naval ship

Historic Naval Ship Faces The Scrap Heap Unless A New Owner Is Found

A venerable old naval ship is seeking a new home. Philadelphia's Independence Seaport Museum has announced that it can't afford the restoration costs to keep USS Olympia, a National Historic Landmark dating back to 1892. The Philadelphia Business Journal reports that the museum is facing $10 to $20 million in restoration costs. Even the costs of stabilizing the ship would run $2 to $5 million. She currently has extensive interior and exterior corrosion of her outer hull but the interior is structurally sound and remarkably intact. The ship requires a new deck as well as repair to her entire waterline repair to an estimated 10% of her underwater hull surface.

The ship was Admiral George Dewey's flagship at the Battle of Manila Bay and is the sole surviving ship from the Spanish-American War. The ship's last mission was to carry the body of the Unknown Soldier from France to the United States in 1921. She's one of a kind, no sister ships were ever built and she is the world's oldest floating steel warship. The Olympia is clearly a national treasure but if she can't find a new home she could face the scrap heap.

The museum website says that the museum and its partners will convene with experts in various fields such as historic preservation, urban planning, maritime history, fundraising and economic development for a two-day summit on March 30-April 1 to find the best path for the ship.

Tags: independence seaport museum, museum exhibit, naval ship, philadelphia, philadelphia independence seaport museum, uss olympia

Historic Ship Gets It Own Tiffany Registry

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Wedding guests are often sent to a Tiffany registry but this is the first time I've seen a registry for a Navy ship. The NY Times City Room blog reports that the the U.S.S. New York, which will be commissioned on November 7 has its own Tiffany registry. The U.S. S. New York includes more than seven tons of salvaged steel from the World Trade Center and it has some pretty pricey tastes. On the list are the sterling silver Chippendale tray ( $2,868.75) shown at right, a Queen Anne tea pot and a commemorative Riedel ice bucket as well as a full flatware service.

Why the registry? Naval ships often have "ship's silver" that is brought out for special and diplomatic occasions and usually a ship's silver is donated by a state or a corporation or a large entity. But for this ship, which is so much a part of New York City, the U.S.S. New York commissioning committee wanted to involve the people. Purchasers can engrave the name of a loved one on the silver pieces they buy. The newest U.S.S. New York will inherit some Tiffany pieces from the last U.S.S. New York battleship, which was built in 1911 and retired after World War II and from other previous ships that bore the name. These days state names refer to submarines, but former New York Governor George E. Pataki asked that the U.S.S. New York name be revived in 2002. The motto for the ship is "Strength forged through sacrifice. Never forget."

The registry was set up back in July but only around 20 of the more than 200 pieces have been purchased. The ship is an amphibious assault ship which will carry Marines. It will be based in Norfolk, Virginia. On November 2, the ship will arrive in New York City and it will stop in water near Ground Zero, lower its flag to half mast and fire a 21-gun salute. Some crew members who are from New York requested to be part of the first crew of the ship.

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Tags: naval ship, NavalShip, navy, New York, NewYork, ship, silver, tiffany