SOME UNPUBLISHED FACTS ABOUT THEIR CONSTRUCTION. 141 



and the letter-book contains an interesting list of dimensions of over sixty French 

 and English vessels, both warships and Indiamen. Mr. Humphreys constructed a 

 model of a proposed frigate of 147-foot keel and 42-foot beam and General Knox 

 appears to have asked the opinions of several gentlemen on the sailing and fighting 

 qualities of such a ship. 



On June 21 Joshua Humphreys was directed to erect a temporary building for 

 the making of molds. On June 25 it was determined that John Morgan should be 

 the principal constructor at Norfolk and Joshua Humphreys at Philadelphia. Henry 

 Jackson was appointed naval agent at Boston, John Blagge at New York, and Jere- 

 miah Yellot at Baltimore. Mr. Humphreys' compensation was placed at $2,000 per 

 annum, to date from the previous first of May "in consideration of his incessant 

 application to the public interest in adjusting the principles of the ship, drawing up 

 draughts and making models, etc." 



It was decided that the principal part of the material — timber, iron, cordage 

 and sail cloth would be procured in pursuance of a special arrangement through the 

 Secretary of the Treasury. The labor and all other materials would be procured by 

 the naval agent, who would receive a commission of 2^ per cent. The constructor 

 would be responsible for all technical details and the execution of the work would 

 be under a captain acting as superintendent. In addition to the previous appoint- 

 ments the following naval agents were chosen: William Pennock, at Norfolk; Gur- 

 ney and Smith, at Philadelphia, and John Langdon, for whom Jacob Sheaff e was 

 later substituted, at Portsmouth, N. H. From the latter location it is made clear 

 that it had been decided to build one of the 36-gun frigates at Portsmouth, N. H., in- 

 stead of at Charleston, S. C., as previously suggested. Also, the six captains who 

 had been appointed by the President were assigned as superintendents of construc- 

 tion as follows: John Barry, for the ship building at Philadelphia; Samuel Nichol- 

 son, at Boston; Silas Talbot, at New York; Richard Dale, at Norfolk; Thomas 

 Truxton, at Baltimore, and James Seaver, at Portsmouth, N. H. Early in August 

 Mr. David Stodder was appointed naval constructor at Baltimore. Mr. John Mor- 

 gan, who had been appointed naval constructor at Norfolk, was sent south to su- 

 perintend the cutting and preparation of the timber in Georgia. The choice of 

 George Claghorne to be naval constructor at New York, of James Hackett at Ports- 

 mouth, N. H., and of Foreman Cheeseman at Norfolk, and the appointment of 

 Isaiah Cox as naval agent at Philadelphia, completed the personnel of the new work. 



Meanwhile the detailed drawings and measurements were being rapidly pushed 

 by Joshua Humphreys, while Capt. Thomas Truxton was working on the spar and 

 sail plans. The drawings were completed by Joshua Humphreys before October i 

 and immediately questions arose as to the choice of certain materials. Humphreys 

 appears to have advocated the use of pine beams instead of oak. In this he was 

 supported by Captain Barry, and the Secretary of War after some hesitation decided 

 on pitch pine beams for the 44-gun frigate to be built in Philadelphia. Captain 

 Barry, however, journeyed to Georgia to inspect the standing live oak and as a result 

 of this visit it was decided that oak should be used for the flooring and rising tim- 



