Java-class frigate (1813): Difference between revisions

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{{Distinguish|text=the post-Civil War era [[Java-class frigate (1863)]]}}

The '''''Java''''' or '''''Guerriere-''class frigate''' was a series of heavy [[Frigate|sailing frigates]] built for the [[United States Navy]] during the [[War of 1812]]. Designed to shore up the fledgling Navy, the ships had a miserable service life. Of the six initially planned, only three were laid down, and only two entered service. The two ships of the class had a limited role within the Navy, stemming from poor craftsmenship and wood quality due to their war-time construction.

== Design and development ==

Under the [[Presidency of Thomas Jefferson|Jefferson Administration]] in the early 1800s, the [[United States Navy|US Navy]] was invisoned as a [[militia]]-based force that operated small, [[Ad hoc|ad-hoc]] [[Gunboat|gunboatsgunboat]]s. [[United States Congress|Congress]] opposed expanding the Navy, which left the nation unable to defend itself at sea. It reversed course following the outbreak of the [[War of 1812]], and ordered 6 frigates in 1813, which made them the first purpose-built vessels for the Navy since 1800. The new frigates were greatly modeled after the earlier [[Original six frigates of the United States Navy|original six frigates]], with characteristics similar to those of the 44-gun varientvariant. The ships were armed with a total of 45 guns, displaced {{Convert|1,508|short ton|metric ton}}, were {{Convert|175|feet|m}} [[Length between perpendiculars|long between perpendiculars]], {{Convert|145|feet|m}} long at the [[waterline]], had a [[Beam (nautical)|beam]] of {{Convert|44.5|feet|m}}, a depth of {{Convert|13.5|feet|m}}, and were manned by a crew of 400.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Silverstone |first=Paul H. |url=https://www.worldcat.org/title/ocm63178925 |title=The sailing navy, 1775-1854 |date=2006 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-0-415-97872-9 |series=The U.S. Navy warship series |___location=New York |pages=35 |chapter=The United States Navy, 1794–1854 |oclc=ocm63178925}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last=Canney |first=Donald L. |url=https://archive.org/details/sailingwarshipso0000cann/mode/2up |title=Sailing warships of the US Navy |date=2001 |publisher=London : Chatham |others=Internet Archive |isbn=978-1-86176-110-1 |pages=61-6361–63 |language=}}</ref>

== History ==

Although six ships were ordered, only three were laid down, all in 1813. Of the three, ''Columbia'' and ''Continental'' were re-namedrenamed after [[Prize of war(law)|war prizes]] captured from the [[GreatRoyal BritainNavy]] while they were still in the shipyard. After the American defeat at [[Battle of Bladensburg]] and, the British advance on [[Washington, D.C.|Washington D.C.]], The newly renamed and nearly completed ''Essex'' was burned to prevent her capturefrom falling into British hands.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />

Due to their war time construction, the two remaining ships were poorly made and quickly deteriorated due to the use of [[green wood]]. After she was launched, ''Java'' was described by [[Oliver Hazard Perry]] as, "not appear[ing] to have been faithfully built, [and] the work in many respects bad..." Post-war, the two ships were sent to the [[Mediterranean Sea|Mediterranean]], where ''Guerriere'' engaged the [[Barbary corsairs|Barbary Pirates]]. ''Java'' was of little use to the Navy due to her poor craftsmanship, and she was laid up for years as attempts to rebuild her failed to materialize. After her service, ''Guerriere'' became a [[Training ship|school ship]] and ''Java'' was reduced to a [[Hulk (ship type)|receiving ship]] before both were found to be too costly to maintain and were broken up in the early 1840s.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />

In 1820, the class's design was revisited, which produced the seven frigates of the [[Potomac-class frigate|''Potomac''-class]], which served as the backbone for the Navy for several decades.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Silverstone |first=Paul H. |url=https://www.worldcat.org/title/ocm63178925 |title=The sailing navy, 1775-1854 |date=2006 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-0-415-97872-9 |series=The U.S. Navy warship series |___location=New York |pages=36 |chapter=The United States Navy, 1794–1854 |oclc=ocm63178925}}</ref>

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== References ==

<references />{{Java-class frigate (1813)}}

[[Category:United States Navy in the 19th century]]

[[Category:Sailing frigates of the United States Navy]]

[[Category:Frigate classes]]

[[Category:Ship classes of the United States Navy]]

[[Category:Heavy frigates of the United States Navy]]