88 Naval War of 1812 



1815, when the Constitution had but 52 guns. The 

 Endymion then had an armament of 28 long 24*5, 2 

 long i8's, and 20 32-pound carronades, making a 

 broadside of 674 pounds, 29 or including a shifting 

 24-pound carronade, of 698 pounds just six 

 pounds, or i per cent, less than the force of that 

 "disguised line-of-battle ship" the Constitution! 

 As the Endymion only rated as a 40, and the Con 

 stitution as a 44, it was in reality the former and not 

 the latter which was underrated. I have taken the 

 Constitution, because the British had more to do 

 with her than they did with our other two 44*3 taken 

 together. The latter were both of heavier metal than 

 the Constitution, carrying 42-pound carronades. In 

 1812 the United States carried her full 54 guns, 

 throwing a broadside of 846 pounds; when cap 

 tured, the President carried 53, having substituted 

 a 24-pound carronade for two of her 42's, and her 

 broadside amounted to 828 pounds, or 16 per cent 

 nominal, and, on account of the short weight of her 

 shot, 9 per cent real excess over the Endymion. If 

 this difference made her a line-of-battle ship, then 

 the Endymion was doubly a line-of-battle ship com 

 pared to the Congress or Constellation. Moreover, 

 the American commanders found their 42-pound 

 carronades too heavy; as I have said the Constitu 

 tion only mounted 32*5, and the United States land 

 ed 6 of her guns. When, in 1813, she attempted to 

 break the blockade,- she carried but 48 guns, throw- 



29 According to James 664 pounds; he omits the chase guns 

 for no reason. 



