HMCo #322p SP-2373 [Herreshoff #322]

"[1917-05-02] Wed 2: Have order for 3rd 80 ft patrol boat [#322p SP-2373] to have 2 400HP gasoline engines." (Source: Herreshoff, Nathanael G. Diary, 1917. Manuscript (excerpts). Diary access courtesy of Halsey C. Herreshoff.)

"March 8, 1918
Trial of #322
80ft Patrol Boat
Hull same as #309 & #312 but powered with 2 8cyl. 'Duesenberg' gasoline motors, 6 3/4in x 7 3/4in.
Propellers 28in x 28in, 3 blade Columbian 'Architect'.
[Trial over] lower 1/2 mile of harbour course, Wind SSW about 15mph [followed by tabulated trial run data with best mean speed being 25.93mph]" (Source: Herreshoff, N. G. Handwritten note in Experiments Booklet '1911 Trial Trips and Experiments' under date of March 8, 1918. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum.)

"Three 80-foot scout patrols are being built at Herreshoffs which are to make 18 knots. Two of these, which are to be driven by Herreshoff steam engines, are for Lieutenant Richard Russell, of Boston [#312p Stinger], and Lieutenant Winthrop Aldrich, Jr. [#309p SP-1218], a son of the late U. S. Senator Aldrich, of Rhode Island. The third of these boats is for Hallowell Morgan [#322p SP-2373], of Philadelphia, and will be driven by two Duesenberg engines of 400 h.p. each." (Source: Anon. "Spokes from the Rudder Wheel." Rudder, December 1917, p. 776.)

"IN the lists printed on pages 36, 38, and 40, will be found a complete record of all motor boats and motor yachts which went into the service of our Navy Department during the war period. This is the first time that such a list has been published and is given to Motor Boating at the special request of the Hon. Franklin D. Roosevelt, Assistant Secretary of the Navy.
The data which is printed is divided into four parts. Motor boats purchased outright by the Government; Motor boats loaned by their owners to the Government on a free lease basis; Motor boats chartered, and Motor boats lost.
The lists include boats propelled by internal combustion motors only—they do not include steam yachts or steamers of any description. ...
Herreshoff No. 322 [Name of Boat]; 2373 [S.P. No.]; 82-6 [Length]; 40,534.02 [Purchase Price]; H. V. Morgan, Philadelphia, Pa. [Former Owner]. ..." (Source: Anon. "Privately Owned Motor Boats Purchased by the Government. First List to Be Published Containing Names of Motor Boats Taken Into the Navy." Motor Boating, February 1919, p. 36-40.)

"UNCLASSIFIED.
Herreshoff No. 322 (2373) [Name and No.], Motorboat [Type], 77 6 [Length Ft. in.], Steel [Material], Herreshoff Mfg. Co., Bristol, R.I., 1917 [Where and when built or purchased], Loaned to Dock department, New York City [Status July 1, 1920]" (Source: U.S. Navy Department. Ships Data, U.S. Naval Vessels. Washington, 1920, p. 350.)

"... Herreshoff 322 [Name of vessel], Patrol [Type], --- [Date of first commissioning or purchase], 40,500.00 [Cost (hull and machinery)], --- [Repairs, changes, and alterations to June 30, 1919.] ... " (Source: Anon. "Table 21. Ships On The Navy List June 30, 1919." Navy Yearbook, Washington 1921, p. 776.)

"... Statement 34. --- Purchasers of Condemned Property --- Fiscal Year 1922 ...
Sale of Herreshoff No. 322, S. P. 2373 --- Lindberg, Otto W. [$]6,035.00. ..." (Source: U.S.. Navy Dept, Bureau of Supplies and Accounts. Annual Report of the Paymaster of the Navy for the Fiscal Year 1922. Vol. 1. Washington, D. C., 1922, p. 375.)

