HMCo #100p Permelia [One Hundred]

"The Herreshoffs, of Bristol, R. L, are to build another fast steam yacht for Mr. Hopkins, of Port Huron. Speed guaranteed, 100 miles in five hours." (Source: Anon. "New High Speed." Forest And Stream, August 3, 1882, p. 17.)

"At the Herreshoff Mfg. Co's Works on Saturday last [April 7, 1883], there were two successful launching of vessels, the steam yacht Permelia [#100p] and the cutter Consuelo [#400s]. The Permelia is 100 feet in length, by 12 1/2 feet in width; engine 300-horsepower. The Consuelo was built for Mr. N.G. Herreshoff, she is 32 feet in length, about 8 foot beam, and 6 1/2 feet in depth of hold, the ballast is of lead, in sections of her keel, and is 13,400 pounds in weight. Her interior is finished in the most elegant manner." (Source: Anon. "Successful Launchings." Bristol Phoenix, April 14, 1883.)

"A board of steam engineers consisting of Chief Engineers Isherwood, Zeller, and Allen, from the United States Navy, with two assistants, is expected to visit the Herreshoff Mfg. Co.'s Works soon to superintend a series of experiments with the engine of the steamyacht Permelia, which was launched on the 7th inst [April 7, 1883]." (Source: Anon. "USN Torpedo Station Visitors." Bristol Phoenix, April 14, 1883.)

"The steam yacht Permelia sailed Wednesday [June 13, 1883] for the St Clair river, Michigan, via New York, Albany and through the Erie canal, thence by the Welland canal to St Clair river. Mr. J. B. Herreshoff and family sailed in the yacht on this trip. [Note: It is unclear if Permelia was really delivered that early to Michigan for a few weeks later, in August, she was reported to have been in Boston.]" (Source: Anon. "Local Affairs." Bristol Phoenix, June 16, 1883, p. 2.)

"John B. Herreshoff's new and elegant steam yacht '100' arrived here on Monday. She is named '100' because her engine is the one hundredth engine turned out by the Herreshoff Works at Bristol, R. I. The yacht is schooner-rigged, and her length is 100 feet. Her compound engine is a magnificent one, and there are attachments to it recently invented by Mr. Herreshoff and which are very important. The engine was made expressly for developing great power with little space and weight. It has been tested at 380 horse-power, at which the boat attains a speed of 19 3/4 miles an hour. It was not long ago that she chased the steamer Albany from Nyack to New York, and when the Albany landed at her New York pier the '100' shot by. The cabin is twenty feet in length and contains two staterooms, toilet-rooms, &c. Aside from those there are three berths, starboard and port, which can be made into double berths if necessary. Eight persons can be accommodated aft with necessary sleeping arrangements and a crew of eight men can be accommodated in the forecastle. The cabin is handsomely finished with polished mahogany, and everything looks as clean and neat as wax. When the fine steamer landed here there were on board John B. Herreshoff, the inventor, and wife and daughter, and Mr. Frank Brandreth and wife of Sing Sing, and children. --- Poughkeepsie Daily Eagle." (Source: Anon. (C. P. Kunhardt?) "Fastest in These Waters." Forest and Stream, July 26, 1883, p. 516.)

