The Coolidge examiner., 1935-10-18

Unable 10 continue 90 this comsBittee and bis
pbrcs. WAS -FaAcs hys-hrsstopher Gadsden.
For on November > congress placed Sio00oo
az their disposal and with ghis amount thgy went
about the purchase ~ ships and supplies. When
London packet called the Black Prince. CON
mauded By Capt. John Harry. came into port the
committee considered this vessel worthy OF be-
coming the flagship of the navy that was about
20 be created. and purchased H. The Black
Prince Was renamed the Alfred. Tor King Alfred
the Great. and given an armament OF - nine
Founders and four four FOUNDERS. They also
purchased another merchapi ship the Sally. re-
named II the Columbus and mounted IS nine.
Founders on It's deck.
Next they bought three brigs watch we're
named the Andrea porla. for the famous Gcno-
ese sailor. the C4bot Tor the discoyerer Of CONT
mental America. and.fhe Providence for the town
In which IL was purchased and because that
town WAS. according 20 John Adams "the resi-
dence of Governor Hopkins "a member OF the
naval csmmlttee) and his brother. Esek whom
We appointed the first Captain" tThe Andrea
DorIa and the Cabot were armed with IL four.
Founders each aud the Providence with Il guns
-sixes and fOurs Next the cOpmIttee purchased
Ia Baltimore lOguu sloop named the Hornet
and an eiShtgsa scheaner pamed the Wasp
Another eightgun schooner. the Fly. completed
the list OF ships
on November . the hrsi Rules for the Regu.
latIon OF the Navy OF the United Colonies" were
adop,ed-ihe first time that the term Navy Of
the United cplones" appeared ln the minutes Of
congress ON December It decreed that British
merchant ships. even when engaged In traffic
other than that OF transporting supplies 10 the
enemy's military or naval stations. might be
seized and 'held until further order OF this Con
gress."
Six days later congress ordered that a com
miitee be appointed TO devise ways and means
for furnishing these colonies with naval arma-
ment. Within two days this committee. acting
with unusual speed. had brought In its report.
which was read. debated and adopted Under
It's provisions the colonies were 10 build "hve
ships OF % guns i've OF IS guns. three OF -
guns. making In the whole thirteen"
While this ambitious construction program
was under way. the naval committee which. as
we have already seen had purchased and armed
nine ships. was getting ready to challenge the
supremacy OF the Mistress OF the Seas" Con
gress had voted 10000 In Continental currency
for the committees use and on December 10 1t
passed resolution that the Committee OF Safety
OF Pennsylvania shall be requested 10 supply the
armed vessels which nearly ready to sail,
with four tons OF gunpowder at the Continental
expense and that the said committee be request
ed 10 procure and lend the said vessels IL many
stands OF small arnls as they can spare. not ex-
ceeding 400"
Friday, December -, 1775, was a memorable
date In American naval history. for on that date
congress issued the legal warrant upon which
our navy was founded. This was done In a set
OF resolutions confirming the appointment Of Of
hcers to command the war feet These resolu-
tions read as follows:
The committee appointed to ft out armed YES
sells laid before congress list OF officers by them
appointed agreeable 10 me powers TO them given
by Congress, viz: "Esek Hopkins esq. com
mander In chief OF the feet; Dudley Saltonstall.
Captain OF the Alfred; Abraham WhIpple. Cap
tain of the Columbus: Nicholas Biddle, Captain
o. the Andrea Doria John Burrow Hopkins,
Captain of the Cabot First lieutenants-John
Paul Jones. Rhodes Arnold. Stansbury
Hoysted Hacker. Jonathan Pitcher Second lieu
tenants-Benjamin Seabury, Joseph olney. Elisha
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