Part 6

_Skiff_--A light swift open boat, generally double-ended for rowing, but sometimes equipped for sailing.

_Frigate_--Originally a light vessel propelled by both sails and oars with flush decks. A "frigott" was constructed at Cape Comfort by Captain Argall in 1613. Later the term was applied only to a type of warship.

_Punt_--A small flat-bottomed, open boat, usually with a seat in the middle, and a well or seat at one, or each end for use in shallow waters, propelled by oars or poles.

_Yawl_--A small sailing vessel rigged like a sloop with a small additional mast in the stern.

_Canoe_--The evolution of the Chesapeake Bay canoe and the Chesapeake Bay bugeye from the Indian dugout canoe, is one of the most interesting developments in the history of shipbuilding in America.

_Piragua_ or _Periagua_--A large dugout canoe fitted with sails.

_Tobacco Boat_--The double dugout canoe generally referred to as the tobacco boat, was "invented" by the Reverend Robert Rose, rector of St. Ann's Parish in Albemarle. The boats were from fifty to sixty feet in length, from four to five feet in width, clamped together with cross beams and pins, two pieces running lengthwise over these, with a capacity of from five to ten hogsheads of tobacco. The first mention of this boat was in Rose's diary for March 14, 1749. (2) The James River bateau or tobacco boat was invented by Anthony J. Rucker in 1771, and is mentioned in Jefferson's _Notes on Virginia_. The bateaux were made of boards from forty to sixty feet long and flat-bottomed. They were constructed so that either end could be poled against the river bank and the hogshead rolled aboard. Each craft required a crew of three, one to steer and one each for the sideboards, the full length of the gunwales.

_Sloop_--A craft with a single mast and fore-and-aft rig, in its simplest form a mainsail and jib. It is said to have appeared in the colony from England before 1630, and became the most common colonial rig. It was the fast-sailing craft for coastwise and West Indies trade. It became very popular as a pleasure boat.

_Schooner_--A two or more masted vessel, fore-and-aft rigged. The essentials of the schooner are two fore-and-aft sails and a headsail (jib), any other sails being incidental. This type of rig was not known until the last quarter of the seventeenth century, appearing in America by 1700, or shortly after. During the second half of the eighteenth century, the schooner displaced the sloop as the principal colonial coasting vessel, and during the Revolution emerged as the most distinctly American type.

_Pilot Boat_--In 1661, the General Assembly passed an Act creating the office of Chief Pilot of the James River. A specific type of vessel evolved for use as pilot boats--fast, weatherly boats, somewhat on the mold of the already developing clipper schooner, about 1745. This boat soon acquired schooner rig and all the characteristics of a clipper schooner. This trim craft, distinguished for speed and sea worthiness, proved ideal for yachting. Almost all schooner yachts until about 1870, were built on the lines of pilot boats. The best known example was the victory of the yacht _America_ in 1851.

_Brig_--A seagoing vessel having two masts and square rigged.

_Brigantine_--A seagoing vessel having two masts, one square rigged, the other fore-and-aft.

_Snow_--A seagoing vessel having two masts similar to a brig, and an additional mast abaft the mainmast which carried a spanker or driver (a gaff-headed trysail).

_Ship_--A sailing vessel having three or more masts, square rigged, the largest seagoing vessel of the period. A term frequently applied to any vessel.

_Bark_ or _Barque_--A sailing vessel having three or more masts, square rigged, the after mast, fore-and-aft rigged. A term frequently applied to any vessel.

_Barkentine_--A sailing vessel with three or more masts, the fore mast square rigged, the other masts being fore-and-aft.

_Galley_--A long, single or partially decked vessel of light draft, fitted for rowing and having one or two masts to raise for use when needed. They ranged in size from forty to seventy-five feet in length, and were used as warships by Virginia during the Revolution when they carried from one to twelve guns.

The planters and shipbuilders of Virginia had a wide choice in the selection of timber for building their boats and ships:

Virginia yielding to no known place in the known world for timbers of all sorts, commodious for strength, pleasant for sweetness, specious for colors, spacious for largeness, useful for land and sea, for housing and shipping. For timber, we have the oak, ash, poplar, black walnut, pines and gum trees.

Frequently several kinds of wood were used in the construction of a boat, and the color combinations of the natural woods, with the use of turpentine and pitch, was pleasing enough to some shipbuilders. For others, however, the vessels were painted in bright colors, often a combination of several colors. The larger vessels were usually built of white oak, but due to the rapid growth of the tree, Virginia oak was not as good or lasting as the oak grown in England. Ships built from the American live oak, helped much to improve the reputation of colonial vessels.

