uss frolick

I do have the NMM draughts of the lovely Hermes, 20 guns, built in 1810 from the draught of the ex-French Bonne Citoyenne (spelling). She is flush decked, but has Maturin's 'subsidiary, posterior platform', or poop. Her tiller is on the gun deck too, like the Cruisers. The numerous 20-gun Levant Class of 1812, which were fir built Hermes's, did not have them.

Reindeer and Frolic both had the fore platforms, as mention is specifically made of them having had their 12-pounder launch carronades mounted on them during their famous actions.

I would say that a battery of long guns on the above Cruiser model is just wrong. The model maker didn't have carronades. Quarter boats did not appear on ship-rigged sloops-of-war until the 1820s, let alone brigs, and I suspect the same applies to the aft platform. I read a letter dated October, 1812, written by Captain Jacob Jones, USN, commander of the first US Sloop-of-War Wasp, warning that only British Frigates and Ships of the Line carried quarter-boats, so if one sees quarter boats on an approaching foe, it's best to make a run for it. Dr. Maturin referred to an East Indiaman's poop deck in Patrick O'Brian's "The Mauritius Command" as a "subsidiary posterior deck, or platform "

It just occurred to me that maybe you were talking about the "top-gallant forecastle" deck above the forecastle, and the "poop deck" above the quarterdeck? The Cruisers Brigs had the former, but not the latter. Man of war brigs rarely, if ever, sported poop decks after the American Revolutionary period.

Hi Joe, I just looked at the inboard profile of the Snake, and I see a full berth deck, not fore and aft platforms. By definition, all brig-rigged sloops of war had a full deck below the gundeck. If a brig was equipped with only platforms, then she was termed a "gun brig". HMS Boxer, which fought the USS Enterprize in 1813, was a gun brig. The numerous Cruisers were very large for brigs, at nearly 400-tons, so there was room and displacement aplenty to allow a full berth deck as befitting a proper British Man of War. Perhaps you were looking at the smaller, 12-gun, 235-ton Cherokee/Cadmus/Rolla Class, of which Boxer was one of the hundred or so of the "Coffin Brigs" built. But even some of them were fitted with berth decks.

Mark, it looks like you got La Venus.

I have only the 1793-1817 volume, and while it's good, it's not great. Rif Winfield's drawings take the place of original draughts in most cases, and they are too small to be useful. David Lyon's 'The Sailing Navy List' is much better.

If you look at the Hackett draught, you will notice a second capstan, called a 'fore-jeer capstan" just aft the fore mast. I must admit that I'm not sure exactly why it was needed when there was a perfectly good double captan just a few steps aft. But it was always placed on an open deck on English ships, and I once read that it was used to haul heavy bits aloft. Its' presence is evidence that the Essex wore only a traditional, narrow removable gangways when launched, not the wide spar deck gang ways shown in the PDF above. We do know that she received a built-up modern gangways in 1809, i.e. a flush spar deck, when Josiah Fox relaunched her. And she did not have a spar deck as late as 1807 when measurements taken off that year referred to a separate forecastle and quarterdeck. When she finally did receive her wide gangways, they were flush with the quarterdeck and forecastle, not stepped down as Portia Takakjian drew them. In 1799, her narrow gangways were stepped down - just as the Frigate Hancock's or Raleigh's would have been. When she finally gained her flush modern spar deck, as Naval Architect William Baker noted to have been "some time after 1807", she also lost her sweet decorative scroll at the break of the quarterdeck. She would have lost her fore jeer capstan as well. Her top timbers amidships would have had to have been raised, in order to support a spar deck clamp. So that must rule out any modifications earlier than 1809. Common sense would dictate that a step down permanently-fixed wide gangways would serve no purpose, other than to inhibit rolling the chase guns fore and aft. The fore jeer capstan was a very old fashioned piece of equipment, like a lateen rigged mizen mast was, but the Essex was considered a old school ship belonging to a previous generation. And PCF Smith theorized in his TFEP that she had been built to the model of the old 1778 Continental Frigate Alliance of the Revolution, as William Hackett had built them both. We'll never know because no plans survive of the Alliance. But I digress ...

What a fun project! Off to Desolation Island we go in "The Horrible Old Leopard"! The main visual problem with Hahn's works was that he skimped on the timber frame thickness. I guess he wanted to make his Boxwood supply last.

I've never seen a kit so cleanly and precisely done. Fantastic job!

Let's not forget that Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin were aboard the Lively! ( ... At least in Patrick O'Brien's "Post Captain" they were.)

I have the NMM draughts of Medea, as fitted out as Cochrane's HMS Imperieuse. She is very beautiful. Her carvings (presumably her new British carvings) are drawn separately in half inch scale. They are IMHO too intricate, with all their fine, swirling 'vine-ery' and 'rope-ery', to have been drawn in 1/4 inch scale. I suspect this is why the carvings had vanished from the plans at around this time.

That stern is an exact copy of Howard Chapelle's reconstruction, right down to the wreath thingy.

Herman Melville's "White Jacket" is the same thing. Before he wrote his famous sea novels, Melville shipped before the mast (in peacetime) on board the US Frigate United States in the Pacific and wrote a detailed account of it.

