HMCo #15p Gem

"[1875-01-10] Sun 10: ... [Brother] John ... has [a] 31 f[oot] steamer [probably #15p Gem] for [blank, probably George L. Appleton] set up.
[1875-02-03] Wed 3: ... At home in [the] evening. Make drawing of 27in. Propeller wheel [probably for #15p Gem] ...
[1875-02-08] Mon 8: Went to Providence at 7-30. Cold morning, snowing, but clears off afterwards. At the shop [Corliss Steam Engine Co.] with George [Phillips] in [the] evening. Commenced pattern of Propeller wheel for John [probably for #15p Gem]. ...
[1875-02-24] Wed 24: ... Prof. Appleton [owner of #15p Gem] arrived.
[1875-02-25] Thu 25: ... At the shop [Corliss Steam Engine Co.] in [the] evening, making model of twin boat [#187504es Amaryllis (Model Yacht)]. Finished brass pattern for 27in. propeller wheel [probably for #15p Gem] today.
[1875-03-06] Sat 6: ... [Brother] John at work on machine of the Savannah steamer [#15p Gem], ...
[1875-03-14] Sun 14: ... Launched the steamer Gem [#15p] in a.m. ...
[1875-03-15] Mon 15: Light wind SE to NE, rainy, heavy at times. Went to Prov[idence] in new steam launch Gem [#15p] which is to be sent to Savannah. John, James & Lewis. Start at 8-34 and arrive at Far. Pt. at 10-41. Stopped 15m in all, head tide, steam 60 to 158 lbs. Boiler and engine worked well, steam super heated to blue on st[eam] pipe. Engine made 27s rev[olutions] with 110 lbs steam bulk[?] over[?]. Boat to be shipped per Galitea[sic] tonight.
[1875-04-17] Sat 17: ... [Brother] John, [his wife] Sadie & [their daughter] Kate arrived home from Savannah [where they had delivered #15p Gem]. [They] had a very pleasant trip. ..." (Source: Herreshoff, Nathanael G. Diary, 1875. Manuscript (excerpts). Herreshoff Marine Museum Collection.)

"The Steam Yacht [#15p Gem] recently built at the yard of the Messrs. Herreshoff for parties in Savannah, Ga., was steamed to Providence on Monday, whence she will be shipped to her port of destination by steamer via New York. The yacht is propelled by calorie pressure, and will be accompanied to Savannah by Mr. J. B. Herreshoff, one of the firm. We understand that Messrs. Herreshoff have a contract to build a yacht of longer dimensions for parties at the South, and the work will be commenced forthwith. [The 'yacht of longer dimensions for parties at the South' may be a reference to #18p Spit Fire which was built for Southern owners but only insignificantly longer than Gem.]" (Source: Anon. "Bristol." The Manufacturer's and Farmer's Journal (Providence), March 18, 1875, p. 2.)

