Name

  Rate

  Where built

  When

  Where employed

  Franklin

  74

  Philadelphia

  1815

  In ordinary at New York

  Washington

  74

  Portsmouth, NH.

  1816

  Do. do.

  Columbus

  74

  Washington

  1819

  At Boston (repaired)

  Ohio

  80

  New York

  1820

  Do. do.

  North Carolina

  80

  Philadelphia

  1820

  In commission (Pacific)

  Delaware

  80

  Gosport

  1820

  At Norfolk (repaired)

  Alabama

  80

  On stocks at Portsmouth, NH.

  Vermont

  80

  Do. at Boston

  Virginia

  80

  Do. do.

  New York

  80

  On stocks, at Norfolk

  Pennsylvania

  120

  Philadelphia

  1837

  At Philadelphia

  Frigates, 1st Class

  Name

  Rate

  Where built

  When

  Where employed

  Independence

  54

  Boston

  1814

  On the coast of Brazil

  United States

  44

  Philadelphia

  1797

  In commission (Mediterranean)

  Constitution

  44

  Boston

  1787

  Do. do.

  Guerriere

  44

  Philadelphia

  1814

  In ordinary at Norfolk

  Java

  44

  Baltimore

  1814

  Receiving ship, do.

  Potomac

  44

  Washington

  1821

  In ordinary at do.

  Brandy Wine

  44

  Washington

  1825

  Do. do.

  Hudson

  44

  Purchased

  1826

  Receiving vessel at New York

  Columbia

  44

  Washington

  1836

  In ordinary at Norfolk

  Santee

  44

  On stocks, at Portsmouth, NH.

  Cumberland

  44

  Do. at Boston

  Sabine

  44

  Do. at New York

  Savannah

  44

  Do. do.

  Raritan

  44

  Do. at Philadelphia

  St. Lawrence

  44

  Do. at Norfolk

  Frigates, 2nd Class

  Name

  Rate

  Where built

  When

  Where employed

  Constellation

  36

  Baltimore

  1797

  In commission (West Indies)

  Macedonian

  36

  Norfolk (rebuilt)

  1836

  Ready for sea at Norfolk

  Sloops of War

  Name

  Rate

  Where built

  When

  Where employed

  John Adams

  20

  Norfolk (rebuilt)

  1820

  Ready for sea at New York

  Cyane

  20

  Boston (rebuilding)

  Boston

  20

  Boston

  1825

  At sea

  Lexington

  20

  New York

  1825

  At sea

  Vincennes

  20

  New York

  1826

  In ordinary at Norfolk

  Warren

  20

  Boston

  1826

  Do. do.

  Natches

  20

  Norfolk

  1827

  In commission (West Indies)

  Falmouth

  20

  Boston

  1827

  At sea

  Fairfield

  20

  New York

  1828

  On the coast of Brazil

  Vandalia

  20

  Philadelphia

  1828

  In commission (West Indies)

  St. Louis

  20

  Washington

  1828

  Do. do.

  Concord

  20

  Portsmouth

  1828

  In commission (West Indies)

  Erie

  18

  New York (rebuilt)

  1820

  At Boston

  Ontario

  18

  Baltimore

  1813

  At sea

  Peacock

  18

  New York

  1813

  In ordinary at Norfolk

  Schooners

  Dolphin

  10

  Philadelphia

  1821

  On the Coast of Brazil

  Grampus

  10

  Washington

  1821

  In commission (West Indies)

  Shark

  10

  Washington

  1821

  In the Mediterranean

  Enterprise

  10

  New York

  1831

  In commission (East Indies)

  Boxer

  10

  Boston

  1731

  In the Pacific

  Porpoise

  10

  Boston

  1836

  Atlantic coast

  Experiment

  4

  Washington

  1831

  Employed near New York

  Fox (hulk)

  3

  Purchased

  1823

  At Baltimore (condemned)

  Sea Gull (galliot)

  Purchased

  1823

  Receiving vessel at Philadelphia

  Exploring Vessels

  Relief

  Philadelphia

  1836

  Barque Pioneer

  Boston

  1836

  New York (nearly ready for sea)

  Barque Consort

  Boston

  1836

  Schooner Active

  Purchased

  1837

  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: —

  feet

  inches

  In extreme length over all

  237

  Between the perpendiculars on the lower gun-deck

  220

  Length of keel for tonnage

  190

  Moulded breadth of beam

  56

  9

  do. do. from tonnage

  57

  6

  Extreme breadth of beam outside the wales

  59

  Depth of lower hold

  23

  Extreme depth amidships

  51

  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.

  Her mainmast from the step to the truck

  278

  Main yard

  110

  Main-topsail yard

  82

  Main-top-gallant yard

  52

  Main-royal yard

  36

  Size of lower shrouds

  0 11

  Do. of mainstay

  0 19

  Do. of sheet-cable

  0 25

  The sheet-anchor, made at Washington, weighs 11,660 pounds

  Main-topsail contains 1,531 yards.

  The number of yards of canvass for one suit of sails is 18,341, and for bags, hammocks, boat-sails, awnings, etcetera, 14,624; total 32,965 yards.

