1825 At sea. 1826 | In ordinary at Norfolk. 1827 In commission (West Indies). 1828 On the coast of Brazil. 1828 In commission (West Indies). ditto. 20 Washington 1828 Ditto ditto. 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 litle inferior to a 36-gun frigate in scantling, and are much too powerful for 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 per fect as some of the line-of-battle ships.* The Ohio is as far as I am a judge, the perfection of * The following are the dimensions given me of the ship of the line Pennsylvania: 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. Her mainmast from the step to the truck 278 59 23 51 Main-topsail contains 1,531 yards. The number of yards of canvas for one suit of sails is 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 is 18,341, and for bags, hammocks, boat-sails, awnings, &c., 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 : |