"The Savannah Morning News, of March 23d, 1875, gives the following description of the new steam yacht 'Gem,' built by Mr. J . B. Herreshoff, of this town:
The steamship Cleopatra which arrived here from New York on Saturday brought out a very handsome steam yacht constructed on a new plan at the extensive work shops of Mr. John B Herreshoff, at Bristol R. I., on the Narragansett Bay, for Mr. George L Appleton, of Ways Station, Boyan county.
The yacht is thirty feet in length six feet wide, and three feet deep. It is fitted with an upright engine, with cylinder three and a half inches in diameter, and seven inch stroke; a four bladed propeller wheel twenty seven inches in diameter, by forty inches pitch.
The principal feature of the yacht, however, is the new safety coil boiler, an entirely new invention, this being the first that has been put in practical use.
The boiler is made of one hundred and fifty feet of one inch wrought iron steam pipe, twenty-two inches inside of the coil; the space is also the furnace. The boiler is perfectly safe from explosion, and all kinds of water can be used without incrustation or deposit; gives double power for the grate surface; the weight is but one quarter of an equal size sheet boiler. The pressure of steam is two hundred pounds to the square inch. Twenty five persons can be comfortably seated in the yacht, which is chiefly remarkable for its speed.
She is christened the 'Gem,' a very appropriate name, and yesterday morning was visited by numbers of our citizens, who express the highest opinion of her style and finish. Mr. Herreshoff, who is blind, is for the present in charge of the yacht, for the purpose of exhibiting her merits. He is not only an experienced and skillful builder, but an excellent engineer, and made a short trial trip with a party of invited guests. The 'Gem' behaved beautifully, and sped up the river against wind and tide, making it is estimated, about ten knots an hour. The engine does not occupy more space than an ordinary hotel stove, and the guests were comfortably seated around as though in a yawl boat, lacking the inconvenience of oarsmen.
We understand that she was built at a cost of about $1200. Mr. Herreshoff has been unusually successful in the building of yachts and sail boats. Some of his yachts having won several fine prizes at the North. During the ten years he has been conducting the business, he has turned out from his works, which give employment to thirty men, over 1,500 yachts, yawls, sail boats, &c, superintending and assisting in their construction, notwithstanding his loss of sight. The value of steam yachts, on the plan of the 'Gem' to planters who now use flat boats with several hands, at heavy expense per month, is apparent. This yacht can be run at an expense of seventy-five cents per day for fuel, the services of a youth of ordinary intelligence, with an assistant, being all that are required. Steam can be generated in two minutes. We refer the reader to advertisement of Mr. Herreshoff which appears elsewhere." (Source: Anon. "A Beautiful New Steam Yacht." Bristol Phoenix, April 17, 1875, p. 2.)

"Mr. Herreshoff:
Dear Sir: --- Thinking it may be of service to you, I now write, what I have so often told you, that I think my boat the 'Gem,' that you built for me and delivered in March, 1875, a perfect success. She has been used a great deal during this time in very salt water (for salt deposits much sooner with us than with you) and I think the boiler and engine are in as good order now as the day they left your shop. I am more than pleased with her and am sure that no one will ever be disappointed who owns one of your boats. Even with the improvements you have made to your engine since you built my boat, I feel perfectly satisfied with mine.
Should you at any time wish to refer any one to me please do so at your pleasure, I shall be pleased to answer any questions that a purchaser might feel like asking.
Wishing you great success with your boats, I remain,
Yours very truly,
GEORGE L. APPLETON, 1 1-2 A. & G. R. R., Bryan County, Ga. October 16th, 1876" (Source: Appleton, George L. Letter to J. B. Herreshoff. In: Herreshoff, Jeannette Brown. The Early Founding and Devevelopment of the Herreshoff Manufacturing Company. Tampa, Florida, 1949.)

"... in 1875 J[ohn] B[rown Herreshoff] personally delivered three coil boiler equipped steam launches to customers in the south, providing more opportunities to exhibit to customers beyond Bristol. The 30-foot steam launch GEM (HMCo 15) and the 32-foot SPITFIRE (HMCo 18) were delivered to Savannah, GA plantation owners. While enroute J[ohn] B[rown Herreshoff] docked SPITFIRE at the foot of Wall Street from where he hosted two days of exhibition trips before loading on the steamer for Savannah [New York World, Oct. 1875]. The 32–foot SPRAY (HMCo 16) was delivered to a customer in Portsmouth, VA for commercial hire for pleasure and fishing parties. On arrival J[ohn] B[rown Herreshoff] arranged for the owner to make SPRAY available after an extended operating period to an examining board from the Portsmouth (Norfolk) Navy Yard to demonstrate 'one of the most important advantages claimed for this boiler by its builders …freedom from incrustation when using sea water' [Navy Yard, Norfolk, VA Examining Board Report Jan. 10, 1876. Cuttings pasted into the Sadie L. Herreshoff March 1875 Newspaper Cuttings Book in the Louise DeWolf Collection of the Herreshoff Marine Museum archives. (Unfortunately when sufficient operating hours had elapsed the owners declined to make SPRAY available to the board.)]. ..." (Source: Palmieri, John. "Advertising the Herreshoff Way." Curator’s Log - October 2013. http://www.herreshoff.org/news/newsletter3.html, accessed October 21, 2013.)

