. King's handbook of Boston harbor. s familiar with every cove and islet inside ofPoint Allerton, especially to the southward of the ship-channel; and hisearly novel of Merry-Mount is incomparably the best description of thestrange people on the islands and headlands in the ante-colonial elder Henry James has a beautiful gray-stone villa at Nahant, wherehis son, the author of so many charming international stories, has oftenspent many of his summer months. Mr. Howells has given many a cheeryday to the overflowing life of Nantasket, which he has described withinimitable pleasantry and
. King's handbook of Boston harbor. s familiar with every cove and islet inside ofPoint Allerton, especially to the southward of the ship-channel; and hisearly novel of Merry-Mount is incomparably the best description of thestrange people on the islands and headlands in the ante-colonial elder Henry James has a beautiful gray-stone villa at Nahant, wherehis son, the author of so many charming international stories, has oftenspent many of his summer months. Mr. Howells has given many a cheeryday to the overflowing life of Nantasket, which he has described withinimitable pleasantry and appreciation. But, whatever may have been its incidental interest in other ways, thechief value of Boston Harbor to America is found in its intimate connectionwith commerce and the navy. The naval constructor who searched theYankee harbors for a site on which to build a navy-yard must have borne inmind Admiral Montagues declaration that God Almighty made NoddlesIsland on purpose for a dockyard; for he reported that Boston, from the. 250 KINGS HANDBOOK OF BOSTON HARBOR. natural strength of its situation, the great number of ship-carpenters in itsvicinity, and of its seamen, must always remain a building-place, and a placeof rendezvous for our navy of the first importance; while the rise of tide,eleven feet, would greatly lessen the expense of emptying a dock. . Theouter harbor of President and Nantasket Roads affords a large and safehaven for large fleets from the weather; and the inner harbor, safe fromwinds, freshets, and enemy, could be securely fortified at an easy first vessel built at the new navy-yard was the sloop-of-war Frolic (in1813), whose broadsides made mournful music for many a British craft. In1815 the three-decker Independence, 74, was launched, amid great so many years, she has retired into peaceful repose as receiving-shipof the Mare-Island Navy Yard in California. The Constitution and Arguswere built at adjacent private yards. The
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