Capt. Marty Welch & the Gloucester Fishing Schooner Esperanto, main page

Wooden Ships, Iron Men, Gloucester Ladies, and Man's Best Friend

INTRODUCTION

In 1920, a dramatic sailing match between the fishing schooner "Esperanto" of Gloucester, USA and the fishing schooner "Delawana" of Lunenburg, Canada, started an intense rivalry ... and the results of that race caused the Canadians to design, finance, and build the famous Canadian schooner "Bluenose".

"Both men and ships live in an unstable element, are subject to subtle and powerful influences, and want to have their merits understood, rather than their faults found out."

Joseph Conrad, The Mirror of the Sea

"They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters; These see the works of the LORD, and his wonders in the deep."

Psalms 107:23

PRELUDE

In the autumn of 1920, a group of newspapermen and businessmen in Halifax, Nova Scotia sponsored a series of elimination races of Canadian fishing schooners. The fastest of the Canadian schooners was the "Delawana", under Capt. Tom Himmelman.

The Canadians then challenged the legendary port of Gloucester, Massachusetts, and the United States of America, to a race between fishing schooners representing the two countries. Among the requirements: Gloucester had to reply to the challenge in one week, select a fishing schooner to sail in the race (the ship had to be a working fishing schooner, propelled by sails only (with no auxiliary engine)), and it had to arrive in Halifax within another 10 days to start the race.

When the challenge was received by telegram in Gloucester there were no suitable vessels in port. The fishing fleet was where it should be ... at sea ... fishing.

Then, as luck would have it, the Gloucester Fishing Schooner Esperanto sailed into port after being at sea for over two months. The Esperanto was not in the best of shape, and in fact was fourteen years old, but the old-timers in Gloucester remembered that Esperanto was an excellent vessel, on all sailing points to the wind, but especially so when going to windward.

The Gorton-Pew Fisheries Company (now Gorton's of Gloucester) had very little time to put Esperanto in shape, but they did have the schooner hauled out, had the bottom scraped and painted, rapidly repaired the spars and rigging, and adjusted the ballast. They bore this expense, and the loss of income from Esperanto while she was not engaged in fishing, as a contribution to both the port of Gloucester and to the United States of America.

The skipper selected by Gloucester to sail Esperanto was Capt. Martin Leander "Marty" Welch. Capt. Welch was born in Digby, Nova Scotia in 1864, had been sailing since he was 14 years old, and had been a captain for 33 years. Capt. Welch was highly regarded among Gloucester mariners as being cool under pressure, having excellent judgement, and possessing experience in both maneuvering a vessel in tight quarters and in wringing out every bit of speed possible. Any concerns in Gloucester about Capt. Welch's country of origin were quickly dispelled when it was noted that he had become a naturalized United States citizen (as had many of Gloucester's fishermen), and that two of his sons had served in the United States military during World War I. Marty's son Everett had been a Navy pilot during the war, and Martin Welch, Jr. had been killed in action, as a United States Marine, at Beleau Wood, France. Capt. Welch was also very eager to represent Gloucester, and his adopted country, against his former countrymen.

When the mayor of Boston sent his encouragement to Capt. Welch and the Esperanto crew, Marty sent a telegraph back in return that read, "Thank you for your good wishes. We are off to win the cup or blow the sticks out of her."

The crew was selected from the available Gloucester talent, and actually included many who were captains in their own right. The Esperanto's crew consisted of Captain Martin L. Welch, R. Russell Smith, Isaiah Gosbee, George E. Roberts, Harry P. Christianson, George Young, Benjamin W. Stanley, Roy P. Patten, Raymond McKenzie, James McDonald, Wallace Bruce, John Batt, John F. Barrett, Thomas Smith, Michael J. Hall, Stephen F. Whitney, Hugh Young, Benjamin H. Colby, James B. Connolly, John J. Matheson, Thomas S. Benham, Leon G. Murray, Lawrence F. Percival, Ernest Hendrie, Robert W. Sawtell, and Morril Wiggins.

All of the crew were volunteers, and in fact they would not receive any income while they sailed to Halifax, raced the Delawana in the best two out of three races, and then sailed back to Gloucester.

In 1920, newspapers were the only method available by which the citizenry learned of news, so James B. Connolly, a respected writer, was included as part of the crew, to report on the races and associated events.

When Esperanto sailed out of Gloucester harbor in October 1920, bound for the races, it was the first time that Capt. Welch had ever sailed the schooner Esperanto, but he would have some opportunity to become acquainted with her abilities on the 400-mile sail to Halifax. The citizens of Gloucester lined the harbor, cheered, waved flags, and tooted horns as the schooner Esperanto sailed away under full sail to represent them against the Canadians.

While sailing to Halifax, Capt. Welch and the crew sailed in both light wind and in a stiff breeze, and all agreed that Esperanto had the right stuff.

THE FIRST RACE

On the morning of October 30, 1920, with Halifax harbor lined with cheering spectators, the Esperanto and the Delawana maneuvered at the starting line, waiting for the starting gun to be fired at exactly 9 am.

