_Vessels of War of the United States Navy, September 1837_.
_Ships of the Line_
+==============+====+===============+====+============================+
YName YRateYWhere built YWhenYWhere employed Y
+--------------+----+---------------+----+----------------------------+
YFranklin Y 74YPhiladelphia Y1815YIn ordinary at New York Y
+--------------+----+---------------+----+----------------------------+
YWashington Y 74YPortsmouth, NH.Y1816YDo. do. Y
+--------------+----+---------------+----+----------------------------+
YColumbus Y 74YWashington Y1819YAt Boston (repaired) Y
+--------------+----+---------------+----+----------------------------+
YOhio Y 80YNew York Y1820YDo. do. Y
+--------------+----+---------------+----+----------------------------+
YNorth CarolinaY 80YPhiladelphia Y1820YIn commission (Pacific) Y
+--------------+----+---------------+----+----------------------------+
YDelaware Y 80YGosport Y1820YAt Norfolk (repaired) Y
+--------------+----+---------------+----+----------------------------+
YAlabama Y 80Y Y YOn stocks at Portsmouth, NH.Y
+--------------+----+---------------+----+----------------------------+
YVermont Y 80Y Y YDo. at Boston Y
+--------------+----+---------------+----+----------------------------+
YVirginia Y 80Y Y YDo. do. Y
+--------------+----+---------------+----+----------------------------+
YNew York Y 80Y Y YOn stocks, at Norfolk Y
+--------------+----+---------------+----+----------------------------+
YPennsylvania Y 120YPhiladelphia Y1837YAt Philadelphia Y
+==============+====+===============+====+============================+
_Frigates, 1st Class_
+=============+====+============+====+=============================+
YName YRateYWhere built YWhenYWhere employed Y
+-------------+----+------------+----+-----------------------------+
YIndependence Y 54YBoston Y1814YOn the coast of Brazil Y
+-------------+----+------------+----+-----------------------------+
YUnited StatesY 44YPhiladelphiaY1797YIn commission (Mediterranean)Y
+-------------+----+------------+----+-----------------------------+
YConstitution Y 44YBoston Y1787YDo. do. Y
+-------------+----+------------+----+-----------------------------+
YGuerriere Y 44YPhiladelphiaY1814YIn ordinary at Norfolk Y
+-------------+----+------------+----+-----------------------------+
YJava Y 44YBaltimore Y1814YReceiving ship, do. Y
+-------------+----+------------+----+-----------------------------+
YPotomac Y 44YWashington Y1821YIn ordinary at do. Y
+-------------+----+------------+----+-----------------------------+
YBrandy Wine Y 44YWashington Y1825YDo. do. Y
+-------------+----+------------+----+-----------------------------+
YHudson Y 44YPurchased Y1826YReceiving vessel at New York Y
+-------------+----+------------+----+-----------------------------+
YColumbia Y 44YWashington Y1836YIn ordinary at Norfolk Y
+-------------+----+------------+----+-----------------------------+
YSantee Y 44Y Y YOn stocks, at Portsmouth, NH.Y
+-------------+----+------------+----+-----------------------------+
YCumberland Y 44Y Y YDo. at Boston Y
+-------------+----+------------+----+-----------------------------+
YSabine Y 44Y Y YDo. at New York Y
+-------------+----+------------+----+-----------------------------+
YSavannah Y 44Y Y YDo. do. Y
+-------------+----+------------+----+-----------------------------+
YRaritan Y 44Y Y YDo. at Philadelphia Y
+-------------+----+------------+----+-----------------------------+
YSt Lawrence Y 44Y Y YDo. at Norfolk Y
+=============+====+============+====+=============================+
_Frigates, 2nd Class_
+=============+====+=================+====+===========================+
YName YRateYWhere built YWhenYWhere employed Y
+-------------+----+-----------------+----+---------------------------+
YConstellationY 36YBaltimore Y1797YIn commission (West Indies)Y
+-------------+----+-----------------+----+---------------------------+
YMacedonian Y 36YNorfolk (rebuilt)Y1836YReady for sea at Norfolk Y
+=============+====+=================+====+===========================+
_Sloops of War_
+==========+====+===================+====+===========================+
YName YRateYWhere built YWhenYWhere employed Y
+----------+----+-------------------+----+---------------------------+
YJohn AdamsY 20YNorfolk (rebuilt) Y1820YReady for sea at New York Y
+----------+----+-------------------+----+---------------------------+
YCyane Y 20YBoston (rebuilding)Y Y Y
+----------+----+-------------------+----+---------------------------+
YBoston Y 20YBoston Y1825YAt sea Y
+----------+----+-------------------+----+---------------------------+
YLexington Y 20YNew York Y1825YAt sea Y
+----------+----+-------------------+----+---------------------------+
YVincennes Y 20YNew York Y1826YIn ordinary at Norfolk Y
+----------+----+-------------------+----+---------------------------+
YWarren Y 20YBoston Y1826YDo. do. Y
+----------+----+-------------------+----+---------------------------+
YNatches Y 20YNorfolk Y1827YIn commission (West Indies)Y
+----------+----+-------------------+----+---------------------------+
YFalmouth Y 20YBoston Y1827YAt sea Y
+----------+----+-------------------+----+---------------------------+
YFairfield Y 20YNew York Y1828YOn the coast of Brazil Y
+----------+----+-------------------+----+---------------------------+
YVandalia Y 20YPhiladelphia Y1828YIn commission (West Indies)Y
+----------+----+-------------------+----+---------------------------+
YSt Louis Y 20YWashington Y1828YDo. do. Y
+----------+----+-------------------+----+---------------------------+
YConcord Y 20YPortsmouth Y1828YIn commission (West Indies)Y
+----------+----+-------------------+----+---------------------------+
YErie Y 18YNew York (rebuilt) Y1820YAt Boston Y
+----------+----+-------------------+----+---------------------------+
YOntario Y 18YBaltimore Y1813YAt sea Y
+----------+----+-------------------+----+---------------------------+
