| History | |
|---|---|
 United States | |
| Name | James Gordon Bennett |
| Namesake | James Gordon Bennett Jr., publisher of theNew York Herald |
| Owner |
|
| Operator |
|
| Builder | |
| Launched | 11 May 1870 |
| Christened | 11 May 1870 |
| Out of service | 26 November 1897 |
| Renamed | Hermit (1897) |
| Fate | Sank |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Schooner |
| Tonnage | 52 tonsTM |
| Length | 75 ft 0 in (22.86 m) |
| Beam | 21 ft 0 in (6.40 m) |
| Depth | 7 ft 5 in (2.26 m) |
| Propulsion | Sail |
| Sail plan |
|
TheJames Gordon Bennett was a 19th-century two-mastedpilot boat, built in 1870 at theLawrence & Foulks shipyard. She was named in honor ofJames Gordon Bennett, Jr., publisher of theNew York Herald. She went ashore in 1893 and was rebuilt at theC. & R. Poillonshipyard. In 1897, theJames Gordon Bennett was bought by Miller J. Morse of theAtlantic Yacht Club and made into ayacht. He changed her name toHermit. The New Jersey pilots purchased her in 1901, to replace theDavid T. Leahy, that was run down by thesteamshipAlene. TheHermit sank in 1906, when the steamshipMonterey ran into her.
On May 11, 1870, theJames Gordon Bennett, No. 6, waslaunched from theLawrence & Foulks shipyard of North Fifth Street,Williamsburg, Brooklyn. About one thousand people witnessed the launch. TheJames Gordon Bennett replaced thepilot boatA. T. Stewart, that was lost in 1869. At the launch andnaming ceremony, Katie Chapman, daughter of Captain Daniel C. Chapman, gave the boat the nameJames Gordon Bennett in honor ofJames Gordon Bennett, Jr., publisher of theNew York Herald. Captain Chapman supervised the construction of the new boat. The company ofpilots included: Daniel C. Chapman (captain), John H. Chapman, Henry Beebe, William Gotham, Edward Darie, Theo Lore Dexter, Alexander Dexter, and Nelson Comstock.[1]
By 1874, theJames Gordon Bennett was listed as aNew Jersey pilot boat with Daniel C. Chapman as the captain.[2]
TheJames Gordon Bennett was registered as a pilotschooner with theRecord of American and Foreign Shipping, from 1876 to 1893. Her shipmaster was Daniel C. Chapman; her owners were the New Jersey Pilots; built in 1870 at New York; and her hailing port was thePort of New Jersey. Her dimensions were 75 feet (23 m) in length; 21 feet (6.4 m) breadth ofbeam; 7.5 feet (2.3 m)depth of hold; and 54 tonstonnage.[3]
On January 26, 1884, Captain Henry Beebe, at age 61, one of the pilots of theJames Gordon Bennett died at his home inBrooklyn, New York.[4]
On February 17, 1885, a Brooklyn pilot, Charles Warner of theJames Gordon Bennett, No. 6, was swept overboard and drowned during a storm off theSandy Hook Lightship. Warner was only 28 years old and had a wife and two children.[5]
On November 8, 1885, theJames Gordon Bennett picked up the passengers of the pilot boatMary and Catherine that was struck the Britishtramp trade steamshipHaverton. The pilot boat sank in a few minutes and the steamship did not stop to help.[6]
On January 13, 1893, the pilot boatJames Gordon Bennett, No. 6, surrounded by ice nearSea Bright, New Jersey, went ashore and broke up with both of her masts gone and part of her deck was missing. Pilots James Crooker and Barrett were on board and a crew of six men were able to reach land safely.[7][8]
On August 7, 1893, a new pilot boatJames Gordon Bennett was launched at theC. & R. Poillonshipyard at the foot of Clinton Street, Brooklyn, New York. She became part of the New York pilot fleet.[9]
TheJames Gordon Bennett was registered as a pilot schooner with theRecord of American and Foreign Shipping, from 1894 to 1898. Her ship master was Jas. F. Brown; her owner was Jas. F. Brown; built in 1893 at Brooklyn, New York; and her hailing port was thePort of New York. Her dimensions were 75 ft. in length; 21 ft. breadth of beam; 7.5 ft. depth of hold; and 67 tonstonnage.[10]
On April 2, 1895, pilot W. Crocker of theJames Gordon Bennett, was in command when he spotted the what was left of the steamerCity of Haverhill, offBarnegat, New Jersey, and the body of her captain, W. P. Watrous. The rest of the crew had already escaped.[11]
On November 26, 1897, the Sandy Hook pilot boatJames Gordon Bennett was bought by Miller J. Morse of theAtlantic Yacht Club, who made her into ayacht so he could take her on a cruise to theWest Indies. He changed her name toHermit.[12] On May 24, 1900, Morse sold theHermit to the a Mr. F. A. Higgins.[13]
On October 18, 1901, the New Jersey pilots purchased theHermit to replace theDavid T. Leahy that was run down by the steamshipAlene.[14]
On December 16, 1906, in bad weather, theWard Line steamshipMonterey ran into the New Jersey pilot boatHermit, No. 7, near theSandy Hook Light. She was split into two and sank. The crew was brought aboard theMonterey and returned to the city.[15]
Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in 1906 | |
|---|---|
| Shipwrecks |
|
| Other incidents |
|
