censed the residents of the District, and it was publicly denounced at a meeting of citizens held at Commissioners' Hall, of which Robert McMullin was chairman, and Joseph Huddle, Jr., secretary. This assemblage, among others, adopted the following resolution: On the 21st February, 1801, was purchased a "piece or parcel of land" from William and John Allen, of the County of Hunterdon and State of New Jersey, beginning at the south side of Prime street, formerly called Weccacoe Lane, in the District of Southwark (once called Wiccacoe), and on a part whereof the old "Association Battery" formerly stood, containing on Front street nine perches four and a half feet, and to the Delaware River forty-six perches, for which the sum of twelve thousand dollars was paid. For the adjoining land on the south, belonging to Anthony. Morris and wife, containing on Front street fourteen perches and ten feet, and to the River Delaware six hundred and seventy-six feet, the sum of fourteen thousand dollars was paid, and for the next adjoining piece of land on the south, belong 66 "Resolved, That the remote, partial and doubt ful benefits which might be derived from the opening of Swanson street, or any other street which interferes with the site proposed for the Navy Yard, are not to be placed in competition with the immediate, general and certain benefits of an establishment which would give encouragement and employment to almost every class of mechanics and laborers; would increase the circulation of industry and money in the district, as well as its progress in population and improvement; that benefits so essential demand the aiding to Luke Morris and wife, formerly of New of our Representatives in the Legislature to insure Jersey, but now of Philadelphia," containing nine them; and that those niore immediately represent- perches and seven inches on Front street, and ing this district are peculiarly bound to promote forty perches in length to the River Delaware, the its local interests by coöperating in the Legislature sum of eleven thousand dollars was paid, making with the unanimous voice of their constituents in a total of thirty-seven thousand dollars for the favor of vacating all the streets which interfere entire purchase; the whole forming a front of with the site proposed for the Navy Yard." about five hundred and forty-six feet, to which a further addition on the south end was subsequently made. In the deeds appear the names of John and Elizabeth Martin, former owners, and of George Fitzwater as owner of adjoining land. The foregoing Resolution, intended to be "highly denunciatory" in tone, would to-day probably be considered by our "spread-eagle" orators as rather tame in expression; it had, however, the desired effect, for all opposition ceased, and the establishment of the Yard became a fixed The purchase of this property-it was a matter of complaint afterwards by the opposition partywas made without any authority of law. All the land, however, in the United States that was purchased for the purpose of establishing Navy Yards, was bought about the same period, and without any appropriation by Congress, the entire cost of the various Yards at that time being $199,030.92, and paid for out of moneys that had originally been appropriated for building vessels of war (seventyfours), the Secretary alleging that it was impossible to build ships without Navy Yards. The Pay Roll" of employés at the Yard for one week during the month of March of this year (1801) amounted to only thirty-nine dollars. At this date, when the various departments are running at their full capacity, it would take almost as many thousands for the same length of time. On the 24th of April Messrs. Williamson & Flickwir received two hundred and eighty-four dollars for removing to the Yard counting- and storehouses, and for fitting up and repairing the same; and on the first day of May were commenced the repairs on the frigate Constellation. May 20th, loaned Stephen Girard a quantity of live-oak timber, belonging to the Government, to be used in constructing a vessel building for him by Isaac White. During the month of June the pay roll of carpenters and laborers amounted to six hundred and three dollars. At this time the seventy-four-gun ship Franklin was building and the frigate Constellation undergoing repairs. Benjamin Hutton, Jr., was employed as Timber Inspector at a salary of $80 per month, and Thomas Hutton and James Owner Assistant Inspectors at $75 each per month. Laborers' wages ranged from one dollar to one dollar and a half per day, and about the same price for teams-horse, cart and driver-and the apparently important article, rum, was furnished at $1.27 per gallon. From this period to 1813 the records of the Yard appear to have been lost-were, perhaps, burnt in the fire that occurred in the building where they were stored in September, 1863. Very slow, evidently, was the progress made in getting the Yard into