In a Dutch monthly magazine dated July 1779 was an interesting news item published. The translation is as follows: North America, New York, 22 May. According to reliable tidings the treaty between France and the Congress contained a secret, separate article. This article restricted the American navy, allowing her never to build a larger warship armed with more than 40 guns. The consequence of this article was that the building of a 74-gun ship at Boston and a second one at Portsmouth, New Hampshire was stopped. So this item proved the respect of the Americans for their allies wrote the author.
In a American publication dealing with their ships-of-the-line I found the next phrases:
“The Colonies, however did not have the means to build major warships in numbers to counter the overwhelming seapower of England. France eventually provided the powerful navy consisting of ships-of-the-line that cut off British communication with the sea, making possible the victory at Yorktown” and “The American Colonies could not build a fleet of ships-of-the-line to contest British control of the sea but they made a start. On 20 November 1776 the Continental Congress authorized three fast and powerful 74-gun class warships. Of these, one, America, was constructed. She was presented to France shortly before launched in 1782 and did not serve the Continental Navy which passed from existence 3 years later”.
Donald Canney confirmed the building of 3 74-gun ships, but wrote that the building of two, at Boston, Philadelphia and Portsmouth, New Hampshire, although begun were abandoned due to lacking money. The design dimensions were 180 (between perpendiculars) x 49 x 19.
Both two last sources didn’t mention the secret article of the Dutch news item.
Sources
De Maandelykse Nederlandsche Mercurius, fol. 47, Bernardus Mourik, Amsterdam 1779.
American Ships of the Line. Naval History Division, Navy Department, Washington, D.C. 1969, p. 3.
Donald L. Canney. Sailing Warships of the US Navy, London 2001.
In a American publication dealing with their ships-of-the-line I found the next phrases:
“The Colonies, however did not have the means to build major warships in numbers to counter the overwhelming seapower of England. France eventually provided the powerful navy consisting of ships-of-the-line that cut off British communication with the sea, making possible the victory at Yorktown” and “The American Colonies could not build a fleet of ships-of-the-line to contest British control of the sea but they made a start. On 20 November 1776 the Continental Congress authorized three fast and powerful 74-gun class warships. Of these, one, America, was constructed. She was presented to France shortly before launched in 1782 and did not serve the Continental Navy which passed from existence 3 years later”.
Donald Canney confirmed the building of 3 74-gun ships, but wrote that the building of two, at Boston, Philadelphia and Portsmouth, New Hampshire, although begun were abandoned due to lacking money. The design dimensions were 180 (between perpendiculars) x 49 x 19.
Both two last sources didn’t mention the secret article of the Dutch news item.
Sources
De Maandelykse Nederlandsche Mercurius, fol. 47, Bernardus Mourik, Amsterdam 1779.
American Ships of the Line. Naval History Division, Navy Department, Washington, D.C. 1969, p. 3.
Donald L. Canney. Sailing Warships of the US Navy, London 2001.