"Jay Gould's happiness over the speed of his steam-yacht Atalanta, in her brushes with Mr. Jaffray's steam-yacht Stranger, has been suddenly dashed. Before his boat had gone far on her run to Irvington, the bold pirate of Wall Street made out a craft on his weather quarter that seemed gliding after the Atalanta with intent to overhaul her. He however had a good start and sang out to the captain to keep his eye on the little stranger --- not Mr. Jaffray's however.
And it was not long before the strange boat came up abreast of the Atalanta, and Jay was able to make out the mystical number '100' on her. Before long he was not only able to see the broadside of the '100' but in a little while he had a good view of her stern, whereon the figures were imprinted, and after a little while disappeared, as the '100' left the Atalanta which was carrying every pound of steam that could be carried without patting Jay Gould on the safety valve. Mr. Gould reached Irvington out of humor that evening.
What of the mystic boat?
It is the latest production of the Herreshoff Manufacturing Company and is called '100.' She is without a doubt the most wonderful yacht of her size for speed in this or any other country. Her length is 100 feet, with an extreme width of 12 1/2 feet The marvelous thing about her is her engine, which develops nearly 400 horsepower, giving her a speed of 19 1/2 miles an hour. She beat the Atalanta easily." (Source: Anon. "The Herreshoff Steam Yacht Walks Away From The Atalanta." Bristol Phoenix, July 28, 1883.)

"Mr. John B. Herreshoff's new yacht '100' arrived here on Friday [August 3, 1883] evening of last week after an absence of several days on a pleasure excursion, with Mr. Herreshoff and family on board. The '100' created a great sensation in Boston bay, beating everything she came near while there." (Source: Anon. "Local Affairs." Bristol Phoenix, August 11, 1883, p. 2.)

"Mr. J.B. Herreshoff's new steam yacht "100" was sold last week to Mark Hopkins, Esq., of St. Clair, Michigan. Monday morning she sailed for the home of her new owner, via the Hudson River, Erie Canal and Lake Erie. Undoubtedly she is the fastest steam yacht afloat." (Source: Anon. "Sale of the 100." Bristol Phoenix, August 18, 1883.)

"BUFFALO, August 19 [1883]. --- Mark Hopkins' new Herreshoff yacht Permelia arrived via the Erie Canal at 8 this evening. She is 100 feet long, 12 1/2 feet beam and 4 1/2 feet hold. Her engine is an improved Herreshoff compound, with cylinders 12 by 21 inches and of about 350 horsepower. This is nearly double the power of the old Permelia's engine. The coil boiler of this yacht is a fourth larger than that of the old. She has actually made 19 3/4 miles an hour, two miles more than the rejected Permelia could make. This boat will also carry two spars, whereas the other had none. After shipping her spars and receiving some finishing touches she will leave for St Clair, in charge of Capt. Brown. Mark Hopkins came through the canal on her, and will accompany her home." (Source: Anon. "Arrival of Mark Hopkins' Yacht at Buffalo." Detroit Free Press, August 20, 1883, p. 6.)

"The Buffalo Courier of Saturday [August 18, 1883], in an article about Mr. Hopkins' new and old yachts, has the following: Mr. Hopkins wanted to go twenty miles an hour --- anything to beat Jay Gould. He was willing to pay for it. As to his ability there was no question, for he owns a hotel and several millions of dollars, so he wrote to the Bristol people to build him another boat that would certainly go 100 miles in five hours. This order was promptly filled. The new yacht was tested the other day under the direction of B. J. Ishewood [sic, i.e. Isherwood] and staff, by order of the United States Inspectors of Steam Vessels, off Narragansett pier. The official record was 19.26 miles; the builders, however, are sure of twenty miles without any straining, the maintenance of which rate is promised as long as the engineer can stand to his post. The dimensions are: 100 feet over all, 12 1/2 feet beam and 4 1/2 feet depth. The engine has an annular valve admitting the steam all around without any waste; it is of the compound build, steam jacketed, the cylinders being 12 and 21 by 12 inches, and with 300 revolutions per minute at maximum speed. The power developed is equal to that of 350 horses. The economy is one horse power for two pounds of coal per hour, or only 700 pounds of coal at the maximum. The only other vessel showing such remarkable machinery is the steam yacht Orienta [#89p], recently built by the same company for Mr. Bostwick, of New York. Until formally christened by Mr. Hopkins, the boat will continue to be called 'One Hundred,' from the coincidence of its being 100 feet long, capable of 100 miles in five hours and exactly the one hundredth boat launched by the Herreshoff company. Her builders have agreed to take the old Permelia [#92p] in exchange, getting $10,000 to boot. The new boat will be christened Permelia; the old one is for sale at $18,000." (Source: Anon. "The Yacht One Hundred." Detroit Free Press, August 20, 1883, p. 7.)