"[Item Transcription:] My dear Sons,
your letters are giving us a great deal of true pleasure. the one dated May 25th enclosing one to the Francises, another to Mrs Rogers, which was sent to your aunts & then ours[?], one last Saturday to Charlie & Alice, and this morning, Charlie Eatons's letter to Carrie & Stanton. So we feel almost as if we had been with you. I think Charlie & Nellie have done wisely in staying where they are for they seem to be most comfortably & pleasantly settled, and I am sure the sea bathing in your lovely climate must be very beneficial to Nat. Charlie's description of the villa, its landlord & the new teacher for the children, the sittings under the awning over the terrace and all he wrote is very interest in. You seem to have everything that one could wish and I should not fear the degree of heat as I should our sudden & great changes. With regards to Nat, I think he must have improved very much indeed since he left us. We could hardly expect that in so short a time he could be entirely restored to his condition three years ago, and perhaps he may have applied himself too closely, but I trust that after the boat [#187404es L'ONDA] was finished & launched, he gave himself more recreation and that he has been since gradually gaining in health & strength. The excellent vegetables, & variety, & quality of the fruits, too, are just what his system required, & we all think he could not have been so well & pleasantly situated as with Charlie's family & his brother Lewis. With regard to clothing for summer, I think blue flannel or sheep's grey, if it could be found, very desirable if it can be then[?], so that it will be cool & dry easily, suits that are without lining & as cool as live[?] out[?] & not so much trouble in working & youring[?].
You are favored, dear Louis, in friends, who write for you! The hand writing of these[?] the[?] last is not familiar to us. I was so much pleased with the description in your letter to Mrs Rogers that I copied it. Since I wrote you, Francis has been in Rhode island to pass three days. He came gown with Grace on Monday last in the early train & left us the next morning. I am quite ashamed that he has not written you in all this time & send most of your letter to him[?] & he is very much pleased to have them & practical[?] in returning them. You enquire of home & what he is doing in New York. Habershaw's[?] laboratory business is very little indeed now, and we shall not be surprised if he should be unable to retain Francis, unless there should soon be an improvement. But business generally is considered dull & besides at this time of the year, people feel like resting rather than starting anything new. Francis is in his usual health, but he looked pale, compared I suppose with y[ou]r father & James who are bronzed by the sun. Aunt Anna is wonderfully well & energetic, driving to town as of old. She is charmed with the letters from the family at Nice, talking abut you all this morning. She drove around early this morning, along for Sally, who had been here since Saturday as is her usual custom. Sally devotes herself to her aunt Sarah, who still continues out of health, altho' very much improved. She has a good appetite & sleeps well, but cannot bear any noise, as you have seen her before. They have a new girl from New Hampshire who is quite promising, one of our own people, who pays great regard to aunt Sarah's wants, and besides little Julia is at home for the summer.
Her father took her out of school for the remainder of the quarter on account of the alarm of the scarlet fever and she is a great comfort to your aunt Sarah.
Sally manages to keep along with her music, and occasionally to learn something new. She has improved very much in singing.
Your father practises with her every week & it is quite interesting to see & hear them together. Julian finished the 'Grand Sonata' [Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 4, in E-flat major, Op. 7] last Saturday & I know is thinking what he will take next.
Lewis Mitchell has made us several visits. Quite a number of persons were at Carrie's on Saturday eve[nin]g, June 13th. The Ushers, the Andrews sisters, & young Andrews cousin, with Gallup from Prov[idence], Mrs. Locke & Mr. Locke's sister, &c, &c, but some of them had better remained at home, rather than disturbing the performer, and those that wished to listen.
