USA > Massachusetts > Suffolk County > Boston > Gleanings from the records of the Boston Marine Society : through its first century, 1742 to 1842 > Part 8
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At the Annual meeting, 2d November, 1830, held at the Exchange Coffee House. Thomas Lamb. the present incumbent, was elected Treasurer.
At a trustee meeting, Ist March. 1831. a " letter from Messrs Hall & Williams relative to extra pilotage, being
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read, fully discussed and debated, the Trustees came to the following resolution & accordingly Voted, That on the first question unanimously, that the Pilot ought not to be paid three dollars for hauling the vessel to the wharf from the stream, and on the second question they unanimously vote, that the Pilot has a right and ought to be paid three dollars for hauling the vessel into the Stream," showing they recognized the difference between a watch dog and a dog watch.
At a quarterly meeting, 3d May, 1831, a letter was read from the Baltimore Marine Society, and a committee chosen, "to take into consideration the subject matter of the said letter in relation to the administration of the estates of Seamen, and if they should deem it expedient and proper, to petition the Legislature at their next Session for the passing of a law empowering the Society to act as administrators aforesaid."
At the quarterly meeting, 2d August, 1831, it was voted, " That the Pilot Committee be requested to make Special enquiry into the alledged misconduct of the Pilot who had charge of the Spanish Vessell Isabella lately lost on Cohasset rocks, and to make report to the Trustees " etc.
Subsequently, we learn the pilot at fault was " Deputy Pilot Josiah Ayers Junr," and the approval of his appointment as a " deputy pilot for the harbor of Bos- ton," " which authorized and empowered him to act in that capasity be now reconsidered, revoked and annulled, and that from and after this date said Josiah Ayers Junr is no longer to be considered as an authorized pilot for the harbour of Boston."
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At the Annual meeting, held at the Exchange Coffee House, Ist November, IS31, Capt. Barker Baker was dismissed " for delinquency," Capt. Charles Blake, " discharged agreeable to his request," Capt. Dixey Wild, unanimously chosen President. but " declined serving owing to his expected absence," and Capt. Charles Tracey was elected in his stead.
At a trustee meeting. 6th December. IS31, it was voted, " That a pittion be presented to Congress for appropriations of seven hundred and fifty dollars, for completing the Spindle on Minots Ledge. and one thousand dollars for building the monument on Nixes mate with Stone."
A return of the Society's funds. for 31st December, 1831, shows the whole of their securities to have been. at that time, $22.990.83.
At a special meeting of the Society, held at the Marl- borough Hotel, 20th January, IS32, voted, "That in the opinion of this board. that two small Light houses juditiously located at the harbour of Ipswitch in this State would be a great public benefit and very beneficial to the navigation of that port."
Resolutions. laudatory and complimentary to the Boston Port Society, were likewise passed, and it was resolved, " that the Members of the Boston Marine Society be requested and strongly recommended to be aiding by all means in their power in the promotion of the general cause of reform in the habits and conduct of Seamen ; the most practicable means of insuring this, being the support and aid to the Port Society."
February 7th, 1832, at a meeting of the Society at the Marlborough Hotel, it was voted. "that the President of
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the Society write an answer to James F. Austin Esqr accepting the invitation to join the procession on the 22 inst to commemorate the centennial annaversary of the Birth of General Washington." Voted, "That the Secretary notify the members of the Boston Ma- rine Society requesting their attendance on the above occasion, two days before the meeting." It is proba- ble the meaning of this is, that they be notified two days before the meeting, not that they attend two days before.
At a trustee meeting, 6th March, 1832, it was " moved and seconded, that a Committee be appointed to take into consideration the expediency of forming a collection of rare and valuable curiosities, that may be formed into a museum."
An adjourned meeting of trustees, on 12th March, 1832, was wholly devoted to discussion and resolves of pilots, and pilot laws and regulations, with recommen- dations to Governor and Council.
The meetings of the Society and trustees, for the remainder of the year, seem mainly devoted to mat- ters of pilotage, lights, buoys, and harbor improve- ments, and at a trustee meeting, Ist January, 1833, a committee was appointed to enquire "into the expe- diency and utility of placeing a Bell & buoy on Hard- ings rocks."