"The Buffalo Courier in an article about Mark Hopkins' new and old yachts, has the following: --- Mr. Hopkins wanted to go twenty miles an hour --- anything to beat Jay Gould. He was willing to pay for it. As to his ability there was no question, for he owns a hotel and several millions of dollars, so he wrote to the Bristol people to build him another boat that would certainly go 100 miles in five hours. This order was promptly filled. The new yacht was tested the other day under the direction of B. J. Ishewood [sic, i.e. Isherwood] and staff, by order of the United States inspectors of steam vessels, off Narragansett pier. The official record is 19.26 miles; the builders, however, are sure of twenty miles without any straining, the maintenance of which rate is promised as long as the engineer can stand to his post. Until formally christened by Mr. Hopkins, the boat will continue to be called 'One Hundred,' from the coincidence of its being 100 feet long, capable of 100 miles in five hours, and exactly the one hundreth boat launched by the Herreshoff Company. Her builders have agreed to take the old Permelia [#92p] in exchange, getting $10,000 to boot. The new boat will be christened Permelia." (Source: Anon. "The Yacht One Hundred." Toronto Daily Mail, August 24, 1883, p. 3.)

"Mr. John B. Herreshoff and family arrived here on Friday evening [August 24, 1883] of last week in the steam yacht Permelia [#92p Permelia I]. The steam yacht No. 100 [#100p Permelia II] in which they left home met the Permelia at Rochester, New York, where Mr. Herreshoff exchanged steamers, the latter coming this way and the former continuing on her trip to Lake Michigan." (Source: Anon. "Local Affairs." Bristol Phoenix, September 1, 1883, p. 2.)

"Last August [in 1883] the Herreshoffs came to Boston in the steam yacht '100.' She was so called being 100 feet long, and the one hundredth steam vessel built by them. Her speed was more than twenty mile's an hour, and the way it passed the fastest side-wheel harbor boats caused great wonderment, and became the theme of conversation in boating circles." (Source: Anon. "A Famous Yacht Builder. What John B. Herreshoff Has Done and Is Doing." Boston Globe, July 13, 1884, p. 14.)

"Newburg, N. Y. Sept. 16. --- The Herreshoffs, of Providence, R. L, have built some remarkably fast yachts, notably the Stiletto, which, having beaten the Powell, is the fastest boat afloat, and the yachts No. 100 and No. 101. The No. 100 went up the river early on Monday morning and attracted considerable attention. She is an odd looking boat, very long in proportion to her width. When the yacht was some distance below Poughkeepsie the steamer Jacob H. Tremper pulled out from her dock at that city on her way up the river. The officers of the boat noticed a lone black yacht coming up behind them but gave it no attention, not thinking it was any speedier than most of its class. When the Tremper left Hyde Park the No. 100 was alongside the steamer. Suddenly a cloud of black smoke poured out of the yacht's funnel and she began to leave the Tremper as the Stiletto left the Powell. The people on the yacht laughed and motioned to the Tremper to come on. The Tremper's engineer accepted the challenge. He ordered the firemen to make more steam, saying that he would let her go a little from Esopus to Rondout, when they would have a run between landings of eight miles. The Tremper started away from the Esopus dock like a race horse. The yacht was some distance ahead, but waiting. She was evidently all primed for the race, and so was the steamboat. When the Tremper came alongside a volume of black smoke again poured out of the yacht's funnel and her wheel churned the water more furiously, but the steamboat staid with her this time. The yacht put forth every effort to get away, but for three miles a peanut shell might have been tossed from one boat to the other. The Tremper then put on a little extra speed, and the yacht dropped astern, inch by inch. The ladies on the Tremper were delighted, and waved their handkerchiefs when their boat forged ahead. The No. 100 has a coil boiler like that of the Stiletto." (Source: Anon. "Beaten by the Tremper. Yacht No. 100 Left Behind in a Race With the Steamer." New York Times, September 17, 1885, p. 4.)