You do not know, my dear Sons, & you Charlie & Nellie, the comfort your letters give us here & at P[oin]t Pl[easant], but I fear mine are often a repetition. Mrs Mitchell, Nellie's mother passed a few hours with us a week since. She is looking very well & read from a letter of Nellie's to us. It was the day of John C. Brown's funeral & Carrie, your father & James were in[?] Providence to attend it. You will have heard no doubt before this reaches you of his death, the funeral, & his will. His mind was clear & calm during his sickness & from the beginning he said it would be his last & that he was perfectly assigned to death. The preparations for the funeral were very undecided in the beginning and some did not get the invitation until the same morning. Amasa did not receive his in time to go out for Maude[?] & the Francis cousins came[?] up on business, having heard at first that it was to be very private, their invitation was rec[eive]d in town that forenoon of the funeral, ours was by telegram the afternoon previous from Moses G., and then the will, I do think Mr Brown should have remembered his niece, Mrs Words, more especially on account of her having given to her husband all her property. But I have heard she was not even mentioned in the will, a legacy of $2000 to Carter[?] Woods, and the children of his brother Nicholas were not named, but I suppose you have heard all this before, and of his bequests to Brown University, the R.I. Hospital & only five thousand to the Butler H.
We should have been happy to have had Mrs. Mitchell with us over Sunday, but she had a previous engagement & so missed seeing Carrie, except for a few moments at the depot. I always write of your father's excellent health. He is beginning to bring in strawberries from our garden but they are very sour as yet. Evening of the 22d. Your aunt Mary went to Prov. with Mrs Richmond to visit y[ou]r aunt Elizabeth & found her in her usually comfortable condition. She was able to call on Mrs. Sawyer with aunt M. & enjoyed the strawberries we sent her. Last Sunday was your grandmothers' Lewis's birthday 88 years.
June 23d.
Ther[mometer] today 85deg here. Carrie & Bertie [Chesebrough] have gone to Prov[idence] today on business. I will meet E.&.S.[?] Francis at Amasa's office. James also has gone up this hot day. The cousins Francis have sold the Prudence farm wa[?] Company for $10.000. Charlie Potter will have a share in it. Mrs Slocum is repairing clothes[?] at our home & sits most patiently at work. Julian is just going with his father to Poppasquash in the JULIA [#187004es] to pass two days, and James, who has just come from Providence will join them. James says the ther[mometer] is from 90deg to 95deg in Providence today, but a fine breeze is blowing. Sally was so much pleased with her letter that she asked for it Sunday to preserve. it was brought back from new York by Francis. John [JBH] is in New London with young Mr Haswell[?], Sadie's cousin Bumstead[?] having gone for the present. James tells me to write that the engine did not goout[?]. It was used four weeks without scratching cylinder or valve. The new [coil?] boiler goes perfectly well without superheating the steam, but with an equal fire the pressure goes from 110 to 165. When we admit less water the former not superheated, the latter superheated to about 700deg. Johnnie is going to put the propeller under the bottom in the new boat [apparently #15p GEM]. James thinks that when the dip of the shaft is equal to about 2.3 of the angle of of[sic] slip, then the wings on the up side, when rising half way up, have no effect, and pull back of the shaft is more inclined or more than 1 in 18 with the CREST's [#12p] wheel. What thinks Nat?
Johnnie [JBH] is building two seine boats (row) [#???s], & a 27 foot sail boat [#???s] will be done this week. He is also setting up the engine for the narrow steamboat [#14p VISION], to be completed by the middle of July. The CREST [#12p] was taken to New York by one man, who, as the Bristol paper says, was cook as well as Captain, engineer, & all in one. Something i think he ought to be ashamed of, ventyious[?] risky man. James told me his name & that you knew him, but it has slipped from my mind. Amasa has sent us a translation of the last cruise though the torrent. The paper is at Carrie's & I can't spell the name.
Mrs. Rose is with Stanton today. Julian & I passed most of last Tuesday with him (while Carrie was in Prov[idence]) reading Hume's History of England in[?] a History from Hume & Smollett to Stant & Julian and I enjoyed the day, for I had parted that morning from Francis & was thankful to have my mind diverted & knowing that I was making Stant so comfortable, feeding him &c & giving Carrie a chance for a change. Julian is quite interested in History & I am very thankful he enjoys reading. Therein he differs entirely from Mitchell, who can never fix his mind on anything but music. He says he never reads. We hear he is considered the best pianist in prov. I have written you since I sent the draft for $270 through Duncan & Sherman the same as James did, but I suppose it is hardly time for me to receive an acknowledgment of this draft. I am as usual in somewhat of a hurry for mail. Carrie has a good girl at $2.50 per week devoted to her but not as capable as Mary. I am quite interested in your descriptions of your landlord &c.
With a great deal of love for you all & kisses, for the children. I am your aff[ectiona]te mother ..." (Source: Herreshoff, Julia A. Letter to Herreshoff, Lewis and Herreshoff, N.G. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_07570. Correspondence, Folder 25, formerly 212. 1874-06-22.)
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"[Item Transcription:] [Postcard from Bristol to NGH at Corliss Steam Engine Co. in Providence:] I have the engine [for #15p Gem] all ready to try in the shop tomorrow & intend to launch the boat Friday p.m. if the weather is suitable, otherwise Sat, if the weather is suitable.
