The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1842-06-04
THE FRIGATE CUMBERLAND

Was launched from the Navy Yard at Charlestown,
on Tuesday last We are indebted to the Boston
Post for the following particulars:
About ten o'clock the gates of the Navy Yard
were thrown open, and every facility afforded our
citizens crafty their curiosity The lofts of the
slip Cor house) under which the Cumberland was
built, were crowded with ladies and gentlemen,
cept that at the upper end, which was occupied by
the band of the Ohio, who occasionally made the
"rafters ring' with peals of martial harmony. Out
side every eminence that could command view of
the siip was crowded; and along the shore nearly
two hundred small craft-ncludng pleasure yachts,
ships' boats &c., darkened the face of the waters
Among them doomed conspicuousIy the handsome
brig Apprentice with royal yards across and clothed
from the trucks to the MEETINGS with bunting Capt
Eyrie of the Acadia, and some Of his officers were
present in handsome eight-oared cutter, the crew
of which were dressed in black hats, with Acadia
on the bands blue rocks, and white trowsers Boats
from the Ohio and Independence were also present,
in regular sman-O-War trim"
Attwenty- -four minutes past eleven, the preliminary
preparations being completed, Mr.. Barker, the Naval
Constructor, gave the word-the connecting plank
was sawed of-the band struck up 'sOf she goes'-
and uprghtly and smoothly the beautiful Cumberland
merged into the bosom of the deep, gently ripping
the waters into whiteness she gded along. On
clearing the slip, the stars were unfured from flag
staff on the "prow" and the stripes and stars waved
gracefully from the stern.
So swiftly and smoothly did she glide along that
she was almost in the middle of the stream III few
seconds, where she was brought up by stream an
Choir and check warp made fast ashore She had
two stream cables bent, but every thing so u-
! diciousy arranged, there only occasion to use
one of them. No accident occurred excepting a
small splinter being knocked off the cheeks Of the
bowsprit in consequence of coming in contact with
some of the fixtures in the interior of the slip.
From beginning to end, never was launch more
beautiful or one that afforded more universal salts
faction to the spectators 1t is needless to state that
the air rang with cheering the OCCASION as that
was TO be expected as matter Of course. There
was no firing Of cannon, however, other warlike
| demonstration.
The Cumberland displays broadside of sixteen
| ports on her main deck, and fifteen on the upper
deck exclusive of four ports in the stern on each
deck. She is what is called double banked
frigate.n Her stern is circular, which is considered
great advantage, not only account of strength
but also for the facility of bringing guns to bear from
an angle which could not be done from vessel with
| a square stern. She has, however two quarter gal
eries which at distance either broadside or end on
will give her the appearance of having square stern
She is remarkably sharp forward, and clean aft
and her bottom throughout indicates that she will
sail well.
A billet head is her only ornament in the shape OF
carved work her stern just as smooth and substan
tial as her sides. Taken as whole, even without
the advantage of being rugged and trimmed she has
| noble appearance
The razee Independence will, in the course of a
few days, enter the dry dock to be coppered After
she is taken out the Cumberland will enter the dock
for the same purpose, and Immediately afterwards
will be masted and got ready for sea.
She was commenced some ffteer or sixteen years
since and remained on the stocks, partly finished un
til January last, when order received TO COM
plete and get her ready for launching Although Sc
long on the stocks part of her appeared to have
suffered the slightest decay.
Many people suppose that she is The only round
sterned vessel Of war ahoat This is an error. The
English French, and Russians have several vessels in
their respective nayies with round sterns particularly
Il English, who have many vessels of this descrp-
tion from ''ten gun pelter'' to first rate. The
Asia "a, the flag ship of Sir Z. Coddingon, at Nava-
rino, had round stern. Our officers who have been
up the Mediterranean have doubtless seen many YES
sells of this build. However, the Cumberland, fol-
best of them, and, when manned and melted, WILL nc
doubt, be as good ss6re eater.''