As a general rule, vessels built in the colony were without ornamentation of any kind, utility being the watchword, and speed important. It has been reported, however, that a few billet heads and figureheads were placed on ships, and carved figureheads imported from Boston by a planter appeared on his vessels.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

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Bolton, H. E. _The Spanish Borderlands._ New Haven, 1921.

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Byrd, William. _The Secret Diaries of William Byrd of Westover, 1709-1712, 1739-1741._ Richmond, 1942. 2 vols.

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Campbell, Charles. _History of the Colony and Ancient Dominion of Virginia._ Philadelphia, Pa., 1860.

Chapelle, Howard I. _American Small Sailing Craft._ New York, 1951.

Chatterton, E. K. _English Seamen and the Colonization of America._ London, 1930.

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Fassett, J. F. G. _The Shipbuilding Business in the United States._ New York, _Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers_, 1948.

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Flippen, P. S. _The Royal Government in Virginia, 1624-1776._ New York, 1919.

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Grahame, James. _History of the United States of America from the Plantations of the British Colonies Until Their Assumption of National Independence._ Philadelphia, Pa., 1845. 4 vols.

Gwathmey, J. H. _Historical Register of Virginians in the Revolution, 1775-1783._ Richmond, 1938. "Vessels of the United States Navy," p. 861.

Hakluyt, Richard. _Principal Navigations, Voyages, and Discoveries of the English Nation._ Glasgow, 1905. 12 vols.

Hariot, Thomas. _A Brief and True Report of the New Found Land of Virginia._ Frankfort, De Bry, 1590. Also, a facsimile reprint of the first edition, 1588. New York, 1903.

Hening, W. W., ed. _Statutes at Large._ Richmond, Va., 1809-1823. 13 vols.

Herrera, Antonio de. _General History of the Vast Continent and Islands of America._ London, 1726. 6 vols.

Huntley, F. C. _The Seaborne Trade in Virginia in Mid-Eighteenth Century._ In _Virginia Magazine of History and Biography_, vol. 59.

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APPENDIX I

The following advertisements of vessels TO BE SOLD were selected from the _Virginia Gazette_ as showing types and sizes of watercraft in use.

1739, MAY 4. ... a small shallop about five years old in Yorktown, will carry between 400 and 500 bushels of corn. William Rogers.

1745, ... by the executors of Mr. Thomas Rawlings, a ship carpenter, lately deceased, the frame of a snow which was to have been built by the said Rawlings on account of Mr. John Hood, merchant, of Prince George County, of the following dimensions: 60 feet keel, 23 feet 8 in. beam, molded, 10 feet hold, 4 feet between decks. To be sold at the plantation of the deceased near Flower de Hundred. Also, a sizable, useful boat and a vessel called a schaw.

1745, JUNE 18. ... To the highest bidder, schooner belonging to the estate of the Rev. Adam Duckie, deceased, trimmed and well-fitted with sails and rigging, some parts new, close docked, carries 50 hogsheads of tobacco ... Also, a 12 hogsheads flat lying at Hobb's Hole.

1746, MARCH 27. ... The sloop _Little Betty_ lying at Suffolk town in Nansemond county, burthen 50 tons, with her sails, anchors, furniture, tackle, will be sold on Wednesday, 9th of April.

1751, SEPTEMBER 26. ... by the subscriber living in Norfolk county, a new schooner, now on the stocks and will be launched by the last day of November next, or sooner if required; the dimensions, 49 feet keel, 21 feet beam, 9 feet 6 inches hold. She is a well built vessel, her plank being well seasoned and sufficiently secured with iron work, being to be finished to a cleat, at 50 shillings per ton. William Ashley.

1754, JUNE 20. ... the brig _Lucy and John_, burthen 80 tons together with guns, rigging, tackle, apparel and furniture, at York Town, Friday, the 26th instant, to the highest bidder. Thomas Dickinson.

1755, MAY --. ... at public auction May 22, at the landing of Mr. Thomas Scott in the borough of Norfolk, a new ship on the stocks, dimensions: 62 feet keel, 23 feet beam, 11 feet hold, and 4 feet 6 inches 'tween decks. Joshua Corprew.