I think it will be best to take her to Prov[idence] Sat. p.m. because Monday may be unpleasant.
Will you please come down Friday Eve[nin]g or Sat. a.m.
Would not George [Phillips] like to come down to go up with us. Kittie[?] is[?] gaining fast --- will be out by Sunday. D.V.[?]
Yours aff[ectionately] ...
Please see if the 'BARSTOW' is at Fox Point when you come down." (Source: Herreshoff, J.B. Postcard to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_79010. Correspondence, Folder 26, formerly 214. (1875 ?)-03-11.)
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"[Item Transcription:] My dear Nat,
here is a nice letter from Francis. James stayed in Prov[idence] this aft[ernoon] & saw the [#15p] GEM safely on board the New York Propeller [ship].
I think you had better get the L'ONDA [#187404es] at once. The chances of buying her at auction are uncertain besides the great chances of damage & loss of a summer's use.
Offer them $12 in gold. She will stand somewhere about $23 or $24 in Prov.
Tell Francis not to pay any duties. It is raining hard now with thunder. 10 P.M.
Carrie had had quite a sick day, but we [p. 2] hope she will be better tomorrow. Mama is going over to sleep there tonight, upstairs with Carrie & Bertie [Chesebrough] also with Wilson to take charge of Stanton below.
In haste, Yr. aff[ectiona]te brother ..." (Source: Herreshoff, Lewis. Letter to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_79110. Correspondence, Folder 26, formerly 214. 1875-03-15.)
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"[Item Transcription:] [Postcard from New York to NGH at Corliss Steam Engine Co. in Providence, RI with penciled sketch of a crank shaft:] They won't take less than $15 gold for total freight expenses [for #187404es L'ONDA]. Storage is $5.50 Currency. [Steam ship from New York to Savannah] CLEOPATRA arrived out on Sat [March 21, 1875].
Launch [#15p GEM] was rowed round from N. River and hoisted on large[? barge?] steamer, with no trouble. Seen them safely off. [Undated. Postmarked March 23 (1875).]" (Source: Herreshoff, J. B. Francis. Postcard to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_79030. Correspondence, Folder 26, formerly 214. (1875)-03-23.)
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"[Item Transcription:] [Postcard from Bristol to NGH at Corliss, Providence:] Dear Nat. [Brother] Julian is expecting to go to Prov[idence] tomorrow. Will you call for him at the 'Hoffman's' at about 7 or a little before, tomorrow night? Card[?] from Sadie dated 25 with 2 Savannah papers. I[?] copy[?] card &[?] papers giving a little acc[oun]t of J's [JBH's] success here. John left us yesterday morning early. They were to take the GEM[? #15p] tanw[?] A's [Appleton's] plantation. I do not expect him him back till Saturday. We have not had a rainy day since leaving home. Weather very pleasant here. This a beautiful city. So many open squares & the children are kept out doors nearly all the time. - I met Mrs May & Mrs[?] Griggs also. She & her mother board[?] near us. K. [Katherine] has had no drawback except see[?] jrjref[?]. Hope all are well at home. Sadie.
All well. Y[ou]r mother.
J. A. Herreshoff.
May[?] be[?] in[?] Journal. [Note: The letter is clearly dated March 31, 1874. It appears to mention GEM but note that GEM was delivered only in March 1875, suggesting that either GEM was not mentioned or the letter is incorrectly dated. Note also that NGH was in Nice, France in March 1874 and not at Corliss in Providence as suggested by the address suggesting it should have been dated 1875.]" (Source: Herreshoff, Sadie & Julia A. Postcard to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_78990. Correspondence, Folder 26, formerly 214. (1875 ?)-03-31.)
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"[Item Description:] letter from Savannah, Georgia, have been out to Mr. Appleton's place, Mr. A. went down the river last week in his little steamer [#15p GEM] ... has no trouble with the boat & does not superheat, ... having a very pleasant journey and not an unprofitable one in a business point of view ... will, perhaps, arrive home on the 17th ...'" (Source: Herreshoff, J.B. and S[adie]. Letter to Folks [at home]. Herreshoff Marine Museum Collection Acc. 86.265. HMM Library Rare Books Room (Various), Folder [no #]. 1875-04-05.)
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"[Item Description:] Printed advertising leaflet 'Herreshoff Manufacturing Company, Bristol, R.I., Builders of The Herreshoff Patent Safety Coil Boilers, Portable and Yacht Engines, Steam Yachts and Launches, Propeller Screws, Pumps, &c.', coil boiler drawing and description, steam engine sizes, steam yachts and list of stock launch sizes, propeller sizes, testimonials, #15p GEM, #17p FLECHE (8 pages)." (Source: Herreshoff Manufacturing Co. (creator). Leaflet. Herreshoff Marine Museum Collection Acc. 86.44. HMM Library Rare Books Room (Box 1), Folder [no #]. No date (ca1877 ?).)
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"N/A"

