Years ago when the people of Maine wanted to build a vessel, they stepped into the neighboring forests and felled giant pines for the masts and spars. By 1908 that had all changed and the masts were brought way across the continent from the forests of Washington. What happened?

Prior to the Revolution in 1775 the Royal Navy turned to New England for its mast and spar supplies. The New England white pines, which grew in a belt across Maine and New Hampshire often could be found a full yard in diameter. One such tree could serve as the lower mast of England’s largest ships. The first major mast cargoes obtained under this policy arrived in England in 1653. The resentment caused among the colonials by the preemption of New England’s largest pine trees by agents of the Crown may be considered one of the many causes of the Revolution.

When news of the Revolution reached Bath, Dummer Sewall backed by a number of armed citizens ordered Edward Parry, England’s Mast Agent and his carpenters to stop work; they dropped their tools, took to their boats, and rejoined their ships which then weighed anchor and left the river. Parry remained, was ultimately jailed and returned to England in 1777.

The picture from 1908 printed here (taken by Arthur H. brown) clearly shows the appearance of these forest giants when they arrived in Bath. This lot was the largest shipment ever brought across the continent on one train. They were consigned to Morse Brothers and were for the firm of Percy & Small which used them in the big vessels which they were building. The load consisted of ten sticks. 121 feet long, and the diameters varied from 30 to 32 inches. Six freight cars were necessary to carry the load which weighed 180 tons. The trip across was made in the “remarkably quick” time of 30 days. Other cargoes of West Coast mast spars came by sailing vessel around Cape Horn, taking much longer.

Excerpts from Bath Historical Society Newsletter 1992; Baker’s Vol. 1; Bath Independent May 2, 1908.