"Tiverton, Sept 10 [1924] - Judge Albert O. Browne of the Federal Court. Providence, will have a troublesome question confronting him September 22. A hero of the recent great rain and wind gale off this coast will stand before him and through counsel ask the venerable judge to set a price he regards as fair and adequate to compensate a man for fearlessly diving into the Seaconnet river, near Portsmouth, at the height of the storm through mountain like waves until he reached an abandoned yacht and alone beached her and saved her from going to pieces on a rip rapped breakwater.
The petitioner is George Hamilton of New Bedford. Tuesday his counsel, Harvey A. Baker and William Williams, filed a petition on behalf of himself and his brother Ralph Meekly. On September 22, the Hamilton brothers will appear before the judge and ask him to appraise the heroism of George.
George Hamilton believes risking one's life is worthy of compensation and that heroism has its price. He is satisfied to let Judge Browne decide what price. The facts, as recited by the brothers in the petition filed in Providence yesterday, are as follows. The brothers Hamilton say that on Aug 26, at 1 p. m. with their motor boat Maida, they were tied up at the wharf of the Narragansett Realty Co, Portsmouth. It was the day of the big gale and high seas were running in the Seaconnet river.
Swims Out to Save Yacht.
Looking out on the river, they saw the gasoline yacht Herreshoff moored in the river, no sign of a watch or crew being visible. The yacht pulled her anchor chain, which parted and broke. She drifted the intervening 200 feet towards the wharf where the Maida was moored.
Coming head on toward the wharf, she collided with the Maida, broke the Maida's wharf line and after pounding the little boat and the wharf drifted off again out into the river with the storm raging.
This time she was headed towards a riprapped embankment belonging to the New Haven road. The Hamilton brothers first tried to wade out to her but soon encountered water too deep for wading. Then as the petition recites further 'at great risk of his life, George Hamilton swam out amidst the high seas, and climbed aboard. He found her deserted. He threw a line, to his brother on shore who fastened it to a tree on property of the Narragansett Realty Co.
Together the brothers were able to warp the vessel up on to a beach, saving her from being kicked to pieces on the rock breakwater.
The Herreshoff was built at Bristol in 1917. She is a 48-ton yacht, 79 feet long, 600 horsepowered engines and carries a crew of four men. Her homeport is Perth Amboy, NJ.
Late Tuesday a deputy United States marshal from Providence went to Tiverton, seeking the Herreshoff to libel her in the suit for salvage brought by the Hamilton brothers. She has been in a shipyard there being repaired. The brothers sought to attach her tackle, 'apparel and furniture' and the yacht herself in 'a cause of salvage civil and maritime'. The Herreshoff is said to be worth $12000 and is a very beautiful small yacht. [Note: The dimensions strongly suggest this to be #322p Herreshoff. No other HMCo-built vessel was registered at any time with exactly these dimensions.]" (Source: Anon. "Hero Seeks Reward For His Brave Deed. New Bedford Man, Who Saved Yacht at Risk of Life, Sues for Compensation." Pawtucket Times, September 10, 1924, p. 2.)

"Gas-Screw Yacht Seized With Hundreds of Cases of Whiskey and Champagne. Fleeing Vessel Attempted Four Times to Ram Government Boat. When Ordered to Leave[sic] Answered with Pistol Fire. Rum-Chasers Put 10 or 12 Bullets Through Steel Cover of Yacht's Cabin.
PROVIDENCE, Nov. 12 [1924]. In a running fight in Narragansett Bay early this morning the coast guard rum chaser, CG-2204, captured the 70-foot gas screw yacht Herreshoff, said to hail from Perth Amboy, N.J., and seized many cases of liquor. It was estimated that the hold of the Herreshoff contained from 250 to 600 cases of whiskey and champagne.
The fleeing rum-runner attempted four times to ram the government boat and when ordered to heave to answered with pistol fire. The government men then unlimbered high powered rifles and put 10 or 15 bullets through the quarter-inch steel cover of the Herreshoff's cabin. The yacht was then deliberately beached by the crew, who swam ashore immediately after the boat grounded.
A chase all the way up the bay from near Saunderstown preceded the capture and during the pursuit there was a lively exchange of shots between the two vessels. The 'Herreshoff' was being overtaken when it reached the waters off the Rhode Island Yacht Club and the crew decided to beach it. The vessel had no sooner slid up onto the sand bars than the crew of four or five men jumped overboard and escaped.
Boat Given Chase.
The United States Coast Guard Cutter No. 2204 of Uncle Sam's dry navy was patrolling the waters off Brenton's reef shortly after midnight, when the skipper saw a lightless vessel heading up Narragansett bay. The government boat gave chase and when off Saunderstown threw a searchlight on its flag, drew near to the fleeing vessel and conveyed word through a megaphone that the fugitive boat must halt.
Instead of stopping the 'Herreshoff' put on more speed and the government boat took up the pursuit. As the race continued members of the crew of the cutter fired shots at the other vessel with sawed-off shotguns. The rum laden ship quickly replied with shots and this kept up intermittently until the 'Herreshoff' was beached about 4 30 o'clock off the yacht club in Edgewood.
It was an exciting chase. As the 'Herreshoff' led the way, the men on that vessel kept throwing case of liquor in the wake of the boat for the purpose of hampering the government cutter. It did not interfere much with the latter vessel, which kept on in a direct line, casting aside the cases as they got in the way.
When the 'Herreshoff' was searched by the government men it was found that the cabin was encased with one-quarter inch steel plate and that the bullets from the dry navy ship had gone right through it. The rum boat was soon floated and taken to the state pier, where it was turned over to the customs officials. Upwards of 300 cases of Scotch and rye whiskey were found aboard. It is not known how many cases were thrown overboard on the way up the bay." (Source: Anon. ""Rum Runner and Coast Guard Chaser Engage in Running Fight in Narragansett Bay." Pawtucket Times, November 11, 1924, p. 1.)

