About this Item
Ca. 26 period manuscript copies and original receipts, reports, orders and statements (many folding, eight with official printed letterheads, several documents copied on leaves assembled in stubs), from ca. 53x40,5 cm (20 ¾ x16 in) to ca. 17x11 cm (6 ¾ x 4 ¼ in). In all ca. 36 pp. With two printed auction broadsides, each ca. 45x28,5 cm (17 ½ x 11 ¼ in); one with an ink stamp of the British Consulate in St. Thomas. With over thirty receipts from New York merchants (printed forms, filled in hand or manuscripts, dated August-September 1865), from ca. 11,5x21,5 cm (4 ½ x 8 ½ in) to ca. 7x13,5 cm (2 ½ x 5 ½ in); several assembled together and fastened with metal pins. With an autograph letter signed to "William H. Gibbs, Esq., Turk Island," dated "New York, Sept. 6/1865" (ca. 26,5x20,5 cm or 10 ½ x 8 ½ in; 1 p., with the original envelope). With two period envelopes, inscribed "Capt. Isaac H. Smith, Schr. "Lima"" (ca. 9,5x21 cm or 3 ¾ x 8 ¼ in) and "Br. Schr. "Lima," Bills of lading & shipping receipts of Captain" (ca. 11,5x26 cm or 4 ¼ x10 ¼ in). With a printed business card of "J. Niles & Company, Commission Merchants and Ship Agents, St. Thomas, W.I." (ca. 6x9 cm or 2 ¼ x 3 ½ in). With two 1890s envelopes addressed to "Mrs. R.N. S. Smith, Harwich, Mass." and "Mrs. William W. Cook, Harwich, Mass." The auction broadsides with losses, affecting the text, the documents with foldmarks, creases, occasional tears and losses on the extremities, but overall a very good collection. Interesting extensive archive of original manuscripts, printed documents and period copies, providing an insight into the New York merchants' trade in the Caribbean shortly after the Civil War (April 12, 1861 ? April 9, 1865). Most documents were created or copied in St. Thomas City (Charlotte Amalie), then the capital of the Danish West Indies ? a trade hub of the Caribbean at the time, largely due to very low customs duties. This and the strategic geographical position of the archipelago led to the proposition of American President Andrew Johnson to purchase it from Denmark in 1867, but the deal wasn't approved by the U.S. Senate. The second round of negotiations took place during WW1, and in 1917, Danish West Indies became the United States Virgin Islands. The archive concerns the "British" (Canadian-built) wooden schooner "Lima," launched in Popes Harbour, Nova Scotia, in 1855, and registered in the port of Halifax (Ship Registrations database, 1878-1966/ Library and Archives Canada; see more ). As follows from the documents in the collection, during its 10-years life, "Lima" carried out trade voyages between New York, Jamaica and St. Thomas, being manned and commanded by Americans. The captain of its last voyage, who created or was mentioned in most documents from the collection, was most likely Isaac H. Smith (1824-1911), a native of Harwich, Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The archive includes an envelope, addressed to "Mrs. R.N. S. Smith, Harwich, Mass." ? most likely, Ruth Nickerson Smith (1827-1903), Captain Smith's wife. During her last voyage from New York to St. Thomas on September 15 ? October 2, 1865, "Lima" encountered heavy weather, and started to leak seriously; later the waves "parted the gammon of bowsprit, spliting the head rail and doing other damage." After its arrival to St. Thomas, the schooner was "condemned at that port" (Shipping News// New York Daily Herald. November 11, 1865, p. 8), its cargo was removed and sold, and the ship's hull and fittings sold at a local auction for $764.14 (on October 23). The archive documents the history of "Lima's" voyages in 1865, focusing on the last one and the proceedings of its inspection and sale in St. Thomas. The collection includes a large folding "Report and Manifest" of "Lima's" cargo during its last voyage, "laden on board" in New York on September 3, 1865. The document lists over thirty positions, including flour, corn meal, beef, pork, mackerel, ham, lard, "chees," starch, straw paper, tobacco,
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