Newly Discovered Plans-
SAIL PLAN---The sail
plan of the rebuilt Constellation (NA 28-2-51: Spar & rigging
Plan: 1854)
shows the yards of the 1854 Sloop of War to be virtually the same size
as the 1800 Frigate Constellation (Naval Docs, Barbary Wars,
vol VII, pgs 69-70). For example:
Main Yard 1854 (Sloop)--
83 feet.>>> 1800 (Frigate)---84 feet.
Topsail Yard 1854 (Sloop)-- 57 feet.>>> 1800 (Frigate)---60 feet.
Topgalt Yard 1854 (Sloop--38 feet.>>> 1800 (Frigate)---40 feet.
Royal Yard 1854 (Sloop)--27 feet.>>> 1800 (Frigate)---30 feet.
1854 SAIL PLAN shows no cross trees topgalt (see red arrow below & Roux
painting).
Geoffrey Footner in his
book USS CONSTELLATION states pg. 232 "Masts, spars, rigging, and
sails for the modified CONSTELLATION, for the most part, matched the ones
on the---frigate."
His figures indicate 33% of the sails for the Sloop of War came from the old
Frigate.
Simple to accomplish when the Sloop incorporates the same masting plan as
the Frigate.
CAST IRON TANKS- LOWER
HOLD-
Footner noted pg. 234-235 of his book USS CONSTELLATION that $18,137 worth
of special
iron tanks (representing 6.5% of total repair cost) were removed from the
Frigate,
refurbished and re-installed on the Sloop. Here are the tanks in an 1840 Frigate
Plan
(NA, RG 71, Logs Boston Navy Yard (1841), Stowage Plans of
lower hold of Frigate Constellation):
Here are the tanks re-installed
in the 1859 Sloop
(NA, RG 19, 128546 Deck Plans showing Stowage lower hold, Sloop
Constellation, 1859):
ORLOP DECK FRIGATE 1840-
(NA, RG 71, Logs Boston Navy Yard (1841), Stowage Plans of
orlop deck of Frigate Constellation):
ORLOP DECK SLOOP 1859-
(NA, RG 19, 128546 Deck Plans showing Stowage orlop deck, Sloop
Constellation, 1859):
KEY FINDING---The spacing
between the masts on the 1840 Frigate and the 1859 Sloop
were virtually identical. This can be observed when we place the 1859 Sloop
Orlop deck plan
on top of the 1840 Frigate Orlop deck plan. See below:
CONCLUSIONS-
Masting system virtually identical from Frigate to Sloop.
Many materials (sails, tanks, etc) went from frigate to Sloop.
Even though the Sloop was 12 feet longer than the Frigate, the spacing
and size of the Frigate masting system was retained on the rebuilt Sloop.