with which Appius Claudius built the aqueducts of Rome, Sesostris those of Egypt, Semiramis those of Babylon, and Hezekiah those of Jerusalem; but we think that no good art in ship-architecture has ever been lost; and we believe that the Medford model of this year has never been surpassed. The speed and safety of our ships are proofs of our remark.

The "Arbella," of four hundred tons, which brought Governor Winthrop, was sixty-five days on its passage, a period in which a Medford sailing ship now can cross the Atlantic four times.

"Oct. 7, 1641: General Court. Whereas the country is now in hand with the building of ships, which is a business of great importance for the common good, and therefore suitable care is to be taken that it be well performed; it is therefore ordered, that, when any ship is to be built within this jurisdiction, it shall be lawful for the owners to appoint and put in some able man to survey the work and workmen from time to time, to see that it be performed and carried on according to the rules of their art."

Who were delegated for this singular supervisory duty in Medford, or how much our ship-carpenters relished it, we are not told. May 29, 1644, the General Court proposed the formation of a company of ship-builders, "with power to regulate the building of ships, and to make such orders and laws amongst themselves as may conduce to the public good."

Mystic River, having no fatal shoals or rocks within it, permits the passage of an empty ship of twenty-five hundred tons at the highest tides. If we can suppose a sea-serpent to have started from Charlestown for a visit to the country, and a small stream of tide-water to have followed him in his explorations, we can imagine him thus marking out by his many and sudden windings the course of our river from Boston Bay to the Pond, - rendering it thus serpentine in order to present the best accommodations to the greatest number of ship-builders. Where can a little river be found that will afford convenient sites for ten large ship-yards within one mile's distance? When, in one of these yards, we have seen from one to three vessels on the stocks at the same time, and have listened to that well-known, busy hum that comes from the boring of augers, the cutting of saws, and the driving of bolts, we have felt that a more glorious exhibition of human industry could nowhere be witnessed. To the gentlemen who have been at the head of this great enterprise, Medford is deeply indebted. Since the first of them came, real estate

has more than doubled in the town; and land which was sold for thirty or fifty dollars an acre has since been sold for two or five hundred per acre. The names of Magoun, Turner, Lapham, Sprague, James, Fuller, Rogers, Stetson, Waterman, Ewell, Curtis, Foster, Taylor, and others, will be held in grateful remembrance for many generations.

Mr. Calvin Turner was esteemed as one of the most skilful and accurate draughtsmen, as well as one of the most faithful builders, in New England. His yard was opposite Cross Street. He came to Medford in 1804, and rapidly acquired reputation by his genius and fidelity.

Mr. George Bryant Lapham was among the earliest comers connected with ship-building here. By patient industry, sound judgment, and unobtrusive merit, he won confidence, and commanded respect. Of others we should be glad to speak, did our limits allow.

Of the pioneer in this eventful movement of ship-building, we may take the liberty of stating a few facts, as they belong to the history of the town.

Thatcher Magoun, Esq., was born in Pembroke, Mass., June 17, 1775,- that red-letter day in Freedom's calendar. He early chose the trade of a ship-carpenter, and served his time with Mr. Enos Briggs, at Salem, where he worked five years. He was fond of being in the "mould-room," and soon showed good reasons for his predilection. From Salem, he went to Mr. Barker's yard, in Charlestown (the present Navy Yard), where he worked and studied two years, and assisted in modelling. There he made the model of the first vessel he built, which was the "Mount Etna," of Medford. In 1802, he began to look about him for a place in which he might safely begin, on his own account, the business which was the darling choice of his life. An accident, so called in the world's language, led him, one pleasant day, on a stroll upon Winter Hill; and, standing on one of those mounds of earth thrown up by our patriot soldiers, probably on the day he was born, for a rampart, he took a calm survey of Mystic River as the tide gave its full outline. At this moment came into mind the thought that here was a good place to build ships. But many things were to be ascertained about it. How deep is the water at high tide? Are there any rocks or shoals in the bed of the stream? Can timber be readily got in the neighborhood? and can land be bought at a fair price? These were inquiries which rushed through his young

soul, and he felt that they must be answered. As his eye was searching river and woods, he saw the two masts of a schooner, which was lying at one of the distil-house wharves, in Medford. He immediately started for her. This was his first visit to Medford. He reached the schooner; and his eager question to the captain was, "How much water do you draw?" Answer, "Ten feet." "What's your tonnage?" Answer, "One hundred and twenty tons." "Do you go up and down the river often?" "Yes, I bring wood for this distillery." "Are there any large rocks or bad shoals in the bed of the river?" "No, it's all clear." "How deep is the water generally at high tide?" "I guess from fifteen to twenty feet." "Do you think an empty ship of three hundred tons could float down the river? "Oh, yes." After this conversation, he silently concluded to make the trial. He found intelligent and affluent citizens in Medford who were ready to aid him; but he told them "he could not afford to be helped." A young man thus afraid of debts. would be likely to succeed without foreign aid. Young Magoun thus illustrated the common remark, that, where fathers do every thing for their sons, the sons do nothing for themselves; and, where fathers can do nothing for their sons, the sons do every thing for themselves; making the difference between the giant and the dwarf. Some advised his beginning to build above the bridge. He accordingly examined the bed of the river, and the depth of the water at low tide, by fording and wading; and thus decided not to fix himself there. He then weighed the reasons for preferring other places, till he finally concluded in favor of the spot where he first settled, and where all his ships have been built. His convictions being firm, that the river could float any vessel he might build, that the neighborhood could furnish an ample supply of oak timber, and that the site he had chosen could be purchased at a moderate price, he made an offer, which was accepted. Thus 1802 saw laid the first keel of that fleet of ocean merchant ships whose sails have shaded every sea and bay on the navigable globe. Honor to him to whom honor is due! Mr. Magoun lives to see his favorite science and art carried to new triumphs; and, resting in the affluence that follows his labor, may he long enjoy that respect and gratitude which society loves to give to its real benefactors!

