The Naval War of 1812 (Volume 3); Or, the History of the United States Navy During the Last War With Great Britain, to Which Is Appended an Account of the Battle of New Orleans

Book may have numerous typos, missing text, images, or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1882. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... APPENDIX A. TONNAGE OF THE BRITISH AND AMERlCAN MEN-OF-WAR lN 1812-15. According to Act of Congress (quoted in "Miles' Register," iv, 64), the way of measuring double-decked or war-vessels was as follows: "Measure from fore-part of main stem to after-part of stern port, above the upper deck; take the breadth thereof at broadest part above the main wales, one half of which breadth shall be accounted the depth. Deduct from the length three fifths of such breadth, multiply the remainder by the breadth and the product by the depth; divide by 95; the quotient is tonnage." (*'. f.t If length = x, and breadth = y; Tonnage = (x -- | y) X y X j y.) 95 Niles states that the British mode, as taken from Steele's "Shipmaster's Assistant," was this: Drop plumb-line over stem of ship and measure distance between such line and the after part of the stern port at the load watermark; then measure from top of said plumb-line in parallel direction with the water to perpendicular point immediately over the load water-mark of the fore part of main stem; subtract from such admeasurement the above distance; the remainder is ship's extreme length, from which deduct 3 inches for every foot of the loaddraught of water for the rake abaft, and also three fifths of the ship's breadth for the rake forward; remainder is length of keel for tonnage. Breadth shall be taken from outside to outside of the plank in broadest part of the ship either above or below the main wales, exclusive of all manner of sheathing or doubling. Depth is to be considered as one half the length. Tonnage will then be the length into the depth into breadth, divided by 94 Tonnage was thus estimated in a purely arbitrary manner, with no regard to actual capacity or displacement: and, moreover, what is of more importance, the B...