Thanks to the fact that nowadays more and more books are digitized we are able to read books that are some times for decades no longer available for the public for several reasons. That’s quite a pity while these books contains useful information while the archives are destroyed, incomplete or nor accessible.
P. 176: “The Navy Yard in this city was established and organized by the act of Congress, approved 27 March, 1804. It contains within its limits about 28 acres; and is enclosed by a high brick wall, with an entrance from the north, through an arched gateway, on each side of which are accommodations for the marine officer and guard, attached to the Yard. The buildings for the officers are commodious, and appropriate quarters for the Commandant, Master Commandant, Lieutenant, Sailing Master, Surgeon, and Boatswain: For store houses, shops, &c. are a Navy Store, with a sail loft in the second story; Iron store, with a rigging loft in the second story; Commandant's, and other officers; laboratory for the preparation of ordnance fixtures and stores, in the second story of which is a beautiful and well arranged armory. An armorer's shop for repairing small arms; an iron foundery; a brass and composition foundery; a chain cable, and camboose shop; an anchor shop, smithery, and plumber's shop; a block maker's shop, a saw mill, an* rooms for machinery work, &c. two timber sheds on arched columns, one with a joiner's shop, and the other with a mould loft in
the second story;
p. 177: two ship houses over foundations, and ways for buildings and launching ships of any size. All the buildings are large and of substantial construction, and afford every convenience for building and equipping vessels for sea. There is in the Yard a fresh water dock for seasoning timber, &c. All the vessels that were afloat at the commencement of the late war had been thoroughly repaired at this Yard; and for that purpose the frigate Adams, the ship Hornet, the brigs Enterprize and Vixen, and other smaller vessels, were hauled upon the wharf on ways. There have been built at this Yard the following named vessels, before the war: Ships Wasp and Argus; brig Viper, frigate Essex, and twelve Gun Boats. Since the war the Columbus of 74 guns, frigates Potomac and Brandy wine, each 44 guns, schooners Shark and Grampus, each 12 guns; the sloop of war, St. Louis, 24 guns. The frigate Columbia, of 44 guns, now on the stocks. The model, strength of construction, and general equipment of these vessels would vie with the vessels of our own or any other navy. For the purposes of the Navy there are some valuable manufactories established in the Yard; and for it generally, are made anchors, chain cables, cambooses, blocks, ordnance fixtures, and
p. 178: stores of every kind; brass and composition tastings, &c. To facilitate the operations in the manufacture of these articles, much labour-saving machinery has been erected; the principal of which is a Steam Engine, computed of 14 horse power, by which there is kept in continual motion 489 feet of shafts, with their ordinary wheels, drums, &c. to the weight of 40 tons, 8 cwt. 1 qr. lbs. By power derived from the operation of the above shafts, a requisite power and motion is conveyed to two saw gates, each capable of receiving and working any number of saws sufficient for converting a log to any dimensions by one passage through the gate. Two hammers for forging anchors, &c. two large hydraulic bellows, two circular saws, one turning and boring lathe, which when required, can be converted into a machine for boring steam engine cylinders; nine turning lathes, five grind stones, four drill lathes for boring sheaves, &c. with other machinery, required to facilitate the operations of the several departments in the adjoining buildings. There is also, situated in the South East corner of the Yard, a machine for proving rope and chain cables; the purchase of which is so powerful, that two men can part a cable suitable for a ship of the largest size. Considerable as a strain
p. 179: must be, sufficient to part a 24 inch cable, upon the index, situated at the other end of the machine, or with a strain of one hundred tons, such is the accuracy of the operating of the index, that two ounces thrown into the scale suspended from the end of the lever, will sensibly affect the index, thereby affording an opportunity of calculating the strain on the cable with the greatest precision. About a mile above the Yard is a large powder magazine, and a ware house for the storage of salt petre, &c. There is generally employed in the Yard for the manufactories, and as labourers, about two hundred men; when ships are building or repairing, the number is proportionably increased by the employment of carpenters, caulkers, boatbuilders, mast makers, gun carriage makers, sail makers, coopers, &c. The Yard is beautifully situated on the right bank of the Eastern Branch} the channel of which affords an easv navigation for small frigates, sloops of war, &c.”
Source
Jonathan Elliott. Historical sketches of the ten miles square forming the District of Colombia etc. Washington, 1830.