The course would be, from the start/finish line (which extended from the end of the breakwater at Point Pleasant Park easterly across the harbor), South to the Inner Automatic Buoy, then S.E. 3/4 S. to the Outer Automatic Buoy, then N.E. x E. to the Shut-In Island Bell Buoy, then West to the Inner Automatic Buoy, and then North to the finish line.

Neither schooner wanted to "jump the gun" which would have resulted in a penalty. Capt. Himmelman was familiar with the tides in Halifax Harbor, and so the Delawana managed to cross the line first.

The first turning buoy of the race was thirteen miles away from the starting line. The Delawana was in the lead for the first five miles, but Esperanto slowly moved up, and eventually passed her on her windward side. Then the wind picked up, and Esperanto picked up even more speed, and began to walk away from Delawana. Esperanto led Delawana by about 1/4 mile at the first buoy.

After rounding the first buoy, both schooners were sailing downwind, with the sails "winged out". Esperanto increased the lead even more, and led by 1/2 mile at the next buoy.

On the third leg, which was an 11 mile beat to windward, Esperanto demonstrated her greatest form. She took the oncoming waves easily, driving steadily forward, while Delawana was slowed slightly by every wave that she met head on. At the end of the third leg, Esperanto had increased the lead to 2 1/2 miles.

As Esperanto tacked around the last buoy, she began a run to the finish line. The sun was shining brightly, with sparkling seas. Everyone who was there, Canadian as well as American, said it was a magnificent sight to see Esperanto sailing to the finish line that day under full sail.

Esperanto crossed the finish line, winning the first race of the best two out of three series.

THE SECOND RACE

Despite the fact that the International Fisherman's Schooner Race had been conceived and advertised as a match between ships capable of sailing in the heaviest of winds and the roughest of seas, the Canadians immediately realized that Delawana was no match for Esperanto in heavy wind. Esperanto's lead had increased every time the winds had freshened during the first race. Their only hope of winning the next race, and remaining in the match, was if the wind for the second race was light. They gambled, and began removing tons of stone and iron ballast from within Delawana's hull, hoping that she would ride higher, and have more of an advantage in light winds. Of course, if the wind freshened she would be more prone to capsizing.

On Monday morning, November 1, 1920, the winds were light, and fog lay over the sea. As Delawana and Esperanto maneuvered at the starting line waiting for the gun at 9 am, both crews knew that they were in for a long, tough race. After the starting gun sounded, Capt. Welch, by now more familiar with both Esperanto and the tides in Halifax harbor, managed to cross the line first. However, with the light winds, and her reduced ballast, Delawana soon passed Esperanto, and stayed in the lead throughout the first leg.

After rounding the first buoy, still in light air, Esperanto managed to make up some of the distance, but was still trailing Delawana.

By the third leg of the race, the wind had freshened somewhat, and Esperanto was able to decrease Delawana's lead even more. As had happened in the first race, with every increase in wind Esperanto accelerated and closed the gap, but with every lull, Delawana inched away again. Esperanto actually pulled alongside of Delawana more than once on that leg, but could not quite go into the lead. Although not visible to the many spectators on land, Esperanto's crew showed great skill in keeping her sails full of air during that leg, and they enthusiastically used their combined weight of two tons to keep the hull in the best trim possible.

As both schooners rounded the next buoy, Delawana held a slight lead. But the leg was a beat to windward, Esperanto's best sailing course. Capt. Welch tried three times to pass Delawana on her windward side, but each time Capt. Tom Himmelman luffed Delawana into the wind and forced Esperanto to drop back. It was then that Capt. Marty Welch decided to pass Delawana on her leeward side, a difficult maneuver, since Delawana's sails would create a wind shadow downwind of her. Esperanto would have to sail through that shadow on little more than her own momentum.

With the schooners sailing in this relative position, they approached the treacherous Devil's Island, with surf breaking over submerged rocks; Delawana was to windward, Esperanto on her leeward side, and the Devil's Island surf breaking on rocks downwind of Esperanto. Delawana began to crowd Esperanto toward the rocks.

Mickey Hall, high up the mast, reported seeing rocks and kelp under the hull, and the Halifax pilot placed aboard Esperanto for the race advised Capt. Welch to turn Esperanto away to avoid being wrecked on the rocks. To his credit, Russel Smith, representing the Gorton-Pew Fisheries Co., the owners of Esperanto, allowed Marty to continue on his course. The Delawana was eventually forced to swing away and give Esperanto sea-room. Esperanto cleared the rocks with inches to spare, and Capt. Welch set a course straight for the last buoy, with Delawana still at her windward side.

With the wind increasing and rain beginning to fall, both schooners rounded the last buoy, with Delawana's bowsprit coming within inches of Esperanto's stern rail, and they headed for the finish line.

Esperanto's crew worked feverishly to trim her sails for maximum speed, and Esperanto responded by surging ahead, with Marty Welch shouting to the crew, in the poetic language of sailors, "Hard-a-lee ... Ha-ard-a-lee ... Ha-ard-a-lee-ee"

Most of Halifax watched as Esperanto, under full sail, with thunder and lightening punctuating the driving wind and falling rain, crossed the finish line first, winning the race, and the International Fisherman's Cup Schooner Championship, for Gloucester and the United States of America.

