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The Rhode Island State Navy was the first colonial or state navy established after the American Revolutionary War began in April 1775 with the Battles of Lexington and Concord. On the following June 15, the General Assembly authorized the acquisition of two ships for the purpose of defending the colony's trade. The state's ships were generally used for defensive operations within Narragansett Bay, although some prizes were taken. The state was also one of the first to authorize privateering. ==Early establishment and legislative history== Following the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War, the Royal Navy sent the , a frigate commanded James Wallace as captain to put a halt to smuggling out of Newport. On June 13, 1775, Nicholas Cooke, the colony's lieutenant governor, officially asked Wallace to return two ships he had captured. Two days later, the General Assembly authorized the Committee of Safety to acquire two ships for the purpose of defending the colony's trade, established a committee to oversee the acquisition and fitting of the ships, and appointed Abraham Whipple as commodore of the fleet. Two sloops were purchased, called ''Katy'' and ''Washington''. Commodore Whipple reported that the same day, June 15, he captured a tender of the ''Rose''. The navy was organized under, and subject to the direction of, the state's militia generals. In January 1776 two more ships were authorized, and an admiralty court was established to adjudicate maritime matters, including the distribution of prizes. The legislation also authorized the governor to issue letters of marque, making privateering possible. The latter legislation was amended the following May to harmonize it with Continental Navy regulations. About 200 ships engaged in privateering on behalf of the state. The General Assembly authorized two more armed ships in 1777, but none were apparently acquired. It also authorized the purchase of merchant ships for the state's use, which resulted in the acquisition two sloops, ''Aurora'' and ''Diamond''. Further authorizations occurred in 1778 in supported of an anticipated expedition to expel the British from Newport (which failed in the August Battle of Rhode Island), but were only fulfilled later, with the acquisition of the galley ''Pigot'' and the sloop ''Argo'', which were commanded by Continental Army Lieutenant Colonel Silas Talbot. The last ship commissioned by the state of Rhode Island was the ''Rover'', a sloop that saw only brief service in 1781. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Rhode Island State Navy」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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