SOME UNPUBLISHED FACTS ABOUT THEIR CONSTRUCTION. 



the riggers had nearly completed the rigging. "Unfortunately," writes the Secretary, 

 "all further progress was impeded by the contagious fever which attacked several of 

 the officers and crew that were on board ; several of the tradesmen employed in the 

 equipment were also from the same cause prevented from attending to their respec- 

 tive occupations until the latter end of October, when it was found to be too late 

 in the season to get the ship in complete drder to meet a winter at sea. The Constel- 

 lation was launched at Baltimore on the 7th of September and was anchored in the 

 Patapsco to receive on board her stores, officers and crews." 



The Secretary of War writes on September 10, 1797, to Naval Constructor 

 Claghorne at Boston : — 



"1 received your letter of the 4th instant yesterday informing me of the present 

 state of the frigate Constitution, and submitting the propriety of launching her 

 during the high tides of the present month, noticing at the same time that the work 

 which must be done after getting her into the water could be cheapest performed 

 while on the stocks. If in your opinion it would be unsafe to trust to the tides in 

 October I very readily agree to her being launched in this month ; but if we may 

 venture the delay until October and it would be a saving in point of expense I should 

 prefer it, especially as it does not appear to me that anything could be gained by a 

 premature launch to counterbalance the expense." 



Accordingly the Constitution was launched at Boston on the 21st of October and 

 was reported in December as ready for service early in the ensuing spring. 



The following letter from Naval Constructor Claghorne to the Secretary of 

 War gives a brief account of the previous attempts to launch the Constitution: — 



"Having before stated to you my intention of launching the frigate Constitution 

 on the 20th instant (September, 1797), the necessary preparations were made to 

 that end, and at the time appointed all blocks and shores were removed with full 

 expectation of her moving gently into the water. She, however, did not start until 

 screws and other machinery had been applied; and then she moved only about 27 

 feet. * * *. I found that the part of the ways which had not before received any 

 of the weight had settled about half an inch * * *. The next day after due prepa- 

 ration the ship was raised two inches * * *. Her bilge ways were then taken out 

 and the apparent defects removed. All things being in order a second attempt was 

 made on the 22d instant and upon the removal of her supports she moved freely for 

 about 31 feet and then stopped * * *. On examining the ways erected on the 

 new wharf I found they had both settled abaft about i^ of an inch; which circum- 

 stance, as it could not have been foreseen, the descent of the ways was not calcu- 

 lated to overcome * * * j ^^j^ fully confident that the next trial on the high tides 

 in October will be attended with success." 