"From: Dictionary of American Fighting Ships
Herreshoff #322. Named for the builder.
(SP - 2373: dp. 40; l. 83'4"; b. 12'8"; dr. 3'; s. 26 k.; a. 1 3-pdr., 1 1-pdr.)
Herreshoff #322, a steel motor boat, was built by Herreshoff Manufacturing Co. of Bristol, R.I., in 1917. Built to government specifications, she was originally contracted for by H. V. Morgan of Philadelphia, Pa., on the understanding that she would be later purchased by the Navy. She was taken over 22 March 1918 at Newport, R.I., and commissioned 2 April 1918, Ens. P. A. Judson, USNRF, in command.
After a period of outfitting and training, Herreshoff #322 was assigned to 3d Naval District as a patrol craft. She operated during World War I and after in Ambrose Channel, East River, and Long Island Sound as a patrol boat until being withdrawn from active service and laid up at Marine Basin 28 August 1919. Subsequently, Herreshoff #322 was loaned to the Dock Department of New York City 9 March 1920, but was found too large to be economically operated and so was returned to the Navy for a smaller boat 19 November 1920. Herreshoff #322 was sold 18 July 1921 to W. Lindberg of Birmingham, Ala." (Source: http://www.hazegray.org/danfs/sp-id/sp2373.htm, retrieved March 24, 2007.)

"Sanugentci. The Coast Guard believed it was firing on this New York rum runner one night when it was running without lights on Rum Row. In fact the gunfire hit the Shawnee, a British ship, which then began to leak. The United States formally apologized for the incident. [This is apparently a reference to #322p Herreshoff which was named Sanugentci in the 1920s and 1930s.]. (Source: Lawson, Ellen NicKenzie. Raw Data on 250 Liquor Ships Seized during Prohibition near NYC 1920-33. In: Smugglers, Bootleggers, And Scofflaws: Prohibition And New York City. Albany, NY, 2013. https://smugglersbootleggersandscofflaws.com/z-raw-data-rum-smugglers-nyc-1920-33/, retrieved, November 21, 2020."

"[Item Description:] shed for seaplane barges is complete, machine shop consultant, 4 steel boats [apparently #306p SP-1841, #308p SP-2232, #309p SP-1218, #321p SP-2235] have been ordered taken away by gov't but can't move due to ice, shall launch #322p [SP-2373] on Monday and then set up Richards boat [#329p Carola], #323p SP-2840 is about all plated" (Source: Swan, James. Letter to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_50970. Subject Files, Folder [no #]. 1918-01-26.)
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"[Item Description:] #306p [SP-1841] and #308p [SP-2232] have been delivered and paid for, #306p had a very successful trial, #321p [SP-2235] about ready for trial, #322p [SP-2373] ready for trial, #323p SP-2840] plated and decked ..." (Source: Swan, James. Letter to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_50990. Subject Files, Folder [no #]. 1918-02-25.)
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"[Item Description:] Navy Dept. requesting new authority to sign on behalf of HMCo after death of JBH, are now getting #321p and #322p for trials and delivery, flying boat [#341p NC-4 Seaplane Hull] is along, 24 deries[?] are about completed, #323p (J.P.M.) [SP-2840 for J. P. Morgan / Navy] is about ready for machinery and one boiler was put in today, the 10 Barges [#191801es, #191802es, #191803es, #191804es, #191805es, #191806es, #191807es, #191808es, #191809es, #191810es] are progressing but we are bothered in obtaining witus[?] but hope to overcome this in a few days, Mr. Francis made us a short call this morning, he seemed to be well" (Source: Young, Charles Wesley (Herreshoff Manufacturing Co. Secr.). Letter to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_50710. Subject Files, Folder [no #]. 1918-03-06.)
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"[Item Description:] [Seaplane] barges require 6 instead of 4 weeks building time, #306p [SP-1841] and #308p [SP-2232] away and paid, #322p [SP-2373] to be taken away in a day or so, #321p [SP-2235] having dock trials and hopefully to be turned over next week, #323p [SP-2840] has boilers in, hope to have her almost finished by contract time April 1st, other yards are raising wages and our men are uneasy, hope to have at least one [seaplane] barge in the water by time you are back, gov't wants six by that time, navy dept is probably going to order 42ft flying boat hulls [#346p, #347p, #348p, #349p, #350p, #351p, #352p, #353p, #354p, #355p H-16 / C-1 Seaplane Hulls]." (Source: Swan, James. Letter to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_51000. Subject Files, Folder [no #]. 1918-03-14.)
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"[Item Transcription:] Handwritten (in ink) trials booklet titled '1911. Trial Trips and Experiments'. Relevant contents:
§38: #322p SP-2373 [HERRESHOFF #322] Trial Run best mean speed 25.93ln (1918-03-08)." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator) and Herreshoff, A. Sidney deW. (creator). Trials Booklet. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE07_04280. Folder [no #]. 1911-06 to 1926-05.)
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Note: This list of archival documents contains in an unedited form any and all which mention #322p SP-2373 [Herreshoff #322] even if just in a cursory way. Permission to digitize, transcribe and display is gratefully acknowledged.

• Patrol boat for H V Morgan (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: 1917
E/P/S: P
No.: 322
OA: 83' 2"
LW: 79' 5"

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 311 days (contract to trial; equivalent to $129/day, 309 lbs displacement/day)." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. January 16, 2024.)

"In the absence of better available data displacement was estimated by using the figure for Gross Register Tons (48) from the 1928 List of Merchant Vessels of the U.S. (Net Register Tons were reported as 32) 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.