good working condition, as they did not commence building the blacksmith shop until June, 1813, when William Myers was inade a Master Blacksmith. He was a son of the mechanic who had for so many years done the smith work for the Government. In the month of September of this year George Pearson and Alexander Steel were employed to survey and run the lines of Federal and Swanson streets, receiving six dollars for their services. At this time George Harrison was Navy Agent, and paid Nathan Hutton eighty dollars to defray his expenses to and from New York, whi.her he had been sent to select live-oak timber. And now, too, "a change came o'er the spirit of their dram," for instead of rum, apple whisky, at the more reasonable rate of ninety-five cents a gallon, was furnished to the men. Whether or not they rebelled against the innovation of substituting "Jersey lightning" in lieu of "old rye" we cannot say, having no data upon the subject. The Messrs. Williamson & Flickwir, before referred to, were celebrated house-carpenters at that day, and were employed by the Government in erecting the first buildings in the Yard. Among many other receipts on file the following will show the form of certificate then required: An entry dated January 10, 1814, shows that the fare by stage to New Brunswick, "in the Jerseys" (whither had been sent an employé in search of timber), was $4.50. On the same day was completed the "Compting House for the Purser and others, containing two apartments, the whole being twenty-two feet long by fifteen feet wide, ten feet three inches hip to the eve, a Piazza in front with a high roof; Also a Book case and two writing desks, costing in all Three hundred and sixteen dollars and eighty cents-standard price of the Carpenters Company." Built by Williamson & Flickwir, who, by the third day of February, also completed the building of a sawshed, block-makers' shed, stoves for steaming plank, and a chip house, at a cost of five hundred and fifty-one dollars and twenty-five cents. That the employés now discarded "apple jack" and returned to their "first love" is evident from the fact that the records show on the last mentioned date "there was supplied to the Yard one hogshead of whisky at $1.03 per gallon." It will, perhaps, not be out of place to mention here that the famous frigate Guerriere-the first that had been put in the water on the seaboard by our Government-was launched on the 20th day of June of this year, under the supervision of Naval Constructor Humphreys, at the shipyard of Joseph Grice in Kensington; and that on the same day, at Boston, the seventy-four-gun ship Independence was to have been launched, but she "stuck on the ways," and did not get into the water until the 20th of the following month. In December of this year thirteen hundred and sixty dollars was paid to the "Managers of the Almshouse' for oakum received and used upon the seams of the seventy-four-gun ship Franklin. Receipts dated March 9, 1815, set forth that to Charles Wharton was paid the sum of fifty-four dollars and seventeen cents, for six and a half months' use of two water lots in the District of Southwark for a "timber pen;" and for the use of one water lot, for the same purpose, belonging to Mary Sykes, twenty-seven dollars and eight cents were paid, for the same length of time. Quite an amount of dry humor has been expended from time to time upon the subject of valuable (?) "water lots," but in the cases just referred to they were evidently farmed out to some advantage. "They threw their caps As they would hang them on the horns o' the moon, Possibly, an undue participation in "horns of a different character may have led to these extravagant demonstrations. The following is a brief summary of the career of the Franklin since that day. It was said that her sailing qualities were best exhibited when she On Monday, August 25, 1815, at 3.15 o'clock P.M., was launched the seventy-four-gun ship, was trimmed sixteen inches by the stern, and that Franklin, amid the loud huzzas of many citizens who were there to witness the event. For the benefit of the curious in such matters we give the following particulars: Original cost of the vessel, $438,149; she drew seventeen feet two inches aft, thirteen feet six inches forward; the lower gundeck ports were eleven feet eight and a half inches above the surface of the water at the fourth port from abaft; and the fifth port from forward was thirteen feet four inches above the surface. A newspaper of the day, in speaking of the launch, says: "All the men employed at the 'Naval Yard' were given a holiday in honor of the launching of the Franklin frigate,' and as the noble craft glided into her native element' they exhibited the wildest enthusiasm― she acquired a fair reputation during her first cruise in the Mediterranean, where her model was much admired: Sailed from Philadelphia to New York, October 14, 1817; from the latter port, as flagship of Commodore