First USS Pennsylvania - 1837
dwelsh46
1837, was the largest sailing ship ever built for the US Navy , rated at 120
guns and actually carrying 136 guns on 4 decks on a displacement of 3241
tons. Samuel Humphreys, her builder, consulted the plans for successful
first class liners including Santissima Trinidad and Victory. Images of the
ship are available here:
http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/sh-usn/usnsh-p/penna.htm. Images of
models of the ship are available here:
http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/sh-usn/usnsh-p/penna-m.htm
Pennsylvania shifted from her launching site to off Chester, Pennsylvania,
29 November 1837 and was partially manned there the following day. Only 34
of her guns were noted as having been mounted 3 December 1837. She stood
downriver for Newcastle, Delaware, 9 December, to receive gun carriages and
other equippage before proceeding to the Norfolk Navy Yard for coppering her
hull. She departed Newcastle 20 December 1837 and discharged the Delaware
pilot on the 25th. That afternoon she sailed for the Virginia Capes. She
came off the Norfolk dry dock 2 January 1838. That day her crew transferred
to Columbia.
Pennsylvania remained in ordinary until 1842 when she became a receiving
ship for the Norfolk Navy Yard. She remained in the yard until 20 April 1861
when she was burned to the waterline to prevent her falling into Confederate
hands.
The long delay between the authorization of this ship in 1816 and her
eventual completion 21 years later meant that Pennsylvania was obsolescent
when first entering service. That and her high operating cost in a period of
naval economy and retrenchment prevented the ship ever being recommissioned
although she was long thought of as the fleet flagship in the event of a war
that never came. According to Chapelle, Pennsylvania was not regarded as a
handy ship but carried her canvas well and showed a good turn of speed in a
strong breeze.
Pennsylvania's design was based upon the premise that US Navy ships should
be individually superior to any vessel of the same rate in foreign navies.
This may well have been achieved in the case of USS Ohio.
Question to the group: was Pennsylvania a successful design? If completed
more promptly, how would this ship have done in a single ship action against
the best Royal Navy first rate during the 1820s?
Dave Welsh
dwel...@cox.net
ken...@cix.compulink.co.uk
(dwelsh46) wrote:
> how would this ship have done in a single ship action against
> the best Royal Navy first rate during the 1820s?
The problem here is that, first the situation is hardly likely to
occur. The RN used first rates exclusively for flagships, they never
operated alone, second there is no easy way to predict the results of
any battle of the period. Certainly not just by comparing gun power. A
lot would depend on crew skill and which ship had the best sailing
ability under prevailing conditions.
The date is also important. British ships increased markedly in size
for a given rate after the Napoleonic wars and the introduction of
diagonal riders.
Ken Young
ken...@cix.co.uk
Those who cover themselves with martial glory
frequently go in need of any other garment. (Bramah)
William Hamblen
wrote:
> The problem here is that, first the situation is hardly likely to
>occur. The RN used first rates exclusively for flagships, they never
>operated alone, second there is no easy way to predict the results of
>any battle of the period. Certainly not just by comparing gun power. A
>lot would depend on crew skill and which ship had the best sailing
>ability under prevailing conditions.
The major problem the USN had with the Pennsylvania (and other liners)
was the large crew required. The Navy did not have an abundance of
personnel in normal times and the country was better served keeping
the smaller ships in comission.