On this day 27 March

[7eat51]

On the 27th of March 1794, the U.S. Congress passed the Naval Act of 1794, which authorized the construction of six frigates: Chesapeake (44), Congress (36), Constellation (36), Constitution (44), President (44), United States (44). President Washington selected all of the names but one – the Chesapeake – from a list developed by U.S. Secretary of War Timothy Pickering, all of which represented a major principle outlined in the U.S. Constitution. The remaining ship’s name was chosen several years later by then Secretary of the Navy Benjamin Stoddert.

USS Chesapeake:





USS Chesapeake vs. HMS Shannon:





USS Congress:







USS Constellation vs. Insurgente:



USS Constitution:









USS Constitution vs. Guerriere:





USS Constitution vs. HMS Java:





USS President:





USS President vs. HMS Little Belt:



USS United States:





USS United States vs. HMS Macedonian:




For more information on today's event:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Origina...ed_States_Navy

[csadn]

There's a certain historical coincidence in that: The frigates named for aspects of the country (the stars of the flag; the nation's law document; the nation itself) were all extremely successful, while the ones named for political classes and the one name not chosen by The Father Of The Country failed miserably....

[Anav]

Also today:
1799 - USS Constitution recaptures American sloop Neutrality from France.

[Beowulf03809]

...sorry ....wrong thread