At a special meeting of the Society, "held at the Marine assurance Rooms over the Tremont Bank in State Street, 12th March 1833"-"The report of the Committee of the Boston Museum & Library being read and debated, it was unanimously accepted & Voted accordingly."
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" It was then moved and seconded, that a Committee of three be appointed to select and report such Gentle- men for the approbation of this Society to serve as directors for the Museum and Library agreeable to this report, till the next annual meeting." Joseph W. Lewis, Thomas B. Curtis, Daniel C. Bacon, Thomas Lamb, Thomas C. Smith, Benjamin Smith, Zebeda Cook, jr., William Hales, and John Suter, were made the direc- tors, and it was voted, "That the room over the Tremont Bank, be accepted at the rate of twenty five dollars pr anno, for the meetings and use of the board of directors of the Boston Marine Museum and Library, & of the Trustees of the Boston Marine Society."
The following report of a Committee on this subject, will be of interest. They report,
"That they have attended to their duty and are of opinion that the objects of this Society in relation thereto can be carried into full effect. * * * Your Committee in reference to the act of incorporation of this Society - that is the Boston Marine Museum and Library - find nothing repugnant to such an addition to the personal prosperity and value of this - Boston Marine - Society. On the contrary are of opinion that such an addition comports extremely well with the objects of this Society. as set forth in the preamble to its act of incorporation in the year 1754, Viz that its objects are "to improve the knowledge of navigation by their several members on their arrival from sea communicating obser- vations on valuable marine subjects, and on all other remarkable things &c and to relieve one another and their families in poverty and other adverse accidents,
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which they are more particularly liable to &c." Your Committee think that a library should be connected with the museum to be composed of such books, maps, charts &c as will most improve our knowledge of commerce, navigation and the various subjects connected with the museum, and are of opinion that many valuable works of this kind can be obtained from donations. Your Committee are of opinion that a museum and library connected with the Society will not only be the means of diffusing valuable information, but will tend to increase the funds of this Society, by increasing the number of its members from the additional interest that will be taken in it. Your Committee recommend the following rules and orders for the government of this branch of the institution.
" Ist. That eight members of this Society be chosen by ballot at our annual meeting in November or at a Special meeting called for the purpose, who togeather with the President for the year ensuing shall form and be known as the directors of the Marine Museum and library ; vacancies that may happen during the year in the said board of directors to be filled by the remainder of the board choosing from the members of the Society.
" 2nd. That they shall have during the time that they are in office the entire control and direction of this branch of our institution, to make their own by laws, receive and pay money and transact such business as may come before them.
"3rd. The President of this Society shall be chairman of the board of directors and preside at their meetings, which shall be at such times as they by their by laws may direct.
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"4th. The Directors to choose one of their number as Secretary and Treasurer, whose duty it shall be to receive all donations receive and pay money &c.
"5th. The Directors shall make a report at our Annual Meetings in November, Stateing the Situation of the Museum & library, donations, receipts and expences together with a schedule of all property of whatever name belonging to this branch of our institution.
"6th. The Directors shall have no power to appro- priate any part of the funds of the B. M. Society to the use of the Marine Museum and library further than grants that may be made at our stated meetings, but they shall be held individually accountable for all debts contracted by them, over and above the funds that may have been appropriated for this specified purpose.
" 7th. The Directors shall have full power to increase the museum and library by purchase or otherwise as they from time to time may think best, and also to dispose of such articles as they may consider useless. in such manner as they by their by laws direct.
"Sth. As it is desirable that such funds should be pro- yided as will enable the Directors not only to increase the influence of this branch of our institution, but prevent it from becoming an expence to this Society, it is therefore Voted that the Directors shall have full power to collect in such manner as they may think best, money or property to the amount not exceeding $10,000, the same to be invested by them in Bank Stock, or in such securities as the directors and trustees of this Society may approve, the income of which to be held by the Treas- urer of this Society to the order & direction of the Directors of the M. M. & library. That the said funds
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shall be invested in the name of the B. M. Society to be appropriated to this specified purpose and none other ; so long as this Society exists, provided that nothing in this Vote shall prevent the Directors from appropriating from time to time such sums of money to the free use of this Society, as they may have beyond the wants and expenses of the Museum & library."
