Midway (CV 41) - Naval Cruise Book

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34, QQ 3 is ' 5 ,? . J M A7 up 'Oh M Q ,4 1 ' l be ,gee Q 425 wt E L W to e :ZH 3, w x A X f 'X ' nf . A- , X U . 1, , q, 5: . - gg-w-.qsx .F . kg Y ' c-3? . . , 9 .. ft? W .,, . N May 10, 1797 the U. S. Navy was born when the frigate United States, a 44 gunner, slid down the way at Phila- delphia, Pa. The following September the frigates Constella- tion and Constitution, one of history's most famous fighting ships., were launched. This was the era of the three-masted fri- gate, the new symbol of speed, grace, and power. C' N the 1850's guns were installed on two decks, and later a third deck, which protruded from ports as oars once did. This was cannon-ball firepower at its best. Some ships were armed with as many as 120 guns! The great-gun fire replaced the hand-to-hand combat fighting of boarders. Ships now fought like navies instead of armies. The U. S. frigate could fire a ball of a little less than six inches in diameter, weighing 24 pounds, for about 600 yards. Good range for those days. HEN came steam. The Navy was not impressed with the first side-paddle steam boats under sail. They posed more problems than did sails. As the years passed steam vessels made slow progress against the opposition of the old salts. But these men-of-war were still primarily sailing vessels. Steam assisted only in emergencies. The sail was not to die so easily. Al ,N 1863 American seapower was again revolutionized. The first ironclad vessels appeared on the U. S. Naval scene. Minus sails, and equipped with revolving turrets, these weird looking ships sat deep into the water. The wooden sailing ships were no match for the virtually impregnable iron vessel. Henceforth, every wooden ship was worthless as a fighting vessel. Thus ended the days of the sailing vessel which had written a colorful and dramatic story in the pages of naval SCHPOWCP. ROUND 1889 the first important vessel of the new Navy was launched. The protected cruiser Chicago, with steel armor, weighed 4,500 tons. She could demand respect with her four 8-inch and fourteen 5-inch guns. In 1905 construc- tion began on the Navy's first all-big-gun battleship, the dread- nought to reign king of seapower for some 40 years. Tl16S6 ...f'v., 'n.,,. V A 'f ,, 63,1 1-...Sf '