1766, JUNE 27. ... at Norfolk, a ship on the stocks, dimensions: 63 feet keel, 23 feet beam, 9 feet 8 inches hold, 4 feet 4 inches between decks, together with the rigging, sails, cables, anchors, etc., provided for her. She will be completely furnished and ready to launch by the 20th of next month. For terms apply to Thomas McCullock.

1766, SEPTEMBER 19. ... On the 16th day of October next at public auction to the highest bidder ... a new ship about 170 tons burthen, well calculated for European or West Indies trade, and built with the best white oak complete and ready for launching with the full stock and rigging complete. Apply to administrators in Norfolk for William Irving.

1766, SEPTEMBER 26. ... To be let on charter for Europe the snow _Nancy_, John Ardis master, now lying at Norfolk, a new vessel, burthen about 270 hogsheads. Apply to John Greenwood.

1766, NOVEMBER 6. ... a new ship, 180 tons, built of white oak, for the West Indies or tobacco trade. Apply to Joseph Calvert, or to George Walker at Hampton.

1767, MAY 7. ... a new ship now lying at Suffolk wharf, burthen about 350 hogsheads of tobacco, well built with best white oak timber and plank. The purchaser may have long credit for part of the money. Any person inclinable to purchase may be shown the vessel by applying to subscriber, living in Kingston Parish, Gloucester county. Thomas Smith.

1767, MAY 11. ... a new ship of about 236 tons, well calculated for the tobacco trade, built of the best seasonal plank and timber, and can be launched in a little time, if desired. Two month's credit will be allowed for two-thirds or three-fourths the value. Any person inclinable to purchase may be shown the vessel by applying to subscriber, living in Kingston Parish, Gloucester county. Thomas Smith.

1768, MARCH 15. ... a well built snow, carpenter's and outside work finished, dimensions: 51 feet keel, 21 feet beam, 9 feet clear lower hold, 3 feet 6 inches between decks. Norfolk, executors of Joshua Nicholson.

1768, JUNE 9. ... a new schooner that will be launched in August next or sooner if required; burthen 71 tons, and will carry about 3000 bushels of grain; built of the best white oak plank and timber. Also, for sale, a sloop, 25 tons, one year old, together with her sails, anchors, etc. Apply to Edward Hughes, living on the head of East river in Gloucester county.

1768, JUNE 16. ... at Rocket's Landing, one-third, one-half or the whole of a schooner to be launched in a fortnight. Samuel du Val.

1768, AUGUST 4. ... a sea schooner, 80 tons, two years old. Also a sloop, 50 tons, now on the stocks, launched in three weeks. Kingston Parish, Gloucester county. Robert Billings.

1768, AUGUST 28. ... a new vessel on the stocks, double decked, about 300 tons, might be launched in 24 days. John Greenwood, Norfolk.

1768, SEPTEMBER 29. ... a new vessel now on the stocks, of about 176 tons, tobacco or West Indies trade, built of the best seasoned plank, and can be launched in a few weeks. She may be made a ship, a snow, or a brig as may best suit the purchaser. Apply in Norfolk. Edward H. Moseley.

1768, OCTOBER 20. ... a double decked vessel on the stocks, 110 tons, will carry a great burden and is esteemed a very fine vessel. Benjamin Harrison.

1770, MARCH 7. ... the brig _Little Benjamin_ about 110 tons burthen, double decked, has made but two voyages, is extremely well built and completely fitted. Credit will be given until the 10th of December next on giving bond with a good security to Ben: Harrison.

1770, MARCH 11. ... anytime between this and the 10th of April next, the brigantine _Fair Virginian_, only one year old, just sheathed and now ready for to take a cargo on board, burthen about 100 tons. Any person inclinable to purchase such a vessel may know the terms by applying to the subscriber in Charles City and be shown the said vessel now lying near Sandy Point on James river. Cash or bills of exchange any time in the April General Court, will be accepted for payment. Robert McKittrick, William Acrill.

1770, APRIL 13. ... ready to launch being completely finished, a schooner, 41 feet keel, 18 feet 4 inches beam, and 8 feet hold; her beams, carlings, and top timber of cedar, and built by a compleat workman. Any person in want of such a vessel may be supplied by the subscriber on paying one-half the purchase money on delivery of said vessel, and the other half in October next. Also, a sloop, burthen of about 4000 bushels, will be ready by the first of May, and wants a freight for any part of the West Indies. Any person in want of such a vessel is desired to make it known to Carter Tarrant.