The fir built double banked frigate HMS Newcastle of 50-guns, c.1813, had all of her spar deck gun ports almost directly above her gun deck ports. Ditto, to a lesser extent, HMS Leander, 1813. The USS Constellation may have been rebuilt the same way in 1829, if one accurate Maltese painting is to be believed. I can't think of any others off hand either. One of Aeolus's junior lieutenants in 1811 was the later author, Frederick Marryat, although he transferred out before the great chase.

Hi Frank! She's really looking great. I love all the pikes around the main mast. The red background is distracting, however. Try a blue tablecloth next time if possible. You've done an excellent restoration job.

Are there any paintings of her sister frigates, Medusa or Aeolus? Did not Medusa also fight the Spanish Treasure Frigates in 1804 with Lively, etc? Are there realistic depictions of that action?

I understand that Harold Hahn wasn't trying to make his models as an example of actual framing practice, but I think he did err, at least visually, by making his frames too thin. On a real ship of war, the rules of "room and Space" dictated that here was always more wood than space all along the ship's frame. The opposite is true with all of Hahn's plans.

While you are building HMS Surprise, you will be allowed to talk like Preserved Killick. Example: Wife: "Honey, dinners ready! Put down your little boat." You: "Which I'm coming, ain't I? Bleedin' wife sez do this, do that, poor old Killick ... I'll trade her in for a new wench at the horse fair, see if I don't ... Er ... Nothing ... Coming Dear."

Thanks for the input, lads. Much more to come; just taking a break.

CAPS FOR SPONGES, LONG GUNS: Canvass before it is sewed together: Two and a half the diameter of the bore of the piece in length, and three and two-thirds the diameter of the bore of the piece in width. The piece for the bottom before it is rounded one and one quarter diameter the bore of the piece each way. To be made of No. 5 canvass, or near that number. The cap ought to be made so large that it will take a cartridge with ease. If in case the powder boy is missing, the second loader, or any other person belonging to the gun, may supply the gun with powder conveyed in the sponge cap from the scuttle to the gun. Caliber/ Length in Inches, Tenths / Width Inches, Tenths / Bottom Piece Square Inches, Tenths 42 Pdr, 17, 5 / 25, 6 / 8, 7 32 " 16, 0 / 23, 4 / 8, 0 24 " 14, 1 / 21, 2 / 7, 2 18 " 13, 2 / 19, 3 / 6, 6 12 " 11, 7 / 17, 1 / 5, 9 9 " 10, 5 / 15, 4 / 5, 5 6 " 9, 2 / 13, 5 / 4, 6" CROW BARS, LONG GUNS: For 42 and 32 pounders eight diameters on the bore of the piece in length. 24 pounders nine diameters 18 pounders, nine and a half diameters 12 pounders, ten diameters 9 pounders eleven diameters and for 6 pounders twelve and one half the diameter of the bore of the piece in length. One end with a claw and the back viced [?] up two diameters of the bore of the piece, the other end pointed with four squares. Caliber/ Length in Feet, Inches, Tenths of an inch 42 Pdr, 4, 11, 5 32 " 4, 6, 4 24 " 4, 4, 2 18 " 4, 2, 3 12 " 3, 11, 0 9 " 3, 10, 2 6 " 3, 9, 6 "

HANDLES OF MALLETS FOR TOMPIONS, LONG GUNS: "Two diameters of the bore of the piece in length. the diameter of the outer end is one fourth the diameter of the bore of the piece. The remaining part, one sixth. To be made of oak or hickory. Caliber/ Length in Inches, Tenths / Diameter, Inner part Inches, Tenths / Diameter, Outer part Inches, Tenths 42 Pdr, 1, 2 / 1, 7 / 14, 0 32 " 1, 1 / 1, 6 / 12, 8 24 " 1, 0 / 1, 4 / 11, 6 18 " 0, 9 / 1, 3 / 10, 6 12 " 0, 8 / 1, 2 / 9, 4 9 " 0 7 / 1, 0 / 8, 4 6 " 0, 6 / 0, 9 / 7, 4" MARLINE SUFFICIENT TO QUILT A STAND OF GRAPE: "Nineteen times the diameter of the bore of the piece in length. Caliber/ Length in Feet, Inches, Tenths of an inch 42 Pdr, 11, 1 , 0 32 " 10, 1, 6 24 " 9, 2, 2 18 " 8, 4, 7 12 " 7, 5, 3 9 " 6, 7, 8 6 " 5, 10 , 3 " PRIMING WIRES: "Two and a half the diameter of the bore of the piece in length from the back of the eye to the point and two tenths of an inch in diameter. To be made of drawn wires. The end which forms the eye to be welded to the others The point with four squares [The last statements make little sense as written ...] Caliber/ Length in Inches, Tenths of an inch / Diameter Inches, Tenths of an inch 42 Pdr, 17, 5 / 0, 2 32 " 16, 0 / 0, 2 24 " 14, 5 / 0, 2 18 " 13, 2 / 0, 2 12 " 11, 7 / 0, 2 9 " 10, 5/ 0, 2 6 " 9, 2 / 0, 2 "

