large/4813/old_coast_road_1402_librivox_64kb_mp3/oldcoastroad_03_edwards_64kb_97
large/4813/old_coast_road_1402_librivox_64kb_mp3/oldcoastroad_03_edwards_64kb
English
4813
When we recall that the best and cheapest ships of the latter half of the seventeenth century were built here in the new country, we realize that shipyards, ports, docks, proper laws and regulations, and the invigorating progress which marks any thriving industry flourished bravely up and down the whole New England coast. WHEN WE RECALL THAT THE BEST AND CHEAPEST SHIPS OF THE LATTER HALF OF THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY WERE BUILT HERE IN THE NEW COUNTRY WE REALIZE THAT SHIPYARDS PORTS DOCKS PROPER LAWS AND REGULATIONS AND THE INVIGORATING PROGRESS WHICH MARKS ANY THRIVING INDUSTRY FLOURISHED BRAVELY UP AND DOWN THE WHOLE NEW ENGLAND COAST
n these shores--the pioneer of all New England commerce. Built by Governor Winthrop, he notes of her in his journal on August 31, 1631, that "the bark being of thirty tons went to sea." That is all he says, but from that significant moment the building of ships went on "gallantly," as was indeed to be expected in a country whose chief industry was fishing and which was so admirably surrounded by natural bays and harbors. In 1665 we hear of the Great and General Court of Massachusetts--which distinctive term is still applied to the Massachusetts Legislature--forbidding the cutting of any trees suitable for masts. The broad arrow of the King was marked on all white pines, twenty-four inches in diameter, three feet from the ground. Big ships and little ships swarmed into existence, and every South Shore town made shipbuilding history. The ketch, a two-masted vessel carrying from fifteen to twenty tons, carried on most of the coasting traffic, and occasionally ventured on a foreign voyage. HE PIONEER OF ALL NEW ENGLAND COMMERCE BUILT BY GOVERNOR WINTHROP HE NOTES OF HER IN HIS JOURNAL ON AUGUST THIRTY FIRST SIXTEEN THIRTY ONE THAT THE BARQUE BEING OF THIRTY TONS WENT TO SEA THAT IS ALL HE SAYS BUT FROM THAT SIGNIFICANT MOMENT THE BUILDING OF SHIPS WENT ON GALLANTLY AS WAS INDEED TO BE EXPECTED IN A COUNTRY WHOSE CHIEF INDUSTRY WAS FISHING AND WHICH WAS SO ADMIRABLY SURROUNDED BY NATURAL BAYS AND HARBORS IN SIXTEEN SIXTY FIVE WE HEAR OF THE GREAT AND GENERAL COURT OF MASSACHUSETTS WHICH DISTINCTIVE TERM IS STILL APPLIED TO THE MASSACHUSETTS LEGISLATURE FORBIDDING THE CUTTING OF ANY TREES SUITABLE FOR MASTS THE BROAD ARROW OF THE KING WAS MARKED ON ALL WHITE PINES TWENTY FOUR INCHES IN DIAMETER THREE FEET FROM THE GROUND BIG SHIPS AND LITTLE SHIPS SWARMED INTO EXISTENCE AND EVERY SOUTH SHORE TOWN MADE SHIP BUILDING HISTORY THE CATCH A TWO MASTED VESSEL CARRYING FROM FIFTEEN TO TWENTY TONS CARRIED ON MOST OF THE COASTING TRAFFIC AND OCCASIONALLY VENTURED ON A FOREIGN VOYAGE
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