Stewart, she carried out Mr. Rush, our Minister to England, arriving at Portsmouth December 16, 1817; thence to the Mediterranean, and returned to New York April 24, 1820; sailed to the Pacific October 11, 1821, still as flagship of Commodore Stewart, and returned to New York August 29, 1824; employed up to 1843 as receiving ship at Boston; razeed at Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Navy Yard in 1853, and is now the United States steamer Franklin, having nothing of the original timber left in her composi tion except a small portion of the keel. DEAR SIR BREVET BRIGADIER-GENERAL STEPHEN MOYLAN. As Mr Moylan a friend of mine informs me that he intends to enter into the American Army. he resided some years in this City and was much esteem'd here, I sincerely hope, he will be so happy as to recommend himself to your favour, which I am convinc'd, he will endeavour to deserve. I heartily wish you every kind of Happiness, and am, Sir Your Most Obedient Serv fame of the man whose name stands at the head of this article: Mr. Moylan was born in Ireland in 1734, and now at forty-one desired to place himself in the line of usefulness for his adopted country. John Dickinson, but two years the senior of the former, was now a man of rank and culture. He was born in Maryland, November 13, 1732; studied law in Philadelphia and at the Temple in London, and rose to distinction at the Philadelphia bar. In 1764 he was elected to the Pennsylvania Assembly, and soon acquired a wide reputation as a writer upon the topics which attracted the attention of thinking men throughout the British Empire. The Endorsed, in the well-known hand of Wash-inherent rights of the people, and the powers of ington, "From Jn Dickinson Esqr. 25th July King and Parliament, were questions which British 1775" subjects had everywhere taken in hand for conThe above letter is the key to the life and sideration. The natural impulses and the results Jehm Fichinus. PHILADELPHIA, July 26th 1775 General Washington. of thought and study were in the direction of lengthening the cords which power had drawn around men, whether isolated or collected in societies. In 1765 Mr. Dickinson was a member of the Stamp Act Congress at New York. In 1767 he wrote a series of political articles known as the "Farmer's Letters," which exerted an influence over the Thirteen Colonies, preparatory to the enunciation of broader truths ten years later. The next year these letters were republished by Dr. Franklin in London, and in 1769 were published at Paris, translated into French. In 1774 Mr. Dickinson was chosen a delegate to the Continental Congress from Pennsylvania, and at the time the above letter was written was a member of that body. Washington had arrived at Boston and taken command of the American army on the third day of the same month of July, and Boston now formed a central point towards which the world of Europe and America directed its gaze. Men ambitious of military fame, whether they were to become geneTals or mere subalterns, or were to drop out into oblivion, were now attracted to Boston by the magnetism of the future, so dimly seen, yet big with the events from which sprung our nation. When Moylan received this letter of introduction, Washington had been three weeks before Boston, studying and condensing his forces, and selecting the men from whom his future aides and generals were to be formed. Without the sharp ken of intuition, from such materials no man would have judged better. Many of those who had fought Louis and the Indians under two Georges were there to revive in others recollections of bravery and military talents. The winter of 1775-76 was very mild at Boston, and about February 1, Colonel Moylan, while bombarding Boston, wrote from Roxbury: "The bay is open. Everything thaws here except Old Put. He is still as hard as ever, crying out, 'Powder! powder! ye gods, give me powder!'" Even then the hero of Crown Point, Fort Edward, and the wolfden at "Pumfret," was known as "Old Put," for he first saw light in 1718. John Stark, ten years his junior, who had also "fowt" French and Indians on Lake Champlain, was also there; Seth Pomeroy, who had been a captain in 1744, and lieutenant-colonel in 1755, and William Prescott, who had been a captain in 1756, were also there, and host of others as officers and in the ranks who had seen good service in the "last war" were there to teach the new men like Moylan, by word and deed, the modes and realities of war. Hastening on, less than a month in the rear of Washington, he offered his services to the great leader, and March 5, 1776, he was selected by Washington to be one of his aides-de-camp, and on the 5th of June was appointed Commissary General. Like many brave soldiers, his tastes and talents were not fitted for the details of army bread and rum. In the spring of 1777 he was selected as Colonel for the Fourth Regiment of Continental Cavalry, Bland, Baylor and Sheldon