Esperanto's winning time was 4 hours, 34 minutes, 30 seconds.

POST-RACE EVENTS

As the Esperanto tied up to the pier in Halifax, enthusiastic well-wishers streamed aboard to congratulate the crew on their dramatic victory.

The following day, the first of a series of luncheons, dinners and award ceremonies was held. At the Halifax Hotel, a huge silver cup was presented as a perpetual trophy by the Halifax Herald to the victorious Esperanto. At that luncheon, Arthur J. Millet, who had traveled from Gloucester to serve on the race committee, said of Capt. Marty Welch, "No better man ever sailed out of any harbor in the world. No better man ever walked the deck of a vessel or the streets of a city." Also presented at that luncheon was a cup from the Colonial Fisheries Company of Boston. That cup was presented to Capt. Welch as a personal tribute.

That night, a banquet was held in Halifax at the Commercial Club "Green Lantern", and the $4000.00 first prize was awarded to the Esperanto, and $1000.00 was awarded to the Delawana.

On Thursday, November 3, 1920, the Esperanto sailed from Halifax, bound for Gloucester. After initially being met with light winds, the crew encountered 40 knot winds during the 400-mile sail home.

At 9 PM on November 6, just one day away from Gloucester, Esperanto's cook Isaiah Gosbee fell, while climbing around below deck, dislocating his shoulder. Efforts to re-set his shoulder at sea were unsuccessful, and he suffered greatly until Esperanto made port in Gloucester.

Meanwhile, in Gloucester, the residents had learned of Esperanto's victory by telegraph, and prepared to welcome the crew when they returned. On November 6, they waited at the harbor until long after dark, and then went home, assuming that Esperanto would surely arrive the following day.

At 2 am on the morning of November 7, while Gloucester slept, Esperanto entered the harbor, with a broom tied to her mast as a symbol of victory, and sailed to her berth without the usual benefit of a tow. The first priority was to call for a doctor to help Isaiah Gosbee. Despite the hour, Dr. Morse soon arrived, and deftly twisted and pulled Gosbee's arm back into the socket. In less than an hour Isaiah Gosbee was back in the galley, cleaning up and doing dishes, one-handed.

That morning, word soon spread of Esperanto's arrival during the night, and well-wishers streamed aboard all day congratulating the crew on their victory.

On November 8, 1920 over 1000 people gathered at the New State Armory in Gloucester to honor the Esperanto crew. They had paid $5 each for the privilege of being there. Speakers included Charles A. Andrews, Calvin Coolidge, Rev William J. Dwyer, Congressman W.W. Lufkin, Gloucester Mayor Charles D. Brown, Warren P. Fitch, writer James B. Connally, and A. Piatt Andrew. Congratulatory telegrams from the Premier of Nova Scotia, the Mayor of Halifax, Warren G. Harding, and Henry Cabot Lodge were also read.

On November 10, 1920, at the Savoy Hotel, the Gorton-Pew Fisheries Company awarded each crew member a watch commemorating their participation in the historic sailing match.

On May 30, 1921, just months after winning the International Fisherman's Schooner Race in Halifax, Esperanto struck the submerged wreck of the "S. S. State of Virginia" off Sable Island, and sank. The crew manned Esperanto's dories and rowed away, and were eventually rescued. The skipper on that trip was Capt. Tom Benham. Isaiah Gosbee, the cook from the 1920 races, was among those aboard Esperanto that day.

Attempts were made to salvage Esperanto, and she was actually raised by pontoons several times, but each time she slipped beneath the waves again. After a month of attempts, the efforts to raise her had caused such damage that the salvage operation was reluctantly halted.

As a result of their defeat in the series, Canadians financed and built the schooner "Bluenose", which eventually became a national symbol, and appears today on the Canadian dime. Bluenose was also lost at sea, and years later the "Bluenose II" was built as a reminder of the days of wooden ships and iron men.

Several additional schooner matches between Gloucester and Halifax were held in the years to come, but none equaled the 1920 series for drama, excitement, and good sportsmanship.

Wherever men gather to talk of the days of sail in Gloucester, they are likely to recount the time when a crew of volunteers sailed an aging schooner 400 miles, under a captain who had never set foot on that vessel before, to beat the best of the Canadian schooners in her own waters. To paraphrase Winston Churchill, "... if the (Port of Gloucester and its fisherman) last for a thousand years, men will still say, "This was their finest hour"."

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Index of names:

Martin Welch, Martin Walsh, Margaret Welch, Margaret Arnold, Susanne Comeau, Susanna Comeau, Susanne Walsh, Susan Welch, Edmund Arnold, Margaret Parnell, William Welch, William Walsh, John Walsh, John Welch, Frances Welch, Frances Walsh, Everett Welch, Helen Welch, Thomas Welch, Martin Welch, Jr., Hildred Welch, Louis Welch, Marty Welch, Frank Welch, Laurence Welch, Olivier Comeau, Francoise Thibault, Ignace Comeau, Marguerite Doucet, Charles Thibault, Sarah Anne Savary, Capt. Marty Welch

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