"If the owner of the steam yacht Tremper wants to test his craft for speed he can make a match with the Pernelia [sic, i.e. Permelia], formerly known as Herreshoff's No. 100, for 25 or 50 miles, for $1.000. The Hazleton Boiler Company by whom the offer is made, is piqued over a report that the Tremper came off victor in a race with the Pernelia up the Hudson on Wednesday. Charles Hallett, representing the marine department of the works, says he was on the Pernelia: that the two boats ran together to Rondout Creek, and that the Tremper then put in to Kingston, not coming out during the three-quarters of an hour that the Pernelia waited in that neighborhood. The Pernelia is going to St. Clair, Mich." (Source: Anon. "Challenging the Tremper." New York Times, September 18, 1885, p. 2.)

"The following is a list of the steam yachts built by the Herreshoff Manufacturing Company of Bristol, R.I: ... Permelia, built 1883, for Mark Hopkins, St. Clair, Mich. Length, 100 feet; breadth, 12 feet 6 inches; depth, 6 feet 6 inches; draught, 4 feet 6 inches; speed, 19 1/2 miles per hour. ..." (Source: Jaffray, Edward S. "American Steam Yachting." Outing, April 1886, p. 23-25.)

"On July 19 [1894], at about 9:30 P. M., the steam yacht Lorna, W. L. Stow, was in collision with the menhaden boat Nat Strong, of Sand's Point; the yacht being cut down, so that she sunk in a few minutes. The owner and his guests, with the crew, were saved in the yacht's boat. Lorna is better known as Permelia, the Herreshoff yacht, built in 1883 for the late Mark Hopkins. The yacht was raised on July 20, and will be rebuilt." (Source: Anon. "Yacht News Notes." Forest and Stream, July 28, 1894, p. 79.)

"Permelia was the second steam yacht of this name in as many years. Both were built for Mark Hopkins of Port Huron, Michigan. ...
Permelia carries a pair of tenders hoisted on davits and has a boarding platform and stairway rigged for the owner's convenience. Her so-called 'light schooner rig' is extremely neat, with track and metal slides, instead of the usual jaws, connecting the gaffs to the masts. The one-hundredth power craft completed by the Herreshoff yard, 100 feet in length, Permelia even carries the number 100 on her pilothouse nameboard.
She's functional, yes, but beautiful? Probably not to the modern eye --- not even, perhaps, by the standards of the day. Herreshoff's reputation was not enhanced by the aesthetics of these early craft. The great early-twentieth-century yacht designer Clinton Crane, for example, has stated that, in his opinion, Herreshoff steam yachts were extremely homely but were light and easily propelled, and therefore economical. For some, this pureness of function was beauty enough --- although of another kind." (Source: Bray, Maynard and Carlton Pinheiro. Herreshoff of Bristol. Brooklin, Maine, 1989, p. 23.)

