posted 12-29-2002 10:41 PM            

Prepared by June & Scott Martin:

Navy Silver

The story of Navy silver is very rich. Naval silver has been a part of the British armed forces since the 18th century. In the late 1890's American battleships which were traditionally named after states, inspired the citizens of some states to take up collections to commission silver services for presentation to its namesake battleships. Contributors ranged from the captains of commerce and political leaders to school children donating pennies. Well known silver makers were called upon to design and craft the silver services including Tiffany (USS Indiana), Gorham (USS Saratoga), Shreve (USS California), Reed & Barton (USS Arizona) and Kirk (USS Maryland).

punch bowl of the USS Maryland silver service

During wartime, silver services were typically removed from their ships and placed into Navy storage to be returned when ships came safely home. This did not always happen as with the case of the USS Indiana. Its silver service was made by Tiffany and presented by the citizens of Indiana on September 21, 1896. During the Spanish-American War the silver was not removed to storage but was carried in its usual location, the Captain's Cabin. On July 4, 1898, during the second day of the engagements off Santiago, Cuba, a mortar shot the quarterdeck of the INDIANA, and exploded inside. A fragment of this shell passed through the forward bulkhead of the cabin, then the entire length of the cabin and into the silver cabinet, and later was discovered embedded in the side of the punch bowl. The dent then made is apparently still there and the shell fragment has been preserved with the service.

USS Indiana silver service

crewmen examine the silver service presented USS Arkansas, April 1919

Several naval ships have held the name USS New York or USS New York City. The most recent USS New York was a battleship, commissioned in 1914, which fought in both European and Pacific waters during World War II. It was a target ship during atomic bomb testing on the Bikini Islands in the South Pacific in July 1946. Too radioactive to be used afterward, the ship was towed off Pearl Harbor, and on July 8, 1948, after an eight-hour pounding by ships and planes carrying out full-scale battle maneuvers with new weapons she sunk. USS New York received 3 battle stars for World War II service.

It was recently announced that steel from the World Trade Center would be used to build a new USS New York to honor those who died on September 11, 2001. The scrap steel will be taken from the Fresh Kills land fill on Staten Island and then trucked to Pascagoula, Miss. The Northrop Grumman Corporation will start building the ship in 2003. USS New York will be one of 12 amphibious assault ships in a class that the Navy calls one of its most technologically innovative. It will carry a crew of more than 400 Navy crew and up to 800 marines and cost $800 million.

• Wouldn't this be a wonderful opportunity to revive the tradition of the state presenting a silver service to a ship bearing its name?
  
• Any ideas on how to organize a silver service committee?
  
• Any volunteers?
  
• Any contributors?
  
• Any suggestions on what firm should design and produce it?
  
• Any thoughts

posted 04-08-2008 03:00 PM            

That a carrier, and possibly more than one,would receive presentation silver is not at all surprising.

posted 04-09-2008 07:29 AM            

This post is for you, although the moderators will probably remove it as either "off topic" or "off colour".

Whole matter of ship names is fraught. In the RN there is, or was a Ships Names Committee who choose or approved names, then submitted to the Nato Ship Naming Committee - who often found problems. Name "Peachleaf" was found totally unacceptable to the Turkish.

Best story is of the submission of a frigate name. RN had already had the names of a class of minesweepers called after famous foxhunts approved. Then the name of a frigate "Beaver" was proposed. American voice said " You cannot call her Beaver - means someting unsuitable in the USA" Debate ensured, RN pointing out that we had been over-ruled on the USS "Ponce " some time ago. (A Ponce in UK is a procurer or pimp) Finally approved. American voice" OK- it's one of your Hunt class minesweepers.

RH also had a group of PT boats called the Gays in the 50's. Imagine now having to wear a cap tally with HMS Gay Archer, or Gay Fencer.

The Nato committee did stop one major problem. RH had proposed another group of minesweeper names all named after jewels. Not knowing that Amethyst, Beryl etc were a series of codewords then current for Nuclear attack.

posted 04-09-2008 10:27 AM            

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With reference to Clive Taylor's post under "Navy Silver - The USS New York??", surely a British ship named after a hunt would have been spelled as Belvoir though, in the best traditions of our orthography, pronounced beaver.

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posted 04-09-2008 01:19 PM            

The ship under discussion was the Type 22 frigate HMS Beaver. The word "beaver" has, or had, no sexual connotations in England.

However in American usage it has. Hence the pun which Cdr X USN made on the Hunt class. He did not need to spell it out - I cannot or I will certainly get thrown off the forum.

posted 04-09-2008 01:37 PM            

Back to navy silver, you don't happen to be familiar with the Battenberg Cup by any chance. It is an exquisite piece of English silver that was given to the U S Navy by Lord Mountbatten. My hope is to find some history about it, that and especially to obtain some good images of it to post. It is a piece that belongs on this post, and in my opinion, it is something that we Americans can be proud to own.

posted 04-11-2008 08:45 AM            

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There's an image of the Battenberg Cup being held by the captain and officers of the submarine Memphis in 2006 on this

I don't find it inconceivable, given its size, that it's plated.

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posted 05-23-2008 12:48 PM            

As for ships, the big-gun battleship is an anachronism, so don't look for any more in that line named for states-hence naming a new amphibious assualt vessel the New York. Given the much smaller size of the crew on this ship, would they be likely to use a formal silver set? Nice gesture though.

Tom

posted 06-18-2017 08:49 AM            

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The jury appointed to pass upon the competitive designs submitted for the silver service to be presented to the United States armored cruiser New York has given its decision, which entitles Charles Osborne to the prize of $200 offered by the New York Herald to the person submitting the best and most appropriate design for the testimonial. Mr. Osborne is head of the designing department of the Whiting Mfg. Co., who will make the service.

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