Shipping Interests

Shipping Interests¹

Our prophecies concerning the shipping interests of East Boston are being verified; and the present year will undoubtedly compare favorably with any preceding it in the extend and importance of the work accomplished.

We append a partial report of some of the operations going on, or that have recently been made.

The new U.S. Steam sloop of war now being built by Mr. Donald McKay in the yard of the Atlantic Works is framed ready for planking; she measures almost 1000 tons, is 185 feet long between perpendiculars, has 35 feet breathed of beam, and will be 16 feet deep. She was designed by Isaiah Hanson Esq. Chief Naval constructor, who designed and built the memorable Kearsarge. Her frame furnished by government is of seasonal live oak. The keel is selected white oak as will her framing be, square-fastened throughout with copper and without treenails. She will be ready for launching early in August. The Atlantic works are making her engines and boilers.

Mr. Robert E. Jackson, who built the Sonora, Great Admiral, and other first-class vessels has laid the keel of a ship to be about 1600 tons. She will be 210 feet long between the perpendiculars, have 40 feet breadth of beam, and 24 feet depth of hold. Her frame is to be of white oak, her keelsons, ceiling, planking, deck frames and lower deck will be of hard pine, and she will be in every respect a superior vessel. She is owned by Messrs. Henry J. Sears & Co. and by Capt. Jackson who will command her, and who is superintending her construction. Capt. Jackson has for many years sailed with Messrs. Wm. F. Weld & Co., and was the first master of the Great Admiral. Mr. Jackson will get the new ship off  in September, and she will be employed in the California trade.

The new barque Robert Kelly is lying at Mr. D.D. Kelly's dock being rigged. She will however be docked and sheathed with yellow metal before she is fully rigged.

On Tuesday afternoon last, MR. Abiel Gove launched from his ship yard at Jeffries point the schooner Bella Hooper. She is 138 feet 6 inches long on deck, has 32 feet breadth of beam, and 11 1-2 feet depth of hold. She is owned by Mr. Gove, Messrs. Kilham, Loud & Co., Warren L. Hooper and others of Boston, and George L. Dow of Providence R.I. Capt. L.P. Gilkey of Vineland N.J., will command her. She was built under the inspection of Capt. Edgar Paine who has rated her A 1 for 11 years.

The launch of the new schooner Wm. G. Shattuck took place from the yard of the north east end of Maverick st, Wednesday afternoon at 3:15. A large concourse of people were assembled, among whom were several members of the city Government, prominent ship owners, merchants and builders and gentlemen interested in shipping. The vessel left the ways as gracefully as any we ever saw, and everything connected with the launch was a perfect success as trust will be the principal upon which she is constructed. However, time will determine this fact, and if other experiments and other improvements should follow, this will certainly prove important as the pioneer in this direction. The vessel is 138 feet in length on deck, 32 feet 6 inches breadth of beam and 12 feet 2 inches depth of hold, and will measure about 300 tons. She is of a very pretty model having a long sharp bow a raking stem, upright stern post and a full rounded body.

The peculiarity of her construction is that she has no frame, but her hull is laid up in sections of 12 inch spruce planks, laid one upon the other and bolted together every six inches with 1 1-8 inch bolts 3 feet long. Thus the hull is 12 inches thick throughout and the iron fastenings are expected to take the place of a frame. There are twenty-seven tons of iron used in the vessel. Mr. Gibson claims that she can carry from 20 to 25 per cent more cargo than vessels built on the old plan, besides being string and more durable. The company were entertained at a collation in the old ferryboat "Jefferson" and the new vessel was taken to the Atlantic works wharf where she will have her spares put in and rigging done.

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