"[Item Description:] Casting Book # 4, steamers #40p, #54p, #57p, #63p, #67p, #70p, #79p, #89p, #92p, #99p, #100p, #101p, #102p, #103p, #104p, #105p, #106p, #107p, #108p, #109p, #110p, #111p, #112p, #113p, #114p, #115p, #116p, #117p, #118p, #119p, #120p, #121p, #122p, #123p, #124p, #125p, #126p, #127p, #128p, #129p, #130p, #131p, #132p, #133p, #134p, #135p, #136p, #137p, #138p, #139p, #140p, #141p, #142p, #143p, #144p, #145p, #146p, #147p [castings by hull number; front page shows summary size and engine and boiler data for steamers 99 thru 146 as well as repair data for steamers #40p, #54p, #57p, #63p, #67p, #70p, #79p, #89p, #92p, #118p, and #128p]. Undated, vessels mentioned were built between 1878 and 1887. Dates mentioned for repairs range from 1885 to 1887. Note considerable informational overlap with Casting Book # 1, which as in this book also contains data for #99p through #116p, although it appears (!) that Book # 4 lists more patterns per boat than Book # 1. Likewise, considerable overlap with Casting Books # 2 and # 3 which also contain data for boats that are also listed in book # 4. It may well be that information in Book # 4 was copied from books # 1, # 2 and 3." (Source: MIT Museum, Hart Nautical Collections, Haffenreffer-Herreshoff Collection Item HH.6.120-07. Castings Book 4. Box HAFH.6.4B, Folder Casting Record Books Vessel Castings Book 4. No date (1878 to 1887).)
① ② ③ ④ ⑤ ⑥ ⑦ ⑧ ⑨ ⑩ ⑪ ⑫ ⑬ ⑭ ⑮ ⑯ ⑰ ⑱ ⑲ ⑳ ㉑ ㉒ ㉓ ㉔ ㉕ ㉖ ㉗ ㉘ ㉙ ㉚ ㉛ ㉜ ㉝ ㉞ ㉟ ㊱ ㊲ ㊳ ㊴ ㊵ ㊶ ㊷ ㊸ ㊹ ㊺ ㊻ ㊼ ㊽ ㊾ ㊿
①

"N/A"

"[Item Description:] Work order notebook [Titled Nathl G. Herreshoff, Esq., Bristol R.I.; 1882-1887, mostly signed by N.G.H., later ones by C.H.K.; material and item orders relating to #400s CONSUELO, #401s ROMP and steamers #89p, #99p, #100p, #101p, #102p, #104p, #105p, #106p, #110p, #111p, #113p, #118p, #119p, #120p, #122p, #123p, #140p, #146p; many orders from the marine store of A. B. Babbitt at Tiverton]." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Work Order Notebook. MIT Museum, Hart Nautical Collections, Haffenreffer-Herreshoff Collection Item HH.6.120-04. Box HAFH.6.4B, Folder Casting Record Books Sketch and Order Book 1882-1887 NGH CHK. 1882 to 1887.)
① ② ③ ④ ⑤ ⑥ ⑦ ⑧ ⑨ ⑩ ⑪ ⑫ ⑬ ⑭ ⑮ ⑯ ⑰ ⑱ ⑲ ⑳ ㉑ ㉒ ㉓ ㉔ ㉕ ㉖ ㉗ ㉘ ㉙ ㉚ ㉛ ㉜ ㉝ ㉞

"[Item Description:] Casting Book # 1, steamers #99p, #100p, #101p, #102p, #103p, #104p, #105p, #106p, #107p, #108p, #109p, #110p, #111p, #112p, #113p, #114p, #115p, #116p [castings by hull number]. Undated, vessels mentioned were built between 1883 and 1884. Note considerable informational overlap with Casting Book # 4, which also contains data for all of the boats mentioned in this book, although it appears (!) that Book # 4 lists more patterns per boat than Book # 1. Likewise, considerable overlap with sometimes identical information with Casting Book # 2." (Source: MIT Museum, Hart Nautical Collections, Haffenreffer-Herreshoff Collection Item HH.6.120-09. Castings Book 1. Box HAFH.6.4B, Folder Casting Record Books Vessel Castings Book 1. No date (1883 to 1884).)
① ② ③ ④ ⑤ ⑥ ⑦ ⑧ ⑨ ⑩ ⑪ ⑫ ⑬ ⑭ ⑮ ⑯ ⑰ ⑱ ⑲ ⑳ ㉑ ㉒ ㉓

