Lewis Gerhardt Goldsmith
Encyclopedia
In 1879, in the midst of an international fad for attempting long voyages in tiny vessels, 40-year old Captain Lewis Gerhardt Goldsmith a Danish immigrant to the United States and Civil War veteran, announced at a press conference in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, that he was having built a boat of his own design, based on the latest "lifeboat" technology, in which he would sail around the world. The vessel, dubbed the Uncle Sam, was to be an open wooden dory eighteen feet long by six feet wide, with a single fore-and-aft rig
ged mast. In place of a cabin, the Uncle Sam would have a watertight "trunk", an oilcloth-covered wooden box large enough to sleep in. Goldsmith also announced that accompanying him would be his new wife, 22 years old with no prior sea-going experience. She would be his "crew".
The planned route would take them along the coast of North America to Newfoundland, then to England, a restorative stopover with family in Copenhagen, thence through Gibraltar
to the Mediterranean, through the new Suez Canal to the Indian Ocean, on to the India, China, Japan, Hawaii, San Francisco, Cape Horn, and home. He said they would leave in July 1879 and would return in November 1881, allowing time to exhibit the remarkable vessel in cities along the route.
The Captain and his wife left Boston Harbor at dawn on Sunday, June 1, ahead of schedule. Their progress, as reported by passing vessels and by the ports-of-call where they stopped, was charted in newspapers all over the United States, making maximum use of the new undersea telegraph cables. The Uncle Sam put in to Halifax, Nova Scotia, three weeks later, for a week of resupply and repair. The Goldsmiths hopscotched northeastward along the Maritimes, heading for St. Johns. In early July the Uncle Sam was badly damaged in a storm and had to make an emergency stop at the tiny French possession of Saint Pierre and Miquelon, just south of Newfoundland. Mrs. Goldsmith had become seriously ill (diagnosed, according to the Captain's log, as "inflammation of the bowel") and both she and the Uncle Sam needed rest and repair. With the help of the local French community Goldsmith was able to get underway again and reached St. Johns, the last stop before England, on August 7. After a final resupply they set out for Liverpool
in mid-August.
A week later, 600 miles to the east, they encountered storms and fogs on the Grand Banks
. During a "great storm" a huge wave overtopped them and swept away their sea anchor
s and most of their supplies. The Uncle Sam was swamped and filled with water but was kept afloat, as designed, by its watertight compartments. After days of misery in the flooded vessel, amidst injury and illness, the Captain spotted the sails of a passing ship and, rigging a temporary storm sail, gave chase. After a desperate hour someone on the ship spotted their pursuer and gave the alarm. The crew of the Queen Of Nations, a high-speed clipper
ship out of Australia, threw a rope to the couple in their derelict boat and hauled them aboard. Captain Goldsmith's last act before debarking was to open the seacocks on the compartments to scuttle the Uncle Sam. Even aboard "The Queen" they were not yet safe; for two weeks the ship was battered by storms before arriving safely in Liverpool. Word of the Goldsmith's rescue was flashed across the Atlantic and made headlines in papers all over America. The Captain gave another press conference and then the couple went home to Brooklyn. They named their first child Miquelon.
Fore-and-aft rig
A fore-and-aft rig is a sailing rig consisting mainly of sails that are set along the line of the keel rather than perpendicular to it. Such sails are described as fore-and-aft rigged....
ged mast. In place of a cabin, the Uncle Sam would have a watertight "trunk", an oilcloth-covered wooden box large enough to sleep in. Goldsmith also announced that accompanying him would be his new wife, 22 years old with no prior sea-going experience. She would be his "crew".
The planned route would take them along the coast of North America to Newfoundland, then to England, a restorative stopover with family in Copenhagen, thence through Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
to the Mediterranean, through the new Suez Canal to the Indian Ocean, on to the India, China, Japan, Hawaii, San Francisco, Cape Horn, and home. He said they would leave in July 1879 and would return in November 1881, allowing time to exhibit the remarkable vessel in cities along the route.
The Captain and his wife left Boston Harbor at dawn on Sunday, June 1, ahead of schedule. Their progress, as reported by passing vessels and by the ports-of-call where they stopped, was charted in newspapers all over the United States, making maximum use of the new undersea telegraph cables. The Uncle Sam put in to Halifax, Nova Scotia, three weeks later, for a week of resupply and repair. The Goldsmiths hopscotched northeastward along the Maritimes, heading for St. Johns. In early July the Uncle Sam was badly damaged in a storm and had to make an emergency stop at the tiny French possession of Saint Pierre and Miquelon, just south of Newfoundland. Mrs. Goldsmith had become seriously ill (diagnosed, according to the Captain's log, as "inflammation of the bowel") and both she and the Uncle Sam needed rest and repair. With the help of the local French community Goldsmith was able to get underway again and reached St. Johns, the last stop before England, on August 7. After a final resupply they set out for Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
in mid-August.
A week later, 600 miles to the east, they encountered storms and fogs on the Grand Banks
Grand Banks
The Grand Banks of Newfoundland are a group of underwater plateaus southeast of Newfoundland on the North American continental shelf. These areas are relatively shallow, ranging from in depth. The cold Labrador Current mixes with the warm waters of the Gulf Stream here.The mixing of these waters...
. During a "great storm" a huge wave overtopped them and swept away their sea anchor
Sea anchor
A sea anchor, is a device external to the boat, attached to the bow used to stabilize a boat in heavy weather. It anchors not to the sea floor but to the water itself, as a kind of brake. Sea anchors are known by a number of names, such as drift anchor, drift sock, para-anchor, and boat brakes...
s and most of their supplies. The Uncle Sam was swamped and filled with water but was kept afloat, as designed, by its watertight compartments. After days of misery in the flooded vessel, amidst injury and illness, the Captain spotted the sails of a passing ship and, rigging a temporary storm sail, gave chase. After a desperate hour someone on the ship spotted their pursuer and gave the alarm. The crew of the Queen Of Nations, a high-speed clipper
Clipper
A clipper was a very fast sailing ship of the 19th century that had three or more masts and a square rig. They were generally narrow for their length, could carry limited bulk freight, small by later 19th century standards, and had a large total sail area...
ship out of Australia, threw a rope to the couple in their derelict boat and hauled them aboard. Captain Goldsmith's last act before debarking was to open the seacocks on the compartments to scuttle the Uncle Sam. Even aboard "The Queen" they were not yet safe; for two weeks the ship was battered by storms before arriving safely in Liverpool. Word of the Goldsmith's rescue was flashed across the Atlantic and made headlines in papers all over America. The Captain gave another press conference and then the couple went home to Brooklyn. They named their first child Miquelon.