  The Americans considered that in the Pennsylvania they possessed the largest vessel in the world, but this is a great mistake; one of the Sultan’s three-deckers is larger. Below are the dimensions of the Queen, lately launched at Portsmouth

  feet

  inches

  Length on the gun-deck

  204

  0

  Do. of keel for tonnage

  166

  5.25

  Breadth extreme

  60

  0

  Do. for tonnage

  59

  2

  Depth in hold

  23

  8

  Burden in tons (No. 3,099)

  Extreme length aloft

  247

  6

  Extreme height forward

  56

  4

  Do. midships

  50

  8

  Do. abaft

  62

  6

  Launching draught of water, forward

  14

  1

  Do. abaft

  19

  0

  Height from deck to deck, gun-deck

  7

  3

  Do. middle-deck

  7

  0

  Do. main-deck

  7

  0

  Note. There are seven navy yards belonging to, and occupied for the use of the United States, viz. — The navy yard at Portsmouth, NH, is situated on an island, contains fifty-eight acres, cost 5,500 dollars.

  The navy yard at Charlestown, near Boston, is situated on the north side of Charles river, contains thirty-four acres, and cost 32,214 dollars.

  The navy yard at New York is situated on Long Island, opposite New York, contains forty acres, and cost 40,000 dollars.

  The navy yard at Philadelphia is situated on the Delaware river, in the district of Southwark, contains eleven acres to low water mark, and cost 27,000 dollars.

  It is remarkable that along the whole of the eastern coast of America, from Halifax in Nova Scotia down to Pensacola in the Gulf of Mexico, there is not one good open harbour. The majority of the American harbours are barred at the entrance, so as to preclude a fleet running out and in to manoeuvre at pleasure; indeed, if the tide does not serve, there are few of them in which a line-of-battle ship, hard pressed, could take refuge. A good spacious harbour, easy of access, like that of Halifax in Nova Scotia, is one of the few advantages, perhaps the only natural advantage, wanting in the United States.

  The American navy list is as follows: —

  Captains or Commodores

  50

  Passed Midshipmen

  181

  Masters Commandant

  50

  Midshipmen

  227

  Lieutenants

  279

  Sailing-Masters

  27

  Surgeons

  50

  Sail-makers

  25

  Passed Assistant Surgeons

  24

  Boatswains

  22

  Assistant Surgeons

  33

  Gunners

  27

  Pursers

  45

  Carpenters

  26

  Chaplains

  9

  The pay of these officers is on the following scale. It must be observed, that they do not use the term “half pay;” but when unemployed the officers are either attached to the various dockyards or on leave. I have reduced the sums paid into English money, that they may be better understood by the reader:

  Senior captain, on service

  960

  On leave i.e. half-pay

  730

  Captains, squadron service

  830

  Navy Yard and other duty, half pay

  730

  Off duty, ditto

  525

  Commanders on service

  525

  Navy-yard and other duty, half pay

  440

  On leave, ditto

  380

  Lieutenants commanding

  380

  Navy-yard and other duty, half pay

  315

  Waiting orders, ditto

  250

  Surgeons, according to their length of servitude, from

  210

  To

  500

  And half pay in proportion

  Assistant Surgeons, from

  200

  To

  250

  Chaplains; sea service

  250

  On leave, half pay

  170

  Passed midshipmen, duty

  156

  Waiting orders, half pay

  125

  Midshipmen; sea service

  33

  Navy-yard and other duty, half pay!

  72

  Leave, ditto!

  63

  Sailing-masters; ships of the line

  228

  Other duty, half pay

  200

  Leave, ditto

  156

  Boatswains, carpenters, sailmakers, and gunners

  Ships of the line

  156

  Frigate

  125

  Other duty, half pay

  105

  On leave, ditto

  75

  The navy yard at Washington, in the district of Columbia, is situated on the eastern branch of the Potomac, contains thirty-seven acres, and cost 4,000 dollars. In this yard are made all the anchors, cables, blocks, and almost all things requisite for the use of the navy of the United States.

  The navy-yard at Portsmouth, near Norfolk in Virginia, is situated on the south branch of Elizabeth river contains sixteen acres, and cost 13,000 dollars.

  There is also a navy-yard at Pensacola in Florida, which is merely used for repairing ships on the West India station.

  It will be perceived by the above list how very much better all classes in the American service are paid in comparison with those in our service. But let it not be supposed that this liberality is a matter of choice on the part of the American government; on the contrary, it is one of necessity. There never was, nor never will be, anything like liberality under a democratic form of government. The navy is a favourite service, it is true, but the officers of the American navy have not one cent more than they are entitled to, or than they absolutely require. In a country like America, where any one may by industry, in a few years, become an independent, if not a wealthy man, it would be impossible for the government to procure officers if they were not tolerably paid; no parents would permit their children to enter the service unless they were enabled by their allowances to keep up a respectable appearance; and in America everything, to the annuitant or person not making money, but living upon his income, is much dearer than with us. The government, therefore, are obliged to pay them, or young men would not embark in the profession; for it is not in America as it is with us, where every department is filled up, and no room is left for those who would crowd in; so that in the eagerness to obtain respectable employment, emolument becomes a secondary consideration. It may, however, be worth while to put in juxtaposition the half-pay paid to officers of corresponding ranks in the two navies of England and America: