See also other notes on this weblog dealing with navy yards in the United States of America.
p. 284“The Navy-yard of the city of Washington was organized and established under an act of Congress, approved 27th March, 1804, during the administration of Thomas Jefferson, with whom it was a favourite object of patronage. It contains within its limits about twenty-eight acres, and is enclosed on three sides by a high and strong brick wall; the other side fronts on the Eastern branch, or Anacostia river. Its entrance is by an arched gateway on the north, designed by the late Benjamin H. Latrobe. Inside of the yard are contained all the necessary buildings, machinery, and other apparatus for constructing vessels of every description, erected agreeably
p. 285: the most approved principles and modern improvements, with suitable buildings for accommodating the officers. It includes an armory, a rigging and sail-loft, a laboratory for preparing ordnance stores, an iron foundry, a brass and composition foundry, a chain-cable and camboose-shop, an anchor-shop, smithery and plumbershop, a blockmaker-shop, a saw-mill, and a steam-engine of fourteen-horse power, to drive the various machinery, two timber-sheds, on arched columns, a joinershop and mould-loft, two ship-houses, with ways, &c., for building and launching vessels of any size. There is also in the yard a fresh-water dock for seasoning timber, &c. Wasp (1) and Argus (2), the brig Viper (3), the frigate Essex (4), the Columbus, of seventy-four guns (5); the frigates Potomac (6) and Brandywine (7), each of forty-four guns; the schooners Shark (8) and Grampus (9), the sloop of war St. Louis (10), of twenty-four guns, and the frigate Columbia (11), of forty-four guns. The Navy-yard of this place can, in the great extent and completeness of its arrangements, vie with any establishment of the kind in the United States for the construction and repair of vessels, for its anchors, chaincables, cambooses, water-tanks, blocks, &c. In many respects, it surpasses almost every other yard in the Union. Why, then, is this yard suffered to fall into decay for want of national encouragement, and suffer so many honest, ingenious, and industrious mechanics to be reduced to beggary and want because the Government has failed to fulfil the just expectations of those who have vested their little all in houses and lots to meet the wants of those employed on the public works? There is no place in the Union better suited for a Naval School than the Navy-yard located in this city; a school of the utmost importance to the country; and a Naval Hospital, where the brave, generous, but thoughtless tar may find a home and shelter in the winter of age. It is very probable that it will not be long ere the
p. 286: whole system of naval warfare will be changed. The ingenious Mr. R. L. Stevens, of Hoboken, has invented a shot which is hollow, and is filled with some kind of fulminating powder, which is ignited by the compression of air when it strikes the sides of a vessel, and, on its explosion, as has been proved by experiment, will tear all to atoms! This system, when perfected, will supersede the use of first rate men-of-war; for two shots from a sloop of war would as easily destroy a one-hundred-gun-ship as a gun-boat. Sloops of war would, therefore, be the class of vessels most required; and our waters are sufficiently deep for this purpose. Let the Government beware how it suffers such an establishment as the Navy-yard to fall into decay; for it may be wanted when it is not to be found.”
Sources
Donald L. Canney. Sailing warships of the US Navy. Rochester, 2001.
William Elliot. The Washington Guide. Washington, 1837.
George F. Emmons. The Navy of the United States from the Commencement 1775-1853. Washington [1853].
Notes
1. In advance a brig but before she was completed decided to fit out as a ship-rigged sloop. Superintender during her building was the naval constructor Josiah Fox. Laid own in 1805, launched 21 April 1806 and commissioned May 1807. Dimensions 105’7” (between perpendiculars) x 30’11” with a measurement of 450 tons. Armed with 16-32 pdr carronades and 2 long 12 pdrs. 18 October 1812 captured by the British and in service with the Royal Navy as the Loup Cervier, later Peacock. Two years later already lost. Emmons called her a 18-gun ship with a crew numbering 140 men.
2. Laid down at Hartt, Boston, 12 May 1803, launched 21 August 1803. Dimensions 94’9” (between perpendiculars) x 27’4” (moulded beam) x 12’8” and a measurement of 298 63/94 tons. Armed with 16-24pdr carronades and 2-12pdr chase guns. Captured by British 14 August 1813. Emmons called her a 16-gun brig with a crew numbering 120-130 men and built at Boston for 37.428 dollars.
3. Donald L. Canney referred to Chapelle who thought she was built at the Norfolk Navy Yard, commissioned April 1809, dimensions 73 (deck) x 23’8” x 7’8” and to be designed by Josiah Fox. Her original rigging was a cutter, changed into a schooner and since 1810 as a brig when she was renamed Viper. Captured by the British Narcissus 17 January 1813. George F. Emmons didn’t mention where she was built, just that she was a 10-gun brig captured by the Narcissus.