YPeacock Y 18YNew York Y1813YIn ordinary at Norfolk Y
+==========+====+===================+====+===========================+
_Schooners_
+==================+==+============+====+================================+
YDolphin Y10YPhiladelphiaY1821YOn the Coast of Brazil Y
+------------------+--+------------+----+--------------------------------+
YGrampus Y10YWashington Y1821YIn commission (West Indies) Y
+------------------+--+------------+----+--------------------------------+
YShark Y10YWashington Y1821YIn the Mediterranean Y
+------------------+--+------------+----+--------------------------------+
YEnterprise Y10YNew York Y1831YIn commission (East Indies) Y
+------------------+--+------------+----+--------------------------------+
YBoxer Y10YBoston Y1731YIn the Pacific Y
+------------------+--+------------+----+--------------------------------+
YPorpoise Y10YBoston Y1836YAtlantic coast Y
+------------------+--+------------+----+--------------------------------+
YExperiment Y 4YWashington Y1831YEmployed near New York Y
+------------------+--+------------+----+--------------------------------+
YFox (hulk) Y 3YPurchased Y1823YAt Baltimore (condemned) Y
+------------------+--+------------+----+--------------------------------+
YSea Gull (galliot)Y YPurchased Y1823YReceiving vessel at PhiladelphiaY
+==================+==+============+====+================================+
_Exploring Vessels_
+===============+=+============+====+===============================+
YRelief Y YPhiladelphiaY1836Y Y
+---------------+-+------------+----+-------------------------------+
YBarque Pioneer Y YBoston Y1836YNew York (nearly ready for sea)Y
+---------------+-+------------+----+-------------------------------+
YBarque Consort Y YBoston Y1836Y Y
+---------------+-+------------+----+-------------------------------+
YSchooner ActiveY YPurchased Y1837Y Y
+===============+=+============+====+===============================+
The ratings of these vessels will, however, very much mislead people as
to the real strength of the armament. The 74's and 80's are in weight
of broadside equal to most three-decked ships; the first-class frigates
are double-banked of the scantling, and carrying the complement of men
of our 74's. The sloops are equally powerful in proportion to their
ratings, most of them carrying long guns. Although flush vessels, they
are little inferior to a 36-gun frigate in scantling, and are much too
powerful far any that we have in our service, under the same
denomination of rating. All the line-of-battle ships are named after
the several states, the frigates after the principal rivers, and the
sloops of war after the towns, or _cities_, and the names are decided by
lot.
It is impossible not to be struck with the beautiful architecture in
most of these vessels. The Pennsylvania, rated 120 guns, on four decks,
carrying 140, is not by any means so perfect as some of the
line-of-battle ships.
Note. The following are the dimensions given me of the ship of the line
Pennsylvania:--
+================================================+====+======+
Y YfeetYinchesY
+------------------------------------------------+----+------+
YIn extreme length over all Y 237Y Y
+------------------------------------------------+----+------+
YBetween the perpendiculars on the lower gun-deckY 220Y Y
+------------------------------------------------+----+------+
YLength of keel for tonnage Y 190Y Y
+------------------------------------------------+----+------+
YMoulded breadth of beam Y 56Y 9Y
+------------------------------------------------+----+------+
Ydo. do. from tonnage Y 57Y 6Y
+------------------------------------------------+----+------+
YExtreme breadth of beam outside the wales Y 59Y Y
+------------------------------------------------+----+------+
YDepth of lower hold Y 23Y Y
+------------------------------------------------+----+------+
YExtreme depth amidships Y 51Y Y
+================================================+====+======+
Burthen 3366 tons, and has ports for 140 guns, all long thirty-two
pounders, throwing 2240 pounds of ball at each broadside, or 4480 pounds
from the whole.
The Ohio is, as far as I am a judge, the perfection of a ship of the
line. But in every class you cannot but admire the superiority of the
models and workmanship. The dock-yards in America are small, and not
equal at present to what may eventually be required, but they have land
to add to them if necessary. There certainly is no necessity for such
establishments or such store-houses as we have, as their timber and hemp
are at hand when required; but they ate very deficient both in dry and
wet docks. Properly speaking, they have no great naval depot. This
arises from the jealous feeling existing between the several states. A
bill brought into Congress to expend so many thousand dollars upon the
dock-yard at Boston, in Massachusetts, would be immediately opposed by
the state of New York, and an amendment proposed to transfer the works
intended to their dock-yard at Brooklyn. The other states which possess
dock-yards would also assert their right, and thus they will all fight
for their respective establishments until the bill is lost, and the bone
of contention falls to the ground.
+=======================================+====+
YHer mainmast from the step to the truckY 278Y
+---------------------------------------+----+
YMain yard Y 110Y
+---------------------------------------+----+
YMain-topsail yard Y 82Y
+---------------------------------------+----+
YMain-top-gallant yard Y 52Y
+---------------------------------------+----+
YMain-royal yard Y 36Y
+---------------------------------------+----+
YSize of lower shrouds Y0 11Y
+---------------------------------------+----+
YDo. of mainstay Y0 19Y
+---------------------------------------+----+
YDo. of sheet-cable Y0 25Y
+=======================================+====+