History re-enacted by the tall ship Rose
over the weekend, laden with tales of smugglers and wars.
The 179-foot "HMS'' Rose was built in 1970 as a project for the Bicentennial celebrations in the United States. It was based on the original vessel built in Hull, England in 1757.
Initially built to fight in the Seven Years War (known also as the French and Indian War), the ship was sent to the American coast in 1774 to put an end to the lucrative smuggling trade in Newport, Rhode Island.
Under the command of Capt. James Wallace, the ship brought smuggling to a relative standstill and the state's powerful merchants petitioned their colonial legislature to create a navy to deal with the captain, eventually refitting a merchant vessel for naval service.
" ...by petitioning Congress to form a Continental Navy to rid Narragansett Bay of the Rose ,'' a ship's spokesperson said, "the creation of the United States Navy may be directly attributed to the presence of the Rose .'' The original Rose made her first Atlantic crossing in 1758. The trip, via Bermuda, took two months.
In July, 1776, she played a large part in the British invasion of New York, driving Washington and his troops from the city. She met her end in Savannah, Georgia in 1779 when the British used her as an aquatic roadblock along the Savannah River while fighting America and her allies.
In 1985, the replica, built in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, was purchased by her present owner, Mr. Kaye Williams and taken to Bridgeport, Connecticut.
Mr. Williams formed the "HMS'' Rose foundation, a private non-profit group to restore and administer the ship.
"After extensive rebuilding the ship is once again in sailing condition,'' he said.
"In September of 1991 "HMS'' Rose was certified as America's first Class-A size Sailing School vessel by the US Coast Guard, making her the largest Sailing School vessel in the United States.'' "HMS'' Rose leaves the Island today to take part in a tall ships race in Puerto Rico.
The HMS Rose, berthed at Tiger Bay, St. George's over the weekend is on her way to a tall ships race in Puerto Rico.