J. W. LEWIS, THOMAS LAMB, THOS C. SMITH, BENJ. SMITH, ) Committee.
The trustee meeting of 2d April, 1833, voted, that a special meeting of the Society be convened the following week, " to discuss debate and determine on the improper and shameful conduct of a number of Branch pilots of the harbour of Boston," and the special and quarterly meetings in May are mainly taken up in this affair, which was at last satisfactorily settled.
A report of the Committee of Observation was made at the trustee meeting, in September, 1833, and is as follows : " The Committee appointed to examine a new chart of the coast of America from Philadelphia to Halifax harbour, showing the tracks of the American surveying vessels Science and Orbit, a new edition improved by J. W. Norrie Hydrographer London May Ist 1832, Have attended to that duty and report, That the principal head lands in Boston Bay and vicinity are very erroneously laid down both in position and shape according to the latest edition of Blunts tables and chart of 1832. The Committee subjoin the longitudes of a few of the most prominent points as laid down in the two charts referred to." The longitudes - latitude as well - of eight places, are then given, with the difference
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between the two charts, varying from eight to forty miles.
At a trustee meeting, at the Marlborough Hotel, Ist October, IS33, there not being a quorum, the meeting adjourned. It appears the resolution to meet at the room over the Tremont bank, from some cause, had already come to naught.
This is the last entry of Book B, or Book number three of the Marine Society.
The first entry in Book C, of the Records, is the Treasurer's returns for November, 1833, showing the funds of the Society, at that date, to have been $24,090.83. This Annual meeting was held at the Marlborough Hotel. A committee was appointed, " to investigate the subject of a Breakwater at Long Cove in Gloucester, for which an appropriation by Congress has been petitioned for, and if they see and consider it a proper subject for this Society to interfere and act thereon, and approve the object of the petition, the President and Secretary be authorized to sign a memo- randum annexed to the petition, stateing that the Society approve the object and recommend or advise the appro- priation." No lack of caution can certainly be seen in this resolve.
" A verbal report of the Directors of the Boston Marine Museum & Library - made by one of its mem- bers Zebedee Cook Jr - stateing their having collected ·articles of curiosity and utility to the amount of more than three hundred Dollars, and praying for further aid, Whereupon it was Voted That one hundred dollars be put at the disposal of the directors of Museum & Library as it may be wanted, for the use of said institution."
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At a trustee meeting, 3d December, 1833, it was voted, " That the President Capt. Joseph W. Lewis, Winslow Lewis and Benj. Smith be a committee to address the Hon. Benjamin Gorham at Washington on the subject of a petition from this Society to Congress in the Session of 1831 & 2, also a petition to Congress in Session of 1832-3, requesting his aid in effecting the object of the said petitions." The Society at that time evidently meant their petitions should not be everlooked.
" Voted, That the request of a number of the Boston Branch Pilots, that this Board would sanction their petition to the Secretary of the Treasury of the United States, for liberty to erect a hut on Boston Light house Island, that it is the opinion of this Board that the public would not be benefitted thereby, and that it is therefore inexpedient to have such Hut erected, and that the Committee inform the petitioners of the foregoing vote."
Another vote passed, that the Pilot Committee "take such means as they may wish or think expedient to prevent any further inovation on the Pilot laws."
Innovation seems to have been always a bugbear and a terror.
At a quarterly meeting, 4th February, 1834, voted, "That the Society petition the General Court now in Session, for an extension of the act passed in 1832. cedeing the jurisdiction to the United States of the Island of Nixes Mate in Boston harbour, with certain conditions."
Through 1834 the meetings of the Society and Trustees seem to have been mainly occupied in matters incident to the pilots and pilot service, and on the 9th December, 1834, we learn that "Dana Bruce, Branch
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Pilot, has not attended to that duty for more than one year past. and that there is no probability that he ever will." "That Benjamin Sweet, Branch Pilot, has for some length of time been in the habit of in- temperance, his Boat being taken from him and sold, and the owners of the other Pilot Boats will not employ him."