"[Item Description:] Three sets of penciled side-by-side half-sections and displacement curves. The topmost curve is labeled 'Displ. curve to painted water line (3in higher than actual). St[eame]r 101 [#101p 101]'. The second set of half-sections with two displacement curves labeled '#102 GOV[ernor] HAMILTON' and '#100 PERMELIA', respectively. The third set of half sections is labeled 'ORIENTA. #89 [#89p]'. With tabulated data for all four designs showing draft, area at waterline, area at midship section, dist. exclusive of keel, wetted surface of hull, keel, rudder and skeg and angle of deadrise." (Source: Herreshoff, N. G. (creator). Side-by-side Half-Sections and Displacement Curves. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Acc. 2004.0001.0581. WRDT08, Folder 45. No date (winter of 1882/1883 ?).)
① ② ③

"[Item Transcription:] Handwritten (in ink and pencil) experiments and trials booklet titled 'Herreshoff Mfg. Co. Experiments 1883 to 1884'. Relevant contents:
§13: #100p PERMELIA [ONE HUNDRED] Trial Run with new screw, best mean speed 16.71kn = 19.3mph [best speed 17.36kn] (1883-06-08 to 1883-08-01)
§16: #100p PERMELIA [ONE HUNDRED] Trial Run (1883-09-07 & 1883-09-08)." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Trials Booklet. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE07_03950. Folder [no #]. 1883-03 to 1884-04.)
① ② ③ ④ ⑤ ⑥ ⑦ ⑧ ⑨ ⑩ ⑪ ⑫ ⑬ ⑭ ⑮ ⑯ ⑰ ⑱ ⑲ ⑳ ㉑ ㉒ ㉓ ㉔

Note: This list of archival documents contains in an unedited form any and all which mention #100p Permelia [One Hundred] even if just in a cursory way. Permission to digitize, transcribe and display is gratefully acknowledged.

• Permelia 100 (HMCo-made index card)
• Lorna ex-Permelia (HMCo-made index card)
• Lorna ex-Permelia (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.

Name: Permelia
Type: Steam
Length: 100'
Owner: Hopkins, Mark

Source: Herreshoff Manufacturing Company. "A Partial List of Herreshoff Clients." In: Herreshoff Manufacturing Company. Herreshoff Yachts. Bristol, Rhode Island, ca. 1931.

• Permelia 100
• Lete ex-Permelia
• Lorna ex-Permelia
• Note: The L. Francis Herreshoff index cards comprise a set of some 1200 cards about vessels built by HMCo, with dimensions and / or ownership information. Apparently compiled in the early 1930s, for later HMCo-built boats like the Fishers Island 23s or the Northeast Harbor 30s are not included. Added to in later decades, apparently by L. F. Herreshoff as well as his long-time secretary Muriel Vaughn and others. Also 46 cards of L. F. Herreshoff-designed vessels. The original set of index cards is held by the Herreshoff Marine Museum and permission to display is gratefully acknowledged.

Year: 1883
E/P/S: P
No.: 100
Name: Permelia
OA: 100'

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.

... Str. #100 - 100Ft. long. 12+21x12 Eng[ine]. MM Round [Boiler]. ... (Source: Anon. [Herreshoff Manufacturing Company. (N. G. Herreshoff?)] No Title. [Handwritten Notes on Outer Cover of Notebook.] No date [ca. late 1880s.] Notebook in the Haffenreffer-Herreshoff Collection, The Francis Russel Hart Nautical Collections, M.I.T. Museum, Cambridge, Mass., obj. no. HH.6.120.)

"In the absence of better available data displacement was estimated by using the figure for Gross Register Tons (43.03) from the 1890-91 Manning's American Yacht List (New Measurement Tons were reported as 30.42 by the 1885 Olsen's American Yacht List) and converting to lbs by dividing through 2000 (short tons). Note that this figure can only be a rough estimate because register tons as reported in Yacht Registers correlate only loosely with actual displacement figures." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. March 17, 2015.)

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