78 



Amount brought over $75,473 59 



[The foregoing is the cost of the Essex, with one complete 

 Buit of sails and copper fastened, but not coppered — the 

 expense of putting on the copper included in the foregoing.] 

 Amount of ordinance, military stores and ) ^^o-. qq,-, ^^ 

 kentledge j ' '^ ''^ 



Amount of ship's stores 12,709 19 



" of provisions 12,304 52 



Slop clothing 3,867 79 



Hospital stores 1,526 20 



62,401 46 



Sundries, for extra suit of sails, spars, anchors, &c 16,812 72 



Total Cost !8>154,687 77 



The following prices of labor and materials, are also men- 

 tioned in the above paper : — Common laborers, $1 ; joiners, 

 $1.25; carpenters, $1.50; cordage, $12 25 to $12.50 per 

 cwt ; hemp, $215 to $220 per ton ; duck, heavy, $18 to $20 ; 

 do. light, $10 to $12 ; sailmaker, $3 per bolt. 



It was expected at one time that the command of the Essex 

 would be taken bj Capt. Richard Derbj, but he did not arrive 

 home from Europe in season. The command was also oifercd 

 to Capt. Joseph Waters, the agent of the subscribers, (by the 

 Secretary of the Navy, Benja. Stoddart,) but he declined it on 

 account of domestic duties requiring his presence with his 

 family. The appointment was then conferred upon Capt. 

 Edward Preble, of Portland. 



In November, 1799, a rendezvous was opened and a crew 

 enlisted for the frigate. Capt. Waters made "uncommon 

 exertions," of which " Capt. Preble spoke in the strongest 

 terms," to prepare her speedily for sea. She was ready in a 

 few weeks. 



On Sunday morning, Dec. 22, she sailed from our harbor, 

 with flowing sheets and a favoring gale, walking the waters 

 like a thing of life. As she passed out she fired a salute, 

 which was returned from Fort Pickering. Her chief ofi&cers 

 were as follows : 



Captain, Edward Preble, of Portland ; 1st Lieutenant, R. P. 

 Beale, of Castine, Me.; 2d Lieut., Mr. Hicks, of Rhode Is- 

 land ; Sd Lieut, George Gardner Lee, of Salem; Captain's 

 Clerk, Samuel Curwen Ward, of Salem; father of George. A. 

 Ward, of New- York, the historian ; Gunner, Samuel Masury. 



She went at first to Newport, where she joined the frigate 

 Congress, and, Jan. 6, 1800, both vessels sailed for Batavia, to 

 convoy home a fleet of merchantmen. When six days out, the 

 Congress was dismasted, and the Essex proceeded alone. She 

 was, on this voyage, the first American vessel-of-war to double 

 the Cape of Good Hope and enter the Indian seas. 



