HMCo #131p [Whale Boat (for U.S.C.S. Patterson?)]

"28ft Long. 7ft 6in Beam. 3ft 3in Depth. 2ft 9in Draft. 9in center to center of frames. 3 1/2in & 6in x 6in eng[ine] forward of Boiler. D sqr. Boiler. Shaft came short 3 3/4in, see shaft drawing." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. Handwritten Note in Casting Record Books Vessel Castings Book 4, s.v. Steamer 131. MIT Museum, Hart Nautical Collections, Haffenreffer-Herreshoff Collection Item HH.6.120. No date (1878 to 1887).)

"#131 sold to Coast Survey. Oct. 9th 1888." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. Plan HH.5.00169.2 (003-027). MIT Museum, Cambridge MA. https://collections.mitmuseum.org/object/hh-5-00169-2/. 1884-03-07)

"In spite of the cold and cheerless weather yesterday a large number of ladies and gentlemen witnessed the launching of the new coast survey steamer, named after the late Superintendent of the Coast and Geodetic Survey, Carlile P. Patterson. The launch took place at James D. Leary's ship-yard, at Williamsburg. ...
The Carlile P. Patterson is destined to survey the coast of Alaska, the scheme for the continuous survey of which was first planned by the late Superintendent. The new vessel is a steam propeller, barkentine rig, of 718 tons displacement, with double topsail yards. ... She is to be furnished with two [sic] Herreschoff steam launches [#107p], two cutters, two [sic] whale-boats [#114p], and a dingy. ..." (Source: Anon. "The New Coast Survey Steamer. Launch of a Vessel for the Alaskan Coast Survey." New York Times, January 16, 1884, p. 8.)

"There lies at the Washington Navy-yard, nearly ready to depart for a long voyage in Northern seas, a vessel especially constructed by James D. Leary, of Brooklyn, N. Y., for the use of the United States Coast Survey in Alaskan waters. She is named the Carlisle Patterson, and was built with a view to the requirements of the service, which she will hereafter perform. ... She has five watertight compartments, is heavily sparred, has a strong bottom, and carries several Herreshoff launches [#107p and #114p], very light and economical in the use of coal and water, by which the principal work of the survey will be done, the strong currents of the Alaskan waters making it impossible to use a pulling boat and dangerous for a large vessel. ..." (Source: Anon. "A Voyage In Northern Seas. The New Steamer Carlisle Patterson About to Leave for Alaskan Waters." Washington Post, June 10, 1884, p. 1.)

"... The equipment of the Patterson is very complete and her officers are very proud of their ship and expect to be enabled to accomplish a large amount of work in the next six months. Besides three superior pulling boats there are two steam launches [#107p and #114p] fitted with all the latest improvements. The engines and boilers are of the Herreshoff make, all the moving parts being made of the best quality of steel. The boilers of the launches require but a minimum water supply, and steam can be raised in less than ten minutes. One of the launches [#107p] is designed particularly for work in rough weather, the engines and boilers being decked over and both portions of the launch designed for occupation by the crew are fitted with canvas umbrella covers which will protect the occupants from heavy breaking seas. The other launch [#114p] has its propeller so rigged that it can be readily triced up out of the way and the launch driven by sail or spars. This arrangement will be especially useful in working in shoal water. ..." (Source: Anon. "The Carlisle Patterson. Description of the New United States Survey Steamer. She Sails For Alaska." Daily Alta California, April 26, 1885, p. 3.)

"Bristol, Mass., March 19 [1887]. --- ... there is a steam whaleboat [possibly #131p Whale boat for USCS Patterson] finished and ready for sea. She is of similar pattern to the two boats which were built by this firm for the Greely relief expedition, one of which was memorable for saving the survivors of the Greely party. She is 28 feet long with 8 feet beam. She is fit to take care of herself in rough water, and yet is light enough to be hauled out easily. She has two side keels with runners on them, so that she can be converted into a sled and drawn upon the ice. She is fitted with a compound engine with screw propeller." (Source: Anon. "Gorgeous Steam Yachts. Fleet As Swallows And Fine As Silk." New York Times, March 20, 1887, p. 9.)

"... In the bending house, besides the sister to Henrietta [probably #139p Lotus Seeker], is a steam whale boat [possibly #131p Whale boat for USCS Patterson] 28ft. x 6ft., with engines 6 and 3 1/2 x 6in., such as was carried by the Greeley expedition. ..." (Source: Anon. "Steam Yacht Building At Bristol." Forest and Stream, June 2, 1887, p. 424.)

"[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).)
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"N/A"

"[Item Description:] Casting Book # 2, steamers #70p; #79p, #117p, #118p, #119p, #120p, #121p, #122p, #123p, #124p, #125p, #126p, #127p, #128p, #129p, #130p, #131p, #132p, #133p, #134p, #135p, #139p, [castings by hull number]. On last page handwritten note 'Commenced Work on Triple Cond[?] Eng. new one Nov 11/85. H com[?] on Nov 13/85 10 A.M. C.H.K.'. Undated, most vessels mentioned were built between 1885 and 1886. Note considerable informational overlap with Casting Book # 4, which also contains data for all of the boats mentioned in this book, although it may be (!) that Book # 4 lists more patterns per boat than Book # 2." (Source: MIT Museum, Hart Nautical Collections, Haffenreffer-Herreshoff Collection Item HH.6.120-05. Castings Book 2. Box HAFH.6.4B, Folder Casting Record Books Vessel Castings Book 2. No date (1885 to 1886).)
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Note: This list of archival documents contains in an unedited form any and all which mention #131p [Whale Boat (for U.S.C.S. Patterson?)] even if just in a cursory way. Permission to digitize, transcribe and display is gratefully acknowledged.

• Whale boat for USCS Patterson (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.

Type: Steam
Length: 28'
Owner: U.S. Coast Survey

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

Year: 1885
E/P/S: P
No.: 131
OA: 28'

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. #131 - 28Ft. long. 3 1/2+6x6 Eng[ine]. D Sq[uare] [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.)

"Apparently sold on in 1887." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. March 7, 2009.)

"For use in Alaskan waters. Probably on the U.S. Coast Survey ship Carlile P. Patterson." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. September 30, 2010.)

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