134 Naval War of 1812 



actual weight the shot thrown by one of the main- 

 deck guns of the defeated Forte was over six pounds 

 heavier than the shot thrown by one of the main- 

 deck guns of the victorious Constitution or United 

 States* 4 



There are later examples than this. But a very 

 few years before the declaration of war by the 

 United States, and in the same struggle that was 

 then still raging, there had been at least two victo 

 ries gained by English frigates over French foes 

 as superior to themselves as the American 44/5 were 

 to the British ships they captured. On Aug. 10, 1805, 

 the Phoenix, 36, captured the Didon, 40, after 3% 

 hours' fighting, the comparative broadside force 

 being : 35 



PHCENIX DIDON 



13X18 14X18 



2X 9 2X 8 



6X32 7X36 



21 guns, 444 Ibs. 23 guns, 522 Ibs. 



(nominal; about 

 600, real) 



On March 8, 1808, the San Plorenzo, 36, captured 

 the Piedniontaise , 40, the force being exactly what 

 it was in the case of the Phoenix and Didon. 3 * 

 Comparing the real, not the nominal, weight of 

 metal, we find that the Didon and Piedmontaise 

 were proportionately of greater force compared to 

 the Phoenix and San Plorenzo, than the Constitu 

 tion was compared to the Guerriere or Java. The 



^.See Appendix B, for actual weight of French shot. 



35 Ibid, iii, 425. 



36 "Batailles Na vales de la France," iii, 199. 



