HMCo #31p [Francesca?]

"[1878-04-22] Mon 22: St[eame]r no 31 [#31p]. Long wharf Newport to beacon, 60 1/2 m[iles]. Bishop buoy to beacon 49 1/2 m[iles]. Strong SW breeze, small flood tide. 4 on board, st[eam] 90 to 110 [lbs pressure]. [Trial data.]" (Source: Herreshoff, Nathanael G. Diary, 1878. Manuscript (excerpts). Herreshoff Marine Museum Collection.)

" 'G', a writer in the Providence Evening Press, says he spent a very pleasant afternoon lately among the boats and boatmen of this town. In speaking of the work at the Messrs. Herreshoff's yard he writes: 'On Friday last [apparently May 25, 1877], they launched the 'Francesca', a 47-feet steam launch [probably #31p] owned by Frank Birch, Esq., of Swansea. Her trial trip confirmed Mr. Herreshoff's prediction that for speed and the generally desirable qualities of such boats she would prove the best they had ever put into the water. In the finishing shop, and having never been in the the water, stands another boat [apparently #32p] of the same class, which has an odd history. A wealthy invalid gentleman contracted with Mr. Herreshoff to build her that he might conveniently adopt his physician's advice to spend a portion of his time on salt water. Before the boat was finished, he passed beyond the need of boats or doctors, and his executors have a handsome craft on their hands which they would be glad to get rid of. ...'
'G' concludes his interesting article as follows: 'Altogether, there is more yachting and building carried on in this old town than the casual observer would be inclined to suppose, and it seems to be on the increase. A more convenient or more pleasant location for the sport could hardly be found, than Bristol harbor, with the broad bay beyond it, and it is small wonder that summer visitors should be coming to the conclusion that yachting is not the least of the pleasures of a season in this quiet watering place.' " (Source: Anon. "Locals." Bristol Phoenix, June 2, 1877, p. 2.)

"We made a brief visit to the Works of the Herreshoff Manufacturing Company, of this town, a few days since and were surprised at the recent great increase in the business of that establishment. At present more than seventy skilled mechanics and workmen are employed there. Through the politeness of Charles F. Herreshoff, Esq, father of the famous boat builder, we were conducted through the various departments in the yards and buildings. ...
In the yard between this building and the boat shop near the wharf, there is a 45 feet yacht [probably #38p Puck], 7 feet wide, built for Boston parties; and also No 31 [#31p], built last year and sold to parties in Buenos Ayres, South America, to be delivered within a few days, she is 47 1/2 feet long and is to be used on the La Platte river. ... [Note: The Bristol Phoenix articles from June 2, 1877 and April 13, 1878 are difficult to reconcile unless we assume that #31p Francesca, built for Frank Birch of Swansea ultimately became a steamer to be used on the River Plate in Argentina.]" (Source: Anon. "The Herreshoff Manufacturing Company's Works." Bristol Phoenix, April 13, 1878, p. 2.)

"[Item Description:] Penciled technical drawing on brown paper titled '5 x 10in. April 1877'. With notes 'Eccentric rod head same as ordinary', 'Case hardened', 'Shaft 2 3/8 dia[meter', 'Eccentric strop[?] and rod same as ordinary', 'plan of pall', 'w[rou]gt iron', 'hard spring' and 'backing notch'. (A simple expansion high pressure 5" bore x 10" stroke engine was used in 1877 for both #30p KANAWA and #31p River Steamer but it is not clear what exactly this drawing shows)." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Penciled Technical Drawing. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE11_02280. Folder [no #]. 1877-04.)
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"N/A"

Note: This list of archival documents contains in an unedited form any and all which mention #31p [Francesca?] even if just in a cursory way. Permission to digitize, transcribe and display is gratefully acknowledged.

• Open yacht (HMCo-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: 1877
E/P/S: P
No.: 031
OA: 47'

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.