"That Leonard Lakin Branch Pilot is partially in- sane," and that "John Stubbs Branch Pilot has recently through neglect, ignorance or carelessness run several vessels on shore," and the Pilot Committee were requested "to take these several cases under consideration." Whether this very unpromising aspect of the service discouraged the Society, or if it occupied entirely too much of the Committee's time to attend to all these matters of detail without any compensation, none can say, but at this same meeting it was voted, "That the President. Thomas B. Curtis. with Winslow Lewis and Samuel Quincy be a Committee to consider and report on the Subject of resigning to the Governor and Coun- cill, all authority and Superintendance of the Pilots of the Port of Boston."
At the trustee meeting, 6th January, 1835. the above Committee reported, and it was voted, that the same Committee " sign & present a memorial to the Governor & Council praying that this Board (of Trustees) be dis- charged from all cognizance in the matter of Pilots & pilotage."
At the quarterly meeting in February, 1835, a com- mittee was appointed "to petition Congress for an additional appropriation of seven hundred and fifty dollars to complete the Spindle on Minots Ledge."
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At the trustee meeting, 6th April-the laws having presumably been altered-it was voted that "Caleb Curtis & Chas T. Parsons be recommended to the Governor & Council as suitable persons to be commis- sioned as Commissioners to regulate Pilots & Pilotage." "Whereupon the said Curtis & Parsons gave in their Letters of résignation as Trustees." This seems to have been the first of the present Pilot Commission system.
The Treasurer's report for 1835, at the Annual meet- ing, on the 3d November, gives the funds of the Society as $25,090.83, an increase of $1000.00 in two years.
December 4th, 1835, Capt. Parsons having died, Capt. Samuel Quincy was nominated in his stead as a Commissioner of Pilots.
At the quarterly meeting, 2d February, 1836, held at the Marlborough, the following letter was presented and read.
WALTHAM.
Thomas Lamb, Esqr :
I duly received your favor of the 3d inst. togeather with the constitution of the marine Society, no one can be more willing than myself to contribute for the relief of decayed masters of Vessels & their Widdows & father- less that are left in poverty and distress-for the purpose of affording temporary relief to that class of sufferers I inclose a check for five hundred dollars, it is my desire to have this donation put into the hands of the relief committee for immediate distribution.
It is too late for me to become a member of that honorable & valuable institution, but not I trust too late to afford relief to the suffering poor. I hope it is not
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incompatible with the rules of the Society to dispose of this donation as I wish, it may be that a while hence I may be able to do something to aid the income of the establishment. Should that happen my name may be added as a member. Accept my respectfull regards.
THEODORE LYMAN.
Whatever errors of orthography appear in the above letter, are probably of the Society's Secretary, rather than of the writer.
The thanks of the Society were voted the "Honble Theodore Lyman for his generous & magnificent dona- tion." and the Secretary was " directed to present a copy of this Vote, with a lively sense of his benevolence."
The late Charles F. Parsons-through his surviving colleague, Caleb Curtis-gave a check for $146.04. being one half of the commissions he had received while in office as Pilot Commissioner, and " thanks and con- dolence" were voted his father, Thomas Parsons, Esq .. who had " sanctioned and approved" the gift.
"An application or letter from Benj. H. A. Collins of Eastham & signed by him & twenty others in that vicinity, praying the aid of this Society in an application to Congress for a Light house on the back of Cape Cod in the vicinity of a place called Nauset Beach was read and debated and referred to a Committee," with instruc- tions to report.
A committee for the purpose of urging on Congress "our request for a number of Buoys to be placed in the outer harbor for the safety of Navigation." was appointed. and the "Sum of five hundred dollars be appropriated for that purpose."
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At the trustee meeting, March, 1836, it was voted to solicit Congress, through the Hon. "Abot Lawrence," our representative, for the light-house at Nauset, and "a grant of ten thousand dollars for the above purpose."
The Committee's report in favor of three light-houses at Nauset, follow, and the memorial to Congress in accordance therewith, and asking for $10,000, is given. It is gratifying to know the result was favorable, and most of us have, no doubt, had good reason to bless the Society for their action in this matter.
