Manuscript Travel Journal of Boston and New York City by Vice-Admiral George Henry Seymour - 1953

Boston, New York City, Albany, Niagara,Troy, 1953. Manuscript travel journal, 29 September - 13 October 1853, of Vice-Admiral Henry Seymour who made a cruise from Halifax to Boston for on a two-week sojourn in America, arriving in New York City just in time for the World Fair held in what is now Bryant Park, and also to visit McKay's shipbuilding yard in Boston when the world's largest clipper ship was being built. 8vo. 28 pages, plus 5 pages sailing itinerary of HMS Cumberland from 1851-1854, and manuscript heading inscribed to front endpaper. Maroon soft leather boards. Minor wear to boards, otherwise in very good condition, a pleasing volume. Arriving in Boston 2 October 1853, and most certainly of great interest to him as a distinguished navigator of the high seas, he pays a visit to McKay's shipbuilding yard when the world's largest merchant clipper ship, the "Great Republic" was nearing completion. A steamer ferry takes him into the city where he settled at the upscale Revere Hotel, which only recently been constructed in 1847 at Bowdoin Square in the West End. [Fire would destroy the building in 1912.] His tour mentions several historical sites including Fort George, Fort Independence, and Bunker Hill Monument. He describes Boston Common, which only some twenty years prior, gained its park status and the grazing of cows was ended. He is quick to observe the granite architecture for which Boston is famed even still today. Paying visits to the politician and philanthropist Abbot Lawrence, as well as Mr. Grattan the English Consul, makes for a complete historical tour of Boston. To New York City by rail, the highlight here was most certainly a walking tour through the impressive Crystal Palace, during the 1853 Exhibition of the Industry of All Nations, a grand event was held in what is now Bryant Park in Manhattan. Only five years later, on 5 October 1858 Crystal Palace was destroyed by fire. He also enjoyed some shopping on Broadway, describing some undeveloped areas which are today a full metropolis. He stayed at the Union Place Hotel which had only opened in 1850. [In 1861, the deluxe French restaurant Maison Dorée was opened by Dominico Paretti in the building. In 1868 the Morton Brothers took over, changing the name to Morton House and adding buildings.] It was with Sir Edward Cunard Jr., son and heir of shipping magnate Samuel Cunard, that Seymour visited Staten Island, including a dinner at the grand Cunard Hall, which the family called "Westwood". Construction of the mansion was completed in 1852, although according to Seymour's account, evidently finishing touches were still underway in 1853. [Still standing today, it is by far the oldest building on Wagner College's Grymes Hill campus.] Seymour subsequently heads to West Point and was granted a tour of the military academy by British Consul, Thomas Barclay (1753-1830), providing a good description in the journal. From Boston he travelled by rail to Albany and Utica, then in an open carriage a journey to Trenton, New Jersey. By way of Rochester, he proceeds to Niagara Falls for a 2-day visit, most appreciating the Canadian side and the view from Table Rock. His first sighting of the Falls was from the suspension bridge - this being the very first foot-traffic only suspension bridge built by Charles Ellet, Jr. in 1848. [This temporary suspension foot bridge was made with a line laid by a kite. It was the first step in the vision of what would become the world's first working railway suspension bridge, Niagara Railway Suspension Bridge / Niagara Falls Suspension Bridge (1855-1897).] Seymour's walk on the foot suspension bridge precedes the construction of the first of the railway suspension bridge by approximately 18 months. Naturally, he stopped to view the prestigious Clifton House, a hotel built in 1833 by Hermanus (Monty) Crysler. [It began as a beautiful 60 room hotel, quickly became the most prominent hotel in Clifton, and so, expanded to 150 guest rooms. Guests often included the rich and famous, until it was destroyed by fire on 25 June 1898.. Manuscript.