Monday. Drat!

Re: Monday. Drat!

Oh dear. Such a question. I feel like I'm foating a little high in the middle and not as well supported at the ends, leaving me somewhat bent over backwards. The solution appears to be some strengthing in the middle, perhaps by exercise. Perhaps the answer lies in a stronger constitution, but I may have to refer to the name of our country, or the head of executive branch of the government, although that's only half the answers. Josiah Humphries, I believe, had the answer to the hogging question.

I could be accused of "hogging" the question myself (a usage of the word unrelated to the question) if I answered any more.

Good question, by the way.

Fred Nelson

Woodworker and Technology Historian

(In the interest of full disclosure, I have to say my academic specialty was Marine Propulsion: late sail through steam. I'll just crawl back under my rock now.)

Re: Monday. Drat!

I would have to go down tothe orlop and take a diagonal approach to the problem before running and hiding behindd extra heavy timbers.

As far as the names of the ships, one was a cluster of stars, one was the leader of the country, one was the basic document of govenrment, one was named after the country, one named after the largest bay in the country and one was named after the law making body of government.

Lee

Re: Monday responses

Frederick and Lee get their admiralty stars.

Hogging was overcome by eight beams on both sides of the Frigates keel built into the hull set at a 45 degree angle to to meet near the center of the keel and fitted/notched between the ribs. These beams transferred the weight of the gun platforms carried by �knees� below the gun deck to the precise place where hogging occurred at the center of the ship at the keel.

Generally the longer the ship the more capability for speed, but hogging, the raising (bowing) of the center of the ship at the keel, effectively made the water beneath the center of the ship into a baffle and it slowed the ship considerably. To eliminate hogging in a ship that was in the water for any length of time allowed it to meet "expected" speed capabilities. Therefore the non-hogged ship was faster and somewhat more maneuverable than its cousins from other countries (all other factors being equal).

The six original frigates were:

United States � lasted until the Civil War captured by the Confederacy sunk by them to block a river channel. Incidentally, it was reported that the live oak built into that ship broke all the axes that were to sink it--too hard. It was sunk by drilling holes rather than by caving in at the waterline.

Constellation

Constitution � Still in service

President � Captured by the British and reverse engineered to solve their hogging problems. Broken up in 1817

Congress � Visited China, broken up 1836

Chesapeake � Captured by the British, broken up after reverse engineering and broken up between 1817 and 1820.

TEll me a bit more about the ship in Boston harbor.

Ahem. Correction

In my attempt to be obscure I botched the Boston harbor portion of today�s trivia. The ship I�m looking for a �secret� about is the Constellation NOT the Constitution. The Constitution is, of course in Charleston, MA. Not far from the Constellation wharf. The Constellation ship however is in Baltimore.

As I checked out the Constellation information I find that the �Secret� is by now well known. But I�ll let a few hours pass to follow up.

Re: Ahem. Correction

Yes, 1836 is a lot more recent than 1797.

Fred Nelson

Not related to any British Admirals.

Vikings, on the other hand . . .

Final answer

Frederick I believe has his dates a little off as I have the current Constellation as launched 26 August, 1854. Nevertheless his answer is the secret.

The �secret� for which I was searching. The Constellation is not the original Constellation from the original six. It turns out the original (which Baltimore�s current resident was once thought to be�until the current Constellation was restored in the late 1990�s) was broken up in 1853. The current Constellation is actually a new ship, (perhaps using some of the originals wooden parts) the last full fledged fighting sailing ship of the U.S., but it was built in Norfolk and commissioned two years AFTER the original Constellation was broken up, also in Norfolk.

The people in Baltimore used to say the current Constellation was original but after the 1997 refurbishment now tell tourists when it was built, and that it is a sloop not a frigate. Still, the romance of the original ship still hangs on even though it is not one the originals. Not many visitors leave the ship with it in their mind it is not one of the original six in spite of what they have been told..

If you think that firepower in these days of one shot many killed is bad, think about enduring 1200 cannon rounds aboard a splintering ship. This is from Toll�s book�a five hour battle, including two boardings- �Despite a lighter broadside Captain Pitot of the La Vengeance accounted that she had fired 742 rounds in the engagement while Captain Truxtun of the Constellation reported 1,229 rounds expended. Constellation's rigging and spars were so damaged she dare not try to sail upwind and so went to port in Jamaica. Unable to complete a refit she limped home on a jury rig.� Toll, Ian W. (2006) Six Frigates: The Epic History of the Founding of The U.S. Navy. New York: W.W. Norton. (from Wiki)