1776, SEPTEMBER --. ... the sloop _Industry_, now lying at Fredericksburg, with her sails, rigging, etc. She will carry upwards of 4000 bushels of grain. J. Watson and R. Dickinson are authorized to sell her.

Although the following contracts for building vessels were made when Virginia was no longer a colony but had become a state, they are included here because of the descriptions of the vessels and the interesting contracts:

(1) Contract between the owner and builder of a vessel in Gloucester county on July 31, 1777:

It is this day agreed on between Mathias James of the one part and John Fowler of the other part ... That the said Mathias James for and in consideration of the sum of 35 pounds to him in hand paid, the receipt whereof he hereby acknowledgeth, doth oblige himself to begin, finish, and complete all the joiner's work properly belonging to the sloop he is now building, in a neat, convenient and workmanlike manner. The steerage must be sealed that the whole shall be finished as soon as possible. In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands and seals, the day and year above written. N.B.--There is to be no State Room in the above cabin.

Matthew James, John Fowler. Witness, William Lilly.

(2) Contract between the owner and builder of a vessel on November 20, 1779:

I, Joseph Billups, Sr., of Gloucester county, Kingston Parish, do agree to build a boat 34 feet keel, with proper width of beam and hold, for John Avery.... I do hereby oblige him first to pay me, the said Billups, 120 gallons of good West India rum, and 300 pounds of lawful money.... The said Avery to oblige himself to pay the said Billups 100 pounds per ton, to supply the said Billups with suitable iron at ten shillings per pound.... To furnish him with money if wanting to carry on the said boat....

Joseph Billings, John Avery. Teste, Joseph Billups, Jr.

Various statistics were given by different writers for the number of Virginia owned vessels in the period just before the outbreak of the Revolutionary War. In _Shipyard Statistics_ by H. C. Smith and L. C. Brown, one of the articles that comprises _The Shipbuilding Business in the United States of America_, edited by F. G. Fassett, Jr., and published in 1948 by the Society of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineers, there are given lists of vessels owned by the several provinces in the years 1769, 1770, and 1771. Virginia is listed as having in 1769, 6 ships, 21 sloops and schooners--27 vessels of 1269 tonnage; for 1770, there were 6 ships, 15 sloops and schooners, 1105 tons; and for 1771, 10 ships, 9 sloops and schooners, 1678 tons. We notice that the report of 27 vessels for 1769, is the same number reported by Governor Andros in 1698, which is rather surprising, and shows how inadequate the statistics were, and how careful a writer must be in using them.

APPENDIX II

The items on shipping given below were selected from the _Virginia Gazette_ to show some details of Virginia shipping in the eighteenth century: the home ports, the ports entered and cleared, the types of vessels and various kinds of cargo. Sailings are given from September 3, 1736, when a Virginia owned vessel was first mentioned in the _Gazette_, to June 28, 1768, and is by no means a complete list, even in the copies of issues now extant; it is well to recall that copies of many issues have never been found. Later sailings in the _Gazette_ have frequently omitted the type of vessel. A large number of vessels here named were Virginia owned and many of them Virginia built.

1736, SEPTEMBER 3. Ship _Priscilla_ of Virginia, Richard Williams, entered at the port of York river from Barbadoes.

1736, NOVEMBER 9. Ship _John and Mary_ of Virginia, Richard Tillidge, entered the port of York river from Barbadoes.

1737, FEBRUARY 9. The brigantine belonging to Col. Benjamin Harrison, arrived in James river last week from London, but last from Salt Islands loaded with salt.

1737, FEBRUARY 9. Cleared out of York river the schooner _Grampus_, John Briggs, for Madeira with 870 bu. wheat, 1451 bu. white pease, 1914 bu. red pease, 40 bu. beans, 1 hhd. beeswax, and 600 staves.

Cleared out of York district the following vessels:

1737, MARCH 2. Sloop _Medford_ of New England, James Hathaway, for New England with 1000 bu. com, 100 bu. pease, and 600 ft. of walnut plank.

MARCH 3. Ship _Hanover_ of Bristol, Roger Rumney, for Bristol with 294 hhd. tobacco, 50 tons iron, and 5280 staves.

1737, MARCH 3. Schooner _Swallow_ of New England, John Atwood, for Boston with 1500 bu. corn, 100 bu. pease, 20 bu. wheat, and 60 ft. of plank.