Java-class frigate (1813): Difference between revisions

Revision as of 22:46, 22 April 2025

Revision as of 07:19, 10 June 2025

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== History ==

Although six ships were ordered, only three were laid down, all in 1813. Of the three, ''Columbia'' and ''Continental'' were re-named 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" />