4. The Essex laid down 13 April 1779 by Enos Briggs of Salem Essex County, Massachusetts?
5. Dimensions 191’0”(between perpendiculars) x 52 (moulded beam) x 21’10” and a tonnage of 2480 ton. Ballast 185 tons, water storage capacity 85,000 gallons and provisions storage capacity for 6 months. According to Emmons ‘stows her water and provisions well, and when full of bothm and equipped for sea, had a maximum draft of 25’8”; best sailing trim from 22 to 24” by the stern. Not very good, makes greet lee way:1821. Second cruise reported fai, can hold her way with Preble. Third cruise: good, sails well under all circumstances, 11 knots on a wind, and 12.4 free; is easy on her spars, and stand up well under canvass; but the wind on the quarter and under a a press of sail, steers wildly:1848. Her original tiller was 22’ long, and shipping on the lower gun deck interfered with the working of stern guns.” Originally armed with 92 guns with a main battery of 68-32pdrs and 24-42pdr carronades. Maximum speed 12,4 knots. Laid down June 1816, launched 1 March 1819 and commissioned 7 September 1819. Decommissioned in 1821 and laid up, she saw not active service than in 1842. Again laud up at the Norfolk Navy Yard March 1848 and there burnt 20 April 1841 to prevent capture by the Confederates.
6. Laid down by William Doughty 9 August 1819, launched 22 March 1822 and not earlier commissioned as 15 June 1831. In the Civil War mostly lying at Pensacola. After first becoming a storeship, she became a receiving ship until 1867 and 10 years later sold. Dimensions 175 (between perpendiculars) x 45 x 13’4”, maximum draught 22’, with a tonnage of 1708 tons. Launching draught 12’6” fore and 16’6¼ “, with lower masts and bowsprit fore 13’ and aft 16’8”, with ballast and rudder hung fore 13’11” and aft 17’10”, equipped for sea fore 20’ and aft 22’. Height of sills of lower midship ports 6½’ above water. Armed with 44 guns. Ballast 90-153 tons, water storage capacity 40,000-48,000 gallons and provisions storage capacity for 6 months. According to Emmons on her voyage 1848-1850 “with only 90 tons of ballast, she was reported stiff, steers well, stays badly, wears quickly. In smooth water, and sailing within 6¼ points of the wind, makes fully ½’ leeway.”
7. Laid down by William Doughty 20 September 1821, launched 16 June 1825 and commissioned 25 August 1825. Accidentally burned at Norfolk 3 September 1864. Dimensions 175 (between perpendiculars) x 45 x 13’4”, maximum draught 22? with a tonnage of 1708 tons. Armed with 44 guns. Ballast 25-150 tons, water storage capacity 46,000 gallons and provisions storage capacity for 6 months. According to Emmons ‘sailing best when about 18 inches by the stern. 1st cruise : I have never seen so fine a sea boat, or one so easy on her spars and rigging; works quick and sure. 2nd cruise: very fair and steers well. 4th cruise: general qualifications very bad.” Armed with 12 guns. Crew numbered 177 men. Building costs 23,627 dollars.
8. Laid down 1820, launched 17 May 1821 and commissioned June 1821. Wrecked 10 September 1846. Dimensions 86 (between perpendiculars) x 24’9” x10’4’ with a tonnage of 198 ton.
9. Designed by William Eckford. Laid down 1820, launched 21 August 1821 and commissioned 1821. Lost in March 1843. Dimensions 92’6” (between perpendiculars) x 24’6” x 9’6” with a tonnage of 172 ton. Armed with 12 guns. Crew numbered 184 men. Building costs 23,627 dollars.
10. Laid down 12 February 1827, launched 16 August 1828 and commissioned 20 December 1828. Served after the Civil War as a receiving ship, 1904 renamed Keystone State and sold to be broken up in 1907. Dimensions (between perpendiculars) 127x 33’9”-34 x 15’3”-15’6”, maximum draught 16½ and a tonnage of 700 ton. Speed 9-11½ knots. Ballast 23-38 tons, water storage capacity 17,300 gallons and provisions storage capacity for 5 months.
11. Laid down November 1825, launched 9 March 1836 and commissioned May 1838. Laid up May 1855. Scuttled and burnt at the Norfolk Navy Yard 20 April 1861 to prevent capture by the Confederates. The hull was raised and sold 6 years later. Dimensions 175 (between perpendiculars) x 45 x 13’4” and with a tonnage of 1808 tons. Maximum draught 22’. Ballast 80-116 tons, water storage capacity 48,000-50,000 gallons and provisions storage capacity for 6 months. Speed 10-12 knots.
