78 BULJL,ETIN 127, UNITED STATES NATTOjSTAL MUSEUM. 



Slock model of merchant ships. 



The ships Exporter and Reporter^ of Newbiiryport, Mass., were 

 built from this model at that city in 1874. They were designed for 

 the general ocean-carrying trade and were good representatives of 

 the type of American ships called " half-clippers," which succeeded 

 the clipper ships that flourished in the period known as the " fifties " 

 (between 1850 and 1860), when the trans- Atlantic and California 

 sailing packets and the " tea clippers " of the China trade became 

 famous. In the half -clipper model the object has been to unite large 

 capacity with a degrea of speed onl}' second to that of the extreme 

 clipper. 



They were wooden, carvel-built, keel vessels, with sharp flaring 

 bow ; long, low, flat floor ; high wall side ; finely shaped run ; moder- 

 ate overhang to counter; square stern; medium sheer. Model is 

 painted like ships built from it. 



Dimensions of vessels. — Length between perpendiculars, 199 feet 

 6 inches; beam, 38 feet 24 inches; depth, 24 feet; gross tonnage, 

 1,369.76. Scale of model, one-quarter inch equals 1 foot. 

 Gift of Sumner, Swasey & Currier. Cat. No. 76,054 U.S.N.M. 



Block model of merchant ship. 



The ship Oregon was built from this model by William Rogers at 

 Bath, Me., in 1875. Three other ships, namely, the nereides., G. C. 

 Thompson^ and Highland Light have been built from the same 

 model. 



A wooden, carvel-built, keel vessel, with moderately sharj^, flaring 

 bow ; slightly concave lines below water ; long, flat floor ; quick bilge ; 

 wall side; rather long, finely shaped run; overhanging counter; 

 square stern; good sheer. Model mounted with stub bowsprit, cut- 

 water, stem, keel, sternpost, rudder, quarter rail, and bow chock 

 attached. The ship's name is in gilt on bow and quarter and there 

 is a gilt vine on the trailboard of the head. 



Dimensions of vessel. — One thousand four hundred and thirty-one 

 tons register; length between perpendiculars, 205.9 feet; beam 30.9 

 feet; depth, 24.01 feet. Scale of model, one-third inch equals 1 foot. 



The Oregon has been employed in the general ocean carrying trade 

 of the world. Her form represents the highest attainment of naval 

 architects to combine great carrying capacity with a high rate of 

 speed. She is what is technically called a " half-clipper " ship, a 

 type that came into favor after the clipper sailing ships were super- 

 seded as packets by steamers and were no longer profitable because 

 of their small capacity. The proportions of the Oregon have been 

 so carefully considered that, while carrying a large cargo she sails 

 nearly as fast as the famous ships of a former period. 

 Gift of William Rogers. Cat. No. 76,065 U.S.N.M. 