At the Annual meeting, Ist November, 1836, " Voted That Thos B. Curtis, Danl C. Bacon & William Sturgis be a Committee to write a letter to Capt. Thomas Ap Catesby Jones, commander of the U. S. exploring Squadron at Norfolk Virga, expressing their good wishes for his success, & wishing health, prosperity & happiness in his voyage & a safe return to his Country & friends."
And it was " moved and Seconded that Capt Thomas Ap Catesby Jones be a member of this Society & Voted Unanimously."
Stock and funds of the Society, this date, $26,403.33.
At a trustee meeting, at the Neptune Insurance office, 3d January, 1837, "Moved & Seconded that We dis- pence for one year having quarterly suppers, that is to say, at quarterly meetings, and that when We adjourn, we are until further orders to meet at the Neptune Ins. Office."
The record does not say if this vote was carried.
A quarterly meeting of the Society was held at the Neptune Insurance Office, the 7th February, 1837, when an application was made to the Society, by Thomas
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Bradlee, Esqr., of "Homes Hole That a Committee be appointed to memorialize Congress requesting a Survey and estimate of expence, of erecting a Breakwater at Homes Hole, & after much debate & consideration of the same, it was unanimously Voted That Capt. Thomas B. Curtis, Winslow Lewis & George Hallet be the committee for this purpose."
" It was moved, & seconded by Several members, that the President be requested to have a suitable entertain- ment provided at the quarterly meetings, at some central & suitable place ; unanimously agreed to at this meeting & Voted accordingly."
So it appears the attempted retrenchment of the trus- tee meeting in January, found small favor in the eyes of the Society.
The following letter is recorded :
Mr. Thomas Lamb Treasurer B. M. Society :
DEAR SIR : A year has passed away since I made a donation for the relief of the poor & destitute members of your Society. I now enclose a check for five hundred dollars for the same purpose. If your Gentlemen should think it will have a tendency to do as much good if distributed as was done last year, they will so do it, it accords with my view of the case.
I pray you not to think that I wish to prescribe.
I am respectfully your obdt Svnt THEODORE LYMAN.
Mr. Lamb thankfully acknowledges receipt of the above amount, refers to the proposed disposition of the same, and assures Mr. Lyman of the " grateful feelings
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of those who are the means of conveying his bountiful aid as well as of those who are to receive it."
The memorial to Congress for a breakwater at " Holmes Hole," appears under date of IIth Febru- ary. The memorialists think it would "ensure the safety of shipping seeking a harbor in that place," and pray for "a survey, prefaratory to building such breakwater."
At a trustee meeting, the 7th March, appears "an application by letter from William Swett & Co. for the approval of the Trustees of this Society to aid in their application to the Legislature for leave to erect a Powder House on Birds Island of Stone & in such a way as to appear as a monument to direct navigation, the Same being approved by the Trustees & Consequently Voted, That the President be requested to answer said letter accordingly."
At the trustee meeting, in April, a communication regarding pilotage of British vessels, was received and referred to " a Committee with instructions to grant to his Britannic majesties vice consul, a hearing in the premises."
At the quarterly meeting, May 2d, 1837, appears the following letters :
To the President of the Boston Marine Society:
SIR : The duty of collecting information relative to, and the examination of Aldridges Ledge, False Spit, Hunts Ledge, Hospital Island Ledge, Governors Island Point and Little Fawn Bar having been assigned to me with orders to report on the expediency of placing Buoys on the Same &c, I beg that you will be pleased to give
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me such information as you may possess in relation to the subject, as may aid me in the discharge of this duty.
I am Sir with great respect Your Mo. Ob. Servt JNO. DOWNES. Comm. Navy Yard.
[ANSWER. ]
Sir: In reply to your communication addressed to the President of the Boston Marine Society, I would remark that a Survey seems necessary for the purpose of regulating the position & condition of the Buoys in Boston Bay & harbour, some of which from accidental causes have been wholly removed or displaced, of the places referred to in your letter, I should think Buoys would be necessary on Aldridges Ledge and Little Fawn bar, and possibly on the others.
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