The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-06-03
THE FRIGATE CUMBERLAND

Was launched from the Navy Yard at Charlesown
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 to crafty their curiosity The lofts Of the
slip Tor house) under which the Cumberland was
built, were crowded with ladies and gentlemen, ex-
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 Oh
the snip, was crowded; and along the shore nearly
two hundred mall craft-ncluding pleasure yachts,
sbps' boats &c. darkened the face of the waters. -
Among them loomed conspicuously the handsome
brig Apprentice with royal yards across, and cbthed
from the trucks to the MEETINGS with bunting Capt
Eyrie of the Acadia, and some OF his officer, were
present in handsome eght-oared cutter, the crew
of which were dressed in black hats with acadia"
on the bands blue frocks and white trowsers Boats
from the Ohio and Independence were also present,
in regular ''man-o-war trim.
Attwenty -four minutes past eleven, the preliminary
preparations being completed, Mr. Barker thu Naval
Constructor, gave the word-the connecting plank
was sawed of-the band struck up .OH she goes
and uprighty and smoothly the beautiful Cumberland
merged into the bosom of the deep, gently ripping
the waters into wilderness as she glided along. On
clearing the Slip, the stars were uniurled from flag
staff the sprow and the stripes and stars waved
gracefully frvin tho etern-.
So swiftly and smoothly did she glide along, tina,
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-
dciously arranged, there was only occasion to use
one of them. No accident occurred, excepting
small splinter being knocked off the cheeks of the
bowsprt in consequence OF coming in contact with
some of the fixtures in the interior of the slip.
From beginning to end, never was a launch more
beautiful or one that afforded more universal salts
faction to the spectators II is needless to state tina
the air rang with cheering on the occasion, as tina
was TO be expected as matter of course. There
was no firing Of cannon, however, or other warkt
demonstration 'a 4.."
The Cumberland displays a broadside of sixteer
ports on her main deck, and fifteen on the upper
deck exclusive oi four ports in the stern eacl
deck. She is what is called double banked
frgaten Her stern is circular, which is considered
great advantage, not only on 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
leries which at distance, either broadsde 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 we'll
billet head is her only ornament in the shape o.
carved work her stern is justas smooth and substan
tial as her sides Taken as a whole, even withou
the advantage OF being rugged and trimmed, she has
noble appearance.
| The race Independence will, in the course of
few days, enter the dry dock to be coppered After
she is taken out, the Cumberland will enter the docl
for the same purpose, and Immediately afterwards
will be masted and got ready for
She was commenced some fifteen or sixteen year,
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 the stocks no part of her appeared to have
| suffered the slightest decay.
| Many people suppose that she is the only rounc
cd lof lie is an IA.
English French and Russians have several vessels il
their respective naves with round sterns, PARTICULAR,
Il English, who have many vessels of this descrip
ton, from ''ten gun pelter" to first rate The
Asia "a, the flag ship of Sir E. Coddington, at Nava
rno, had round stern. Our officers who have beer
up the Mediterranean, have doubtless many yes
sells of this build However, the Cumberland fol
beauty and strength will compare favorably with tn,
best of them, and when manned and melted, will, ne
doubt, be as good ''fre eater.'