Note
1. See also on this weblog “The navy yard at Washington described by William Elliot in 1833”, partly based on William Elliot. The Washington Guide. Washington, 1837.
P. 176: “The Navy Yard in this city was established and organized by the act of Congress, approved 27 March, 1804. It contains within its limits about 28 acres; and is enclosed by a high brick wall, with an entrance from the north, through an arched gateway, on each side of which are accommodations for the marine officer and guard, attached to the Yard. The buildings for the officers are commodious, and appropriate quarters for the Commandant, Master Commandant, Lieutenant, Sailing Master, Surgeon, and Boatswain: For store houses, shops, &c. are a Navy Store, with a sail loft in the second story; Iron store, with a rigging loft in the second story; Commandant's, and other officers; laboratory for the preparation of ordnance fixtures and stores, in the second story of which is a beautiful and well arranged armory. An armorer's shop for repairing small arms; an iron foundery; a brass and composition foundery; a chain cable, and camboose shop; an anchor shop, smithery, and plumber's shop; a block maker's shop, a saw mill, an* rooms for machinery work, &c. two timber sheds on arched columns, one with a joiner's shop, and the other with a mould loft in
the second story;
p. 177: two ship houses over foundations, and ways for buildings and launching ships of any size. All the buildings are large and of substantial construction, and afford every convenience for building and equipping vessels for sea. There is in the Yard a fresh water dock for seasoning timber, &c. All the vessels that were afloat at the commencement of the late war had been thoroughly repaired at this Yard; and for that purpose the frigate Adams, the ship Hornet, the brigs Enterprize and Vixen, and other smaller vessels, were hauled upon the wharf on ways. There have been built at this Yard the following named vessels, before the war: Ships Wasp and Argus; brig Viper, frigate Essex, and twelve Gun Boats. Since the war the Columbus of 74 guns, frigates Potomac and Brandy wine, each 44 guns, schooners Shark and Grampus, each 12 guns; the sloop of war, St. Louis, 24 guns. The frigate Columbia, of 44 guns, now on the stocks. The model, strength of construction, and general equipment of these vessels would vie with the vessels of our own or any other navy. For the purposes of the Navy there are some valuable manufactories established in the Yard; and for it generally, are made anchors, chain cables, cambooses, blocks, ordnance fixtures, and
p. 178: stores of every kind; brass and composition tastings, &c. To facilitate the operations in the manufacture of these articles, much labour-saving machinery has been erected; the principal of which is a Steam Engine, computed of 14 horse power, by which there is kept in continual motion 489 feet of shafts, with their ordinary wheels, drums, &c. to the weight of 40 tons, 8 cwt. 1 qr. lbs. By power derived from the operation of the above shafts, a requisite power and motion is conveyed to two saw gates, each capable of receiving and working any number of saws sufficient for converting a log to any dimensions by one passage through the gate. Two hammers for forging anchors, &c. two large hydraulic bellows, two circular saws, one turning and boring lathe, which when required, can be converted into a machine for boring steam engine cylinders; nine turning lathes, five grind stones, four drill lathes for boring sheaves, &c. with other machinery, required to facilitate the operations of the several departments in the adjoining buildings. There is also, situated in the South East corner of the Yard, a machine for proving rope and chain cables; the purchase of which is so powerful, that two men can part a cable suitable for a ship of the largest size. Considerable as a strain
p. 179: must be, sufficient to part a 24 inch cable, upon the index, situated at the other end of the machine, or with a strain of one hundred tons, such is the accuracy of the operating of the index, that two ounces thrown into the scale suspended from the end of the lever, will sensibly affect the index, thereby affording an opportunity of calculating the strain on the cable with the greatest precision. About a mile above the Yard is a large powder magazine, and a ware house for the storage of salt petre, &c. There is generally employed in the Yard for the manufactories, and as labourers, about two hundred men; when ships are building or repairing, the number is proportionably increased by the employment of carpenters, caulkers, boatbuilders, mast makers, gun carriage makers, sail makers, coopers, &c. The Yard is beautifully situated on the right bank of the Eastern Branch} the channel of which affords an easv navigation for small frigates, sloops of war, &c.”
Source
Jonathan Elliott. Historical sketches of the ten miles square forming the District of Colombia etc. Washington, 1830.
Note
1. See also on this weblog “The navy yard at Washington described by William Elliot in 1833”, partly based on William Elliot. The Washington Guide. Washington, 1837.
