The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-26

the first stops taken toward the organisation Oh
o national navy we're due to the necessity OF OBJ
tanning supplies Of munitions Of war, ana
especially OF gunpowder. Of which there was q
great lack in the colonies. The quick method
Of obtaining such supplies was to cat ture them
from tho enemy. The earliest reference to this
expedient for getting gunpowder In the reports
Of the doings OF the Continental Congress is to
be found fin the minutes for Thursday. Oct. D.
1875. 1t was then resolved to inform Gen.
Washington that two briggs loaded with
powder and other stores for Quebec had
been sent from England without convoy.
and he was requested to apply to the
authorities of Massachusetts Bay for the
two armed vessels in their service. and to send
them "at the expense OF the Continent" after
the British. On Oct. 13 It was provided that "a
swift vessel TO carry ten carriage guns and n
proportional number OF swivels. with eighty mon.
be fitted out with all possible despatch for n
cruise Of three months" Seventeen days later
1t was resolved that n second vessel should DO
fitted out to carry fourteen guns and a proper.
tlonate number of swivels and men. while two
other ships. ono to carry not more than
twenty guns and the other not moro than
thirty six. were to be chartered for the
same purpose. namely, to cruise east-
ward and intercept the British storeships.
Properly speaking. these resolutions did
not provide for an American navy; they simply
furnished temporary means for obtaining sup
plies. 1t was not until Nov. %. 1878, that the
Congress determined to create a navy, and to
Issue commissions not only for tho Captains Of
Colonial cruisers, but for tho commanders of
privateers as well. Even now these commits
bioned officers were not authorized to prey upon
British m at discretion, but were pei
United simply to attack armed British vessels
and transports in the same service. Three
days later the minutes contain the first
adopted Rules for the regulation of the
Navy of the United Colonies" On Dec. IL
the Congress ordered a committee to be ap-
pointed to dcvise ways and means for furnish
ing the Colonies with n naval armament.
In two days tho committee reported in favor
Of building five ships of thirty.two guns, five Of
twenty eight guns, three OF twenty-four guns.
making in the whole thirteen. Meanwhile the
Marine Committee Of Congress. appointed to 1T
out vessels TO cruise eastward after the Kings
Transports, had purchased two merchant ships
which they renamed Alfred and Columbus.
and supplied with twenty nine-pounders each;
three briggs carrying from twelve to fourteen
four-pounders. a sloop of ten guns. and two
eightgun schooners. On Dec. %, 1775, Con-
Rress confirmed the appointment Of the officers,
and on the same day. apparently, Commodore
Esek Hopkins, the naval Commander i'm Chief,
hoisted his pcnnon on board the Alfred, and
spread to the breeze the first American naval
ensign. which was n flag OF thirteen stripes,
alternately red and white, with tho British jack
In the field.
The naval career of Commodore Esek Hopkins
lasted for a year and ten days. 1t by no means
brought him glory at the time. but Mr.. Spears
thinks that II circumstances are considered 1t
was not discreditable. He had but eight vessels.
of which only two were ships. the others being
brlgs or smaller craft; moreover, all were built
for merchantmen. All told. this squadron
mounted just ia guns, of which the largest were
cannons that could throw n round ~cast.iron ball
weighing nine pounds. Even of these there were
lesa than fifty. Such was the force which
put TO sea to make war against a navy OF
112 ships, carrying STA guns. whereof
no fewer than seventy-eight ships, carrying
2.O79 guns, were either already on the Ameri-
can coast or under orders to go there. A com.
parison. however. of the number of guns, ia
against 2, 07s. conveys but n faint idea of the
glRring inferlority OF the American sea power
for while the best of the American guns were
but 9-pounders. at least a fourth Of the guns o.
the British ships. or say 800, were ls.poundcr.
or heavier. In the matter OF experience and train
ing the American crews were but little bette
than their ships and guns. Tho Yankee yes
sells were manned, for the greater part, by
seasick landsmen, and short-handed at that
What Hopkins did. nevertheless. was t
capture New Providence, in the Bahamas
in March, l776. where 100 cannon and
large quantity Of stores fell into his hands
which he succeeded in bringing into New Lor
don after u fight of the east end of Long Island
in which a single British sloop of war, the Glas
gov. successfully commended against the Who'll
American fleet. The popular Indignation at tn
escape of the Glasgow practically put an end t
the career OF Commodore Hopkins, although h
was not dismissed from the service until Jan. .
1777. The title of Commander in Chief, ir
tended to rank him with Washington, tho Con
mander-in-Chie Of the army, was never agai
conferred on an American naval man.
We cannot here recapitulate the exploits PEI
formed by Capt. Nicholas Biddle, Capt. Elish
Human. Capt. Abraham Whipple, Capt. Charlie
Alexander and others during the year 1915.
must suffice to say that during tho year name
the Yankees captured 342 vessels, of whic
forty-two were recaptured, eighteen release
and five burned. How valuable these priz,
were to the struggling colonists will be Apr
ciated whom we recall that at this time the Anne
lean levies were wholly dependent on foreig
sources for both powder and guns. There WI
no factory for making even muskets, and ind
vidual gEnsmiths could do but little toward pr
viding an army. There was. however, no sort
military supplies that was not forthcoming, O,
ing to the captures made by the Yankee vessel
We would pass over, however, without pa
ticular mention the battle on Lake Champla,
between Sir Guy Cartoons feet and tn
commanded by Benedict Arnold. which toe
place on Oct. IL, 1870. Cartoons pu
pose was, after clearing Lake Champlai
OF American vessels. to capture the for
resses at Crown Point and TIconderogl
and then push southwark to Albany. which tn,
was much more feebly defended than 1t W
to be u year later. The disproportion Of nav
strength in this engagement was considerab
1t Is true that the American vessels mount,
siRhty-eight guns to tho eighty.nine OF d
British fleet, but the cannon were inferi
in weight OF metal. the largest being eightee
FOUNDERS, as against the British twenty.for
Founders. Moreover, the Americans had b
700 nen. most Of them farmers. On the 9th
hand, oarleton's fleet was manned by a thousal
meh. including $40 picked seamen from /
British warships in the st. Lawrence. besid
the soldiers detailed for the expedition.
In the engagement, which lasted nearly
aAJ. TIVE OF the British G~unboats were sunk q