Timber was procured from Medford, Malden, Woburn,

Burlington, Lexington, Stoneham, Andover, and their adjoining towns. Mr. Magoun's first purchase of it was trees standing in what is now Winchester. He gave six dollars per ton the seller was to cut and deliver it. It was more difficult to get the white-oak plank. When the Middlesex Canal was opened, a supply came through that channel; and large rafts were floated into the river through a side lock, which was near the entrance of Medford Turnpike. With our first builders, their price per ton for building was twentyfive dollars; but they furnished only the wood and labor,

every thing else was furnished by the owner. The best oak plank can yet be procured, though at an advanced price. The "southern hard pine" is more used than ever as a substitute, because it is so cut into long plank as to make less work to the builder. The materials for building at Medford may all be procured at a rate which will allow as favorable terms as at any other place, especially when the comparative rent of yards is included. If the water in the river had been deep enough for the large ships of the present day, the yards above the bridge would never have been abandoned.

The increase of size in our Medford ships has been gradual. The "Columbiana," built in 1837, was the first of six hundred tons; and the "Ocean Express," the first of two thousand tons. The ship "Shooting Star" was the first clipper built here; and the "George Peabody," the first vessel that passed the bridges on Mystic River, after the draws had been widened according to the direction of the Legislature.

The Rev. A. R. Baker preached a sermon on ship-building, in 1846, to which is appended a "register of vessels built in Medford." He says, "I have enrolled them so as to present the year of their construction, their description and name, the yard in which they were built, the name of their respective builders and first owners, the residence of the latter, the tonnage of each vessel, the amount of tonnage, and the value of the vessels built here, estimating the hull, spars, and blocks of each at forty-five dollars per ton." The register has been brought down, for this history, from 1846 to 1855.

From this register, it appears that five hundred and thirteen vessels have been built in Medford between the beginning of the present century and the year 1855, with an aggregate of two hundred and thirty-two thousand two hun

dred and six tons; and at a cost, according to the above estimate, of ten millions four hundred and forty-nine thousand two hundred and seventy dollars. The greatest number constructed in any one yard is one hundred and eighty-five; and, in any single year, thirty. That year was 1845.

"The tonnage of the vessels built here in that year," says Mr. Baker, "was nine thousand seven hundred and twelve tons; and their aggregate, as they left our yards, about half a million of dollars. The shortest space in which a vessel was ever built in the town was twenty-six days. Her name was 'The Avon,' a, ship of four hundred tons, which, with two others built here about the same period, served as privateers in the last war with the mother country. In the five years preceding April 1, 1837, sixty vessels were built in this town, which employed two hundred thirty-nine workmen, and of which the measurement was twenty-four thousand one hundred and ninety-five tons, and the value one million one hundred and twelve thousand nine hundred and seventy dollars. All those constructed in the county, except eleven, were built here. The value of these sixty was about one-sixth of all the shipping built in the Commonwealth during the same period. In the year preceding April 1, 1845, twenty-four ships were launched here, which employed two hundred and fifty men, whose tonnage was nine thousand six hundred and sixty, and whose value was half a million of dollars. In that year, one-quarter of the ship-builders in the Commonwealth were employed in this town, and built nearly one-quarter of the ships constructed in the State, one-third of the tonnage, and one-half the value of the whole. From this result, so creditable to our town, it appears that a given number of workmen here build larger and more valuable vessels than those which are commonly constructed in other parts of the Commonwealth.

"Of these vessels, two merit a special notice. The first was framed and put together in the oldest yard in the town; then taken down, transported to Boston, and put on board the Thaddeus,' commanded by a gentleman of this village, who carried out with it the first missionaries to the Sandwich Islands, where it laid the foundation for this useful art. The other is the 'Falcon,' by the same builder, in 1817, -the most remarkable vessel that ever floated in our river, famed not for any wonderful beauty or perfectness of construction. Others may have sailed swifter, and been finer models; but, in one important respect, this vessel surpassed all before it, and we trust that no others will ever have an opportunity to rival it, it was the first vessel built in this town without rum. Previously, the keel was laid, and each part of the work accomplished, by the stimulus of ardent spirit. Each vessel was profanely christened with rum. He who first took this noble stand in the cause of temperance, in that day when all was drunkenness around, deserves our thanks, and ought to be encouraged in every