MATCH TUBS, LONG GUNS: " Match Tubs, "Match Tubs: One and three fourths the diameter of the bore of the piece in height Two and one fifth the bore of the diameter of the piece is the diameter of the bottom One and three fourths the diameter of the bore of the piece is the diameter of the head. To be made of oak staves, the head and bottom of pine; 3 iron hoops; the head sunk in one inch, with three holes in it." Caliber/ Diameter of Head Inches, Tenths of an inch / Diameter Bottom Inches, Tenths / Height Inches, Tenths 42 Pdr, 12, 1 / 15, 4 / 12, 1 32 " 11, 2 / 14, 0 / 11, 2 24 " 10, 0 / 12, 7 / 10, 0 18 " 9, 2 / 11, 6 / 9, 2 12 " 8, 3 / 10, 3 / 8, 3 9 " 7, 2 / 9, 2 / 7, 2 6 " 6, 4 / 8, 1 / 6, 4 HEADS OF MALLETS FOR TOMPIONS, LONG GUNS: "Heads of mallets for tompions, The head four sevenths of the diameter of the bore of the piece in length, and one half the diameter of the bore of the piece in diameter. To be made of seasoned oak. Caliber/ Length in Inches, Tenths of an inch / Diameter Inches, Tenths of an inch 42 Pdr, 4, 0 / 3, 5 32 " 3, 6 / 3, 2 24 " 3, 2 / 2, 9 18 " 2, 9 / 2, 7 12 " 2, 5 / 2, 4 9 " 2, 4/ 2, 1 6 " 2, 1 / 1, 9

LADLE, BLOCK, LONG GUNS: "Gun furniture continued, Ladle, Blocks, The same length and diameter as the rammer heads, and scored so as to receive the thickness of copper, the length of half the caliber, at the end upon which the copper ladle is to be nailed. To be made of Oak. Caliber/ Length in Inches, Tenths of an inch / Diameter Inches, Tenths of an inch 42 Pdr, 10, 5 / 6, 8 32 " 9, 6 / 6, 2 24 " 8, 7 / 5, 6 18 " 7, 9 / 5, 1 12 " 7, 0 / 4, 5 9 " 6, 3/ 4, 0 6 " 5, 5 / 3, 5 COPPERS FOR LADLES, LONG GUNS: "Copper for Ladles, The copper for ladles, ought to be made, one ninth of an inch thick. It's length is three calibers. It's length, when unfolded, is two calibers. Caliber/ Length in Inches, Tenths of an inch / Diameter Inches, Tenths / Thickness tenths of an inch 42 Pdr, 21, 0 / 14, 0 / 1 32 " 19, 2 / 12, 8 / 1 24 " 17, 4 / 11, 6 / 1 18 " 15, 9 / 10, 6 / 1 12 " 14, 1 / 9, 4 / 1 9 " 12, 6 / 8, 4 / 1 6 " 11, 1 / 7, 4 / 1 STAFFS FOR LADLES, LONG GUNS: "Staffs for Ladles, Three diameters of the bore of the piece, longer than the bore of the piece, one fourth the diameter of the bore of the piece in diameter. To be made of Ashe Wood. [The author drew up a table, but never filled it in.]

I really am staring to think these may be out of exact order ... HANDSPIKES, LONG GUNS: [Duh. Carronades don't need handspikes, if you think about it ...] "handspikes, For 42 and 32 Pounders, ten diameters of the bore of the piece in length [For] 24 and 18 pounders, eleven diameters of the bore of the piece in length [For] 12, 9 and 6 pounders, twelve diameters of the bore of the piece in length They are to be made of seasoned Hickory The plates, one and two thirds the diameter of the bore of the piece in length, and on each side if required. Caliber/ Length in feet, Inches, Tenths of an inch 42 Pdr, 5, 10, 0 32 " 5, 4, 0 24 " 5, 3, 8 18 " 4, 10, 3 12 " 4, 8, 4 9 " 4, 2, 4 6 " 3, 8, 4 HOOKS AND THIMBLES FOR CHASE GUNS, LONG GUNS: [Again, duh. "Fire the chase carronades!"] "Hooks and thimbles for chase guns, One and one tenth the diameter of the bore of the piece, from the back of the hook to the eye. [And apparently as an afterthought] And sufficiently strong for their length. [i would hope so!] Caliber/ Length in Inches, Tenths of an inch 42 Pdr, 15, 0 32 " 13, 7 24 " 12, 4 18 " 11, 3 12 " 10, 1 9 " 9, 0 6 " 7, 9 HOOKS AND THIMBLES FOR TACKLES, LONG GUNS. "Hooks and thimbles for tackles One and one third the diameter of the bore of the piece, from the back of the hooks to the eyes. And sufficiently strong for their lengths. Caliber/ Length in Inches, Tenths of an inch 42 Pdr, 9, 5 32 " 8, 5 24 " 7, 7 18 " 7, 0 12 " 6, 2 9 " 5, 6 6 " 4, 9