In 1828 the American writer James Fenimore Cooper reacted on a article published in the Quarterly Review.(1) This article was dealing with the journey of the British Navy Lieutenant Frederick Fitzgerald de Roos to the United States. De Roos visited several dockyards in the United States and described those in his book.(2) Cooper doesn’t agree with De Roos and gave sharp comments in his in 1828 published book Notions etc. Cooper (p. 356) also referred to ‘another book on the same country, to which it is not necessary to refer’. “As to the German, or pretended German author, reviewed, I have nothing to say to him. He either knows a vast deal more of my country than I know myself, or he knows nothing at all about it. Mr. de Roos being a professional man, and coming out under his own name, is entitled to more respect. I think it unfortunate that this gentleman did not give himself sufficient time to make his observations.” Dealing with the German author, is this by Bernhard, duke of Saxe-Weimar Eisenach, who visited in 1825 the dockyards in the United States? If so, it will be become very interesting to find the (semi-)official report written by the Dutch naval officers and engineers who visited (partly) together with the duke the yards.
P. 357: “In New York, Mr. de Roos describes a peculiarity in the construction of the Boston sloop of war, on board of which vessel he unquestionably believed he had paid a visit. I can assure him that the Boston sailed for the coast of Brazil some months before he visited New-York, and she had not returned as late as March, 1828. Mr. de Roos says that ‘only one vessel (a sixty gun frigate) was building’ at New-York. He is again mistaken: there were two frigates (the Sabine and the Savannah) on the stocks there the whole of the year 1826. The Lexington and Vincennes sloops were launched in March and May of the same year. Mr. de Roos next describes the Ohio, 74, which he terms a splendid ship. I am glad to hear that a professional gentleman has reason to be pleased with any of our vessels; but I think he labours under some error when he adds, I afterwards learned that this vessel (the Ohio) was an instance of the cunning, I will not call it wisdom, which frequently actuates the policy of the Americans. The substance of his charge is, that we fit out fine ships, and send them abroad to create a false idea of our power. Not being in the secret of the commissioners of the navy, who select all the vessels used, I shall not venture an opinion on the matter; but it is clear the Ohio has never been used in this manner, since, so far from ever having been at sea at all, she has never even been entirely finished. It is also some presumption that he has been led into an error, that the Franklin and Washington, the former of which looked ' quite small, after seeing the Ohio,' have both been much in actual service.”
Source
James Fenimore Cooper. Notions of the Americans picked up by a travelling bachelor. Vol I. Philadelphia, 1828.
Notes
1. James Fenimore Cooper (15 September 1789-14 September 1851) was author of several sea-stores and of The Last of the Mohicans. This romantic novel is probably his best or one of his best books. He became the rank of midshipmen in his sea life. Between 1826-1833 he lived in Europe, somehow representing the United States. After returning to the United States he wrote several books and notes dealing with his European travels and experiences.
2. See on this weblog for De Roos: “The navy yard at Boston, United States in 1826 as described by the British navy Lieutenant Fred. Fitzgerald de Roos”; “The navy yard at New York, United States in 1826 as described by the British navy Lieutenant Fred. Fitzgerald de Roos”; “The navy yard at Washington, United States in 1826 as described by the British navy Lieutenant Fred. Fitzgerald de Roos”; “The navy yard at Kingston in 1826 as described by the British navy Lieutenant Fred. Fitzgerald de Roos”; “The navy yard at Sackett’s Harbor in 1826 as described by the British navy Lieutenant Fred. Fitzgerald de Roos”and “The navy yard at Philadelphia, United States in 1826 as described by the British navy Lieutenant Fred. Fitzgerald de Roos”. See on this weblog for Bernhard, duke of Saxe-Weimar Eisenach: “The navy yard at Boston described by Bernhard, duke of Saxe-Weimar Eisenach during his visit 5 August 1825”; “The navy yard at Norfolk described by Bernhard, duke of Saxe-Weimar Eisenach during his visit in 1825”; “The navy yard at Washington described by Bernhard, duke of Saxe-Weimar Eisenach during his visit in November 1825”,and “The navy yard at Philadelphia described by Bernhard, duke of Saxe-Weimar Eisenach during his visit in 1825”.
