Peter Force published in the The National Calendar interesting details
dealing with the United States Navy and her shipbuilding programs between 1816
and 1834. For more information dealing with the navy yards see also several
notes on this weblog. (1)
p. 201: “Statement of the measures which hat been taken to carry into effect
the law for the gradual increase of the Navy, approved April 29, 1816, and
March 3, 1821. The ships of the line Columbus, North Carolina, and Delaware,
hare been built and in service for several years. The ship of the line, Ohio,
was launched in May, 1820, but has never been equipped, nor has her hull been
completed : she now requires repairs. The frigates Brandywine and Potomac have
been completed, and employed for several years. Five ships of the line and
seven frigates remain upon the stocks, all under tight houses. They are
generally sound and in good condition, with the exception of the keels,
keelsons, and deadwoods, of which some have become defective, and will require
to be replaced. The ships are all, however, so far advanced that it is believed
they can be completed and equipped by the time that crews could be collected
for them. A steam vessel has been recently commenced, under this appropriation,
at the navy yard at Brooklyn, and such arrangements made as the present state
of the appropriation will justify.”
p. 202: “It may be proper to remark that additional appropriations will be
necessary before these vessels can be completed as was more fully stated in a
recent communication from the board. Vessels on the stocks. Statement of the
vessels building at the different Navy Yards. Those building under the laws for
the gradual increase of the navy are distributed as follows. At Portsmouth,
N.H.: one ship of the line, one frigate; at Charlestown, Mass.: two ships of
the line, one frigate; at Brooklyn, N.Y.: two frigates, one steam vessel; at
Philadephia: one ship of the line, one frigate; at Washington: one frigate and
at Gosport: one ship of the line, one frigate. All these vessels are under
cover, and generally in good order, with the exception of their keels,
keelsons, and deadwoods, of which some have been found to be defective. There
is building at Norfolk a frigate, under the authority of the act of Congress of
July 10, 1832, to replace the Macedonian; she has a roof over her, and is in a
state of perfect preservation. Gradual improvements of the navy. Statement of
the measures which hare been adopted to carry into effect the laws for the
gradual improvement of the Navy, approved 3d March 1827, and 2d March, 1834.
The live oak frames for four ships of the line, for seven frigates, and for
four sloops of war, complete, have been delivered ; the greater part of the
frames of a frigate and sloop of war have also been delivered at the navy yard,
Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and part of the frame of a sloop of war at the navy
yard at Washington. The complete frames are distributed as follows: at the navy
yard, Charlestown, Massachusetts, for two ships of the line, for two frigates,
and for one sloop of war; at the navy yard, Brooklyn, New York, for one
frigate; at the navy yard, Philadelphia, for two frigates and one sloop of war;
at the navy yard, Washington, for one frigate and one sloop of war and at the
navy yard, Gosport, Virginia, for two ships of the line, one frigate, and one
sloop of war. Contracts have been entered into, and have been in part executed,
for the while oak mid yellow pine timber, and for the coppor and iron
necessary, to complete the hulls of these vessels, and for their masts and
spars. Dry docks at Charlestown, Massachusetts, and at Gosport, Virginia, have
been built from this appropriation, and other expenses incurred, under the
provisions of the law, for buildings to preserve the materials, for receiving
and storing them, and for the purchase, selection, preservation and improvement
of lands for the cultivation of live oak trees.”
p. 203: “Vessels in ordinary. Statement showing the names, distribution, and
condition of the vessels in ordinary. At Portsmouth, N.H. Concord, sloop of
war, nearly ready for sea. Lexington, sloop of war, repairs nearly completed.
At Charlestown, Mass. Columbia, ship of the line, requires large repairs.
Independence, ship of the line, under repair. Boston, sloop of war, nearly
ready for sea. At Brooklyn, N.Y. Washington, ship of the line, requires very
large repairs. Franklin, ship of the line, requires very large repairs. Ohio,
ship of line, requires large repairs; few of her equipments have even been
provided. United States, frigate, nearly ready for sea. Hudson, frigate,
considered unfit for sea service. Notches, sloop of war, recently arrived,
supposed to require considerable repairs. At Philadelphia. Warren, sloop of
war, nearly ready for sea
p. 204: Cyane, sloop of war, condemned as unfit for service. Sea Gull, an
old steam vessel, decayed and unfit for sea service. At Gosport, Va. North
Carolina, ship of the line, under repair, Guerriere, frigate, requires very
large repairs, or to be rebuilt. Java, frigate, unfit for sea service.
Falmouth, sloop of war, requires large repairs. Grampus, schooner, requires
large repairs.”
Source
Peter Force. The National Calendar, and annals of the United States.
Washington, 1836, vol. 14. Digitized by Google.
Note
1. For instance “The navy yard at Washington described by William Elliot in 1833”.
