feet beam and 10 feet draught. These dimensions, however, are not unalterable and were suggested, I imagine, by Mr. Gielow who also would like to build his new boat when he decides to order her.
'RANGER' was a very satisfactory boat to Mr. Slocum. He likes her type, including the straight stem and overhanging stern. To my eye, she was not a handsome boat and was crude in many points of design, though there was no question as to her ability and handiness. Her most serious fault was that having practically no flare forward, she threw fine spray against the windows of the forward house, and once at least stove in the windows, though this latter accident could perhaps not have been prevented, as she was going round from Newport to New York to [p. 2] make an important engagement and could not be slowed down in spite of a very heavy sea off Point Judith.
You understand, of course, that Mr. Slocum does not promise to give us the order or even to build any boat at all, though I personally feel sure he will do the latter when times quiet down, and think that if you are interested we can work him out a boat that will be obviously better than he can get elsewhere.
Sincerely yours, ... [With encl. photo marked in ink 'RANGER'.]" (Source: Nichols, George. Letter to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE04_07100. Folder [no #]. 1917-07-17.)
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"[Item Description:] Penciled midship section and profile of a large steam yacht with plumb bow and classic stern. On printed envelope to NGH in Bristol from the U.S. Weather Bureau. On verso more sketches and calculations for scantlings. Possible a first sketch (original sketch) for what eventually became #191901ep Unbuilt Steam Yacht for Thomas Slocum (but note that profile and model do not match very well).." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Penciled Sketch. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE04_07070. Folder [no #]. No date (1917-07-17 or later ?).)
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"[Item Description:] Penciled outboard profile of a large motor or steam yacht with raised foredeck. Untitled, no notes. Compare with Model 1437 for #191901ep Unbuilt Steam Yacht for Thomas Slocum designed in the summer of 1919 of which matches this outline quite well (but not perfectl). Compare also with Model 1437 which is believed to be a later model for Slocum's steam yacht and which does not provide as good a match. This might suggest that this is an early or original sketch for this steam yacht. On verso inexpert penciled profile of what may be a power vessel." (Source: Herreshoff, N. G. (creator). Penciled Sketch. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Acc. 2004.0001.0624. WRDT08, Folder 46. No date (1917-07-17 or later ?).)
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"[Item Transcription:] [Typewritten letter on 'Eleven Thomas Street New York' stationery:]
Dear Mr. Nat,-
Thank you for your letter of the 21st Inst.
I hope I can come to Bristol within the next two or three weeks.
You are correct in thinking that Mr. Slocum wants a heavily built craft [what eventually became #191901ep Unbuilt Steam Yacht for Thomas Slocum], and that she should be built to Lloyd's rules, I think I can get the blue-print showing the interior arrangements of the old 'RANGER', which will give us data to start from. She was carefully worked out to Mr. Slocum's ideas in many ways; as for instance, width of deck at the side of houses that would just fit a steamer-chair, etc.
I hope to get the question of an order for a new patrol boat settled within a few days.
Understand from Swasey that the Richards boat [#329p CAROLA V] is one that we can build at our leisure, [the remainder handwritten in ink] and as the Gov't now has power to commandeer shipyards think it is a matter of safety to be mostly engaged in work destined for their use.
Yours sincerely ..." (Source: Nichols, George. Letter to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE04_07130. Folder [no #]. 1917-07-30.)
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"[Item Description:] Penciled preliminary general arrangement plan with midship section, outboard profile and plan view titled 'Sketch of 162ft o.a. Yacht for Mr. Slocum [#191901ep]. Feb. 1919'." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Penciled General Arrangement Plan. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE02_05500. Folder [no #]. 1919-02.)
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"[Item Description:] Penciled general arrangement plan with interior arrangement plan, deck plan and outboard profile titled '2nd Design 100ft Yacht for Mr. G. M. Pynchon by N.G.H. Mch 5th [19]19'. (This is apparently a larger and much different preliminary design for #372p VASANTA. This design appears to be similar to #191901ep Unbuilt Steam Yacht for Thomas Slocum.)" (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Penciled General Arrangement Plan. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE02_05450. Folder [no #]. 1919-03-05.)
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"[Item Transcription:] [Typewritten letter on 'Eleven Thomas Street, New York' stationery:] I have just learned that Mr. [Thomas W.] Slocum's 'RANGER' has been transferred by the Navy Department to the Coast Survey so that he will not get her back. This removes all doubt that he will try to build a boat [#191901ep] of about the dimensions we talked, for the season of 1920.
Mr. Slocum asked me yesterday where the model and sketch were that you were working on, as he apparently understood from Swasey that he was going to bring them down for him to look at.
My impression is that the model [Model 1437] as laid out may be somewhat advanced for Mr. Slocum who was entirely suited with the 'RANGER', both as to performance and appearance, except that in building a new boat, he wants one large enough for possible West Indian cruising, and his use of the 'RANGER' has shown details in which he thinks the design can be improved. It is, however, up to Swasey to work this matter out with him.
I was much interested to hear from Swasey last week that you have an order for a racing 'R' boat [#191904es ?] for the Lakes, I hope the report is not premature, and shall be very much interested to see what you work out.
Another matter which the Commodore and George Cormack recently discussed with me, was who could sail 'RESOLUTE' [#725s] for the America's Cup in 1920 in the possible, though improbable, event of Charley Adams' being ill or otherwise prevented from [p. 2] doing so. Have, you any ideas on this subject?
Do you think it would prove anything to sail any of the [New York] 50's that may be put in commission this Summer in pairs, so as to give two or three other men some experience in the tactics of match racing? [The remainder handwritten in ink:] If you thing there is anything in this suggestion who would it be desirable to train?]
Sincerely yours ..." (Source: Nichols, George. Letter to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_18470. Correspondence, Folder 51, formerly 54. 1919-04-11.)
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"[Item Description:] Two sets of penciled pantograph hull sections titled on verso of 'Office of Voluntary Meteorological Observer. U.S. Weather Bureau. [blank], 189[blank]' stationery. Titled 'Design & model for yacht [#191901ep] for Tho[ma]s W. Slocum made in spring of 1919 but not used. Scale 1/4. 153[ft] w.l.' One set of sections marked 'Mr Slocums Design. 1st trial' and with calculations arriving at a displacement of 100000cuft [= 640000lbs] = 312 tons. On verso what appears to be a displacement curve." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Pantograph Hull Sections. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE04_04920. Folder [no #]. Spring of 1919.)
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Note: This list of archival documents contains in an unedited form any and all which mention #191901ep [Unbuilt Steam Yacht for Thomas Slocum] even if just in a cursory way. Permission to digitize, transcribe and display is gratefully acknowledged.

"Thomas W. Slocum, a partner in the New York drygoods firm of Minot, Hooper & Co., had been the owner of the steam yacht Ranger, designed by H.J. Gielow and built by Robert Jacobs on City Island, New York in 1910. She was 145 feet in length, 22 feet in breadth and drew 7 feet. Ranger was taken by the U.S. Navy for service in World War I where she remained in government service until 1931 and this steam yacht may have been intended as a replacement for her." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. February 11, 2009.)

"[Note also:] Thomas W. Slocum is having a sloop of the 'S' class built by Herreshoff, .." [The identity of this boat could not be established.] (Source: Anon. "Notes from the Week's Log." Boston Globe, April 10, 1921, p. 59.)

Note: Research notes contain information about a vessel that is often random and unedited but has been deemed useful for future research.