Friendship of Salem facts for kids
Friendship of Salem, docked at the Salem Maritime National Historic Site
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Quick facts for kids History |
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 United States |
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| Name | Friendship of Salem |
| Namesake | Friendship (1797) |
| Owner | National Park Service |
| Builder | Scarano Brothers Shipyard |
| Launched | November 1996 |
| Acquired | September 1, 1998 |
| Homeport | Salem, Massachusetts |
| Identification |
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| Status | in service |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Full-rigged ship |
| Length | 171 ft (52 m) bowsprit to spanker boom |
| Beam | 30 ft (9.1 m) |
| Height | 20 ft (6.1 m) keel to deck at midship |
| Decks | main deck, 'tween deck, and holds |
| Installed power | onboard generators |
| Propulsion | 21 sails, twin diesel engines |
| Speed | 7.2 maximum / 5.8 average knots |
| Boats & landing craft carried |
1 jolly boat |
| Complement | 25 crew, up to 45 persons |
The Friendship of Salem is a large ship that is 171-foot (52 m) long. It is a copy of a real ship from 1797 called the Friendship, which was an East Indiaman (a type of trading ship). This replica ship was built in 2000 in Albany, New York.
Most of the time, the Friendship of Salem stays in one place as a museum ship. But it is also a real ship that can sail. It is approved by the United States Coast Guard to carry passengers and crew. This means it can make special trips at different times of the year. The Friendship of Salem is docked at the Salem Maritime National Historic Site. This site was created in 1938 and was the first of its kind in the United States. The National Park Service takes care of the site, which includes old buildings, items, and records.
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Building the Friendship of Salem
The National Park Service asked for this copy of the Friendship to be built. They named it The Friendship of Salem. It was made using modern materials and building methods. However, it still looks like the original ship from the 1700s. The main part of the ship, called the hull, was built with layers of wood and a strong glue called epoxy.
The design for the replica ship came from a model. This model is now kept at the Peabody Essex Museum. Two crew members from the original Friendship, Thomas Russell and Mr. Odell, made the model. They built it as a gift for their captain's baby son. They worked on the model during a long trip to China and Sumatra from 1802 to 1804. The colors of the replica ship come from a painting made in 1805. A famous artist named George Ropes, Jr. painted the original ship. This painting is also at the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem.
How the Ship Operates
The Friendship of Salem is run by a team of volunteers. They work under the guidance of the National Park Service. This ship sails as a special ambassador for the Essex National Heritage Area. It helps to represent the history and culture of the area.
The Original Friendship (1797)
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The first Friendship ship was built in Salem, Massachusetts. It was built by Enos Briggs's shipyard in 1797. The ship was launched on May 28, 1797. It weighed 342 tons. The Friendship was 102 feet long and 27 feet 7 inches wide. It could often sail at 10 knots (about 11.5 miles per hour). Its fastest speed was 12 knots.
During its time, the Friendship made fifteen long voyages. It traveled to many places around the world. These included Batavia (now Indonesia), India, China, South America, the Caribbean, England, Germany, the Mediterranean Sea, and Russia.
On its first trip in August 1797, the Friendship left Salem for Canton (now Guangzhou, China). But it changed course to Batavia in the Dutch East Indies. The captain, Israel Williams, was interested in science. When the ship ran out of fresh water, he found a way to make clean water from seawater.
On its third voyage, the Friendship became a "letter of marque" ship. This meant it was an armed trading ship. The government allowed it to capture enemy ships during wartime. These ships were like privateers but focused more on trade. The Friendship carried thirty men and fourteen guns. This helped it defend against French privateer ships.
Captain William Story was the master of the Friendship from 1801 to 1804. Before that, he was the first officer on the ship's first five voyages. Under his command, the Friendship sailed to Russia, Spain, Italy, China, Sumatra, and Batavia. A trip to Canton, China, in 1803 made a lot of money. While Captain Story was in China in 1804, an artist named Spoilum painted his portrait.
In 1807, a law called the Embargo Act stopped American ships from trading with other countries. The Friendship returned to Salem and stayed in port for two years. It did not make any money for its owners during this time.
When the law was lifted in 1809, the Friendship was in bad shape. Captain Israel Williams tried to sail to Sweden, but the ship was leaking. He had to turn back to Salem. After repairs, the Friendship made three more trips to Russia.
Sadly, on September 5, 1812, a British warship captured the Friendship. The captain, Edward Stanley, did not know that the United States and Great Britain were at war. The ship was declared a prize of war in London in December 1812. After this, the Friendship disappears from records. A model of the original Friendship was given to the Peabody Academy of Science.
Another Ship Named Friendship (1830s)
In 1815, the same owners, Jerathmiel Pierce and Aaron Waite, had a second ship built with the same name. This new Friendship was built in Portland, Maine. It weighed 366 tons.
Over the years, this ship was sold to different owners. In 1827, it was bought by a group of people who used it for the pepper trade.
In 1831, Captain Charles Moses Endicott was anchored off the town of Quallah Battoo in Sumatra. While he and other officers were on shore trading for pepper, Malay pirates attacked the ship. The pirates captured the ship, killed some of the crew, and stole the cargo. Captain Endicott and his officers tried to get back to the Friendship but could not because there were too many pirates.
They then went to a nearby area where other American ships were docked. When the captains of these ships heard Endicott's story, they sailed to help get the Friendship back. They planned to pull alongside the Friendship and board it. But they learned the ship was in a dangerous area, so they used small boats instead. Captain Endicott returned to Salem on July 16, 1831.
Three days after the Friendship arrived in Salem, its owners wrote to President Andrew Jackson. They asked him to take action against the Malay pirates. President Jackson sent the warship USS Potomac to punish the pirates. This event also helped start the diplomatic career of Edmund Roberts.
The later history of this second Friendship is not fully known. It is believed to have belonged to Joseph Peabody, a merchant from Salem. He was very important in trade between Massachusetts and the Far East for many years.
Images for kids
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The Friendship of Salem is docked at the Salem Maritime National Historic Site - National Park Service who manages all U.S. national parks It was created on August 25, 1916, by Congress through the National Park Service Organic Act.
See also
- List of large sailing vessels
- List of maritime museums in the United States
- List of museum ships
