92 Naval War of 1812 



seeming ashamed to confess that it existed. In real 

 ity it was something to be proud of. It was highly 

 to the credit of the United States that her frigates 

 were of better make and armament than any others ; 

 it always speaks well for a nation's energy and ca 

 pacity that any of her implements of warfare are of 

 a superior kind. This is a perfectly legitimate rea 

 son for pride. 



It spoke well for the Prussians in 1866 that they 

 opposed breech-loaders to the muzzle-loaders of the 

 Austrians ; but it would be folly to give all the credit 

 of the victory to the breech-loaders and none to 

 Moltke and his lieutenants. Thus, it must be re 

 membered that two things contributed to our vic 

 tories. One was the excellent make and armament 

 of our ships ; the other was the skilful seamanship, 

 excellent discipline, and superb gunnery of the men 

 who were in them. British writers are apt only to 

 speak of the first, and Americans only of the last, 

 whereas both should be taken into consideration. 



To sum up: the American 44-gun frigate was a 

 true frigate, in build and armament, properly rated, 

 stronger than a 38-gun frigate just about in the 

 proportion of 44 to 38, and not exceeding in 

 strength an i8-pounder frigate as much as the latter 

 exceeded one carrying 12-pounders. They were in 

 no way whatever line-of -battle ships ; but they were 

 superior to any other frigates afloat, and, what is 

 still more important, they were better manned and 

 commanded than the average frigate of any other 

 navy. Lord Codrington says ("Memoirs," I, p. 



