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. 29:“The navy yards of the United States, like those of Britain, are seven
in number, viz. Portsmouth, in New Hampshire; Charlestown, near Boston,
Massachusetts; Brooklyn, New York; Philadelphia; Washington; Gosport, in
Virginia; and Pensacola, in Florida. None of these depots, however, are so
extensive, so well furnished and stored with the muniments of war, so
efficiently kept up, or so conveniently situate on the sea-coast as are our
Portsmouth, Plymouth, Pembroke
p. 30: and Sheerness yards. The Americans have also commanders of naval
yards located at Baltimore and Charleston, two leading ports, but there are no
regular government establishments or conveniences for building and repairs in
those harbours.
PORTSMOUTH. This dock-yard is situate at Navy Island, on the cast side of
the river Piscatagua, three miles from the ocean. There is every convenience
for the construction of vessels of the largest class. The harbour of Portsmouth
is a fine one, with forty feet of water in the channel at low tide, and is well
protected by its islands and headlands from storms. The tide, which here rises
ten feet, flows with so rapid a current as to keep the harbour free from ice.
BOSTON. The navy yard of this port is situated at the south-east part of
Charlestown, about a mile to the north of the city of Boston. There is a dry
dock built of hewn granite. The yard covers sixty acres of land, on which are
erected a marine hospital, a spacious warehouse, an arsenal, powder magazine,
and a house for the superintendent, all of brick ; there are also two immense
wooden sheds under which the largest vessels of war are built.
BROOKLYN. The naval yard, situated on Wallabout Bay, covers forty acres of
ground, enclosed by a brick wall on the land side, and contains two large ship
houses, seven extensive timber sheds, built of brick, and several workshops,
offices for the officers, and extensive storehouses; a dry dock is in the
course of formation. The yard is but a short distance from the city of New
York, the width of the ferry is about 700 yards. The naval hospital occupies a
commanding eminence half a mile east of the yard, and is a large building
surrounded by thirty-three acres of cultivated ground, enclosed by a brick wall.
PHILADELPHIA. This naval yard requires no observation. We may, however,
remark that there is in that city a handsome naval asylum or marine hospital,
capable of lodging 400 persons, erected at a cost of upwards of £ 60,000.
WASHINGTON. The navy yard is situated on the Anacostia or eastern branch of
the Potomac, 295 miles
from the ocean by the course of the river and bay. It is about three-fourths of
a mile south-east of the capital, and contains twenty-seven acres. It has
houses for the officers, shops and warehouses, two large ship-houses, a neat
armoury, and every kind of naval stores. Several ships of war, some of which
were of the largest class, have been built at this yard. The river has water of
sufficient depth for frigates to ascend to the navy yard without being
lightened.
NORFOLK. The extensive naval yard at this port is situated at Gosport,
opposite to Norfolk, on the south side of the river Elizabeth
p. 31: thirty-two miles from the ocean. This yard possesses a large and
extensive dry dock, constructed of hewn granite, capable of receiving a
line-of- battle ship, and which cost nearly £200,000. The harbour is safe and
capacious, having eighteen feet of water.
PENSACOLA. The United States navy yard here is an important one, distant
eight miles from the city, and five from the entrance of the harbour, and
covers nearly eighty acres of ground, enclosed by a high brick wall. It
contains houses for the officers, and a naval store and other buildings adapted
to the convenience of the establishment.
According to the American papers, there are sufficient materials in their
naval yards to build twenty-six sail of the line and forty frigates ; but this
information is very questionable, and savours strongly of exaggeration.
Source
Peter Lund Simmons. Simmond’s colonial magazine and foreign
miscellany, volume 1, January-April 1844, London.