commanding the other three. There is a bit of history connected with Sheldon's regiment which will not particularly break the thread or harmony of this article if given here. Connecticut had placed in the field half a regiment (called a battalion) of horse and half a regiment of artillery, and New York had done the same. The two battalions of horse were consolidated, and thenceforth during the war known as Colonel Sheldon's Regiment of Connecticut Cavalry. The two battalions of artillery were consolidated, and to the end of the war known as Colonel John Lamb's Regiment of New York Artillery. This transfer and adoption of troops created considerable confusion in after years. Many a Connecticut man who served under Colonel Lamb was surprised, twenty or thirty years afterwards, to find himself the owner of five hundred acres of splendid land within fifty miles of Salt Point (Syracuse, New York), a bounty of New York to her Continental soldiers. These two regiments left a splendid record. Lamb's cannon were heard at Quebec and Yorktown. Colonel Moylan was at Germantown October 4, 1777, with Wayne in the expedition to Bull's Ferry July 20, 1780, and in 1781 accompanied General Greene to the southward; November 3, 1783, he was made a Brigadier-General by brevet. He died at Philadelphia April 11, 1811. In 1800 he was chosen Vice-President of the Pennsylvania Society of the Cincinnati. John Dickinson, while in the old Congress, 1774-76, wrote Essay on the Constitutional Power of Great Britain over the Colonies in America,” "An Address to the Inhabitants of Quebec," "The Declaration to the Armies," "The Address to the States," the two petitions to the king, and many other articles, which established his reputa tion as a strong and elegant writer. He opposed to Congress from Delaware, and in 1781-85 he was the Declaration of Independence in July, 1776, President of Delaware and Pennsylvania succesbelieving the measure premature, and doubting sively. As a Representative from Delaware he the ability of the States to sustain the measure. signed the Articles of Confederation and the Although his vote against the Declaration of Inde- United States Constitution. Dickinson College pendence for a time rendered him unpopular, his is a monument of his munificence and care for integrity and patriotism were untarnished. In the culture of the young men of his country. October, 1777, he was made Brigadier-General of He died at Wilmington, Delaware, February 14, Pennsylvania militia, and in 1779 he was returned 1808. SIR BENJAMIN THOMPSON, COUNT RUMFORD. THIS celebrated American scientist of the Revo- as you face the front. Our venerable friend, a graduate of Harvard University of the class of 1816, was long a resident of Dunkirk, New York, but is now a citizen of Titusville, Pennsylvania, where, in the summer of 1874, we received from him the materials of the present article. He well remembers the distinguished philosopher's only child, the daughter of his first wife, the Countess Sarah, a stately lady of foreign air and manners, who used to visit Woburn many years ago. father's first marriage was to a lady of wealth and culture at Rumford (now Concord), New Hampshire, where he lived several years very happily, and from which he took his title. Her The birthplaces of great men have always been objects of interest; and even by Americans, who have never been famous for venerating things of antiquity, the house spared so long by the hand of The engraving on the next page is a very good time, and the still more relentless penchant for picture of it in its old age, having been built in new-fashioned residences, and which so eminent a 1714. It is in a comfortable condition, rents for scientist as Tyndall, when in this country, visited seventy-five dollars yearly, and is now the property from a sentiment of respect for the once worldof Mrs. Brooks, a granddaughter of Hiram Thomp-honored man who was born in it, must be regarded son, one of Count Rumford's uncles. For a fine photograph of this ancient mansion we are indebted to the courtesy of an aged gentleman, E. Rumford Thompson, Esq., whose grandfather, Hiram, was also born in it. His renowned kinsman drew his first breath in the lower west room 1 This must be a lapsus pennæ. Sir William Phipps was Governor from 1692 to his death in 1695, in the reign of William III. George I. ascended the throne in 1714, and George II. in 1727 — EDITOR. as quite worthy of a record among the historic buildings of America. That illustrious English philosopher of our times, by so doing, paid a deserved compliment to the memory of one of the fathers of modern science, whose glory as such has never been eclipsed either in Europe or America. In the sphere of scientific discovery and labors, as applied to the economical interests of mankind, its social problems, and the philanthropic field, Count Rumford has probably never yet had an equal. Therein Benjamin Thompson went beyond |