Note: This list of archival documents contains in an unedited form any and all which mention #15p Gem even if just in a cursory way. Permission to digitize, transcribe and display is gratefully acknowledged.

• Gem (HMCo-made index card)
• Gem (MIT Museum-made index card)
• Note: The vessel index cards comprise two sets of a total of some 3200 cards about vessels built by HMCo, with dimensions and information regarding drawings, later or former vessel names, and owners. They were compiled from HMCo's early days until 1920 and added to in later decades, apparently by Hart Nautical curator William A. Baker and his successors. While HMCo seems to have used only one set of index cards, all sorted by name and, where no name was available, by number, later users at MIT apparently divided them into two sets of cards, one sorted by vessel name, the other by vessel number and greatly expanded the number of cards. Original HMCo cards are usually lined and almost always punched with a hole at bottom center while later cards usually have no hole, are unlined, and often carry substantially less information. All cards are held by the Francis Russell Hart Nautical Collections of the MIT Museum in Cambridge, Mass.

Year: 1875
E/P/S: P
No.: 015
Name: Gem
OA: 30'

Source: Vermilya, Peter and Maynard Bray. "Transcription of the HMCo. Construction Record." Unpublished database, ca. 2000.

Note: The transcription of the HMCo Construction Record by Peter Vermilya and Maynard Bray was performed independently (and earlier) than that by Claas van der Linde. A comparison of the two transcriptions can be particularly useful in those many cases where the handwriting in the Construction Record is difficult to decipher.

"Built in 63 days (setup to launch)." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. January 16, 2024.)

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