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The ratings of these vessels will, however, very much mislead people as to the real strength of the armament. The 74's and 80's are in weight of broadside equal to most three-decked ships; the first-class frigates are double-banked of the scantling, and carrying the complement of men of our 74's. The sloops are equally powerful in proportion to their ratings, most of them carrying long guns. Although flush vessels, they are litle inferior to a 36-gun frigate in scantling, and are much too powerful for any that we have in our service, under the same denomination of rating. All the line-of-battle ships are named after the several States, the frigates after the principal rivers, and the sloops of war after the towns, or cities, and the names are decided by lot.

It is impossible not to be struck with the beautiful architecture in most of these vessels. The Pennsylvania, rated 120 guns, on four decks, carrying 140, is not by any means so per

fect as some of the line-of-battle ships.* The Ohio is as far as I am a judge, the perfection of

*The following are the dimensions given me of the ship of the line Pennsylvania :

feet. inches.

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Burthen 3366 tons, and has ports for 140 guns, all long thirty-two pounders, throwing 2240 pounds of ball at each broadside, or 4480 pounds from the whole. Her mainmast from the step to the truck 278

59

23

51

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Main-topsail contains 1,531 yards.

The number of yards of canvas for one suit of sails

is

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