The New England magazine . ad been Governor of Rhode Island, andhis family was a noted one in that Adams, who for many years, in seasonand out of season, advocated the buildingof a permanent and efficient national ma-rine, has left us a lively picture of Hopkinsand the old Naval Committee: Governor Hopkins, of Rhode Island,above seventy years of age, kept us all business his experience and judg-ment were very useful. But when the busi-ness of the evening was over, he kept us inconversation until eleven, and sometimestwelve oclock. His custom was to drinknothing all day, n
The New England magazine . ad been Governor of Rhode Island, andhis family was a noted one in that Adams, who for many years, in seasonand out of season, advocated the buildingof a permanent and efficient national ma-rine, has left us a lively picture of Hopkinsand the old Naval Committee: Governor Hopkins, of Rhode Island,above seventy years of age, kept us all business his experience and judg-ment were very useful. But when the busi-ness of the evening was over, he kept us inconversation until eleven, and sometimestwelve oclock. His custom was to drinknothing all day, nor till eight oclock in theevening, and then his beverage was Jamaicaspirit and water. It gave him wit, humor,anecdotes, science, and learning. He hadread Greek, Roman, and British history,and was familiar with English poetry, par-ticularly Pope, Thomson, and Milton; andthe flow of his soul made all of his readingour own, and seemed to bring to recollec-tion in all of us all we had ever read. I 651 652 NEW ENGLAND MAGAZINE. Stephen Hopkins, Chairman of the Naval Committee from 1775-1776 could neither eat nor drink in these other gentlemen were very never drank to excess, but all hedrank was immediately not only convertedinto wit, sense, knowledge, and good humor,but inspired us with similar qualities. In the spring of 1776 the Marine Com-mittee took charge of the navy to the ex-clusion of the Naval Committee, and per-formed the duties of a naval executive de-partment until December, 1779. It admin-istered the Continental navy during themost important period of its existence. Thecelebrated cruises of Captains John PaulJones, Lambert Wickes, Gustavus Conyng-ham, Samuel Tucker, Abraham Whipple,and J. B. Hopkins were made under the general direction of the Marine office of the committee was at Philadel-phia, except during those times when thecity was threatened or occupied by theBritish. Three of the committees five chair-men were New Englan
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